Music Review (Tamil): Kaali

Music Review (Tamil): Kaali
Music Composer: Vijay Antony

Vijay Antony has the knack of surprising listeners with the unexpected sweeping melody and Arumbey falls in that zone as similar to Nenjorathil from Pichaikkaran. Nivas and Janani Iyer owns this Hamsanadam based gorgeous tune. Composer adorns the tune with beautiful violin solos and Santoor strains effectively. Amma Azhugiren is the typical song which Vijay Antony reserves for melancholy regarding Amma's love and the generic tune doesn't help the song. The arrangements are relatively better with the haunting grey shades in an otherwise pretty average tune and lyrics. Nivas mangles the Tamil diction considerably, especially while rendering the title.


Noorai Yugam is another gorgeous melody with an upbeat techno rhythm peppered profusely with gorgeous violin solos. The tune is enjoyable till it lasts while Vedala Hemachandra and Sangeetha Rajeshwaran ably manage to make it listenable despite the monotonous feel of the overall soundscape.Poraayo is another melancholy which fails to register with the listeners and the soundscape remains predominantly string based one peppered with haunting flute solos. The tune falters behind while Deepak saves the song with his earnest rendition.


Verdict: Vijay Antony scores easily in Kaali with the gorgeous melodies Arumbey and Noorai Yugam.

My Rating: 7/10
Pick of the Album: Arumbey, Noorai Yugam

Music Review (Tamil): Annadurai

Music Review (Tamil): Annadurai
Music Composer: Vijay Antony

Thangama Vairama starts off in a high note but once the outdated tune kicks off in Ananthu's vocals, the song fails to entice the listener. The interludes are strictly pedestrian and generic while Ananthu and Karthik tried to infuse life with the sincere rendition. The more memorable and inventive tune could have made this song an engaging listen. Vijay Antony brings back Nenjorathil fame Supriya Joshi to croon GST with the similar soundscape especially Tabla base. Though the tune fares tad lower than Nenjorathil, Vijay Antony able to deliver an adequately listenable song especially interludes and charanam portions. Arun Bharathi throws  GST in the lyrics to gather enough attention.

Apart from the slightly mellowed background soundscape, Odathey (Pathos) and Odathey doesn't have much variations, especially in terms of Ananthu's vocals. The tune strictly confines to the tried and tested Vijay Antony's stock list and also falls in the quite generic climatic soaring tune. Annadurai theme song falls into the composer's generalised melancholy template and Ananthu pushes a languishing tune with his effectual vocals but tune fails to engage. The only solace being the beautiful Piano interlude in the middle of the song.

Verdict: Vijay Antony's Annadurai is another unremarkable soundtrack from the composer and the short soundtrack from the composer has hardly any memorable tracks.

My Rating: 6/10

Pick of the Album: GST 

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn

Music Review (Tamil): Yaman

Music Review (Tamil): Yaman
Music Composer: Vijay Antony

Yem Mela kai vacha gaali is a tedious listen, largely owing to the monotonous tune and Annamalai's pedestrian lyrics doesn't help either while Vijay Antony spruces up the proceedings with his vocals and tinge of jazz in the arrangements. However as a whole, this song stays low-key one in the album. Damelo Damelo has an interesting prelude hook and composer utilises in a much better way while Saranya aces the singing part with her earnest energetic rendition. Though the song has nothing much to offer musically, singer and tune make this one passable listen and helps to sail through unscathed.

Kadavul Ezhudhum rides mainly on the lead singer vocals especially Janani Iyer's effortless rendition, however languishing tune by the composer is a great let down and the arrangements are monotonous except for the brief violin solo in the second interlude Sigaram Chella's orchestration is grand and anthemic filled with string sections similar to every song of this genre. The short under 3 minutes song ends majorly as background'sh material rather than as a song. The singers made the song afloat till it ends.Neeye Thaniyai is an another optimistic piece by Vijay Antony and the song fared much better due to its congruous tune and string-laden arrangements. Jagadeesh scores well with his energetic rendition and composer makes this 3 minutes song with an engaging orchestration.

Verdict: Vijay Antony's Yaman is highly generic one without any interesting elements to offer both musically and lyrically.

My Rating: 6/10

Pick of the Album: Neeye Thaniyai

Music Review (Tamil): Saithan

Music Review (Tamil): Saithan
Music Composer: Vijay Antony

Ladukio starts off impressively with Jazz tinged sounds but soon transcends into the conventional sounding track without much novelty. Yazin Nizar's effortless rendition of the pleasant tune keeps this song afloat amidst the repetitive staid rhythm structure.Jayalakshmi's haunting sounds and once again Yazin Nizar shines in this gloomy track while the classical shades in the tune got sabotaged by the grungy singing. The shift in the pace towards the charanam portions are abrupt, however, the mix of classical elements and Hard rock flavour makes this one an enticing listen till it lasts.

Yedhedho's listenable melody is mauled by Vijay Antony's mediocre vocals, however, the composer makes it up for the upbeat rhythms and enjoyable interludes. Vijay Antony's mangled rendition of Annamalai lyrics adds up to the annoying factor. The competent singer would have elevated this melody to an another level. Album shifts once again to the haunting mode in Opaari and the song is pretty much background'ish conventional one. The only takeaway from this gloomy setting is the rustic vocals of Chinna Ponnu and her improvisations give the song an exotic feel. Vijay Antony ends the soundtrack with quite an effective theme music and the instrumental packs the punch with angsty guitar riffs as well as a touch of Indian instruments. Jayalakshmi's instrumental version is packaged as an another theme track of the movie and this version is also quite an effectual one.

Verdict: Vijay Anthony fails to deliver memorable tracks for the horror movie, however, the soundscape confines to the genre particularly well.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Pick of the Album: Jayalakshmi, Them tracks, Yedhedho

P.S You can listen to the songs in Saavn.

Music Review (Tamil): Pichaikaran

Music Review (Tamil): Pichaikaran
Music Composer: Vijay Antony

Glamour song though starts with a typical Vijay Antony's incomprehensible chorus portions, amusing lyrics crooned with rustic vocals of Velmurugan works very well. Apart from the routine kuthu percussion elements, the composer uses effectually clarinet sounds throughout the song. Overall, the song is listenable although the tune is simple and predictable.The emotional number Nooru Samigal is mostly situational and strictly functional while composer itself behind the mic to croon the song. Though the composer did a neat job with his vocals, the experienced singer would have spruced up the song much better. The arrangements are quite adequate with strings progression, rhythmic percussion and fabulous flute work in the interludes.

Vijay Antony nails the lovely melody Nenjorathil with the slew of Hindustani sounds thrown at the orchestration. Particularly loved the tabla throughout the song, the lovely Sarangi in the second interlude with occasional muddled harmonica sounds. Supriya Joshi did quite a splendid job with her sweet vocals.Vijay Antony ropes his one of the frequent collaborator Janaki Iyer to croon the melancholy Unakkaga Varuven and the lady aces the song with her vocals. However, the tune has very less repeat value while Vijay Antony mixes the trance elements with symphonic string portions and wailing violin to set the mood in the interludes.Oru Vellai Sotrukaga has a laudable thought provoking lyrics and typical orchestration laden with progressive string sections. Yasin did a commendable job with his vocals, however, the tune is pretty much conventional and predictable which bogs down the listeners mood very much. The song may work with the flow of visuals but not as a standalone track.

The lovely Hindustani-based song Nenjorathil comes in another version with Deepak Doddera to croon this melodious number. The mesmerising tune makes this version also equally enjoyable while Vijay Antony retains the orchestration pretty much intact without any changes. Deepak Doddera did fairly commendable rendition as Supriya Joshi.Pichaikaran Theme music is a racy number with enough dosages of trance elements, chants packed with Arabic flavoured hummings in the background. The short duration makes less impact however the theme track is a decent and listenable one from Vijay Antony.

Verdict: Vijay Antony's Pitchaikaran has a couple of enjoyable numbers with Nenjorathil being the indisputable winner in this album. However, Vijay Antony fails to deliver equally well with melancholic numbers which make this album an average one.

My rating:7.25/10

Pick of the Album: Nenjorathil (both versions), Glamour song, Unakkaga Varuven

You can listen to the songs in Saavn.

P.S Edited version of the review is available in Moviecrow.