Yea I got that :) I would have them on my list too.. Completely strange vocals (other than the style) in some songs, although in Arari Ariraro (Karuthamma) and Thirupachi Arivale (Taj Mahal) he makes it work! To Chord and others, of course A R R still makes excellent music. That was not being disputed here. All I was doing was answering your question of "A R R living up to his standards (or not)." I do also believe that A R R built a fan-base based on his early 90s music, and he must be true to the aspect of his music that is not reliant on technology (the untouchable, abstract). In the name of innovativeness, he cannot isolate the fan base completely. He doesn't go back to his earlier work, but he has to go back within himself and stay honest to that. And I believe he does that, and because of this, although SEL's jazz sounds like jazz, A R's jazz still sounds Rahmanesque.
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Vijay Iyer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > the 3 tracks i ve listed are in reference to the 5 u said are difficult to > LIKE > > On Jan 28, 2008 2:42 AM, Vijay Iyer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Hey Rano, i definitely do agree to the 'generation' gap here........whoa > > !! and to think the only generation gap was between elders who used to > > listen to MSV and others and us lot who rediscovered film music with A R > > R......a lot of people who have tuned in to A R R s music should go back > > and listen to ALL his stuff between 92 and 97........ > > > > I tried hard to replay all the songs in my mind and came up with these 3 > > for now......PAROTA PAROTA from Vandi Cholai Chinrasu, YEDUKU PONDATI from > > Keezaku Cheemayile and KOKU SAIDE KOKU from Muthu.........all 3 are very > > very situational but very very 'different'......there was a phase where > > moviemakers and lyricists tried to overdo the jeans pant baggy pant bit > > (started from gentleman and then hit the pits with the track onu rendu moona > > da.......from pudhiya manargal...notice the 1st stanza where the words jeans > > and baggy are used and the tune seems so completely in contrast !) and also > > overdose of elderly voices (again started from roja and then the track in > > muthu which ive mentioned above....)..... > > > > On a different note, i ve been literally humming IN LAMHON KE > > DAMAN......from jodhaa and accidentally slipped into the interlude of SITIRA > > NILAVU from Vandi Cholai......if someone could mix and match and cut and > > paste, id love to hear how it would sound...me thinks it would fit perfectly > > atleast before the stanza where Madhushree starts off........ > > > > -Vijay > > > > On Jan 27, 2008 11:12 AM, Ranojoy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Let me try to explain. For the first 5 years, between 1992 and 1996, > > > almost none of the people here or ANYWHERE will be able to find 5 A R > > > songs that they didn't like. Out of 25-30 albums. That's a high > > > standard. Every phrase, every intro, every verse is astounding from > > > that period. In Guru, the first interlude from Barso Re is phenomenal > > > and no other composer is capable of that kind of music, and many fans > > > think that A R is capable of sustaining that sort of quality over the > > > length of the entire album, which may or may not happen because the > > > songs are extremely situational nowadays. > > > It is RIDICULOUS for anyone here to say that one cannot criticize this > > > aspect of Rahman's music or that, because there are many many fans who > > > have been there since the first song of A R R ever aired and before, > > > and have a right to express their feelings. > > > I am curious to know how old some of you are, because there seems to > > > be a generational gap developing in this group :) > > > > > > --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com <arrahmanfans% 40yahoogroups.com>, > > > "Chord" <purevibz@> wrote: > > > > > > > > I hear this phrase over and over and over in reviews. What does that > > > > mean exactly? Is it purely subjective or are there elements of > > > > Rahman's best works that can be operationalized? If ARR is a > > > > progressive artist who doesn't stick to formulas, what exactly are his > > > > > > > standards that people expect him to adhere to album after album? > > > > > > > > I think it's the same dilemma for all suuccessful artists. You take > > > > rock bands from the west, you hear so many comments about how their > > > > earlier works outshine later works. "Oh, this group's music back in > > > > the 70s was so much better than their work now". Their own success > > > > haunts them down the road, if they let it. > > > > > > > > Let's take JA. If you want to compare elements of JA to his most > > > > highly rated soundtracks of the past, there is good melody, amazing > > > > musicianship, crystal clear sound, beautiful ornamentation and > > > > attention to musical detail, haunting chords ahd harmonies, catchy > > > > rhythms, and innovativeness. > > > > > > > > So, what's the problem? I get the feeling that no matter how > > > > objectively good an ARR soundtrack will be, there will ALWAYS be folks > > > > > > > who say the phrase above. And I guarantee you that these same folks > > > > would say he is repetitive if Rahman were indeed to go back to the Dil > > > > > > > Se or Taal mode or whatever mode they wish for. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >