Thanks, man! You know, you're right...I can see this album eventually becoming one of my favorite albums from ARR...top 10 at least. You can thank the great music for inspiring me to write.
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Rafid" <rafid.nuhu...@...> wrote: > > Chord, > > Your review is outta this world. I liked it. I bet you'll give more marks > after a few more hearings. Had you written the review after a week, you'd > have given more marks. > > For me, all songs are simply superb.I can't rate'em. I'm extremely happy > about VTV songs. ARR-GM combination has really worked well. Many thanks to > ARR! > > Rafid > > > > --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "ichord" <purevibz@> wrote: > > > > After some corrections and additions: > > > > If there's a distinct trend that I see in ARR's music over time, it's his > > reduced emphasis on musical adventurism and acrobatics and increased > > emphasis on > > subtle musical forms within a composition, often perceived subjectively as > > "not > > living up to his own standards". I don't agree with that notion since it's > > ARR > > who recreates his own standards with each release, just like destroying his > > own > > ego before a compositional session. The burden of responsibility to > > recognize > > this is up to the listener, who may be challenged and confounded by > > expectations > > and biases, which is normal and natural. Again, these are trends only and > > just > > from my observational standpoint...nothing is black and white or > > exclusionary. > > This trend may be a function of two forces: 1)Age (emphasizing more of a > > gestalt perspective) 2) Progressive evolution as part of a unique artist > > whose > > mindset is bent on conceptual expansion and really trying hard to avoid > > being > > typecasted, escaping from his own set trails to form new and distinct roads. > > The music of VTV is a major step in AR's evolutionary process as an artist > > who's > > never content with the status quo, or even his own previous success. > > Remember, > > it's the artist over the entertainer, and in VTV, it's the pure artist > > within > > ARR, even beyond musician, that is in the driver's seat. I will not comment > > on > > the lyrics since I don't understand Tamil. > > > > 1) Omanna Penne: > > Steady and soothing.....a composition that oozes with spiritualism and > > introspection. I love how AR juxtaposes the Western rhythms with the > > Carnatic > > raagas first by the female voice, and weaving throughout the stylistic > > Nadaswaram, whose roots are deeply Carnatic, but expressed so universally in > > this track. Wonderful singing by Benny and the Nadaswaram ending is surely a > > page from the Rehna Tu continuum outro. Nothing fancy in this composition, > > but > > the feeling left behind is extremely elevating and cleansing. Fantastic > > start. > > (8/10) > > > > 2) Anbil Avan: > > ARR at his playful best. He must have had a lot of fun putting this track > > together. There is nothing heavy or mind blowing about this track, but what > > makes it work for me is the joyful innocence in the melody and the very > > interesting sonic arrangements using a Shehnai type sound juxtaposed with a > > church organ sound. The musical interlude that has this also has some very > > nice, quick chord progressions that defy banality. The melody sticks easy > > and > > would be a fun song to dance with. (7/10) > > > > 3) Vinnathaandi Varuvaayaa: > > Wow......what a minimalistic impact! Minimalistic impact is something that I > > have been missing from Rahman's oeuvre in recent films, but here it is, in > > its > > full glory and form. Using a minimalistic sound template for a title song is > > quite bold and outside the box, but boy does it work for me!!! The acoustic > > strings (guitar? harp?) along with vibes and small bells create such a > > unique, > > peaceful ambiance in this song that transports me into a dreamlike world. > > Beautiful string additions in the mid section only add depth to amazing > > vocals, > > chords, and heartfelt emotions in this gem, but likely to be underrated > > track. > > Delicate, subtle, dreamy, ambient, soft, restrained, soothing, > > warming.....I can > > go on and on..... Again, a track doesn't have to be complex and > > adventuresome to > > be powerful....this is the genius of AR....he can create such a powerful > > ambience using minimal quantity. (8/10) > > > > 4) Hosana: > > There is no other composer in India who can arrange better than AR. In this > > song, many of AR's strengths are showcased.....sound structure, layered, > > thick, > > yet uncluttered arrangements, symphonic textures, haunting melody, soothing > > ambiance. The sound layers are so clean and crisp....that beautiful > > strumming > > acoustic guitar is so nice!!! Also worthy of metion is the high toned > > Scottish > > flavored flute and the subtle mandolin rhythms in sync with the main > > rhythms, > > punctuated by the pulsating string sections. The female choir with the > > angelic > > expression is one of the most beautiful choir sounds I've heard. This song > > sticks to you and won't let go. A complete masterpiece IMO that is one of > > the > > best songs that ARR has composed in recent years. (9/10) > > > > 5) Kunnukkul Kannai > > Another playful techno oriented track with some pleasing electronic > > arrangements. The unique feature of this track for me are the string quartet > > type rhythmic accents throughout that give this youth song a very Western > > classical feel. Relatively simple by composition and sound, but again, a > > nice > > dance number with good melody. Rahman not living up to his standards on this > > one? Well, that's up to you to decide, but it's an enjoyable one for me, > > though > > If I had to pick my least favorite in this soundtrack, it's this one. (7/10) > > > > 6) Mannipaaya > > I was looking forward to this song ever since I knew Shreya and AR would be > > singing it, a romantic duet. The song has everything I could hope for in a > > romantic duet....breathtaking melody, beautiful soundscapes, sophisticated > > arrangements, gentle ambiance, subtle symphonic artistry. I love the piano > > backdrop and so many of the symphonic instruments can be heard in > > isolation...oboe, clarinet, tympani, flute, etc. A very subtle masterpiece > > in > > my opinion, that can only be appreciated by those with a certain musical > > sensitivity and emotional open-ness, and of course, who like mushy romantic > > numbers! The melody is quite drawn out with long contours, so it's not a > > song > > that's easily melodically remembered the first time go, but certainly sticks > > with you with repeated exposure. There is a certain musical abstractness > > to this song, like a modern painting that takes time to sink in and be > > registered, but only appreciated by those with such a taste and open-ness. > > Strengths of this track...mood, delicate > > arrangements, subtle artistry, certain melodic sections, innocence, > > sincerity. > > One of the album's highlights for sure and I hope it's picturized well > > (9/10) > > > > 7) Aaromale > > Wow.....just wow!!! AR takes a page from the Pink Floyd era, but nothing > > here > > is lifted or copied. Sensual, stylistic, clean acoustic guitar playing along > > with passionate and mind blowing vocals by Alphonse make this track simply > > stunning. The string type sounds which weave in and out add a whole new > > dimension to the sonic architecture of this gem. What is so unique about > > this song is again, minimalistic impact with sound, instruments, but also > > chordal architecture.......there are only 2 alternating chords being used > > in the entire song!! Can you believe it? The > > chorus part which begins with the Malyali "Swasti Swasti" harks on raaga > > Bhimpalas to create a magical effect....imagine...juxtaposing a 2 chord > > bluesy guitar riff with a raaga > > based melody.....only AR....only AR.... The added percussion increasing the > > pace only add to the intensity and sinisterness to this path breaking and > > out of > > the box track. And man, what an ending...the way the vocals fade out......oh > > man!!!! The ambience created is just out of this world....it leaves me > > stunned, > > mesmerized, in awe. (10/10)!!! > > > > General highlights of this album include minimalistic impact, originality, > > very > > sophisticated and classy arrangements, incredibly strong ambience and sound > > quality, and soothing influence. I don't think anyone will be complaining > > about > > sound issues in this album like we saw for Blue, as ARR I think paid a lot > > more > > attention to that aspect this time around, perhaps keeping our "Blue" > > feedback > > in mind??? The soundtrack also has a wide range of styles, sounds, musical > > forms that keep you interested. Because of the highly international, > > situational, and somewhat unconventional nature of the songs, these will > > only be > > appreciated most with time, post movie visuals, and by those who are most > > open > > minded about music in general. Those who only like the antara-mukhda type > > film > > songs will find the listening experience to be awkward and just too > > esoteric. > > Also, except for the first track with Carnatic raagas, most of the rest of > > the > > album is void of obvious ethnic Indian sounds/styles/forms, consistent with > > the > > international and more universal musical approach. This again, may be a turn > > off to some due to non exposure. Like all new ARR albums, esp. ones like > > this that have some unconventional and new elements, it will take time to > > grow for many, if at all. > > > > A special mention must be made for the singing in each song. All singers > > have done a fantastic job in rendering with great emotion and passion. I > > esp liked Shreya Ghoshal's heartfelt crooning in Mannipaya and what more > > can be said about Alphonse in Aaromale? Amazing rendering and much credit > > goes to ARR too for bringnig the best out of him. Other singers such as > > Benny, Karthik, Chinmayi, Kalyani, Blaaze, Suzanne....all deserve high > > praise for their parts. > > > > My overall rating....9/10. A distinct highlight of ARR's career...one of the > > very finest musical packages you will find anywhere in the world today, not > > because of its complexity, wizardry, or dynamics, but for pure artistry, > > sincerity, ambiance, mood, minimalism, subtlety, and overall spiritualism. > > A nice instrumental > > track addition would have made this album perfect for me. > > >
