Thanks so much, man, I really mean it. It's feedback like yours that really encourages me and helps to wash away a lot of self doubt. I encourage all of you to write and express freely here.
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, ARRvind <arr_arv...@...> wrote: > > Dear Ichord! > > Take a bow! I simply fell flat by the words you defined for all my heart > feelings for the album! Absolutely Stunning write up!!!! > > > > --- On Wed, 1/13/10, ichord <purev...@...> wrote: > > From: ichord <purev...@...> > Subject: [arr] Re: My revised VTV Review > To: arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com > Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 1:28 AM > > > > > > > > Â > > > > > > > > > > Thanks Rafid!! > > > > --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com, "Rafid" <rafid.nuhuman@ ...> 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....breathtakin g 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. > > > > > > > >
