Nice review Chord...But i love irumbile too..Hope it will grow on you in coming days.
Kalyan K. On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 6:33 PM, Roshan <c.pix...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Nice review, Chord. took some time to read the whole thing though. > although i couldn't like the whole album. i do agree with the Puthiya > Manidha. This one has really grown on me. > > > > > On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 6:41 AM, AJ <purev...@yahoo.com> wrote: > >> >> >> Gopal, >> >> Please add the following to my original post title: 1100110 >> >> Please resubmit. Thanks. >> >> --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.com>, >> "AJ" <purev...@...> wrote: >> > >> > Enthiran Music Review >> > >> > I decided to write this review sooner than I thought due to the songs >> having a more instant impact and having listened to the whole album at least >> 15 times since it came out. Further time is not going to change my opinions. >> My comments are only on the music, not the lyrics. >> > >> > I wonder if we really understand and appreciate the difficulty of >> Rahman's job, no matter how musically brilliant he is. He is human after >> all, and not a robot. He has to keep in mind so many expectations and >> demands, esp. when you have a leading film-maker and superstar with his own >> fan following….Rajinikant. Post Oscars, the expectations for Rahman have >> only grown and I truly wonder how he manages to rise to the occasion each >> time, whether we ourselves like an album or not. With Shankar and Rajinikant >> at hand, boy, Rahman must try to keep a lot of people happy all at once, yet >> creating music fitting for the movie that's supposed to have sci fi, robo >> themes! If there's anyone who can do justice to these demands, it's Rahman. >> The hype around the music release of this album is one of the biggest I've >> seen in a while…..touted as one of the finest films, most expensive films, >> etc. >> > >> > Pudiya Manidha whisks us away to a land of robos and futuristic sci fi, >> and man, does it ever leave a mark! One of the sleekest masterpieces Rahman >> has ever come out with in my opinion, this song oozes with etherealness, >> groove, punch, mystery, intrigue, and trance. This track takes me to another >> world truly with Rahman's sweet touches….crystal, progressive synth sound >> effects, warm ambiance, loopy synths, and the ever soothing and captivating >> string arrangements. Post Khatija Rahman's soulful singing and bleating goat >> sounds, the song picks up speed with rhythms and SPB's spritely singing. >> Notice how the strings mimic the synth loop melody, only adding depth and >> character to an already richly bestowed track. Based loosely on raaga >> Bhimpalas, the song takes a soaring route during the heavenly string >> interlude. Beautiful choral additions are appreciated, adding a stark >> spirituality and sonic texture along with SPB's split octave singing, >> creating a very balanced and satisfying bass/treble aural experience on all >> frequencies. This track will likely go down as one of my favorites in ARR's >> entire repertoire for the reasons outlined above and for reasons I just >> can't put into words, but can only feel and experience. For a techno/trance >> number, it's very spiritual in feel! A complete masterpiece from start to >> finish, what a way to kick off!!!! >> > >> > A contrasting, more acoustic, upbeat and happier track follows as Shreya >> and Vijay Prakash please us with lilting singing and joy in Kaadhal Annukal. >> Rahman's use of rhythm acoustic guitar layered with the sweet accordion and >> mouth organ/harmonica is extremely appealing aurally with incredible >> sweetness! Beautiful interludes highlight this earthy and charming song with >> a Scottish/Irish style using piccolo and accordion in the first, and a very >> unconventional, out of the box mysterious and ambient synth section in the >> second, showcasing ARR's brilliant creativity and craft. The second >> interlude is truly outstanding as it gravitates away from the usual flowery >> mood and organic sound and serves us something more electronic and spacey, >> but never distracts the groove and momentum of the whole track! I just love >> how ARR uses the strings so tastefully and craftily throughout the song >> creating a very lush aural landscape, esp. in the end when Shreya's counter >> melodic line joins in. A really sparkling track from start to finish for me >> and this song just radiates freshness and innovativeness for an Indian film >> song. The melody itself is very sweet with many hooks, though unconventional >> for an Indian duet film song and at times hard to remember, but with >> repeated exposures, I can't get this song out of me!! The whole song is >> beautifully supported by a fresh, rhythmic groove that mostly unwavers >> alongside haunting and unique chords and chord progressions. >> > >> > Following the very techno and synth heavy first track, how beautifully >> contrasting we hear a very earthy and acoustic one in the second…..truly >> showcasing ARR's versatility and genius in the first 2 tracks alone!!! >> > >> > The third track, Irumbile Oru, is techno to the core, but sounding like >> an ordinary remix to me! Marked by some sexy grooves and female rapping >> along with ARR's metallic tinged voice, this track has not yet impressed me >> much musically. Maybe if I understood the lyrics, I would appreciate it >> more, but I did notice how the lyrics and words seem to flow quite well. I >> don't know why Rahman did not do more musically with this track, esp. using >> a kind of outdated techno sound that has been used over and over! As my >> friend put it, "this track is a lost opportunity for Rahman" in terms of >> sound, but I can see how the youngsters are enjoying it for its sheer >> rhythmic groove, lyrics, word flow, and ARR's voice. Nothing more to write >> here! >> > >> > ARR has a little fun in the next track, Chitti Dance Showcase, which >> begins as a cheesy robotic voice…………………come on Rahman! You can do better! >> Why choose a clichéd, stereotyped robotic sound that we've heard over and >> over? Once again, Rahman using a very outdated sound! I can understand >> Rahman's attempt to be obvious and literal as he needs to cater to the >> masses, but still….there is no elevation of taste using these outdated and >> hackneyed robo sounds! But, on the plus side, this track has its interesting >> and at times brilliant moments, esp. with the beautiful and sweeping string >> and choral interlude, but alas, only lasts about 10-15 seconds! We hear all >> sorts of genres here….symphony, heavy metal, Indian tarana, but with jarring >> transitions. Oh, and I also like that little whistling, jazzy insertion that >> he put in there towards the end….showing the more humorous and playful side >> to ARR! Nice touch there! >> > >> > We switch gears to a much more heavy sounding number, Arima Arima, with >> Hariharan and Sadhana Sargam, 2 singers we haven't heard in a long time in a >> Rahman's song! This track is full of valor and majesty, showcasing brass and >> pomp with militarized drumming and a dose or distorted rock guitar to add >> exclamation! I love Rahman's use of the symphonic strings in this song using >> them to accent rhythms and intertwining them delicately at times in 16th >> note fashion creating a beautifully crafted and intricate rhythmic and >> textured backdrop to Hariharan's and Sadhana Sargam's passionate singing. I >> love some of the operatic voices that are also used as transitional pieces. >> I also loved that little 16th note synth insertion during one of the song's >> transitions, adding energy to an already vibrant and punchy track! Did you >> notice how the trumpet interlude totally changes the mood of the song as we >> go into major scale? I love that part of the song!!!! The singing is semi >> classical at times, esp. during the antaras, which I really appreciate. The >> track both begins and ends with synth, creating an interesting contrast to >> the much more acoustic and earthy majority of the song. >> > >> > We go light in mood again with an African twist!!! Kilimanjaro is a real >> treat with extremely catchy lyrics and spirited singing by Chinmayi and >> Javed Ali! What a track! I love the mood of this whole song and the >> beautifully authentic African vocal tribal interludes add only icing to the >> cake! I don't know how Rahman created such an authentically earthy sound to >> the tribal choral parts! This song is just brilliant and so crafty! I love >> how the crisp tablas are used at times and the naughty singing by Chinmayi, >> who doesn't sound her usual self, but very convincing! This raaga Malkauns >> based track is punctuated by some very wholesome and crisp drumming, >> catapulting this track forward with every step! Check out the rhythmic >> variations during many parts of the song with added maracas (or another >> instrument) in double time, esp. during the second tribal part. Let's not >> forget the playful "click click" sound either, which is just perfectly >> placed! Rahman's versatility is simply mindblowing!!!! >> > >> > The final track begins with Yogi B's "Boom Boom Robo Da" bit which >> repeats kind of annoyingly through the rest of the song. I could have >> enjoyed this song without that part, catchy as it is!!! Brass hits and funky >> techno beats characterize this very rhythmic, colorful and varied track with >> multiple musical genres in jazz, latin, rap, heavy metal, hip hop, etc. For >> a change, it's nice to hear Yogi B, another rapper besides Blaaze, though no >> hard feelings towards Blaaze! The antaras are quite melodiously sung as the >> singing takes on a more semi classical turn in raaga Abhogi and occasionally >> Bhairavi. I very much appreciate the second interlude Latin/Spanish sounding >> section with the soothing female chorus and nice but brief acoustic Spanish >> sounding guitar. There are more acoustic elements to this song too as what >> sounds like a bright santoor plays an old fashioned melody in the beginning >> and acoustic guitar plucking briefly as the other musical flavors melt away >> for a brief bit during some later transitions. A patchwork track of sorts, >> much like its predecessor in Chitti Showcase, it's quite entertaining to the >> core with some splashes of sweet melody thrown in. Rahman's talent as a >> musically genius craftsman really shines in this track. >> > >> > So, another milestone in ARR's career if you ask me with heavyweights >> Pudhiya Manidha, Kadhal Anukkal, Arima, and Kilimanjaro totally carrying >> this soundtrack on all four of their shoulders. These 4 songs to me embody >> some of Rahman's finest musical work to date in terms of composition, >> innovation, sonic creativity, and mass and class appeal. This album would be >> worthy enough with only these 4 songs on the table. The other 3 tracks have >> bright moments contained within them, but seriously, the outdated and cheesy >> and cliched robo/electro sounds of the 1980s are a big turn off for me and I >> am quite disappointed by Rahman's choice here, also likely influenced by >> Pravin Mani. I really wish that similar sound templates of the ambient >> textured, progressive and futuristic sounds of Pudhiya Manidha would have >> been in more abundance in the rest of the songs, but perhaps Shankar had a >> big say in this to cater to more of the masses and Rajinikant fans and what >> fits in with the film…..I don't know. As an album overall, it's >> qualitatively very inconsistent to me and very gimmicky in parts, but with 4 >> brilliant songs in the mix, I will surely be playing this very entertaining >> CD as well as the Telugu and Hindi counterparts in heavy rotation for a >> long, long time to come! >> > >> > Numeric Values: >> > 7/10 – Compared to other Rahman albums (mostly for the 4 amazing songs I >> talked about above) >> > 9/10 – Compared to contemporary Indian film albums >> > >> > Copyright by iChord 2010. No part of this writeup may be reproduced >> without the sole written consent of this writer. >> > >> >> > > > -- > ----------------------------------- > http://roshanravi.com > http://ramblingsoul.com > http://cssheaven.org > > >
