Chord!! we love and adore your reviews. As sajin rightly quoted, thats a perfect itenary for us for every ARR's music release. Keep posting your wonderful and straight from the heart reviews.
Kalyan K. On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 4:14 AM, AJ <purev...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Thanks everyone for reading my reviews and your kind comments. I write > reviews not expecting praise or attention...it's a hobby for me and I do it > for my own self expression and satisfaction. If anyone is patient enough to > read my reviews and write a kind comment, that is bonus to me. > > My reviews tend to be long and verbose, I know that. I like to be very > descriptive about the songs, explaining what I like and why I like it, > pointing out a lot of details. I'm sorry if my reviews are not the most > reader friendly! I simply don't have time to go back and edit them and make > them more concise. Please forgive me for this. > > --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.com>, > Kalyan K <kalyan...@...> wrote: > > > > 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...@...> 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...@...> wrote: > > > > > >> > > >> > > >> Gopal, > > >> > > >> Please add the following to my original post title: 1100110 > > >> > > >> Please resubmit. Thanks. > > >> > > >> --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com > > >> <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.com><arrahmanfans% > 40yahoogroups.com>, > > >> "AJ" <purevibz@> 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
