Nice review, man! Enjoyed reading it.
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Jahanzeb" <jahanzebti...@...> wrote:
>
> I held myself back from writing any review before I give it sometime and
> result is that I have a much different opinion on it now. VTV is also of
> particular significance to me because it's the first brand new non-Hindi ARR
> album for me (I started to listen ARR's non-Hindi albums last year and got
> all his collection at once). My initial impression was that it is below
> expectations especially given the huge hype however it didn't take long
> before I realized how innovative and classy album it is. Given it's
> experimental nature, songs are structured in unconventional way and ARR
> preferred to use simple and less heavily-layered music here. May be this is
> why album as a whole sounds low on melody, at least initially. Songs are not
> very hummable, at least in first hearings, but then grow on quickly.
>
> Omana Penne: It has quickly become my most favorite of the album. Initially
> it sounded a little lacking in terms of instruments and thinly structured
> layers however it grew on me like magic. I absolutely loved Benny's
> rendition. I would say it is his best compared to his early works with ARR.
> What an awesome intro this song have got, and I think Benny deserves full
> credit for it. The beats and the chorus are awesome. Though didn't like the
> female vocals initially, at least the way they come in, it sounds to me like
> some song has been played in background with low quality sound. Loved that
> shahnai too, kind of Continuum fingerboard ending of Rehna Tu. 8/10
>
> Anbil Avan: Very catchy tune and the only instantly-likable (or may be I
> should say mass-appealing) song from the album, but at the same time the only
> sub-standard song (as per ARR's standards) of the album. I completely agree
> with Chord and others that Chinmayi ROCKS big time. It's hard to believe how
> effortlessly she sounds different in different songs. And also that it is the
> same Chinmayi who sung Tere Bina and I Miss You Da. Though could not get why
> it sounds noisy when it starts, as if there is some problem with the sound. I
> see this song becoming huge hit among masses. 7/10
>
> Vinnathaandi Varuvaayaa: To me this is the weakest of the lot. Initially I
> didn't even understand the rhythm, it was just like a free flowing song like
> someone else has also mentioned here. ARR has given much better songs like
> this with minimum instruments, e.g. Dheemi Dheemi from Earth 1947. Anyway I
> liked Karthik's singing and has started to like this song now. 5.5/10
>
> Hosanna: I have to admit I under-estimated it from the promos. I think that
> was mainly because of Blaaze's rap, who I think is becoming repetitive (at
> least compared to NaNa where he did an awesome job). Now I am completely in
> love with this song. And I must say it belongs to Vijay Prakash who impresses
> once again after his superb Fiqraana rendition. In fact sometimes I think
> with such superb job by Vijay why did they even need Blaaze, it would have
> been equally good without him, or may be better. The song is very
> unconventionally structured (three stanzas/antras and no proper
> opening/mukhda ??) but maybe that's its high point. In number of places it
> just sounds sort of some instrumental because of limited vocals, especially
> those long female background vocals/choir (Suzanne) could have been cut
> short. 7.5/10
>
> Kannukkul Kannai: Didn't like it much initially but now is it growing on me.
> Naresh's singing is very effective for these kind of songs and he proves this
> again. It sounds like a guitar only song, there is very minimum use of other
> instruments here. And again no rich, fancy interludes. But anyway quite a
> catchy song. 6/10
>
> Mannipaaya: The song starts so beautifully however somehow later couldn't
> maintain it. Shreya is awesome with honey sweet voice and perfect rendition,
> her vocals are the absolute high point of the song. ARR sounded to me a
> little lacking don't know why, (I hope it goes down well with ....), his
> voice sounded bit husky, compared to Rehna Tu there was some difference,
> something lacking which I am not able to explain. From the initial hype I
> expected it to be my number 1 or 2 most favorite on my list however it only
> comes at number 4 or 5 (after Omana Panne, Aaromale, Hosanna and may be Anbil
> Avan). 6.5/10
>
> Aaromale: Such beautiful guitar though I have to admit that I was kind of
> taken aback by Alphons's voice when it appears the first time. However later
> I realized how wonderfully it suited to the song. Though like many others I
> also felt that there is too much Aaromale Aaromale going on that it sounds
> irritating at some point, at least in first few hearings. Loved the rock feel
> of it. I don't think ARR has compose something like this before, I absolutely
> want more of this sort of gems in future. Really loved the way it breaks into
> the chorus the first time with those four guitar riffs (2:02 - 2:05) . And
> chorus is so mesmerizing, in fact I wished it repeated many more times
> instead of the repetitive Aaromale Aaromale. A classy song. 7.5/10
>
> Overall it is a great album, I would rank it among some of the great albums
> of ARR, though it didn't make to my Top 10. I was expecting a melodious and
> instant-winner album like KK etc but ARR took a different experimental but as
> a whole very satisfactory path. A few things I noticed: very few instruments
> have been used (barring shahnai (?) in Omana Penne). Similarly those rich
> interludes are missing. The other day I was just watching Hamma Hamma
> performance in the Sydney concert and when that out of the world flute
> interlude came I could not help but think why ARR is missing such interludes
> these days. Also flute is almost gone from his songs, the last time I
> remember was in Man Mohana (JA) or may be a little in Kabhi Kabhi Aditi
> (JTYJN). Anyways this is the beauty of ARR's music that he keeps redefining
> his own standards, today I was expecting it to be something like KK, maybe in
> some years I would be expecting his new albums to be like VTV. Sound quality
> is top-notch here (except the Anbil Avan song, don't know why it sounds noisy
> to me in beginning), it seems all those complaints about Blue have been
> addressed.
>
>
> /Jahanzeb
>
