Guitar Prasanna about Ilaiyaraaja

Back in the late 90s, when the internet boom was picking up, there was a website for Ilaiyaraaja, in which there was a list of his discography, few articles and some sound samples. I have no clue who built it or maintained it, but it would have been good if they kept it up. Sadly, it no longer exists. It was the website which had some very interesting sound samples (back then, in an era when mp3 culture was still nascent) and I discovered some compositions there. Among the articles, there was one article by Guitar Prasanna, in which he tried to highlight some of the elements of Raaja's music and quoted some of his favourite compositions. It was quite an interesting read. Today, out of the blue, I remembered that article and felt like reading it again. Since the website no longer exists, I had to google up the article and found it in (only)two websites. I am not sure if those websites will also vanish some day and I thought I must have that article shared here on this blog, for some reference, some day. So I am copy-pasting the article here:

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“Have you written invertible counterpoint up a tenth?” Raaja (I am taking the liberty to call him affectionately as “Raaja” since he is, after all, a “Raaja” in what he does!) has asked me this question a few times– a question I don’t encounter much, at least in India. In an age where most musicians (of course only in India!) spend their time reading the latest software manuals rather than reading books on harmony, counterpoint, orchestration or Carnatic ragas or whatever, Raaja is and has always been an anachronism. 

I have had several intellectually stimulating musical conversations with Raaja on principles of counterpoint, Bach, Tyagaraja, jazz harmony and much more. (Raaja has often asked me about jazz and I remember how excited Raaja was when I played him great jazz like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane’s ‘Giant Steps’). Raaja’s vast knowledge extends far beyond music. For instance, I have seen him quote passages from “Tirukkural” effortlessly in casual conversation.

In every field of activity, there are a chosen few that transcend their idiom. Let’s face it! Film music is not classical music. By itself, film music as a medium does not have the spiritual depth or artistic dimensions of say, a Tyagaraja pancharatna kriti or a Bach “Musical Offering”. It’s a medium of popular entertainment just the same way pop music is in the west. That DOES NOT however mean that it CANNOT be artistic. (I think readers will get this ‘distinction’ that I am making), it’s just that its scope and purpose is a little different. Raaja has transcended the idiom and brought elements of ‘higher art’ into it while still maintaining the ‘immediate appeal’ that characterizes (and should characterize) a mass medium like film music. It is doubtful if any musician in the world dealing with a popular musical medium (like pop, rock, film music etc) has ever brought in such an immense and breathtaking array of musical vocabulary and has internalized and reflected it in so personal a way. (What can we call Raaja’s music? – Tamil folk melodies meets Carnatic music meets Hindustani music meets 70’s disco music meets Bach meets electronic music meets ……….) What is amazing is that finally it bears a patent/trademark of homegrown Raaja. (It is not Bach, it is not Earth, Wind and Fire, it is not Carnatic music, it is Ilayaraaja.) In my personal opinion, Steely Dan and the later albums of Sting come closest to standing rock solid on musical and artistic sophistication, while still being couched in a ‘commercial’ medium.

I grew up with Raaja’s music and I can clearly see how I can revisit his old songs and find such technical virtuosity in his writing – his unmatched use of chormaticism in ‘Indianish’ melodies, his extensive use of intricate counterpoint, his vast knowledge of Carnatic music, the ‘correctness’ of every chord in his songs and above all the speed with which he composes clearly show that the man is secure, knows exactly what he wants and delivers. Raaja has raised the standards of us, South Indian listeners so much, that there are many of us who never bothered to listen to Hindi songs for e.g.. (we never needed to, right?). He has raised the standards of musicianship to such a high level among studio musicians in Chennai (I realized the huge gulf, when I worked with string players in Bombay for e.g.) that many times I wonder how the musicians even played some of the parts that are there in his music.
I have never heard a guitar even remotely out of tune in Raaja’s songs for example (believe me, that’s very rare in general). I have to make a special mention of Raaja’s use of the electric bass guitar. I have never heard such meticulous written bass parts (its clearly written carefully), as it is in Raaja’s - song after song after song. Mention also to some brilliant acoustic drum work (a lost and ancient art in India) on Raaja’s songs.

I would like to end this article with what Raaja himself told me once (about the limitations of being in the film medium) “Enakku innum niraya ideas irukku. Ithule ellam panna mudiyathu. Ithu Mint Streetille okkanthu Jabam panra mathiri!” (translated as “I have lot more ideas. I may not be able to do all of them in this. It’s like sitting in the middle of Mint Street and meditating”). I am sure we’ll agree that he has meditated exceptionally well on Mint street!

Here are some of my personal favorites in no particular order (which just came up to me as I am writing) from a very 'technical’ perspective from certain chosen angles. Of course I feel these are great songs anyway to listen to without getting ‘technical’ about them.

• Kanavil Mithakkum from Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal (1982) - Everything. This is a total classic. 
• Pazhaya Sogangal from Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal (1982) - Listen to the beautiful classical guitar parts and the Rhodes piano. 
• Poonthalir Aada from Panner Pushpangal (1981) - The use of counterpoint in this song is at a staggering level. I would like to analyze this song in detail in a later article. 
• Aruna kirana from Guru (Malayalam) (1997) - The orchestration in this is great by any standards. 
• Dilwale from Mahadev (Hindi) (1989) - Has anyone heard this song or have it?, Its so hip, an exceptional arrangement!. 
• Vaan Meethile from Raagangal Maaruvathillai (1983) - Has anyone heard this?. The groove, the bass guitar. 
• Vaanam Keezhe from Thoongathe Thambi Thoongathe (1983) - Everything. To me this song is a mini magnum opus in its arrangement. It is quite stunning. 
• Etho Mogam from Kozhi Koovuthu (1982) - Chromaticism, harmonies, the pastoral feeling. 
• Illamai Itho Itho from Sakalakalavallavan (1982) - Quintessential disco – with Raja’s sophistication though. Look for SPB’s Homer Simpson like ‘hoohoo’s. 
• Vikram from Vikram (1986) - To me, this sounds really hip even today. Look for the three-voice counterpoint in S. Janaki’s ‘humming’, the guitar/ keyboard chords behind Kamal’s ‘rap’. 
• Ninnukori Varnam from Agni Natchathiram (1988) - Well! ‘Hip’ is the word!. 
• Oh Butterfly from Meera (1992) - Stunning chromatic string passages in the end. 
• Ilam Pani from Aradhanai (1981) - Great song. 
• Kathal Pannpadu from Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal (1982) - Stunning arrangements, harmonic changes. Brilliant!. 
• Ada Machamulla from Chinnaveedu (1985) - The funkiest use of mridangam, horns. Another mini magnum opus. 
• Devanin Kovil from Aruvadai Naal (1986) - Raja’s vocal harmony, bass guitar. 
• Pattu Enge from Poovizhi Vasalile (1987) - Horn section arrangements, vocal arrangements. 
• Paadivaa Thendrale from Mudivalla Arambam (1984) - Brilliant guitar parts. 
• Illaya Nila from Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982) - Of course!. 
• Naalum En Manam from Nilavu Suduvathillai (1984) - Guitar/ voice counterpoint. Great song. 
• Vaa Vaa Pakkam Vaa from Thangamagan (1983) - Sophisticated Rhythm & Blues a-la Raja. This is super hip. 
• Vaanengum Thanga from Moondram Pirai (1982) - Just the intro is enough!. 
• Kaathal Oviyam from Alaigal Oivathillai (1981) - The song that taught me maj7 chords. 
• Putham Puthu Kalai from Alaigal Oivathillai (1981) - Flute intro! The groove! Great song. 
• Tholin Mele from Ninaivellam Nithya (1982) - Superb use of African rhythms that somehow transmogrifies into ‘raja’. Shall we say ‘Rajafrican?’. 
• I want to tell you something from Anand (1987) - Stunning vocal harmonies and arrangements.

And so on and on and on…….I haven’t even touched the great Carnatic material yet!

                                                                                                                 - Guitar Prasanna

Naadi Thudikuthadi

Naadi Thudikuthadi is another obscure film from Ilaiyaraaja. I do not have any details about the film, so let me cut away straight to my thoughts on the album. This one again seems to be a low-key film with no big stars or production houses. The sound canvas, as expected, is more on synth rather than acoustic instruments.

1. You & I Young Forever: The male singer who starts the song sounded very much like Ramana Gogula, a music director and singer from Telugu Film Industry, who assaulted us in few films. Though it is not him here, the overall feeling is not that better. The song is built on Caribbean rhythms largely with heavy bass and drums and synth trumpets. The tune is just about hummable with more emphasis on some  percussions loops and some strong bass guitar work. The chorus work is extremely disappointing and it sounds almost like the stuff done for ad jingles. This is one of the rare instances where Ilaiyaraaja fails to internalize a genre, like how he usually does with his signature style, and ends up giving a typical Latino-Caribbean flavoured song where melody lacks meat and the flavour is more by percussions, the usage of which is pretty straight and  un-raaja-ish. This song is sung by 5 singers. 

2. En Poo Nenjai: The synth violin chords (and waw guitar sounds on keyboard) which open the song disappoint me big time because this is the sound I usually hear in tv-serials or low-budget devotional albums by some struggling singers. My expectations were lifted by the rhythm and the melody which actually sound much better. The best component of this song is the melody. The rhythm, though unique, has some tin sound in it which makes the song a bit mechanical. The interludes on the other hand flow flawlessly in Raaja's style that he typically reserves for some Malayalam films. Some flute, some piano and some chorus. The charanams are also constructed beautifully. If there is anything wrong in this otherwise good song, it is the sound of the percussions which are throbbing out of the song than needed for this kind of soft melody. It is not about the volume levels or mixing issues but more about the sound of the percussions used, which seem to be a bit harsh on this gentle melody. Rita, the singer, rendered it well. 

3. Kaadhale Illadha: Here comes the most cringe worthy song of the album (i use cringe-worthy here because of that atrocious opening of the song). I read a Ilaiyaraaja fan's tweet that this song has the faux-rock style and I agree with that. Right from the word go, the song sounds odd in every bit and the various elements in the song do not appear to be cohesively sticking together - like how they usually do in Raaja's music. Raaja's vocals do not appear to suit the tune. The chorus is absolutely cheap. The tune does not strike well. In constrast, the 1st interlude is good and the charanams seem like the left-over pieces of "Thaavi Thaavi" song from Dhoni. The shift from Charanam to Pallavi is too abrupt and it feels like a decent tune in charanam is bludgeoned to death with that pallavi and that chorus. 

4. En Devadai: Ilaiyaraaja flips our listening experience completely with this mind boggling composition, sung by Karthik and Anitha. Beautiful guitar strumming and a synth guitar prelude making way for an awesome tune embellished with some groovy keyboard chords. It is amazing that Raaja's style of chord progression continues to give goose bumps. The 1st interlude is a western classical piece that builds on a motif and completes a crescendo after which Raaja continues to shower his magic in the charanam. The way raaja used cello and strings in charanam - you can probably create one more composition out of those pieces alone. And yet, it all fits well and holds it all together brilliantly. The 2nd interlude however, is surprising because it relies only on scale changes. Yet, the song makes for a fantastic listening experience. Overall, this song is the pick of the album. I am afraid this song might end up as the underrated gem, if the film flops and this song doesn't grab as many ears. 

5. Velinaatu graama: The song has nice tune in pallavi although I feel there is nothing much "village-y" in the song that seems to be singing about/in a village (graama). This is surprising given that it is Ilaiyaraaja there holding the baton. What I find completely dissonant in this song is the heavy western classical based interludes, particularly the trumpets, that sound very much out of sync with the melody in the song. This could be a situational song, going by the dark theme reflected in the interludes. The charanams flow well with a melody consistent with the pallavi and they are backed by beautiful arrangements with strings and Piano. The rendition by Haricharan and Swetha is adequate. While this song is not bad as such, i doubt if this will really have as much shelf life as En Devadai. 

Overall, Naadi Thudikuthadi is a very average fare from Ilaiyaraaja although En Devadai's brilliance and the melodic quotient in En Poo Nenjai and velinaatu can tilt that. But the listening experience is mixed, empirically speaking. Ilaiyaraaja delivers the goods amazingly well only in En Devadai - the most brilliant one in the album. The other good songs have some misgivings and then, there are songs where Ilaiyaraaja disappoints big time. 

Bottomline: Ilaiyaraaja's mixed bag ranges from awesomeness to pointlessness. 

Not to miss: En Devadai

Note: My opinion is strictly based on how I enjoyed the album now and how I might enjoy it in the long run. 

Chithirayil Nila Choru

Chithirayil Nila Choru is a low-budget tamil film directed by a film-maker named R.Sundararajan, who collaborated with Ilaiyaraaja in the 80s. Now, they united again after a long gap. Like in most low-budget films scored by Ilaiyaraaja recently, the songs in this film too are largely on synth soundscape and less orchestral. I have come to believe off-late that budget largely dictates the instrumentation and sound canvas employed by Ilaiyaraaja. My take on the songs from this album:

1. Kallale Senju vacha: This song has two versions, one by Haricharan and one by Priyadarshini. This song begins on synth chord progressions which give away the Sindhu Bhairavi raagam. The synth percussions used are in poly-rhythms. The song has some of the usual Sindhu Bhairavi phrases, particularly in the charanams. While it is surprising that Raaja does not avoid the typical phrases, the melody quotient is strong enough in the song, particularly in the charanams. I felt Haricharan's rendition is a notch better than Priyadarshini's. 

2. Kaalyile Maalai vandhadhu: This composition is sung by a bengali singer named Saptaparna Chatterjee. The song begins with Veena playing the pallavi (again giving away the raaga - Abheri in this song) and the singer repeating it. The synth percussions (electronic drum kit) very closely resemble thavil while electronic drones sounds make the composition quite groovy on sound. The 1st interlude is quite a bit of fusion with Veena and electro-funk. Ilaiyaraaja's arrangements in this song are brilliant with Ghatam-like percussive elements setting the tone for charanam. After the 1st line of charanam, Raaja releases a riff of synth-chorus and guitars - which I felt was a brilliant idea. Its amazing to see Raaja adorn so much of contemporary-ness in this song. The 2nd interlude which starts with Nagaswaram moves to a superb guitar phrase that reflects the western sensibilities of Raaja. I felt the singer's rendition is good enough and this song is one of the best Abheris composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

3. Unga Appan peyar: Ilaiyaraaja himself croons this composition which sounds a bit anthemic and a bit folk. The opening of the song reminded me of the anthemic "Manidha Manidha" song by Raaja of 80s. The characteristic of this song is the peculiar rhythm employed. The percussions are almost like tapping a bench. And the way Raaja fits the melody of this song into this unusual rhythm is absolutely interesting. It is difficult to categorize the sound scape of this song under acoustic or synth because both exist hand in glove. The interludes are signature 80s Raaja while the charanams have slight change in percussions. The violins (synth or real) add the Raaja's touch to a great precision, particularly the 2nd charanam. Raaja's rendition is not without flaws, since the strain in his voice is discernible. Yet, he carries some lines pretty well. I felt this song is a long distant cousin of ilaiyaraaja's own blues flavoured "Vaangu Panathukkum" (Dhoni) - the similarity being not in tune or instrumentation but in the idea and execution.

4. Nandri Solla Venum: Ilaiyaraaja has composed many a hamsadhwanis and if I remember it right, not even one is a sub-par composition. This song, the best in this album, is perhaps one of the finest compositions by Ilaiyaraaja in his career. From dense layers of violins (both synth and acoustic), guitar, flute setting the stage for the celebration of this beautiful raaga to the unusual tala pattern on mridangam - the sound scape in this song is a perfect example of how Ilaiyaraaja can create effective arrangements from the confluence of acoustic and synth sounds. The melody is a time-less one. The 1st interlude, replete with violins, is a wonderful throwback at the era when music was all about melody. There is something eloquently beautiful in the way Raaja constructs the charanams. The opening lines of charanam are short but punctuated by flute flying out and then the next line by the singer is unexpectedly lengthy, traversing the whole of hamsadhwani scale, taking along with it the violins which gather up in the high note and flow separately again. beauty. Every line in the charanam seems to be carefully carved. The 2nd interlude has violins repeating a motif much like some interludes in few of Raaja's 80s songs and a cello emerging out into a new tune. This was the classic Raaja that we all enjoyed back in 80s and it is amazing to see the same school of thought, being used with synth and acoustic violins combination (i think). This is what I mean when I say that the DNA of Raaja's music has not changed and that's exactly why I continue to enjoy his music. Karthik and Priyadarshini have put up their sincere renditions in this gem of a composition. 

I rate Chithirayil Nila Choru among one of (Ilaiyaraaja's and even in general) best albums in recent times. All the songs are melodious, with gorgeous arrangements. Ilaiyaraaja touches that wonderful sweet spot between acoustic and synth arrangements in a way that not every Ilaiyaraaja album manages to. The songs have some modern arrangements, classy tunes and elaborate musical pieces - all of which reiterating that there is still so much of beautiful music that Ilaiyaraaja's ocean of talent is capable of. 

Bottomline: Ilaiyaraaja uses classical raagas to deliver strong melodies that are among his finest in long time. 

Not to miss: Nandri solla and Kaalayile Maalai 

Puthiya Theerangal (Malayalam)

Sathyan Anthikkad is one of the popular film-makers in Malayalam. While his films till 2000 had music by composers such as Johnson, Shyam etc., he has been roping Ilaiyaraaja for most of his films after that. Most of his films in the last decade share a unique characteristic – the songs were small in number but fine on melody. His latest “Puthiya Theerangal” is his 10^th film with Ilaiyaraaja and has 3 songs.

Maaripeelikaatte – Hariharan (another version by Madhu Balakrishnan)

The song begins on synth wind-instrument sounds and thumbing electronic percussion with a very poignant humming by Ilaiyaraaja himself (I think). A warm melody backed by guitar, this song’s tune bears Ilaiyaraaja’s signature all through. The quietly flowing string sections in the interludes aptly connecting to the charanams evoke a sense of calmness that some of Ilaiyaraaja’s compositions have. After Vilayatta Padagotti from Dhoni, this is perhaps the best soulful composition that Ilaiyaraaja reserved for Hariharan. Though there is another version by Madhu Balakrishnan as well, I liked up Hariharan’s version a lot.

Sindhoora Pottumthottu – Madhu Balakrishnan

The song begins with guitar strumming that makes us prepared for a country-music kind of song but Ilaiyaraaja quickly moves our attention to the native south-indian rhythms. The percussive elements in this song are a highlight. The melody, set in Mohanam raga, is more folkish in its execution with Madhu Balakrishnan and male chorus delivering it perfectly well. Ilaiyaraaja doesn’t keep it completely acoustic. The synth-elements he uses to fill-up the backgrounds when the pallavi comes to a close are typical Ilaiyaraaja ideas which vie for our attention just as he conjures up a brilliant closure to the taala pattern there. Interludes glide from one instrument to another while guitars and bass-lines stand-out in the charanams. Watch out for the 2^nd interlude, which ventures into his recent “Neethane En Ponvasantham” orchestral sound.

Raajagopuram – Vijay Yesudas, Shweta Mohan

A weird combination of Mridangam and Harmonium set this hummable melody on roll and just as one begins to doubt if this song would ‘sound’ just this bland, Ilaiyaraaja abruptly changes the soundscape with violins, acoustic guitars and a swinging rhythm backed by some staccato effect. While the 1^st interlude just warms up to the song, the charanams have impressive synth portions as the melody keeps changing the scale. In this song too, it’s the 2^nd interlude that is goose-bumpy with just snapping of fingers as the rhythm while the guitars (and keyboard) play variants. This composition is lilting melody that many would like.

Like some of Ilaiyaraaja’s recent Malayalam films, this one too is very short but has remarkably wonderful music. It is difficult to pick the best one out of the 3 songs, although I personally feel that it’s a tie between Maaripeelikaatte and Raaja Gopuram. After the full-throttled music in Neethane En Ponvasantham, Ilaiyaraaja belts out a short, calmer and sweet album. Looks like he is back to his old ways – of not letting us completely soak in one album.

Neethane En Ponvasantham / Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu

When tamil film director Gautham Menon (whose last film was Vinaithaandi Varuvaaya) roped in Ilaiyaraaja for his next urban romantic flick, it triggered many expectations. Then, photographs of his recording sessions in London with symphony orchestra musicians there were all over facebook, which fuelled them more. When the first teaser of song Saindhu Saindhu released, the expectations half-crashed (for some people like me). But when the album is finally out, I realize that Ilaiyaraaja has other plans - of taking the audience on an enthralling journey. The director, Gautham Menon, must be commended for giving so much leeway to Ilaiyaraaja (in terms of budget etc.) that ilaiyaraaja could accomplish his vision for this score with such finesse. Telugu version (Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu) songs are also out although the lyrics are nothing great to write about. Here is my take on album:

1. Kaatre Konjum/Koti Koti – Easily my most favourite composition of the album. Reminiscent of the melodies Ilaiyaraaja belted out in 80s, this song belongs to ‘evergreen’ genre, though in reality, its genre can be called as jazz+western-classical. Karthik’s rendition is top notch. Ilaiyaraaja fills up the composition with lush orchestral counter-melodies, chord progressions and punctuations. The unpredictable flow of instruments in 1^st interlude, the saxophone, the gliding down from the stanza, the special flourish that the string orchestra adds after 1^st stanza – every moment has lot of meat. The song completely demonstrates what Ilaiyaraaja can do when he is given a philharmonic orchestra. Classy, modern and melodious!

2. Mudhal Murai/Atu Itu – Sunidhi Chauhan’s rendition is good. The tune sounds more international to me. Ilaiyaraaja elevated the composition with marvelous orchestration. I’ve been told Ilaiyaraaja used 10 cellos and 5 double basses in this song. The World Music evoking interlude piece has a nice electric violin by London based violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, while the stanza rides on synth-bass. Ilaiyaraaja conceiving this kind of tune is a surprise for me and he pulls it off with panache! Experimental song brilliant executed.

3. Saindhu Saindhu/Yedhi Yedhi – The teasers of this song sowed seeds of doubt about this album. While Ilaiyaraaja flings those doubts out of the window with this delectable melody, yuvan’s voice sticks out like a sore thumb for me. The Telugu version, by Shaan, is much better. But Ilaiyaraaja weaves magical dreamy interludes on piano and string section. One of the pleasant melodies, the pleasant-quotient depending upon how much you enjoy Yuvan’s voice which, by the way, was Gautham Menon’s choice.

4. Pudikele Mamu/Nachaledhu Maama – The progressive-rock feel in the prelude made me wonder if this is indeed by a 70 year old man. If the theme of “class bunking students, college fun” made Ilaiyaraaja do a “Botany Paatamundhi” in Shiva in 1989, then the same theme gets updated into this composition in 2012. Exactly one-half of the song was enjoyable for me – thanks to goose-bumpy guitar riffs and the tune. The song, however, goes downhill in the 2^nd half.

5. Ennodu Vaa Vaa/Enthentha dooram – A trip back into 80s, this is a melodious composition set to a nice swinging rhythm. Karthik again shines bright with his rendition while Ilaiyaraaja laces the song with violins, clarinets, trumpets, cellos, metal-flutes – all creating a peppy riot. Watch the way instruments take flight during 1^st stanza – delight! Ilaiyaraaja changes the canvas altogether in 2^nd half when synthesizers completely take over, but keeping the melody of the song intact. However, the ‘type of synth elements’ (kind of sounds) used could have been much better – sounds that live up to the playfulness of the tune. Raaja had given such funky sounds earlier. Nevertheless, it is a very catchy and playful composition that will reach the masses.

6. Sattru Munbu/Intha kaalam – An operatic melody, this is another surprise that Ilaiyaraaja throws at us. Beautifully sung by Ramya, this song has Ilaiyaraaja changing scales in main melody like only he can. I really couldn’t predict where the song was heading to and yet, when it completed the whole crescendo, everything sounded so much in place and perfect. The usual orchestral embellishments charm us. Particularly, as the song approaches its end, the choir slowly ascends in intensity competing with the string orchestra, giving a great pathos effect.

7. Vaanam Mele/Laayi Laayi – This song begins like some of 80s Ilaiyaraaja songs – on chorus. A warm melody wrapped in orchestral delight, one cannot stop marveling at the scintillating arrangements in this song. The tune of the song itself follows a fugue like formula – a motif keeps repeating. The interludes are Grand! The stanzas however, are slightly predictable, if you have been following Ilaiyaraaja’s work. Also, I felt this song could have been much better if Ilaiyaraaja used the vocals of any other singer. Breezy this song might be and soft his vocals might be – but still they don’t seem to add up as 1+1 =2 for me. Even Bela Shinde’s voice feels slightly discomforting when she touches the high notes in the stanzas (Shreya Ghoshal missed). Nevertheless, as a composition, it’s a beauty.

8. Pengal Endraal/ardhamayyindhinthe – Another non-typical Ilaiyaraaja song that spews lot of angst and Ilaiyaraaja used electric guitar (I think) as his primary-instrument here. Ilaiyaraja goes completely rock in this song. I have never seen him put in this much of into-the-face (metallic) rock quotient in any of his songs and it indeed shows that Ilaiyaraaja is genre agnostic. He just imports the genre, domesticates and leaves his stamp on it. Listen to this song as “Ilaiyaraaja song” and chances are that you might dislike it. But if you do have a flair for rock/progressive-rock genres, this might be for you. This song took some time to grow on me. But, Yuvan’s vocals did not impress me although the stanzas do sound better. I loved the guitar riffs a lot. Adding this after writing the review and listening to this song a lot: This song is perhaps Ilaiyaraaja's tribute to Mahavishnu Orchestra and the likes. Just remove Yuvan's vocals and replace with a solo violin - it can become a classic. Compared to the romantic-ballad feel the other songs carry, this song comes across as unimpressive because of the culture shock but don't dismiss it. The guitar riffs, the fleeting raag pathdeep+keeravani-ish traces and classic rock elements tease you as you listen along. This song is probably the most envelope-pushing song in this album where Ilaiyaraaja defies himself. 

This album has Ilaiyaraaja going full-throttle on symphony orchestra. he uses instruments such as violins, clarinets, bass, cellos, trumpets, oboe, Piano, French-horn, harp etc. to weave a rich fabric of musical canvas on which he skillfully paints his melodies of both eras – his ‘80s brand of melody’ as well his current form of experimental-self. There are few sore thumbs such as the choice of Yuvan as singer etc., but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Wonderful tunes, eclectic mix of genres (rock, jazz, romantic, fun, etc.), sweeping orchestrations are few of the many high-points of this album. This album is not Ilaiyaraaja’s come-back, for he has always been consistently giving good music. But it is one of those special albums in which gets to do a bit of everything – please his fans, experiment with newer melodies, bend genres, work with philharmonic orchestra, excel at arrangements and impress the wider audience. 

At an age when he no longer needs to prove his genius, this 70 year old composer is still writing great music replete with melody, orchestral richness, and intensity and is still eager to try something new. Neethane En Ponvasantham is an accomplishment of Ilaiyaraaja that vindicates this fact.  

Grab the Telugu mp3s here and Tamil mp3s here. But given the brilliant recording quality and the music, I recommend music buffs to buy cds. 

Of Simhendramadhyamam & Tagore

It was an evening when my father-in-law recommended an album called "Yatra" to me once again. He recommended it to me about 15 days ago once and when he played the songs on his mobile, I was impressed. The album is a reinterpretation of some compositions of Rabindranath Tagore and is largely classical, with slightly modern embellishments in arrangements. Since I am an aficionado of Rabdinra Sangeet, it did not take long for me to get hooked to it. The artists in the album are Ustad Rashid Khan and Nachiketa Chakroborthy. Ustad Rashid Khan is a seasoned classical vocalist and I do not need to add more about him. Nachiketa Chakroborthy was a surprise for me. I earlier heard him in one of the songs in Bose - A Forgotten Hero, by A.R.Rahman and he had just a line there. But in this album, he has unleashed hos classical and Rabindra Sangeet prowess. His voice resembled that of Vijay Prakash (another wonderful voice I heard in recent years), atleast for me.  The renditions by both, Ustad Rashid Khan and Nachiketa were engaging and soul stirring. 

As the tracks changed, one particular track caught my attention a lot. A very deeply evocative piece titled "Baaje Karuno surey" got me in awe of it because of the way Tagore has structured it. It had a very strong scent of a raaga that I knew but I could not immediately recollect its name. The composition was extremely moving and the renditions lived up to the mood of the composition. The moment I started humming along with the song, I was zapped to see myself land in a song that anyone would hardly expect - Kaattodu Kuzhalin, a wonderful tamil composition by Ilaiyaraaja. Once in that song, I immediately concluded that this Baaje song must be in simhendramadhyamam. I asked my wife, who too was listening to it. She, with more knowledge about Hindustani raagas than Carnatic raagas, did not know the name of the raaga but felt it was familiar. The only song she knew in this raaga is the staggeringly phenomenal composition of Ilaiyaraaja again - Saara Yeh Aalam (This song has been discussed earlier here). She confirmed that it looked like the same raaga. 

An hour after that, restlessly I was still humming Baaje Karuno Surey and i found it extremely intriguing that a carnatic raaga has travelled all the way to Bengal into Rabindra Sangeet and ended up in one of Tagore's creations. I remember reading a post by a good friend of mine, Suresh, where he discussed a song by Tagore that was inspired by a Muthuswami Diskshitar krithi. But I forgot the raaga employed in it and I frantically searched for that post again, to check if there was any Simhendramadhyamam there. There was none. So this must be another example that points at Carnatic music in Rabindra Sangeet. I wanted to explore further and googled a lot. 

The song "Baaje Karuno Surey" was indeed (and intentionally) set in Simhendramadhyamam. This post confirms that Tagore actually picked up some of the carnatic music from one of his disciples at Shanti niketan (whoa! what it must be, for a learned man like him, to express interest in something his disciple is singing and even learn it, if we can assume so). The song is inspired by Thyagaraja krithi "Needu Charanamuley" (My friend Suresh clarified that this is not by Thyagaraja; but Karnatik.com credits Thyagaraja. any idea who is the composer, if it was not by him?). Very interesting! And I found many versions of this compositions by various bengali singers on youtube, once you search for "Baje Koruno sure". There is one by Kavita Krishnamurthy as well (is the violin by L.Subramaniam? Very beautiful). In fact, Satyajit Ray has used a very toned-down-in-complexity version of this song in one of his films. 


I am unable to could find the version of Ustad Rashid Khan and Nachiketa Chakroborthy from this album "Yatra" on youtube.

The mp3s of this album are plenty on the internet. As i rejoice at this interesting discovery (and trivia) about yet another Tagore-Carnatic connection, I would recommend the hindustani music buffs and rabindra sangeet fans to grab this album. Rabindra sangeet fans might however have some reservations because of some creative liberties taken ; purists might not like this. Nevertheless, the album does capture a good juxtaposition of hindustani raagas and some songs of Tagore, using using the two delectable voices.

PS: Initially, I did not find this track on youtube. I later found it and edited my post accordingly. 

Sri Rama Rajyam - Ilaiyaraaja

When veteran film-maker Bapu chooses Ilaiyaraaja, to score music for a mythological film, it indeed sets the expectations. Their last collaboration was back in 80s, when Bapu made Manthri gaari Viyyankudu. This time around, the collaboration has 2 more tags to deal with, apart from their own celebrated names - “mythology” and “2011”. How can they strike the balance of tackling the mythology-film requirements with contemporary audience taste, yet sticking out their individual style? Lets see…

 

1. Jagadaanandakaaraka – Lush vioins, wind instruments and harp initiate the celebratory proceedings. S.P.balasubramanyam and Shreya Ghoshal sing is beautiful composition set in Suddha Dhanyasi raaga. The song has generous usage of saarangi while guitar-strums Tabla-Dholak like percussions laced with guitar strums form the basic layers on which the song is constructed. Synth usage is ornamental and never overpowering. The charanams obey the “Ilaiyaraaja’s Suddha Dhanyasi” syntax so perfectly that one cannot help recollecting the sweet “Ghallu Ghallu” from Swarna Kamalam. Base lines, through on synth, carry the usual Ilaiyaraaja intricate patterns. When the charanam ends, the listener concedes to the composer with the thought - “but ofcourse, there is no other way we can conclude this”. Jonnavitthula’s lyrics are good. Raaja shines. (9/10)

 

2. Evadunnaadu – This is more of a song-padhyam that the mythological films of 50s-60s used to have. Very simple and straight, nothing much can be written about it since it is very short.

 

3. Sitarama Charitham – This is a song that reminds us of songs from old mythological films such as Lava-Kusa. The is not a typical song with a pallavi & charanam, but the structure is set to a story-telling form. The music changes according to the situation depicted in the story (Ramayana) that is being sung. Even the percussion patterns change accordingly.  This song might have required complete attention because it is constantly changing its course and never returning to the previous phrases. No hooklines, no repeating phrases. And yet, the listener is absorbed in the song because of the turns it takes. Not an easy task. The raagas change a lot. Few portions tread along Chakravakam while few lines almost touch lalitha raagam too. Ilaiyaraaja must be commended for deftly composing the song in unconventional pattern. Jonnavitthula provides non-complex lyrics. (8/10)

 

4. Sri Rama Lera – Easily the best composition of the album. The song begins on Amrithavarshini scale and the transforms into panthuvaraali/vasantha type raaga. Ilaiyaraaja majestically descends from one raaga to another. Shreya Ghoshal and Sriram Parthasarthy exude lot of maturity in this composition. The first interlude is classic Ilaiyaraaja 80s stuff – veena, string orchestra, flute and synth violins. The piece is effective because of the way it shows the contours of the raaga, with his style. Shreya Ghoshal’s aalaaps at the end of 1st interlude is a surprise (he used to do it in 80s only). The 1st charanam sounds more Panthuvaraali and faithfully builds up to a crescendo, much in his style (complete, with the violins counter-melodies). The 2nd interlude is again a throwback at his 80s wizardy. Meditative. The 2nd charanam, surprisingly, has a different tune from the 1st one. Imaginatively done up. Lyrics are wonderful too. This song, is a classic. (10/10)

 

5. Devullu Mecchina – Chitra & Shreya Ghoshal sing this composition, that sounds very much tailored for common man, who doesnt care/know about raagas and applications. The duk-duk kind of rhythm and the tune obey the same dictum. While previous compositions appear slightly elevated, because of the complexities woven, this song sounds lighter. Intentionally kept so may be. Simple lyrics again. (6/10)

 

6. Gaali Ningi Neeru – A pathos laden composition, this Keeravani based song is sung by S.P.Balasubramanyam. The song oozes melodramatic pathos. No subtleties but typically played out pathos. Nice interludes. The percussions are synth. At times, I felt SPB went overboard with his vocal expressions. Yet, given that this is a situational song, Ilaiyaraaja hits the right notes in the tune, to compensate for the melodrama. (7/10)

 

7. Ramayanamu – Chitra & Shreya Ghoshal team up again for this sindhu bhairavi raaga based composition. The song has typical Bhairavi phrases (as in some bhajans) to begin with, rendering the melody while Ilaiyaraaja experiments with the structure, much like the “Sitharama charitham” composition. And over the course, the turns given to the song are surprising – although the raaga doesnt change much. Both Chitra & Shreya sing with aplomb. There is nothing that can be called as “Typical ilaiyaraaja” and therein lies his genius. He has surrendered to the director’s vision so perfectly and yet left his marks in the way the song is handled. (8/10)

 

8. Dhandakam – A very small song, this one sounds like maaya Maalavagowla to me. Too short but.

 

9. Seeta Seemantham – Ilaiyaraaja’s experimental streak again. This Hindolam based composition has a qawwali style tabla percussion. The mridangams, flute, veena, bass-lines and claps – all evoke the celebrative mood in the 1st half. Surprisingly, the 2nd half of the song has lesser number of instruments and as the song approaches its end, the percussions completely vanish (only synth pads appear briefly later). Although the melody remains the same, ilaiyaraaja transforms the mood of the song with the arrangements. absolutely interesting. (8/10)

 

10. Rama Rama Ane – A folk delight this is. The song has less of Ilaiyaraaja signatures and more of Bapu’s signatures. It is amazing how ilaiyaraaja could weave something that caters exactly to the director’s taste. Bapu has used songs like these in his 70s & 80s films. This playful song about a playful Rama, has a lilting rhythm intermittently stopping before starting again. Ilaiyaraaja’s choice of instruments speak volumes about his understanding about what is needed to project folk music within the film music idiom. The singers – Swetha and Anitha – do a fine job. Definitely an unusual song, in a very good way. (9/10)

 

11. Kalaya Nijama – Tippu, one of those singers who never impressed me till now, surprised me completely. A beautiful composition that has shades of Hindustani raaga (Pathdeep?), this song has Tippu is fine(est) form. Ilaiyaraaja’s composition is extremely moving and just when the song has begun to take over you, Ilaiyaraaja cheats you by ending it. Unfair, for the quality of the melody instilled in it. (10/10)

 

12. Idhi Pattabhi – A usual rustic village folk song. Ilaiyaraaja might have done 100s of such kind and this one is no different. While Rama Rama Ane song treads the fine line between folk & Bapu’s class, this one sticks to the former alone. The interludes are typical 80s Ilaiyaraaja. This is probably the weakest song of the albums. Has to be, given that the other songs are more engaging. (4/10)

 

13. Sapthaswarathamarudham – A small song set in Naata raagam. SPB sounds good, thus reminding that he is the only go-to-singer, when it comes to singers like these, if ever made, by any composer.

 

14. Mangalam – Too short to write about.

 

Summary –

A word about the lyricist. Jonnavitthula provides adequate, and at times wonderful, lyrical content that suit the tunes and the premise. The lyrics are not complex but very simple. I dont know if it is intentional or if he couldn’t deliver more intellectually loaded content – but given the director’s preferences in this era, I assume it is the former and his lyrics are just right. He has good a decent job or should I say, a wonderful job, if we compare with kind of lyrics we get to hear these days.

Ilaiyaraaja does a great job in understanding the director’s vision/taste and he catered exactly to that, still retaining the strengths and characteristics of his music. And melding them together isn’t just the job done. Combining the elements that appeal to a larger audience (public) is another task and ilaiyaraaja achieves it perfectly. Rich orchestration, great balance between classy tunes and simple-light-music kind of tunes, a brilliant balance between acoustic instruments and synth usage, good choice of singers, heavy experimentation within the allowed structures – these are some of the enablers that raaja has used to succeed in this endeavour. And that he certainly does, with panache. Ilaiyaraaja’s collaboration with Bapu exceeds expectations. Brilliant!

Nan Kadavul

'Nan Kadavul' is Director Bala's latest effort. After a gritty 'Pithamagan', Bala again takes up an offbeat theme (which is infact a sort of extension from Pithamagan, thought-process-wise) of a man living away from the general civilized society. This time, the protagonist is an Aghori, living in Kaasi. The film, i heard, throws light on the life of Aghoris and beggar mafiadom. The success of Pithamagan, in critics circles and in commercial circles, has only cemented the relationship between Bala and Ilaiyaraaja. Ilaiyaraaja finds Bala's style of film-making to be pathbreaking while Bala swears by Ilaiyaraaja's music, for the theme and visuals conceived by him. The soundtrack of Nan Kadavul, with all the pensive hues, underlines the fact that their collaboration is unique because both appear to be taskmasters at what they want and expect from each other.

 

1. Maa Ganga Kaasi: Kunal Gunjawala

A hindi song in a tamil film is quite unusual. This song, which appears during the title credits, is a bhajan kind of melody, simple and humble. A typical Yaman-like composition, nicely laced with keyboard-chords which are raaja-like. The only drawback of this composition is the singer. A pop/jingle singer Kunal Gunjawala seemed inappropriate, for his voice sounds like Udit Narayan Version 2.0. A Sonu Nigam could have been a better fit.

 

2. Kannil Paarvai: Shreya Goshal / Oru Kaatril: Ilaiyaraaja

Right from 'Julie Ganapathy', Ilaiyaraaja has been giving gems to Shreya Ghoshal in many of the films. The genre of the songs ranged from soft haunting melodies (ennakku piditha from Julie Ganapathy) to funky (Ninni Vethiki from Anumanaspadam) to folk (Onnavida from Virumandi) to sugary stuff (Cheeni Kum, Shiva 2006).Kannil Paarvai is a melancholic melody, which is quite difficult to sing. Shreya excels under Maestro's baton. The song's rhythm is peculiar, for it has heavy drum as well a tin percussion whose beat cycle is difficult to decipher. The string section, in the interludes and counter-melodies, is a throw back at the 80s - Maestro's hallmark. The song, in Rasikapriya, transports the listener to a pensive mood, in which one can construct the images of desert and barren land. Ilaiyaraaja shines in every aspect of this composition, be it the tune or arrangements (the bass guitar, faithfully paints his signatures, all along the song). Oru Kaatril is the male version of the song, sung by Ilaiyaraaja. Although age is evident in the voice, the effort to render the gamakas perfectly, is not only visible but also pays off. This song, with all poignancy wrapped in it, is a stealer.

 

3. Pichaipaathram: Madhu Balakrishnan

This song is actually a rehash of one of Ilaiyaraaja's previous songs, which appeared in a devotional album composed by him. This song too is another pensive composition, reflecting the lives of beggars. Although the composition is haunting, i didn't find it appealing, to me, compared to other songs in the album. The song has Maayamaalavagowla feel to it.

 

4. Maatha Unkovil: Sadhana Sargam

Another devotional song of Ilaiyaraaja rehashed from this film. This song sounds more devotional because of the Sindhu Bhairavi tones in it and at the same time, the interludes reflect drama. The interludes, heavily resting on string section, have amazing pieces and it is not surprising since they come from the emperor of orchestral music. Maatha Un Kovil can be ranked alongside Kannil Paarvai, as a finest melancholic number from Ilaiyaraaja in recent times.

 

5. Om Sivoham: Vijay Prakash

Heavy traditional percussion instruments, chants on Lord Shiva, raw energy, gutos - all these mark this composition, in which ilaiyaraaja creates a powerful music atmosphere with strong vibrations. The rendition is wonderful, particularly in the high-pitch points. It could be difficult to count the number of percussions used, and as they dominate, one can also hear a faint strain of keyboard chords supplemented by bass-guitar, while the vocals are on. The song does have an ambience, of deep and wild surrender to the devotion it laces in and Ilaiyaraaja and Vijay Prakash pull it off with an elan.

Although i did not watch this film, the soundtrack does reflect the strong sense of visuality in the music and one can easily comprehend that Ilaiyaraaja has delivered music according to the mood and theme of the film. 'Kannil Paarvai', in my opinion, is one of his classic compositions and it has deserves its own place among the greatest pathos laden poignant compositions ever composed.

After Uliyin Osai, Ilaiyaraaja's score for this film is non-compromising, top-notch and highly intriguing. Hail the Maestro!

A.R.Rahman's 2008 Roundup

So A.R.Rahman has won the Golden Globe Award. No, this post is not about extolling his win or the worthiness of the score involved. Criticisms, brickbats and scepticisms about 'if the score really had the merit' or 'if it is Rahman's best' aside and, one must agree that it is a moment of pride for India. The win is definitely a key milestone in his journey, which started almost 17 years ago in 1992, when he scored the music for Maniratnam's Roja for Rs.25,000/-. And his journey is definitely a phenomenal one. His music bounced from Tamil-Telugu to Hindi to Pan-Indian to Hinglish(Vandemataram) to Broadway (Bombay Dreams) to Chinese (Warriors of Heaven & Earth) to British-Scottish (Elizabeth-The Golden Age) to Finnish (The Lord of The Rings) to what not. No Indian composer has managed to pull it off so well. And the run continues...

As i look back, i suddenly see that year 2008 was quite an eventful year for ARR. 7 releases. And i suddenly realized that none of these 7 albums have been reviewed here. So, I thought i will take a quick look at these 7 albums to understand what the Rahman-scape looked like in 2008.

Disclaimer: The merits/demerits of songs mentioned below are purely personal opinions, drawn out of the songs that caught to my liking and ones which didnt.

2008 was characterised by 'planned films' and 'surprises', that added up to 7. Jodha Akbar, Yuvvraaj, Ghajini were planned films, in the sense that the producers/directors knew when they were going to release the film/soundtrack. Surprises were:

1. Ada - a shelved  film; a new film with same name was erected. Apparently, the core or much of the music of this film was composed long before 2008. Apparently, it is still unclear whether this film got released.

2. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na - a film that changed many hands and was almost shelved. It was revived by Aamir Khan.

3. Sakkarakkatti - The film got delayed a lot and finally released in 2008. Also, some songs from 'Meenaxi' have been used. So, if not completely, but partially, the music was not composed in 2008.

4. Slumdog Millionaire - ARR was given the film's DVD and was then asked to add music to the film. The music was done in 2008, but was a surprise which Rahman had to accommodate.

Apart from these, there is one more surprise which was only partially unveiled and is yet to come out into the music stores. More on that later. Lets move on to these albums:

1. Jodha Akbar - This was ARR's 3rd outing with Ashutosh Gowariker and it is a period film. ARR remarked "We did lot of research and did not use any". The music of this film consciously stayed away from the mounting expectations of another 'Mughal-E-Azam'-sque grandeur, to avoid comparisons. The melodies in the film did not evoke the period it represents, but succeeded in sweeping the listener with simple music. All the songs are worth a mention. 'Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah' was ARR's clever reinterpretation of "Veerabobbili kotalo' from Donga Donga, replete with percussions, trumpets and strains of Indian folk. The minimalistically executed 'Jashn-e-bahaara' got Turkish treatment with 'Oud' while ARR's reinterpretation of vintage era music through 'In Lamhon Ke daaman' clearly stood different. His own sufi-music exploration 'Khwaaja Mere Khwaaja' showed that no other indian composer can come up with songs of that kind. 'ManMohana' with all his fascination for SindhuBhairavi had some great vocals and clean interludes, which reminded me of Naushad's music. Jodha Akbar, had its own sound and convincingly dared not to tread the known paths of music that projected Mughal era.

2. Ada - 'Ishq Ada's changing raagas (from MMG to Kapi to SubhaPanthuvaraali) got me interested. 'Hawa Sun Hawa' was breezy to its title, much like some of his songs from late 90s-early 2000 period. 'Gumsum' and 'Gulfisha' disappointed me for they sounded like just-any-composer's tracks. Tu Mera Hai, while staying hummable, sounded extremely South-Indianish and did not seem to fit well in Hindi. Meherbaan by ARR could be easily adapted into English for its universal croonability. Udit's melancholic 'Hai Dard' failed to impress me as much as 'Milo Jahaan Wahaan' did. The latter was infact a wonderful improvisation from ARR's own Climax BGM piece from 'Kannathil Muthamittal'. Ada, was 'aadha' fine.

3. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na - The two variations of the title track were equally engrossing. While the female version was coldly lounge oriented, the male version was anthemic, evocative and expressive. The trendy 'Nazrein Milaana' and ballad-sque` 'Kahi To Hogi', despite being pleasantful failed to hold my attention while ARR's jazz-blues "Tu Bole" reassured me that he is still willing to experiment. The hyped Pappu Cant dance did not impress me much though and nylon string guitar backed 'Kabhi Kabhi' was seriously refreshing. Overall, quite a youthful soundtrack.

4. Sakkarakkatti (Sugar Cubes) - ARR married irish-celtic music to his guitars in 'RuBaRoo Roshni' in "Elay", a song that reminded me of Corrs, clearly proving that he springs up with surprises when you least expect them in a certain film. "I Miss You Da" is something that transcended different genres, atleast for me. "naan Eppodhu" and "Chinnamma" are 'Meenaxi' rehashes and Taxi Taxi, despite being hugely popular failed to catch my fancy. "Marudhaani" became the icing on this sweet cake, which i think was an improvisation from 'Sahana' of 'Sivaji'.

5. Yuvvraaj - ARR - Subhash Ghai have worked before. But Gulzar joining them. Strange. "Main Hoon Yuvraaj" is too small to even comment. "Tu Hi Mera Dost" is a ballad which got completely unpredictable in 2nd stanza. though not a hallmark, the song has that 'hummability' quotient. Shano Shano is for dance floor alone and i didnt get to 'know' if the song works there. 'Mastam Mastam' failed to impress me as much as its parent (a song from ARR's 'Lord of The Rings' Musical) did. The best songs of the album are effervescent "Tu Muskuraa" and ARR's own version of 'Kaise Hai Yeh Rut' (Dil Chahtha Hai) kind of melody in "Zindagi". Not surprisingly, srinivas sang this one too, in which ARR mixed vintage melody with contemporary sound. i always felt that "Dil Ka Rishta"'s lead tune, the signature tune which again repeats towards the end, to be musically handicapped... as if some notes were missing which probably could make it more complete. ARR's lounge-Abheri in "Manmohini' is like an undergrown baby, with lot of potential and still left as it is. Nothing great musically. I know for sure that the songs that would really stay in my mind are 'Tu Hi Mera Dost' 'Tu Muskuraa' and 'Zindagi'. Subhash Ghai, in my opinion, is not a film-maker with whom ARR can produce musically rich output. he might produce hit-music output though.

6. Ghajini - Probably the most commercial of all albums in 2008. Though i usually have better liking for slow songs of ARR usually, this album reversed my phenomenon.'Guzarish' is something which did not need ARR. "Kaise Mujhe" sounded little dragsome while Shreya Ghoshal's lines save it a bit. Still, i end up skipping this song. "Aye Bacchu" is girlily fun-frolicksome and rendition is apt for such mood. "Lattoo" is probably Pritam's track which ARR unknowingly inserted into this Cd. "Behka" has very good rendition and has an interesting mix of instruments, notably Trumpet, jazz-trap kit, saxophone. the song sounds like a throwback at Jazz-blues keeping guitars intact. The interludes stand up superbly but stanzas crash down. Behka is a classic case of a song being both - just beautiful and just bad. Ghajini, as a score, is less hummable and will not be remembered much.

7. Slumdog Millionaire - This film is not ARR's best although it won the Golden Globe. But then, the way we listen and perceive music is different from the way westerners do, which is why, probably this score could catch the attention. We might give an award to probably a Lagaan or Dil Se, but their sensibilities are different. Much of this album is techno music and i find it surprising myself (it is a surprise for ARR too) that the audience abroad, for a change, preferred this kind of music, over the usual orchestral works. The album starts with 'O saya' which boasts of some good percussions and rap. Mausam & Escape has a frenzy sitar piece which is re-played by string section backed by synth beats. 'Paper Planes' is a track by an artist named MIA and not by ARR. So is 'Aaj Ki Raat' (Shankar-Ehsan-Loy...for Don). Riots has an interesting sound, which, by now, got me the message that most of the music makes sense with visuals and not as a standalone album. My another favourite is 'Liquid Dance' which is ARR's re-improvisation from "Spirit of Rangeela". i found the hiphoppish 'Gangsta Blues' annoying while 'Millionaire' is just some work on sequencer, which, as i said, only elevates a certain scene. 'Latika's Theme' and its vocal counterpart 'Dreams on Fire' are both engage-some melodies, much like 'Meherbaan' from Ada - Universally adaptable.ARR's take on 'Choli Ke Peeche' 'Ringa Ringa' is interesting, because it magnifies his improvisation capabilities. The song just reminds us of the former and does nothing less. For a moment, one might even wonder if Rahman bettered it. The grand finale song, "Jai Ho" originally written for 'Yuvvraaj', is just a peppy number with lot of 'hummability' quotient. SDM is purely experimental, for it is a visual-oriented score. As a stand alone album, it has a few hits and a few misses, making it an 'OK' album. But then, I am happy that it fetched an honour.

The last surprise from ARR in 2008 was/is a non-film album called 'Connections', which has got 9 tracks. The album has not yet been released on Cds, but it got released in the form of 'pre-loaded music' in the new Nokia Express Music mobile phones. I got a chance to listen to the songs only once and i must say that they are quite good, rich and lot different from all the above albums. There are both, songs and instrumentals, stretching from traditional classical music to jazz blues to Rajasthani Folk. It is rare that an ARR album sounds impressive in the 1st listening itself and I think the tracks in this album are done to satisfy his own creative urge, free of commercial trappings. I think the cd should be out in couple of months.

So What has ARR planned for 2009? Connections for sure. The promos of 'Delhi 6' too show some promise.I am looking forward to these two albums. I just hope that he strikes a good balance between musically rich albums and commercial albums (the need of his producers) like he did in 2008. For now, the accordian tune from this teaser got stuck in my mind and the only way to release it is... to listen to this album soon.

Piya Tose - Actual Version

One of the first few albums i ever listened to, in my life, was Dev Anand's 'Guide'. I did not know any music back then. Yet, i loved playing the songs, on the LP record my uncle used to have. Later, my Dad bought the tapes. Much later, i happened to watch the film and i realized that the tape versions are not complete, but edited ones. Among the songs that were edited was 'Piya Tose Naina Lage Re', which originally was over 7mins. The tapes, and subsequently the cds, contained versions which are only over 4mins.

Finally, i got the full version, ripped from the VCD of 'Guide'. I listen to this version, probably once in 10-15days, thus making it one of the most revisited songs in my entire collection. I cannot exactly say what draws me towards this composition. Probably it is sheer magic. It is indeed difficult to appreciate just 1-2 aspects of this song. There is always something new popping up, as the song plays on. What really sets this song apart? Is it the tricky rhythm patterns, which change very intricately? Or the highly imaginative interludes? Counter-melodies? Finer nuances in rendition? Lata Mangeshkar? I think this is one of those complete, full-some songs which has 'G-E-N-I-U-S' written all over it. What does it take to compose such a song?

Frankly, i am not qualified enough to review this composition. It still gives me goose bumps, to believe the fact that the entire soundtrack of 'Guide' was composed in, hold-your-breath, 5 days. By every measure, it is not at all an ordinalry achievement, given the fact the soundtrack had nothing but sheer Gems. And among them, shining brightly is this nugget, which leaves listeners spellbound. Can any current-era composer try to compose, if not the similar, but a song of this stature? If yes, how long it could take, for this sng alone? And to understand what all gives the song the stature it deserves, please listen to it atleast 3-4 times, paying attention to every note, instrument and tune running on the forefront and the background. I tried mentioning few master-strokes, as comments in the player-bar. The song, in my opinion, is a monument, much like the man behind it - S.D.Burman.

Piya Tose Naina Laage Re by maverick

A peek into Ilaiyaraaja's Tremelos

This topic was on my 'yet to blog about' list since long. A wonderful peek into the 'Tremelo effect' on string ensemble, as practised by one of the Indian Grand Masters of orchestra - Ilaiyaraaja. Even before I could blog about it, my friend Vicky came up with his take on his blog. Do read this wonderful post, where he cites few apt examples (if i were to write about same topic, i would also pick the very same songs) in which tremelo effect has been used to fine perfection, putting the painting (song), on a whole different canvas. I completely agree with the last words of Vicky, that no composer from South Asia has used tremelo effect in such evocatve way, holding listeners in a musically rapturous delight. Thanks to Vicky, for citing the right examples.

My Raaja Experience

A good friend of mine, Vignesh, who is much more a 'ilaiyaraaja buff' than a mere mortal, has started a 'blog-tag' game and tagged me in it. The idea is to spontaneously write about 5 things concerning ilaiyaraaja's music and me...and then tag people who could be interested in posting the same on his blog.

I am borrowing same aspects/questions from Vignesh's post.

1. The moment that introduced you to Raaja:

I know this would be quite surprising because ilaiyaraaja's music existed, and in tall stature, even before he made this song. The first time i ever heard the name 'Ilaiyaraaja', was when I listened to this song from 'Gharshana' (Agni Nakshatram in Tamil) - 'Ninnu Kori Varnam'. The music was absolutely different from all the music i heard before. My never-ending journey with ilaiyaraaja started with this song. Incidentally, that was the first time i heard another name, who became my favourite - Chitra.

2. Name one occassion where Raaja's music directly/ indirectly influenced your life:

Well, this is a tricky question, especially to someone who listens to atleast 2-3 ilaiyaraaja songs every day. but I think I can get this one. There was one album, which acted as a divisive force on my experience of raaja's music. Before listening to this album, ilaiyaraaja was one of my favourite composers who gave some wonderful music for few Telugu films. After listening to this album, i realized that this man is actually much more a genius than i knew. His capabilities stretch much beyond making good songs for commercial telugu films. I felt that he does not just compose music, but explores it. That album is 'How to Name it'.

3. Lets take Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi into account. Assuming that one of this is either your mother tongue or native language, name a favorite song in each of the other 4 languages that immediately comes to your mind:

My mother tongue is Telugu, so excluding that, i pick from the other four:

Tamil: Hundreds of songs, but for now, lets say 'Vazha Osai' (from Satya). Absolutely brilliant. is it melody? or groovy? gives me goose bumps.

Malayalam: again many; the pick right now would be 'Poonkaattinodu kilikalodum' (film 'Poomukhappadiyil ninneyum kaathu'), it is a classic.

Kannada: 'Jyotheyalli' (film Geetha).

Hindi: Dilwaale Raat Hain (film 'Mahadev')... i think this song was much ahead of its times.

4. One song of Ilaiyaraaja that you consider rare and think a song that many people should have known but don't:

There are many like that, but to think of it..actually i would again quote 'Dilwale Raat' from Mahadev. Sounds disbelieving, but i spent one entire day asking for this album, in the entire music casette shops market of Kothi, hyderabad. i couldn't get it. It is still a rare find infact.

5. Lets keep the last one simple.. Raaja's number that you are hearing right now/ most recently heard..?:

"Vaan Megham" from Punnaghai Mannan, i still find it puzzling, to understand the elements weaved into it. How could he do it?

My (new) tags: Ravi, Divya, Ananth, Prashanth, Raghu, Chinmayi (hoping that they would post their Raaja moments too :) )