Ji Music: Vidyasagar

Attahasam Music: Bharadhwaj

Unnai Thaedi Music: Deva

Vaali Music: Deva

Uyirodu Uyiraaga Music: Vidyasagar

Kaadhal Mannan Music: Bharadhwaj

Paramasivan Music: Vidyasagar

Godfather Music: AR Rahman

Tirupathi Music: Bharadwaj

Aalwar Music: Srikanth Deva

Kreedom Music: GV Prakash

Billa 2007 Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja

Ji - Right tunes, right tones

Linguswamy, the director of films like Anandam and Run, has an obvious ear for music. Though his two films had two different kind of musical flavors, they were both hits and fitted the film to a T.

He is also a person who chooses music directors based on the film and not just because he is comfortable with so and so.

If it was S A Rajkumar for Anandam, then it was Vidyasagar for Run.

Linguswamy has again plumped for Vidyasagar for his Ji. After listening to the songs, you understand that it is with reason.

Vidyasagar always understands the pulse f his directors. And more importantly, understands that of the listeners. In the event, he is able to satisfy both.

And in Ji he has. But for a couple of soft numbers, the audio has a racy and foot-tapping feel all through.

1) Kiliye Kiliye
The first number in the audio itself is a racy. It sets the tone for the whole album. Udit Narayan, with his quaint pronunciation and energetic approach, is in fine fettle. Sujatha, with her soft tones, gives him good company. The orchestration is however mixed --- good in places and not so in some others.

2) Ding Dong

Madhu Balakrishnan is a big name in Malayalam film music. Though he has sung a few numbers in Tamil, you have always wondered why does he not many offers here. But Vidyasagar has great faith in his abilities (Remember Kana Kandein Thozhi in Parthiban Kanavu?). Madhu repays the music director's faith in him with a pleasing rendition of this number alongside the
talented Madhushree. This is in fact very soft and soulful number whose cadences are brilliantly accentuated by the singers. The instrumentation is also very apt.

3) Sarala Kondayil by Karthik

It is a song on the lines of Brindhavanamum Nandhakumaranum in Missiamma. The song is apparently a soft gaana number with the lyrics describing the life of a college student in a humouros manner. Karthik is as usual efficient.


4) Thiruttu Rascal

Sreelekha Parthsasarathi is poor man's Anuradha Sriram. She gives it all, all the time. And she does with Mano in this raucous number. It is obviously for the frontbenchers. You can almost imagine the fans dancing in the aisles for this. It, however, has shades of a song that Vidyasagar himself had tuned in Villain.

5) Vaamba Velaikku

It is again a fast number with racy rhythms. Kay Kay has perhaps has lent his voice for the first time to a fast gaana number to the accompaniment of percussion and rhythm instruments. Vidyasagar has interwoven a rural feel into this loud song.

Vidyasagar, on the whole, has got both the tunes and tones right.

Attahasam - Loud and lilting in turns

Music-director Bharadwaj and director Charan are like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag--- explsoive and a major hit with the massess.

The duo has worked together in Kadhal Mannan, Amarkalam, Gemini and JJ. The last one was Vasool Raja MBBS. The major aspect of these musical hits is that each one of them had a unique flavor.

Bharadwaj never fell into the major trap of a music director repeating himself whenever he is working with the same director.

Bharadwaj is also is one of the under-rated talents in the industry. This soft-spoken man’s success depends on who he is working with. Obviously directors like Cheran and Charan get the best out of him.

So when Charan is joining hands with Bharadwaj for the Ajith starrer, the hope and expectation soars. After all, Bharadwaj, Charan and Ajith are coming together for the third time after Kadhal Mannan and Amarkalam.

So how does the album measure up in this backdrop? Frankly, it is not Bharadwaj’s best effort. But this is also not his worst. It falls somewhere in between. Bharadwaj is a virtuoso when it comes to orchestration and it comes through in many places. But tame lyrics (aimed to boost the image of Ajith) and some ordinary tunes make the cassette as patchy one. The album has six numbers including a theme song - Attagasam.

The first number Unakenna Unakenna sung by Thipu is a pacy where the lyrics seems to have written keeping in mind Ajith's stardom. Thipu is full-throated and vibrancy. But if that alone is the criterion for good singing then elephant (with its bellow) may top the charts. The song is lively, but melody is sadly missing.

Thekku Chemaiyilae sung by Mano, who appears after a long gap, is yet again a fast number. There is nothing new in Mano’s voice, except the fact that he has sung this number manfully.

There is always something uncanny about the tunes that music directors generally choose for themselves. It is usually the best in the entire film. Thala PolaeVaruma is not. But sung by Bharadwaj himself along with Donan and Arjun Thomas it is full of fun and beans. With a lot of rock base, the rhythms stand out in strong relief. But on second thoughts, Bharadwaj’s voice does not fit this for the open-voiced singing. He is much more comfortable in bass and baritones.

The theme music titled Attagasam sung in chorus by Thipu, Donnan, ArjunThomas, Ujaini and Bharadwaj is on first looks (okay make it hears) inspired by a popular rock hit of late 1980s. But there is lot of life and good tonal variations.

After such heavy headbangers stuff, Polachi Ilaneere by Karthik and Anuradha Sriram is just what one yearns for. Anuradha’s voice culture needs no special mention. It is always a given. Karthik rises up to the rigors of singing with a senior with aplomb. The lilt in the number is infectious.

Nachendru Ichondru by Srinivas and newcomer Ujaini is also another soft number. Srinivas is a tremendous talent. His versatility is truly amazing. His range is also wide. Newcomer Ujaini, about whom very little is known, has a compact style. But one needs to hold one’s judgement on her abilities. She needs a longer run for any comment to be made on her real abilities.

The last two songs surely have Bharadwaj’s stamp. It is also obvious there are certain compulsions within which a musician operates. In Aattagasam, Bharadwaj has to provide fodder to the hero’s image. To his eternal credit, Bharadwaj has also managed to retain his own in the bargain (primarily through the soft tunes).

Unnai Thaedi
Music: Deva
Direction: Sundar C..
Lyrics: Pazhani Bharathi, Kalaikumar, Ravisankar

This album has 6 tracks
Reviewed by Hariharan Easwaran


Unnai Thaedi, the upcoming Sundar C.. film, has music by Deva replacing Karthik Raja, who did the music honors in his last movie Naam Iruvar Namakku Iruvar. As in the case of Sundar C. movies, Pazhani Bharathi has done most of the lyric work in this album.

The next song, NaaLai Kaalai/Dhachayani Dhaiyavu Sei, is a peppy number, with Hariharan trying to do SPB tricks. His voice is too stiff to do gimmicks of this sort, and I feel either Unnikrishnan or SPB should have been much better. But the song itself is very unique and catchy. Deva has tuned this song really well and with smooth and adequate orchestrations. Lyrics by Pazhani Bharathi are adequate. Next song, pOraaLe pOraaLe, again by Hariharan, has shades of folk music. Once again Hariharan is not suitable for such songs, but Deva compensates with good beats and lovely orchestrations. What else you can say, you got to have at least five songs in a film, and not all of them are going to be chart toppers. Next song is Oyilaa Oyilaa with Mano and Krishnaraj doing singing for a change. This song may grow on you in a while, but frankly it is sad to see a singer of Mano's caliber being wasted in songs like this. What he can expect to do, where even the likes of SPB are increasingly being ignored!..

The next song, MaaLavika MaaLavika, with Hariharan and Chitra doing great job, is the best song of this album. This song sounds close to Needhaana, but is different. Deva is continuously getting better at giving smooth orchestrations and this song with a lovely tune, will make you hum it for days to come. Hariharan loves songs like this, and with Chitra, you have got a winning combination. Special mention to the lyricist Kalai Kumar - who looks like a good new find. FYI, he also penned the recent hit song, Edho Oru Paattu in the movie Unnidaththil Ennai Koduthaen. As a tailpiece this song appears to be rehashed from ManadhukkuLe Oru Nandhalaalaa (Devaraj), also another Deva number.

The last song of this album is Kaattraaga Varuvaayo performed by a new comer Naveen. His voice sounds like Hariharan and Suresh Peters rolled in to one. He could not do much in this dance number, but Deva will impress listeners with good use of flute samples. I won't be surprised, if Deva has been listening to lot of Jethro Tull albums, but why do we have to complain, if he is going after the best to copy.

Overall this album adheres to Deva's recent standards, but too much use of Hariharan is bound to bring the enjoyment level down. Furthermore, Hariharan should stop singing all kind of songs, as more albums like these will bring his downfall soon. I have to say the songs sound too soft for a Sundar C. movie. So we may be expecting a love story instead of his usual fun-filled ones. That indeed will be welcome change, or may be not. Why can't we wait and see?







Vaali
Music: Deva
Direction: S. J. Surya
Lyrics: Vairamuthu
Released: August 98

This album has 5 tracks
Reviewed by Sivabalan



One word can describe this album by Deva. Unbelievable! I was pleasantly surprised. Deva has relied on the latest hype in tamil music to attract the younger audience. Believe me, he will succeed with this album. Just superb from the first song to the last.

Now for the tracks: First song, Ghee priya sung by SPB and Swarnalatha is not bad! I will give it a 5/10! The second song, Nilavai sung by Unnikrishnan and Anuradha Sriram is good. Deva has used Anu's deep voice very well in this song! Both western and eastern music go hand in hand in this melody! I will give this a 7/10! Third song, Vaanil Kaayuthai sung by Mano and Anuradha Sriram. Wow! 7/10! Music is really superb. Deva has really excelled, you have to listen to this song. Forth Song, April Mathil by Unnikrishnan and Harini, the best in the album! 9.5/10! When both these singers join, it is always lethal and they have done it again. Especially the humming is really nice and Deva has thrown in conversation in the middle of the song. Lyrics are very good! The last song, sung by Hariharan, and Ajithkumar is superb! 9/10! You have to listen to believe it!!!!

Well, I found it so hard to believe this was a Deva album! It was excellent! ARR, you have a big time competition now! All you music lovers, this album is a worth the buy! So go for it and enjoy. Anyone who likes Unnikrishnan and Hariharan, must definitely buy this album.

Sivabalan

NagasubramaniaN's Flat Thumb Rating

Hi all. I heard the review for this Vaali album was published in this site and only then got the cassette & now I am here to give my review. As far as Deva is concerrned, this is a good work for him. But i am not convinced that this album is as great as the previous review states. I'll rate this album 5/10.

Sona Sona is a good song. The dialogues in the middle of the song are good & romantic. Music in that piece simply steals the heart. But the main disadvantage of the song is that the tune is not as good as Deva's previous songs of this type - such as Konja Naal Poru Thalaiva. One ghost voice (sounds like ARR) which sings the actual Pallavi of the song is very nice. But this song doesn't seem to be romantic as it is supposed to be. Vairamuthu has done his work neatly in Nilavai kondu vaa. Unni krishnan has become a master in singing these type of songs - particularly in Deva's music. Anu sounds manly which is a good idea. In general this song is a nice one. A veena bit in the middle of the song (Bharathiyar's Kaakkai Chiraginile) is very nice. Hats off to Deva.

As usual, April maathaththil, is a good one with Unni krishnan & Harini making the song melodic & rhythmic. Tune is great. I'll rate this song the best in this album & one of Deva's top ten. Vaanil kaayuthe is a mano - Anu number. This has the same disadvantage as Sona, Sona as the tune is not attractive. I think this song needs no more 'vimarsanam'

Geepriya (enna arththam ithukku vairamuthu sir ?) is a good one. But the problem is there is nothing special in this song. SPB & Swarnalatha sing as always & the song sounds like it was dubbed from Telugu. Not a great number, but also not a bad one

In general, I'll rate this album as a moderate one. Deva should bring more melodic tunes & I think he can.







Uyirodu Uyiraaga
Music: Vidyasagar

Direction: Sushma
Lyrics: Vairamuthu

This album has 6 tracks
Reviewed by Sandya




It is truly a pity that a music director of Vidyasagar's calibre cannot get past the Tamil Film Music's glass ceiling. With his return in 1994 into Tamil cine field with Jaihindh, Vidyasagar has matured into a great musician that enjoyable songs like Aye Shabba (Karna), Adi Aathi (Pasum Ponn) or Vaaraai En Thozhiye (Arasiyal) have become part of the Vidyasagar album 'staple diet.' It is rather unfortunate that such a talented musician has yet to win a single prestigious award in Tamilnadu, neither for his melodious compositions nor for his ability to provide never-ending listening pleasure to Tamil film music fans. Hopefully 1998 will carry Vidyasagar to greater heights where he might sign some films that actually do well at the box office and give him the needed and deserved recognition. I, for one, wish him plenty of luck for 1998, as the beginning with Uyirodu Uyiraaga looks incredibly impressive.

Like Subash, Shengotai and Arasiyal, to name a few, the Uyirodu Uyiraaga soundtrack is an excellent blend of masala and melody music. With the bhangra beat background, Nandhini appears to have truly enjoyed herself singing I Love You with K.K. Surely, everyone will go 'kikklidhaakka' for this song soon. Despite what the world might say, Vairamuthu still impresses people who are happy with simple things in life, aka lyrics like Appa sattai podaavittaal magal-aai irundhu yenna payan? Aadai meedhu sindhaamal Ice Cream yenna payan.. NOTHING!.. Actually, Nothing is a very interesting lift from Muththamma Muththamma from Super Police, but you have to give to Harini. She makes anything and everything sound good these days!.. Kaattula mazhai!..

I continue to be reminded of Bhoomiye from Shengottai, when I listen to Anbe Anbe by Hariharan and Chitra. Both songs have an incredibly soothing effect on the listener, a goal which Vidyasagar seems to be achieving regularly these days. Thought Udith Narayan was bad with Tamil pronunciation, listen to Mr. Ganshyam Vaswani in Nadhi Yenge, you will change your mind. (Maybe we can mail him 'tamil lessons' as a gift certificate for Tamil New Year's Day :-) Which leaves us with a slow and melodious number in Poovukkellaam with K.K. and Srinivas taking the cake with their excellent vocals and Harini providing the thakka thikku thaa thaa during one of the interludes. Vanna KiLi vaguely resembles MaNamagale from Devar Magan in parts but makes a drastic Devadas-type turn, which makes it less likeable.

I was lucky to have heard the songs earlier on audio tape that I grabbed the first opportunity to buy the Jeans-Uyirodu Uyiraaga CD combination, knowing the high quality of music I would be listening to. These kind of CD combinations are rare these days, that's for sure!

For new director Sushma's sake, for Ajeethkumar's (bad slump!) sake and above all, for Vidyasagar's melodious and enjoyable music's sake, Uyirodu Uyiraaga should enjoy all the merits of box office success when it releases this year.







Kaadhal Mannan
Music: Bharadhwaj

Direction: Charan
Released: Nov. 97 (Audio)

This album has 6 tracks
Reviewed by Sandya


The 1990s will probably carry into history as the decade when the most number of tamil film music directors entered the cine field. With the Shahs, Sivas, Udhayas, Swararajs, and Anands, enters Bharadwaj. A rather low key debut in Venkateswaralayam's maiden venture, Kaadhal Mannan. Director Charan, a newcomer himself to the field, is awefully excited about what is in store for fans when they listen to Kaadhal Mannan's music. Frankly, there isn't very much. Unnai Parththa Pinbu by S.P.Balasubramaniam makes you wonder why he should be singing such songs anymore. Moreover, most of the song remains disjointed with the instruments playing in an unrelated manner to the overall emotion of the song. Same is true of Thiloththamma sung by Bharadwaj and Anupama. The song seems to be going in a certain direction (or so it appears) and before you know it, the instruments have changed and all musical patterns remain unrecognizable. But not to take too much away, there are a few salvaging factors: Kanni Penngal, which displays itself to be the intro song to Ajeethkumar's character in the film, sung by Febi Mani and Ada Ali Azad is worth a listen or two! M.S.Vishwanathan's song with the lyrics, Naan Mess-u Kiss-u rendum therinja Vishwanathan-daa is humorous and keeps your attention for a few minutes. Hariharan and Chitra make the best out of Vaannum Mannum. Deva-vukku neram! That is all I can say about his song, Maarimuththu Maarimuththu, a modern beat based approach to what Deva became famous for: Kavalai Paddaadhe Sagodhara in Kaadhal Kottai. The little bits and pieces of music that are composed by Bharadwaj are melodious, but when they are forced together to make a song, they refuse to gel and continue to remain as pieces. If you care to watch the movie when it releases, just listen to the songs at the theater or on video. Don't bother about running to the store right away to buy the album!





Paramsivan - In his elements
Music: Vidyasagar

Direction: P Vasu
Released: Jan. 2006 (Audio)

This album has 7 tracks
Reviewed by IndiaGlitz

After the splendid highs of Chandramukhi, Vidyasagar had a couple of  low-keyoutings. But in Paramasivan he redeems himself and seems to have found the form (in the company of Vasu). The thing about Vidyasagar is that he has an ear and heart for melody. He manages to infuse them even amidstrambunctious mass songs (kuthu pattu), he manages to thread an attractive lilt. This is his strength. And in Paramasivan you can see that. Being the comeback film of sorts for Ajith, Vidyasagar has not let the hero down.

1) Undivil

Can you imagine Tamil folk instruments in full blast in a Goanese strain? Well, if you can then you can understand this song. It is a rocket blast of a start and Vidyasagar comes out with all guns blazing. Shankar Mahadevan and Malathi are also off the blocks in spirited medley. The orchestration is heavy but highly agreeable.
Ajith's fans will rock the town with this.

2) Natchatra Paravaikku

The beginning strains are almost symphonic in its sweep of grandeur (especially the violin ensemble is splendid). The song,especially the catchy ditty crooned out by Abhaswaram Ramji's Children's Orchestra, reminds you of a song in the film in Anjali (full children's songs). Tippu and Rajalakshmi's singing passmuster.

3) Thangakilli

The starting chorus is like thousand butterflies fluttering splendid profusion. The song itself is a simple melody and spreads like sweet marmalade on a smooth bread. Madhu Balakrishnan, sounding extremely like Jayachandran, is melody personified. Srivardhini and
Gopika Poornima are mellifluous andmethodical.

4) Theme song

It is a huge roster of singers. Shankar Mahadevan, Karthik, Tippu, Chandran, Jemon, Ranjith. The chorus is inspirational and doubtless heavy on motivation. The right mood is rungin by the singers. The start, interestingly, is very soft (almost in Dwejavanthi raga). On
the whole, very catchy and rhythmic. The orchestration is imposing and impressive.

5) Oru Kili

Again Vidyasagar doesn't experiment too much. He keeps it neat, straight andsimple. Though the tabla background is slightly old-fashioned, the songand the talent of the singers Madhu Balakrishnan and Sujatha ensure that this is another winner.

6) Kannan

It is a simple Carnatic stylerendering. It oozes melody (especially in this music season). Saindavi,Kalyani Menon, Lakshmi Nagarajan and the kids ensure that the lilt andtempo is just about right.

7) Asai Dhosai

The lyrics will give the game away. It is as mass as they come. Priya Subramani sings with raregusto and authority. It is a rocker and headed straight for top of the charts.

On the whole, Ajith has been done a huge favor by Vidyasagar. Good stuff!
 

Godfather - Master class

Music: AR Rahman
Direction: KS Ravikumar
Lyrics: Vairamuthu

Released: Feb. 2006 (Audio)

This album has 9 tracks
Reviewed by IndiaGlitz


No other music director creates such an expectation in the market as Rehman does. In many ways, it is unfair. Like we expect Tendulkar to score a century every time, we want a winner from Rehman every time. The thing he never fails us mostly.

In Godfather too, he has not let us down. Giving a mix of his much-famed orchestration and some new beats, Rehman shows that class is permanent. It may not be his best effort. But at any rate, it betters anything that the competition offers.

Kamma Karaiyal Umma Kodu

The beat and haunting humming set you up for an intriguing mix. This is mass song but with a unique, and different, flavor. It doesn’t go over the top. The rendition --- Naresh and Sowmya --- is well controlled. But there is a new feel to the tune and humming. Only the inane lyrics give the game away. Rehman’s splendid rhythms again stand out.

Ilamai Vidukathai

The start reminds you of many Rehman songs of ore. The beats too are typical. So is it deja vu time? Certainly not. The song quickly gets into the groove and mood perks up as the singers go in for a spirited rendition. Suresh Peter and Blaze (the rap part) may both mince the words but they sure have a yen for songs that is full of zest and zeal. One for you all those jiving on the dance floor.

Ilamai Vidukathai (remix)

Interestingly this remix provides a better experience than the original. There is more life and gusto. Naresh, Tanvi and Mahathi give their own interpretation and add a piquant spice to overall feeling. Naresh will certainly be a talked about singer after this.

Katril Oru Varthai

Sadhana Sargam starts as beguilingly as only she can. But the tune gets down to some 80s Hindi tabla-dholak tune. Before you wonder what it is, Sadhana reverts to style and simplicity. It is an elegant melody interspersed with some interesting touches the interludes have unmistakable Laxmikant-Pyarelal flavor . SPB adds his own brand of magic to it. So does Reena. All in all, a good potpourri.

Inninisai Azhai (in three variants)

This seems to be the anthem of the album as it is featured thrice. In whichever way you hear it, it is splendid. The remix version in fact is better with Srinivas’ inimitable vocal chords. Srinivas is a special talent and he needs to be given more opportunities by our music directors. Naresh’s vocals too strike a chord. In some places, it simply holds on to you like a friend. The jathis are energetic. Mahathi’s voice contours the essential Hindolam ragam flavor beautifully. Te chorus version grows on you as most Rehman’s melodies do. Certainly one for the records.

Dhinam Dhinam Deepavali

Rehman never resorts to musical cliches. He always experiments with the form and flavor. This one is a quaint one. It has a Goanese feel. But he has made it sound more attractive. The interludes are certainly new one, never heard before. There is a slew of singers ---Kalpana, Sonu, Leon, Peer, Renjith. All of them sound alike in the chorus. But it is all fun and unmistakably Rehman!

Theeyil Vizhundh Theenai

Rehman’s muse is Sufism. Get that feel as goes hauntingly for the high pitch and then come down to lisp the lyrics. In one word, amazing. Like a cool breeze during sand-paper heat, Rehman’s vocals and tunes offer present balm. The rhythms and orchestration are understated. But perfectly in sync with the number.

All in all, another winner from Rehman.

Tirupathi - On full throttle

Music: Bharadwaj
Direction: Perarasu
Released: March 2006 (Audio)

This album has 6 tracks
Reviewed by IndiaGlitz

Director Perarasu has made known his liking for racy numbers in his earlier films Thirupachi and Sivakasi. The songs of Tirupathi are no different from his earlier ventures and Perarasu has successfully managed to bring out from Bharadwaj all racy stuff.

Bharadwaj, who was hitherto known for his melodious compositions, has also proved with Tirupathi that if given opportunity, he can also match the Devas, Srikanth Devas and Dheenas.

Bharadwaj has succeeded in giving songs which would be heard in every corner of the streets for sometime from now.

Aathadi Aathadi (Kay Kay, Mathangi)

The team goes for the jugular straightaway. And it is a rocking number. Vibrant Kay Kay and an energetic Mathangi combine like frisky dolphins having fun. Bharadwaj has composed the tune keeping in mind the aspirations of the frontbenchers. It is foot-tapping and slam-bang, all the way.

Thirupathi Vantha (Shankar Mahadevan)

The pick of the album. A typical mass song which is sure to top the audio charts. Shankar Mahadevan is in his familiar territory rendering this energetic one with his natural vibrancy. Watch out for the lyrics by Perarasu, which glorifies the hero. The song with heavy instruments accompanied is sure to bring the roof down.

Keerai Vedhaippom (Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Reshmi)

After a brief interval Pushpavanam Kuppusamy is back. Noted for his rustic rural numbers, he has not disappointed his fans rendering this one in his own imitable style. Inspired by a country folk number, the song has less instrumentation but a heavy percussion making it stick to the hearts. A melodious chorus in between is another highlight of the song.

Yenaiye Yenaku (Vijay Yesudas)

A pathos number dwelling on brother-sister affection, which has become mandatory in Perarasu's films. The lyrics dwell on the philosophy of life and Vijay Yesudas fits the bill well.

Sollavum Mudiyala (Harish Raghavendra, Swarnalatha)

Can you imagine a singer like Harish Raghavendra rendering a racy and fast number? He does it here with aplomb. A typical 'koothu' number and it has thavil and nadaswaram at its full pace with heavy beats in between. Bharadwaj has gone out all guns blazing. Swarnalatha does her job well. Yet another catchy number in the album.

Pudhu Veedu (Tippu, Anuradha Sriram)

Tippu and Anuradha Sriram come together. And you know the territory. A straightforward racy number with Bharadwaj trying out different sounds with percussions. It reminds us one of a song from Perarasu's earlier venture Sivakasi. Anuradha Sreeram sings at the top of her voice while Tippu plays the balancing factor. A song again for the frontbenchers.
 

Aalwar - Foot-tapping and entertaining

Music: Srikanth Deva
Direction: Chella

Released: Dec. 2006 (Audio)

This album has 5 tracks
Reviewed by IndiaGlitz

Srikanth Deva is known for coming with foot-tapping music. A mix of rhythm and melody, the young composer entertains his fans with racy songs in all his albums.

Son of veteran music director Deva, he concentrates on giving peppy and entertaining music that would keep the front-benchers happy. In Aalwar, he has come out with catchy songs with a right mix of beats and melody.

The likes of Sadhana Sargam, Unnikrishnan and Madhusree, besides a host of newcomers have sung in the album. Hats off to the young composer for giving an entertaining stuff in Aalwar.

Solli Tharava (Sadhana Sargam, Muhamad Salamad)

A good beginning. A soft romantic number with excellent instrumentation. It is sure to be lapped up by melody-lovers. Srikanth Deva seems to have chosen his instruments very carefully for the song. The catchy lyrics coupled with good use of violin are other major hallmark of the song. What more Sadhana Sargam's voice is an icing in the cake.

Pidikkum (Madhushree)

A brisk number. The song begins on a slow note only to gather momentum as it progresses. Changing track in between, the catchy pallavi in the song strikes the listeners. Madhusree has sung it with lots of energy and her high-pitched voice that sets the momentum.

Anbulla Kadhali (Kunal, Kushbu)

It has become a must to have at least one song in an album these days inspired by the hip-hop music. Shrewd use of western instruments and 'open-throated' voice of Kushbu with a good chorus are the major highlights of the song. It is a 'run of the mill' kind of duet number. Additional rhythm and peppy beats by Srikanth Deva are impressive.

Pallandu (Unnikrishnan, Senthildas)

A song quite appropriate to listen this December music season. Srikanth Deva has struck to his basics here. He has come out with a song which is inspired by Carnatic music. With flawless Unnikrishnan's voice and a soothing accompaniment by the flute, the song sticks to our hearts immediately.

Mayile Mayile (Srikanth Deva, Senthildas, Roshini, Suruthipriya, Arjun Thamas, Sujavitha)

A rocking song in the album. Energetic Srikanth Deva in the company of fresh and talented singers sets the right mood for the song in its very beginning. It has heavy chorus, good beats and lots of instrumentation.


 

Kreedom - Foot-tapping and entertaining

Music: GV Prakash
Direction: Vijay Anand

Released: Juin 2007 (Audio)

Reviewed by Behindwwods

Kreedom is the next big release after Sivaji and everyone is waiting for the release of this family drama starring Ajith and Trisha. G.V.Prakash made his presence felt with his very first album and when he joins hands with 'Thala' Ajith Kumar, it is sure to spark curiosity.

Lets see how the young G.V.Prakash fares,

- Vizhiyil

The very first song starts with an impressive note and G.V.Prakash shows his mastery over slow paced romantic song. Inspiring orchestration, smooth and romantic sounds make this number a treat for all the fans of Ajith. The singers Sonu Nigam & Swetha do their work with perfect élan. A sure chart buster.

Rating – 4.5/5


- Kanavellam

The starting notes do give one a deja vu feel with Harris Jeyaraj's compositions. This number is sung by a proud father about his son which just follows the usual path with nothing new to offer but rich lyrics do make the song a good one to hear. The sounds used in between lighten up the track. Jeyachandran and Karthik do their job; overall an average track.

Rating – 3/5

- Vilayaadu Vilayaadu

This is the opening song of Ajith. It does have a peppy feel but still the sound is a little on a higher note and the rhythm is very much similar to some of the kuthu songs of the past. In the middle the sounds used though innovative is very harsh on ears. Shankar Mahadevan sings the song with his usual charm. A track that will satisfy Ajith's fans.

Rating – 2.5/5


- Akkam Pakkam

Sadhana Sargam is back with this slow number which is about the fantasies of a lover. Even though the rhythm and feel do remind us about her super hit 'Snegidane', the music director uses the sounds to good use. The lyrics too have a major hang over of Snegidane. Yet the final outcome is satisfactory.

Rating – 4/5

- Kaneer Thuliyae

A R Rahman looms over this number of G.V.Prakash which sounds a lot like Kanathil Muthamittal and Uyirae put together. Vijay Yesudas does justice to this track. Getting inspired by the legend of Indian film music is natural for any upcoming music director and it is more justified in G V Prakash's case as he shares the family genes with Rahman. However when one finds his own touch it aids the song to stand out. And G.V.P does find some success in that.

Rating – 2.5/5


- Kreedom Theme music

The start impresses the listeners but the flow is lost soon and when it is regained, it is a bit too late. It is a valiant attempt by the music director to add a theme song which has a running time of four minutes as it is quite rare in Kollywood. The final outcome is satisfactory, but Hindi music lovers can easily recognize the source of inspiration of G.V.Prakash.

Rating – 3/5

On the whole G.V.Prakash does a neat job but shows his uncle's effect on his music more than once. But as he is in his start up phase of his career, great things are expected from this young music director very soon. A decent buy.

Overall rating – 3/5


 

Billa 2007 - Groovy & good

Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Direction: Vishnuvardhan

Released: Nov 2007 (Audio)

Yuvanshankar Raja had greater responsibility in his shoulders to deliver the best for the remake of yesteryear blockbuster Billa. Obviously his work will draw comparisons with the original.

Yuvanshankar has managed to come up with a mix of a mass and class in Billa with a couple of remixes from the original all set to appeal the masses.

A right mix of hip-hop, melody and class, the new version of 'Billa' has songs which will top the audio charts straight away. Though not mystifying, the songs are a delight to hear. Groovy and trendy, the album has songs which will set the foot moving.

Groovy tracks complete with exotic interludes and orchestration makes up 'Billa'.

Especially the 'Billa' Theme (Instrumental) takes us to a different world. With guitars dominating, the theme song is a masterly work from young Yuvan.

My name is Billa (Naveen, Kay Kay)

It was the anthem of youngsters in early 1980s. Yuvan was careful in getting the soul of the song and give it a different colour. Set in a racy tempo, the song has all ingredients to make it big. Naveen and Kay Kay have tried to catch up with SPB, who rendered the original.

The rap and the guitar interludes deserve appreciation.

Naan Meendum (Deepika)

Watch out for Deepika. The newcomer has rendered this racy number to near perfection. Peppy and foot tapping, the song has enough stringed instruments in the interludes to make it mystifying. A right song for sombre mind. Peppy and pacy.

Sei (Nithya Mahadevan)

Again a racy number. The instruments seem to have overtaken the vocals. But the pace at which the song progresses makes us forget about the vocals. A typical Yuvan song rendered in an Anglican accent. Watch it with visuals, it may appeal to you.

Seval Kodi (Vijay Yesudas)

A typical mass song. Interestingly the soft voice of Vijay Yesudass has been roped in to sing this number. Peppy and filled with brisk music, the Seval Koddi is a perfect number for Ajit fans to rejoice in cinema halls.

The use of percussion and additional rhythm is a delight to listen to.

Vethayala Pottendi (Shankar Mahadevan)

Shankar Mahadevan instantly reminds us of energy. His voice not just adds sheen to songs but also brisk energy. Vethalaya Pottendi, a remix from the original Billa, is one such song from him.

It has undergone just a few minor changes to suit today's audience. It is old wine in a new bottle.

By IndiaGlitz

www.ajithkumar.fr.fm