Submitted by DFers.
Discussion Thread on ARR's new albums
| Old Reviews |
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by syed shariff (@ jhb-151-151.tm.net.my) on: Mon May 1 06:48:57 EDT 2000
It's not kandu konden kandu konden.It's kettu konden kettu konden. ARR tool kilappu irukkirar. ARR king of india and king of asia!!!!!
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by prem kumar (@ mercury.singnet.com.sg) on: Mon May 1 08:45:42 EDT 2000
One of the best album ever made!
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by vijay (@ 203.197.135.251) on: Sat May 13 02:11:41 EDT 2000
One of the best album made by A.R.Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by sg (@ 203.197.207.81) on: Thu Jun 8 07:41:43 EDT 2000
Taal,Dil se are master-pieces of A.R.Rahman.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Grayson (@ bkj-cache82.jaring.my) on: Mon Jun 12 07:24:50 EDT 2000
It was a great composing.Super'b beats and musics was in the movie.That was one of the best movie(because of music) that I admire.Well done to A.R.Rahman.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Purnima (@ 210.214.4.229) on: Thu Jun 15 03:47:30 EDT 2000
A.R.R. chumma poondhu vilayadi yirukkaru.Yenna pattukkal.
Avar valzhga.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Manimaran (@ sc-154-12.tm.net.my) on: Thu Jun 29 00:04:26 EDT 2000
dfykmjdhm
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by r krishnan (@ 202.9.179.31) on: Tue Jul 11 06:14:38 EDT 2000
arr stands for
accurate music
real music
roaring applause
we love him, we buy all his cassettes
we update his music in our shelves
we are crazy we want a sound from
him whatever it may be we like
we love it.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by raj (@ 203.197.149.15) on: Sat Jul 29 17:01:38 EDT 2000
nice
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by KITKAT (@ 203.106.109.94) on: Thu Aug 10 03:59:40 EDT 2000
All songs except Ayyo pathikichu are good. Pity ARR chose to add Ayyo pathikichu to his worst list. But the other sounds are great. You can listen to this album here.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by sags (@ 203.197.185.59) on: Tue Aug 29 06:54:35 EDT 2000
All the songs You can listen to this album here.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by juvila (@ 202.9.180.89) on: Thu Sep 21 06:05:31 EDT 2000
unbilevable
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Rahul :-) (@ 203.197.74.152) on: Sat Sep 23 01:58:52 EDT 2000
Excellent work.....A must listen for all music appreciators :-)
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by RaK (@ 161.74.55.16) on: Tue Sep 26 04:00:36 EDT 2000
Love every single song. The best one is Ayyo pathikichu and thaniya by shanker mahadevan, Love the Sky Song. But ARR you copied the music and modified it for a song of yours! tsk tsk tsk. For 'katrae' you copied the humming from Vidhyasagar for a score he did for a malyalam film (those of you who have B4U c the programme simply south it came a long time ago maybe 2 years back!)
Best album of ARR only Alaipayuthey would have beaten this!
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Ganpathy (@ 216.175.90.6) on: Fri Oct 6 04:05:33 EDT 2000
Three great songs from AR. Rehman:
1) Swasame
2) Porkalam
3) Aalangati
The rest of the songs are sure to grow on us with time. Cannot be compared with the latest three though - Kandukondain Kandukondain, Alaipayuthe and Rhythm. Overall, an average movie soundtrack. Might be a bit of a let down after the great expectations You can listen to this album here.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Nisha (@ 164.138.46.52) on: Sun Oct 8 17:40:37 EDT 2000
Athini Sithini stands out of all the songs. A good mix of Carnatic and Western notes, love da miruthangam part, has da rahmans original touch. HH is wonderful.Porkalam (Kedar Raga) Comes Next With da Srinivas's intro pushing da songs to higher level...then u have Alaangati Malai with some nice nice vocals by Kamal and Sujatha The 2nd interlude has da kumi pattu type of huming..and followed by da strings now doin da kumi paatu which i feel makes da song very intresting.. Then u have Swasamea Starts with a good vocal harmony by spb followed by some nice bell type of instruments keepin da basic beat on line..although da intro sounds like Ek ladki ko dhekho tho with some mix from Haira Haira Hairaba...spb and sandhana does it very well to keep up da song..Ingearingo comes next with some beautifull trumpets and srilankan
baila type of songs ..in da arrangements i mean ..the basic beat sounds like da one from yaro yaro yarodi and kilakea nanthvanam..kamal does a fantastic job here and da lyrics r funny and sweet with da intro ingearingo da way how srilanks call their husband..Then u have Thenali with da intro beat sounding like da one from james bond then u have shankar tryin to sing ..but not very impressive then u also have clinton do his usual stuffs ..and da 'hey thenali' sound like 'padayappa' and 'ohhhhh' like da one in thaniyea from rhythm and way da song is not very catchy and i feel itz da worst !
da lyrics ..not very impressive..letz see how kamal does in da film.. You can listen to this album here.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Udhaya (@ 63.89.188.210) on: Mon Oct 16 12:27:42 EDT 2000
Aalangatti
Isn’t directing, producing, and acting in every frame enough for Kamal? Does he have to sing, especially like this? What next, will he be the light boy in his movie too? And when will the aggravating trend of having kids sing going to stop? Enough already! Kamal sings this no-brainer like his chappaani character from 16 Vayathinilae. Ithula tune vera illa, oru vasana kavithai maathiri except kaviththuvamaa onnum illai so verum vasanam maathiri.
Verdict: A wash out (of course, if you love Kamal’s every move then, I’m sure you’ll find some merit in this mess).
Score: 0
Aththini
The guitar strumming and the wavy bass start this song generating much interest. And then come the lyrics “aththini, siththini, tharangini” (somewhere Vairamuthu is having the last laugh) sung by Hariharan as if he’s on helium. Why is Hari doing vocal parallel bars? The parade-like shuffled feet sounds coupled with the symphonic violins remind me of the arrangement for “veerapaandik koattayilae”, but the percussions here are more fluid and complex. This could’ve been a worthy experimental piece and could have achieved its heights with a true lyricist and sung by someone else who can handle whimsy in his voice without creating a ridiculous comic effect.
Verdict: If only ARR had kept the strings and bass as the dominant part of the song and used Shankar Mahadevan or SPB for the song this would have been an indispensable tune. Right now it’s merely intriguing.
Score: 7
Injirungo
This is the most jubilant song in the soundtrack. The music sounds like it was composed for fishermen in Goa (just an observation not a slight or praise). A carnival atmosphere reigns throughout the song with wailing horns and Hindi (Ho jaayae ho jaayae) and African choruses. Again the lyrics are irritating starting from the first word and escalating with Chitra singing “naan naaykutti aanaenunga” (the lyricist imagines the heroine saying that she became a bitch because of the hero). If this is the fate of post-VM TFM lyrics, I’m sad to say I’m nostalgic for VM.
Verdict: A rather enjoyable, upbeat confection whose enjoyment is marred by insulting lyrics.
Score: 7.5
Poarkkalam
A wistful tune memorably sung by Gopika, Poornima and Srinivas. The flow is dreamy and smooth and recalls grand vistas and panoramic views as accompanying visuals. Though the lyrics are indistinct, these days I’m thankful when they don’t draw attention.
Verdict: A serene journey.
Score: 9
Swasamae
A triumph, a marvel, an occasion to rejoice, an excuse to throw a party. Just as I was getting the shovel ready for ARR, he offers this captivating song. Rare it is these days when a song nails it on so many levels: the tempo, the chorus, the new age lyrics, SPB (indha oru paattukkae silai vaikkalaam), the subdued arrangement, and Sadhana’s sultry voice (yeah, I did notice her Thamizh, but hey, a twinkling star is still a star).
Verdict: A veritable treat.
Score: 9.99
Thenali
I hope this song is for the opening credits for that’s the only way to stomach this monumental waste of a majestic voice. As great and versatile as he is, Shankar Mahadevan should resist such songs before he becomes typecast as a substitute for Malaysia Vasudevan. Let not this wonderful voice be relegated to serving us “Uppu Karuvaadu” all his life.
Verdict: A missed opportunity.
Score: 2
Summation:
ARR blew a grand opportunity to make a statement against Vairamuthu. Of the many hands of shame that penned lyrics, only Arivumathi fares well. What happened to the promise shown by Pazhani Bharathi last year? Now he’s cloning VM’s worst (“mundhaanai dhaesiyak kodi”). While I applaud the experimental quest that drives ARR soundtrack after soundtrack, his penchant for Thamizh-challenged singers is now a stale fixture of his music. Also, his hands-off treatment of lyrics, if not rectified, will one day drown him. You can listen to this album here.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by KRISHNAN (@ 202.142.66.114) on: Wed Oct 18 01:35:19 EDT 2000
ar rahman
a real asset as like kamal to acting.
the people who give wrong comment on these guys are really not intereted on them a real selfish guys by nature.
it's not easy for the people like us who live away from india mostly even remote islands we know how strong our
rahman is. if you talk anything with anybody in the world out prime priveleged subject will be rahman. it's not easy to be genious in this young age.
he is really talented and there is no match for him right now. giving faulthucommments on him really will not affect him. this falthu comments are given by people who don't know anything about music, who even inhaled the pleasant ambience which is almighted by music.
musicians like arr are born only once in a century. commenting him will not make him grow. pl advise him definetly he will grow more. there are plenty of real music lovers throughout the world
in millions for ARR. SO DONT'T HURT THEIR FEELINGS.
KRISHNAN
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by V Suresh (@ 202.135.114.212) on: Fri Dec 29 05:25:49 EST 2000
Good songs, except for 'Thenalikku ellam bhayam'.
'Aalankatti mazhai' is done well - and you will enjoy it more if you have seen the movie..
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by suganthu (@ 202.9.175.244) on: Tue Jan 9 04:05:01 EST 2001
arrahman is simlpy the best...
god bless him !!
suganthi
www.arrahman.net
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Sankeetha (@ 213.1.99.104) on: Fri Jan 12 18:35:37 EST 2001
I think A.R.Rahman is simply the best and all his music R just Xellent!!! I am really looking forward to hearing the Udhaya songs as I am one of Vijays no.1 fans and I think that Rahmans music and Vijays Dance would fit in just well.
SANKEETHA:N
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Sankeetha (@ 213.1.99.104) on: Fri Jan 12 18:35:47 EST 2001
I think A.R.Rahman is simply the best and all his music R just Xellent!!! I am really looking forward to hearing the Udhaya songs as I am one of Vijays no.1 fans and I think that Rahmans music and Vijays Dance would fit in just well.
SANKEETHA:N
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Abhishek (@ 61.0.164.223) on: Tue Feb 27 08:20:17 EST 2001
never herd before.
it,s not just a music but
magic too.
Abhishek
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Rohit George (@ 137.154.189.13) on: Wed May 30 09:00:11 EDT 2001
HE IS THE BEST! I don't think anyone can come up to ARR standards. I think he is the only TALENTED & ORIGINAL Music Composer India or rather the world has ever seen and would ever see!
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Saravanan (@ 64.220.209.210) on: Fri Jun 1 16:04:42 EDT 2001
Very much disappointing one from ARR. For hindi viewers, the songs must have been so appealing. But to tamilians, VERY SORRY!, ARR! The songs are below average. Mache is well par below the expectation. In rasiga, rasiga, the repetition in rendering is highly irritating. How come he thinks of such a horrible tune? About the rest of the songs, NOT APPEALING but fair...
The rating of the album, may be a single STAR....
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Elavarasi (@ 202.156.2.246) on: Wed Jun 6 02:08:30 EDT 2001
Star is a fabulous album... I think AR Rahman has done a great job, even though the tunes are re-used from Thakshak and 1947 Earth. Rasika is especially good, Sujatha has done a good job. His new composition, Nethukittaen is excellent. I think STAR is fantastic!
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Manjula (@ 210.88.56.56) on: Mon Jun 25 03:11:59 EDT 2001
I am very much dissapointed with the recycled tunes of Rahman.
This is very much upseting to almost all the fans.
I dont think this is fair for Rahman to disappoint like this.
I expected real good stuff but I did not took the CD also after listerning to that in my friends house.
From now on I will not be curious about the new albulms as I am loosing faith in me.
I request fans not to encourage recycling from Rahman.
I will be very very happy if the album
get least responce so that recycling will be avoided seeing the responce for this album.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Shashi (@ host-72-212.unmc.edu) on: Mon Jul 9 12:23:02 EDT 2001
Music review of Lagaan
After a long period of hibernation, my plan is to start writing about some of ARR's relatively recent works--
to start with lagaan and then some others (except for One 2 ka four--which I think is a terrible album overall).
On the other hand 'Lagaan' showcases ARR's prowess as a worthy 'musician'--in all respects.
Song 1: Ghanan ghanan--by Udit, Alka, Sukhwinder, Shankar M, Shaan, Kishori Gowariker & Chorus: Starts off with the
rumble of bass drum and individually picked strings setting the drone, while voices starting with Sukhwinder join along
with strings and shakers. This prelude ends with the bass drum to start of the song in the captivating raga of 'Megh
Malhar'(monsoon raga belongs to the kafi thaat) as a 'traditional bhol' type singing joined by Udit & Alka--towards the
end of which rhythms join in (which is similar to 'Bhol sajni or Velli malare from Doli Saja ke Rakhna or Jodi; even the
raga is similar but ragas and talas are allowed to be reused but not the original melody line).Alka starts off the main melody line
with 'Kaale megha' and assorted voices join her in a beautiful pattern to end with Shankar M, followed by the traditional
bhol and bass drum thumps.This leads to the brief 1st interlude of rhythm with claps, tamburines & shakers with 'pan' effec
across the listening field. The 2nd and 3rd stanza resemble except for the individual lines and singers but the overall
progression is very good. The stanza's (anupallavi's) always end with the traditional bhol and pallavi. Worth mentioning is the minor
variation in the percussion with the 3rd stanza 'Aayee he ruth..' The 2nd interlude is a subdued synth + strings
section joined by a nicely executed male & female chorus. The song fades after the recitation of the traditional bhol
with Ghanan Ghanan just as it started finishing a whole circle. Overall score 8/10
Song 2: Mitwa--by Udit, Alka, Sukhwinder and Srinivas: Ektara to start (so rare these days) and a prelude by Sukhwinder
sets of a rhythm that is a collection of folkish instruments--traditional drums/cowbells/tins etc. Udit touches your
heart and breathes 'folk' thru the pallavi, but I did not like the heavy use of synth/strings/cello which accompanies
the words 'Mitwa' (IMO it takes away the wonderful 'folkish' atmosphere; the addition of the sarangi softens the blow
however). the 1st interlude is very sweet--traditional flute, shannai, ghatam & sarangi--what a combo, totally indian
except for the bass guitar picks. The 2nd and 3rd stanza (the anupallavi's) also sound wonderful with good creativity,
progression and appropriate use of instrumental support with the shannai, flute and sarangi at the right places. Again,
I am repeating myself but when the song reaches the words 'Mitwa' the use of heavy strings and bass thumps give a more
western--almost 'war' like feeling to this otherwise peaceful song. You can understand what I am talking about if you
listen towards the end of the 3rd stanza (the 2nd annupallavi which starts with Udit). This time the singing of 'Mitwa'
is unsupported by the heavy strings/drums and IMO sounds more appropo. Srinivas is somewhat overshadowed in this song.
The 2nd interlude is worth mentioning with the sarangi--rhythm break--bass drums--ghatam--female vocals--to end in sarangi.
At the end Sukhwinder returns with the initial prelude again with some continuing rhythm to lead the grand finale as
all the singers gradually join in with singing of 'Mitwa' (heavy string should have been used only here when all the
instruments flute, shannai, frame drums all join in), the shannai & flute carry the song to its end. Udit's singing and
the melody itself are the high points and you know my criticisms already. Overall score 7.5/10
Song 3: Radha Kaise--by Asha, Udit, Vaishali & chorus: Starts with 'thalam' (kartaal/jalra) & a synthetic bird cooing
(with echo effect) along with a variety of bells and dandiya sticks and claps, when a totally unexpected but wonderful
sonorous drum is made to play various tones (like tabla tarang but the drum is different!) Asha starts off with minimal
rhythm but gradually sounds are added (bird, flute to backup); Udit and chorus answer Asha's querries with more querries!
The 1st interlude is a continuation of the flute, the distant bird, rhythm and thalam sounds but 'Kanjira' is added as
Udit starts the 2nd stanza and Pakhwaj is added towards its end. Asha repeats the pallavi and vocal chorus takes us to
the 2nd interlude which begins with the sounds of 'paayal/kolusu', and followed by a creative introduction of 'taraana'or
thillaana type singing and unconventional use of drums, dandiya sticks and the distant bird! Another thrill awaits as
the 'Vishwa mohan Bhatt' and pakhwaj takes the song to a different dimension and the 3rd stanza begins with Asha and
progresses with Kanjira, pakhwaj, tabla & strings support. As the pallavi is repeated by Udit with the sonorous drum--
Asha joins in along with a flute-drum-chorus & the flute breaks free and along with Vaishali a fast paced (drut like)
exposition of raga Abheri (Bhimpalas)--simply superb; Asha ends the song with an airy flute. Overall score 9/10. Very
imaginative composition.
Song 4:O Rey Chhori--by Udit, Alka & Vasundhara Das: Start off with a gentle rhythm & strings--Udit gives a melodius
pallavi along with 'paayal' sounds; Alka repeats with equal grace. 1st interlude starts with a large frame drum percussion
breaking to a totally Western sounding ensemble of strings, cello, vocals, picollo etc--very creative--Vasundhara renders
her melody supported by a solo violin and Western accompaniment with great dignity and the song returns to the native
rustic rhythm (which resembles the rhythm in 'ek ladki ko..' from 1942 love story) Udit and Alka carry the song which
flows well in the 2nd stanza as the rhythm becomes subdued with the joining of synth strings playing a wonderful folkish
melody as it merges with a piano and Western vocals--Vasundhara returns with piano/cello/strings support as she builds her
piece to a peak which amazingly merges with the 3rd stanza by Alka and Udit (like the 2nd stanza) and towards the end
joined by Vasundhara as the pallavi is sung now in a staggered configuration. High points to almost seamless blending
of indian folk and Western orchestra & a simple but catchy melody. Vasundhara sounds nasal in her 2nd stanza.
Overall score 8.5/10
Song 5: Chale chalo--by ARR, Srinivas & Chorus: Rhythms along with humming (like buzzing) and clickety-clakers start this
song and the Dulcimer like instrument outlines the main melody of the Pallavi. Rhythm (wood blocks) has wonderful
'pan' effects and recaptures the sound of 'train coaches' on a rail track. ARR & Srinivas handle the pallavi with ease--
a catchy composition in 'Chalanaatai' (Jog). 1st interlude with rhythm + solo bass cello(adding depth & strength to the song),
is followed by the dulcimer and a melodious flute which emphasises the melodious phrases of chalanaatai. Female vocals
lead the 2nd and 3rd stanza (the anupallavi's) with ghatam and thalam additions. However male voices along with flute
and tabla are gently added to the background and ARR jumps in and builds a wonderful crescendo with the original rhythm
on the wood blocks/tabla--pallavi repeats with overlap effect. The 2nd interlude is strengthened by strings which explore
various moods of Chalanaatai to finally hook up with the 3rd stanza (similar to 2nd)--Pallavi repeats with slight drum
rolls--the dulcimer/santoor/claps outline the pallavi now increasing in tempo and additional percussion joins to end in
a major resonant thump. High points--very original, ARR & Srinivas shine and brings out the mood appropriately. Overall
score 9.5/10
Song 6: Waltz for Romance--An orchestral piece starting off with strings and harp intro as the western flute outlines
the main melody with strings/cello support (good use of major and minor variations). The melody is repeated by the strings
with flute/harp/viola/2nd string support. At this point a solo string shows a solemn mood for a brief moment to be broken by a
wonderfully excecuted happy movement on the violin (Baroque style). The main melody which is definitely romantic repeats
on the flute again & finally with a scale shift to end wonderfully with strings backup all the way as the airy flute fades.
Short but very catchy and very authentic Western sounding (both in compositon and orchesteration) piece. Score 9/10
Song 7: O Paalanhaare by Lata, Udit & chorus: Lata starts with a solo flute repeating the melody of the pallavi. She is
slowly joined by typical bhajan like accompaniments (thamlam/kartaal and humming vocals) but as pallavi progresses
muted strings/bass is added to give fullness. Excellent use of temple bells as well! The 1st interlude nearly blew me
away when I first heard it! It is unexpected but the flute jumps into the picture along with a wonderful sounding
tabla (short & sweet piece). 2nd stanza with Lata continues with the tabla added to percussion and flute backups. The
singing is soulful (particularly where the melody resembles charukesi). Pallavi repeats with vocal support leads to 2nd
interlude which uses strings and some synth (but not showing too much variation and that is appropriate for a bhajan)--
Udit starts the 3rd stanza with graded addition of percussion/vocals/strings and a small variation on the tabla rhythm
--once again very bhajan like with chorus backups leads to the pallavi now outlined by the flute. The song is crowned
by two variations sung by Udit and Lata which are both wonderful and ends in a solitary temple bell--wow! I never thought
a bhajan can be so captivating! Score 9/10
Song 8: Lagaan...Once upon a time in India: My most favorite orchestral piece in this album--starts with horns (sounds
like a bugle) & a bass drone--very 'John Williams' like--mega hollywood blockbuster. Crashing cymbals lead us to orchestral
drum thumps with horns continuing the main intro as it breaks to a drone with strings supported by sympathetic strings
on the sitar?! With this the melody has already shifted to an indian sound and sets the stage for Anuradha Sriram to
hum a melody line (which is the same lines of Udits opening line of 3rd stanza--song 7) with a mild variation towards
the end to join the original horns and orchestral thumps. This merges to a Western sounding male/female vocal chorus
(but the words are in Hindi) with strings support (the absence of sympathetic sitar strings makes it very Western now!)
Once again major and minor variations in scale are wonderfully shown with excellent string arrangement and a single
isolated triangle (bell) shines at the start of the minor variation. The strings gradually take a life of their own to
emerge from the male voices to explore areas that are just simply amazing (so many moods are potrayed in a few seconds)
Voices join and become stronger with an addition of a bass cello drone and variation on the strings. The recording of
bass cello is so realistic and one can hear the sounds of the bow over the strings apart from the cello itself!. The
strings outline a melody followed by a set of female chorus which is vaguely reminiscent of the line 'Hindustan hamara'
from 'Saare jahan se achha..' ARR had done something similar in the song 'Kapal eri..'(movie Indian) towards the end.
This only lasts for a moment though as the brass orchestra takes the song from here to a wonderful crescendo with a steady
orchestral movement. It ends with Anuradha's voice repeating her hummed melody to contrast the power of a solitary human voice
against a full orchestra--magnificent! Special mention for Prasanna who has arranged the string section--well done. Score 10/10
Overall an album that shows progression and maturity of ARR in every composition. With minimal use of electronica and
more authentic instruments (folk and Western) ARR captures the bygone era most appropriately and still manages to show
his creativity in every compostion. Once again this album is to be cherished by all music lovers.
Overall album score--8.8/10
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by vijay (@ 24.101.148.217.on.wave.home.com) on: Mon Jul 9 23:46:25 EDT 2001
hi a.r.rahman star is a good one
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by vijay (@ 24.101.148.217.on.wave.home.com) on: Mon Jul 9 23:51:42 EDT 2001
hi a.r.rahman. how are you. i lesson the star songs is relly nice i love that all the songs.i want like more songs a.r.rahman.ok so i waish you all the best i want her next songs more then good ok.i thing next relles uadaya.
any boby has a.r.rahman songs notes please send to my email thankyou. jack_171@hotmail.com . all the best a.r.rahman
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by abisheg (@ 202.187.144.2) on: Fri Aug 17 00:28:51 EDT 2001
A.R.Rahman is born for us to satisfy our thist of music.He is the best of all
.I do agree that there are many other go
od music directors,but ARR has his own unlimited unique creations.He is a excel
lent sound engineer too.The crystal reco
rding in multi tracks makes me to love a
rr musics.Arr is a blessed son of God.He
has become great man because of his humi
lity.
God Bless ARR,
abisheg.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by abisheg (@ 202.187.144.2) on: Fri Aug 17 00:32:16 EDT 2001
A.R.Rahman is born for us to satisfy our thist of music.He is the best of all.I do agree that there are many other
good music directors,but ARR has his own
unlimited unique creations.He is a
excellent sound engineer too.The crystal
recording in multi tracks makes me to love arr musics.Arr is a blessed son of God.Hehas become great man because of his humility.
God Bless ARR,
abisheg.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by priya (@ 202.156.2.86) on: Fri Oct 26 11:16:57 EDT 2001
Such a beautiful piece of music. Its really a masterpiece. Every songs are very rhythimic and new. Especially the 'waltz of romance' is the most romantic music. I expect a lot of masterpieces like this in both Tamil and Hindi, as I am a big fan of A.R. Rehman. And so are the majority of others.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by priya (@ 202.156.2.86) on: Fri Oct 26 11:27:19 EDT 2001
My most favourite songs of A. R. Rehaman are:
1. Taal/Thalam
2. Zubeidaa
3. Lagaan
4. Bombay (both tamil and hindi)
5. Rangeela
6. Pukar
7. Sapnay/Minsaara Kanavu
8. Dil Se/Uyire
9. Nayak/Muthalvan
10. Dil Hi Dil Mein/Khadalar Dhinam
11. 1 2 Ka 4
And more...
I'm learning carnatic music for 6 months. I am still continueing to learn. I have participated in solo song competitions and won some prizes. All the songs that I sang are A. R. Rahman songs. For example, 'Konjum mainaakale', 'Naetru illaatha maatram' and 'Nilaa kaaykirathu'. I mostly sing A.R. Rahman's song. Especially some solo instrumental music with background music in the middle of the song is wonderful.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Shashi (@ 137.197.169.33) on: Mon Nov 12 15:27:46 EST 2001
Music album review: Parthale paravasam;Music: ARR
1. Manmatha maasam: Starts with a simple melody line by Nithyashree but
quickly we are held captive by the overlapping layers of voices and ambient
effect. This heralds the rythm with more 'pan' (movement of effects and
vocals accross the hearing horizon) effects and the gradual intro. of
Shankar Mahadevan. As the rythm becomes more consistent Shankar builds the
melody with his variations as Nithyashree joins with her own distinctive
rendering as the song unexpectedly shifts briefly to "thishram" (3 beat
cycle) as the note D1 is emphasized. Shankar sings his part in the 3 beat
cycle. Later the rythm shifts between "chatushram" (4 beat cycle) and
'thishram" along with imaginative progression of the vocals. I encourage
everybody to please listen to all the ambient effects (bells, trianges etc).
One effect that is worth mentioning is the 'water drop' like effect in the
very begining (as shankar is first introduced). There are areas where
Nithyashree and Shankar sings in 'different' (discordant) notes (bings about
a very curious effect). Even though shocking on initial listening it tends
to be quite enjoyable once we are familiar with the whole progression.
Finally after excellent singing by both artists Nithyashree builds a
crescendo and when one expects that she would finish in the 'upper octave Sa
or G3' ARR once again surprises us by finishing in D1 (leaving a very
unfinished melody, that in our minds begs for more melody to complete the
cycle--this effect has been used by Pink Floyd before). Overall a creative
piece showing shades of Hamsadhwani and Vaasanthi. Score 9/10
2. Neethan en Desiya geetham: Balram with a spirited intro is supported by orchestral
drum thumps and a grand string and multiple horn, trumpet, bugle session
giving a patriotic feel! As this fades a beautiful melody flows and is
gradually accompanied by a distinctively Indian percussion rythm section
(made of tabla, dholak etc). The pallavi is also supported by good bass
licks and occasional trumpet support. The song is mainly in the
Shankarabharanam scale but uses M2(marginally) and G2 (in the charanam). The
1st interlude is picked up the horns/trumpet and a string section is added
later when Balram steps in with a sweet and short 'alap' with electronic
piano backing (great). This leads to 1st charanam in which Chitra is
introduced with a distinctively airy sounding vocals. The 2nd line of the
charanam, ie, "Ezhutha..." resembles an older melody of SPB "Ethazhil...
thenai kudithu".. from 'Paadum pothu naan thendralkaatru'. Just a
coincidence but worth mentioning. Chitra renders her part flawlessly
exploring G2 (shivaranjani phrases) as Balram once again steps with the
pallavi. 2nd interlude with strings and chitra's vocals lacks imagination
except for the last line which touches G2 again. The 2nd charanam is similar
to the 1st, except the lyrics do not sit well (ex: 'utharapaarkiren'--what
nonsense). The song ends with the pallavi as each singer exchanges lines.
The orchestral thumps, wonderful string section, great bass licks sound
great and a happy solo violin ends the melody wonderfully. The downside to
this song is the rythm--which is unchanged from the time it starts--unlike
ARR--what happened to the usual variations and the interludes could have
been more imaginative. On the bright side Balram is blessed with a wonderful
voice and not only does he sing wonderfully but his diction is perfect.
Score 7.0/10
3. Moondrezhuthu: Starts with african sounding drums and a high pitched trumpet; Bulbuldara
joins with string/chorus vocals/trumpet again; bulbultara (Sheik Masood Ahmed) again leads to the
pallavi--the melody is just ordinary but the rythm, bass and ambient effects
are good. 1st interlude starts with a synth drum roll as the b.b.tara picks
up. It is nice but not imaginative. The 1st charanam is definitely better
and has good 'ambient' effects. Harini and Karthik have both done a good
job. Pallavi repeats with more rythm and ambient effects (metallic crashes,
string/vocal chorus all sound great). The 2nd interlude with trumpets is
clearly the highpoint and changes very imaginatively to a string/humming by
Harini. The 2nd charanam mirrors the 1st; Pallavi is repeated at the end
with once a superb string section and a vibrating ambient effect! Plus--the
charanam , 2nd interlude, rythm, effects and the final string section.
Minus--Bad lyrics (at one point male portion uses the casual/disrespectful
'adi' in kolluthadi, but at other times uses sollungo as a mark of respect
for the guru!), pallavi melody is ordinary. Overall score 6.5/10
4. Anbe sugama: Synth (electric piano) bass and ambient effects set the stage for
Shrinivas to start a wonderful melody as the rythm is gently added. Sadhana
Sargam builds the melody with her sweet voice. The fretless bass provides
wonderful support with ambient effects. The 1st interlude starts well on the
electric synth bass with piano support as solo violin joins. (Here there is
a brief ambient effect which sounds like an ambulance--why?!) The violin
piece leads to the 1st charanam with good melody progression and nice string
and piano support. Worth mentioning are worderful use of cymbals, triangles
etc. Pallavi is sung briefly before the 2nd interlude which breaks in with
piano and strings--just a wonderful creation--elegantly answered by the
violin (short and sweet); piano returns the favor and finally the violin
carries the conversation to the breathtaking end as shades of raga Sahana
are heard. The main melody is in Harikambhoji scale but shades of Sahana are
heard frequently; the 7 beat rythm (mishra taalam) with the slow melody
does resemble 'Kanava...' from Ratchagan (although this is a completely
different raga scale). Missing are the characteristic ARR 'Mridangam'
(except for a hint) and Naveen's flute. But the singing, lyrics, a lovely
violin and piano earns this song a 7.5/10
5.Love check: Ambient effect and tabla tarang along with thaalam (jalra);
shivamani and srirams' voice with good 'pan' effects all gradually introduces
us to this unconventional instrumental piece. As the thavil (Palanivel) and drums join
thre are synth effects (like noisy crickets--a morsing equivalent--great!).
Good konakhol and progression with various rythm instruments mridangam,
pakhwaj, drums, thavil and groovy 'Love checks' and 'Jillampadavam' Later
there are reverse rythm effects as the 'thani' picks up in tempo and ends
after a crescendo with almost a tap dancing like fast taps (vaguely
resembles 'oosi pattasu') and big cymbal crashes. Overall this imaginative
piece earns an 8/10
6. Athisaya thirumanam: Spirited start with vocals (Sujatha and Kalyani Menon) and rythm/bass guitar in
chalanaatai and 'Kandachaapu'--5 beat cycle. But wait--there is a switch to
a 7 beat cycle (for a total of 14 aksharam/counts with ambient effects)--a
bridge--to the 'Mishrachaapu' based (7 beat cycle based) 'ithuthaan...'
(great sounding vocal/harmony effect (Sriram Narayan and Sriram Parthasarathy); wonderful crescendo building with
superb drum section). Then it switches to 'rupakam' a '3 beat cycle' with
nice slap bass, guitar licks and male vocals continue as 'Nalliravu..'
Female vocals brings the song back to the 5 beat cycle with once a great
sounding guitar both western and carnatic fusion is just mindblowing!! After
this the 3 beat cycle returns with the 1st interlude (where the 'ho' is
sung), untill a major chord change switches the interlude to 5 beat cycle
setting the stage for the 1st charanam. The synth pipe organ/harmonica like
piece short but vital to that switch in the interlude. The charanam in
shankarabharanam scale is not only melodious but excellently executed by
Sujatha/Kaylani and Sriram's(both) along with chorus. Once again as the pallavi piece
returns so does the 7 beat cycle and then the 3 beat cycle as the 2nd
interlude flows almost seamlessly this time with an eclectic Naadhaswaram
(wow!!). Once again the major chord change heralds the 5 beat cycle which is
followed by an imaginative synth pipe organ/harmonica (different piece than
the 1st interlude) leading to the 2nd charanam which is similar to the 1st.
But this time it is the guy's turn to marvel. The pallavi retuns with a
reverse 5 beat start and continues in the Kandachaapu till the end with
Nadhaswaram pieces and bass/rythm chords which keep us astonished. I was
just spellbound--So much complexity and creativity in this song and still
ARR manages to keep the melody flowing--hats off--Score 10/10
7. Azhage sugama: Similar to the 4th song 'anbe sugama' with variation in lyrics and some minor
variation in the interludes (the 2nd interlude in song 4 becomes the 1st
except the piano piece and violin end) Worth mentioning are the lines "Ithu
kanneer ezhuthm pechu vaarthai, udaintha manangal ottatha"
--Vairamuthu--shines. The 2nd interlude has the same violin piece as song 4
in the end. If I failed to mention before both Shrivas and Sadhana do 100%
justice to this melody. Score remains the same 7.5/10
8. Chenda (Kesavan) drums and guitar, humming and groovy bass loop into's a grungy
voice with more flamenco style rythm guitaring--great begining with a love
check! The background chant (unclear what it says--is it in spanish?) is
vaguely reminiscent of the Raja classic 'palliaraikul, maligaiyai... from
Balanagamal'. The pallavi itself is simple but catchy and although
pronounciation by the new singer Rashid Ali could have been better the singing
style is different and very well executed. Thubara (female vocal) is also good and
the whole progression does make your feet tap automatically. The 1st
interlude is made of ambient effect and a guitar piece that sounds okay. The
1st charanam shows creative progression and exploration of D2 by Thubara
(almost LR Eswari type) sounds wonderful with an matching synth organ
backups. Pallavi follows this time when the female singer chants--sounds
like 'nethiarai,moi' Leaving that aside, the 2nd interlude has some
excellent trumpets and flamenco guitaring and also has reverse cymbal
effects. The 2nd charanam is similar to 1st but with more flamenco guitaring
and trumpet additions. Finally the pallavi repeats but at a faster tempo
with addition of thavil and ends with a drum roll and the distinctive rythm
guitar. Score 8/10
9. Parthale paravasam: Starts with vocals (Rehana, Ganga, Febi, Feji and Poornima) and multiple ambient effects
(reminded....) Rythm intro. followed by an electric rock guitar lick that is
to die for! (This is so catchy that it was used in the movies' website).
Pallavi starts with good techno chord/bass support and then finally a techno
sounding rythm as well. The pallavi is very imaginaive and once again
towards the end of the pallavi the rock guitar retuns for one last time.
Worth mentioning are the numerous techno/vocal (scream effects) etc. The 1st
interlude is techno and synth string with modulation effects and breaks to a
sweet, folkish synth flute based melody and rythm; strings follow and male
chorus with 'thapichiko' is cute. 1st charanam is once again imaginative;
support vocals have plenty of effects including 'voice morphing' and
modulation. Pallavi returns and takes us to the 2nd interlude that has a
folkish flute definitely Irish sounding and rythm variations; as the fiddle
is added a distinctive Irish flavor develops (sounds of the future
--'Yelolo' has ARR doing Irish/Indian fusion) The 2nd charanam is similar to
the 1st with additional effects--synth cuckoo and groovy techno sounds.
Pallavi repeats with an eerie flute (which sounds great) along with all the
effects. Once again almost from nowhere a karnatic piece is introduced in
ARR's classic style with a totally western rythm accompaniment--completely
unexpected but a refreshing surprise--and the song concludes with
'thapichiko' and ambient effects. Plus points--creativity and effects;
includes the karnatic piece; minus points--mediocre lyrics; some of the
lyrics do not make sense and at other times they seem to be packed and
squeezed into every available space--sounding very prose like. Score 8.5/10
Overall the album is very refreshing. It needs careful listening and
defintely the effects are better on a good system but headphones would do
justice as well. Naveen's flute(need more than just a piece in the title song), sitar and sarangi are all sorely missed but
this time the violin (Ganesh), trumpets (Thomas), flamenco guitaring (Rashid Ali), synth effects and strings (conducted by Srinivasamoorthy) are
showcased well. Averaging everything this album is definitely worth a cd and
scores a 8/10
Comments welcome
Shashi You can listen to this album here.
A. R. Rahman
Reviewed by Cheenu (@ 203.199.205.25) on: Fri Dec 7 02:53:31 EST 2001
All songs below Average.
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