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Land mark albums of last century in TFM

Topic started by prabhudas (@ nico.pediatrics.sunysb.edu) on Mon Jan 17 23:34:21 EST 2000.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Dear TFMDF ers,
I was planning to start this topic before the end of 1999, but I guess there should be no specific time period to discuss this topic

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Responses:

• From: prabhudas (@ nico.pediatrics.sunysb.edu) on: Tue Jan 18 00:27:31 EST 2000
  
  Hi Friends,
  I just forgot to include TOP 10 land mark albums, in the title,
  this topic personally for me is a vast and very subjective topic, some of the the senior TFMDFers perhaps might contribute in a very justifiable and sofisticated manner i guess,
  
  Personally I have barely minimal knowledge about pre IR era in TFM, though I like lot of old MD's work in TFM, especially the Melodeous MSV/Ramamoorthy's work.
  
  To large extent I am sure the current TFM DFers are mostly IR and Post IR era timers, just to have some unbiased openions, I consider some of the following standards/criteria to label the albuma as LAND MARK albums,
  
  1.Different genere/type of music from traditional kind influencing the music lovers TREMENDOUSLY , mean every class of people
  
  2.Highest sale of records/tapes/CDs in the history of record/cassettes/CDs sales
  
  3.Novel way of picturising the songs, again setting a trend in entertainment world
  
  4.Highest number of meritoreous awards , and I mean definitely National awards and not the crappy filmfare,cinema express kind of awards.(For Singers, lyricist, effective score by MD etc...including recording /sound engineers)
  
  (more suitable suggestions for criteria , I am sure many of you will have I hope)
  
  Personally I thought the following albums made a great difference setting new trends at the same time affecting all calss of people,
  
  (Due to my lack of knowledge in the pre IR era, my list has only the Post IR period, even though "Aayirathil oruvan, Kaadalikka Neramillai are 2 best albums I ever liked of MSV/RM combo)
  
  1. 16 Vayadinile and Annakili , tie for the first position , 16 vayadinile still being the best album in my openion, and lot of us know the statistics about this album, the first ever Tamil album to get a platinum disc for highest sales, Sjanaki got the best female singer award.
  
  2.Lot of IR's albums of 70's and 80's were so different and great in there's own that it is really hard to line them in ascending or descending order,
  
  Sindhubhairavi perhaps may be a second best for the way the music reached most class of people at the end,also with the way the songs adapted in the movie
  
  Salangai oli, although the original came in telugu first, the effective BGM was recognised even by music fans with very minimal music knowledge like me
  
  
  Roja by ARR, absolutely no one could easily omit this great album which again made a big difference in TFM for having scored very well with the great picturisation of songs by MR (although rukkumani was a cheap play to the gallery kind of stuff, i know lot of people were thrilled by that song also)
  
  Mounaragam, again a big break from the usual stuff in terms of picturisation adaptation in the movie and of course BGM,
  
  oru thalai raagam, don't curse me for including TR' album here, but for many people' surprise this movie's songs were probably first of it's kind especially with a love story based subject among college students, which is the common theme/subject of these years, almost 9 out of 10 movies are coming with this kind of subject and almost every one turns out to be a crap, it is really sickening God save our teen population
  Kaadhalan, solely because of setting the greatest ever trend among the teen population, with some hi fi technical aspects of song picturisatin which took TFM' fame to all over India
  
  more to come
  
  prabhudas
  
  
• From: Velaiyaththavan (@ 129.252.22.112) on: Tue Jan 18 01:30:54 EST 2000
  
  Please add anjali. It got a Pt disk too ..
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.147) on: Tue Jan 18 05:02:35 EST 2000
  
  Any day `Nizhalgal' will find a place in the top 10 list, IMO! (Though I can't say anything about sales, awards, success etc. of this album, the impact it made on the TASTE of music lovers in TN was extraordinary!)
  
  
• From: Neels (@ 202.54.125.239) on: Wed Jan 19 08:14:17 EST 2000
  
  Here's my list:
  These, in my opinion, are landmark albums that redefined the paradigm of film music in the Tamil Industry. They have the distinction of providing quality, innovative music that reached the masses!
  
  1. Haridas
  2. Anbe Vaa
  3. Thillana Mohanambal
  4. Ninaithale Inikkum
  5. Nizhalgal
  6. Payanangal Mudivathillai
  7. Sindhu Bhairavi
  8. Mudal Mariyaathai
  9. Agni Nakshatram
  10. Roja
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ sqribe-101.mtcibs.net) on: Wed Jan 19 12:21:21 EST 2000
  
  Great topic, Prabhudas. I also like the exploratory tone that has been set rather than just making this a listing marathon.
  
  Neels,
  I loved your list, could you please write a line or two on each and say why you think these merit the honor of top ten all time soundtracks?
  
  
• From: rameshb(rb) (@ 38.169.12.80) on: Wed Jan 19 15:54:02 EST 2000
  
  IMO,
  
  USV
  Annak kili
  Oru thalai ragam
  Shankarabaranam , the best album of the century
  Moondram Pirai
  Punnagai Mannan
  Roja
  Gentleman
  Dil Se
  En Swasak kARRE
  were the best in the last three decades.
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 209.36.218.65) on: Thu Jan 20 17:06:04 EST 2000
  
  No matter how great a list one comes up with there'll be hundreds more deserving attention, so I followed certain guidelines to pick my 10. My picks are great representations of the artists' entire body of work. They all broke new ground, set new standards and strayed from the norm. The soundtracks had to be noteworthy as a whole, not just one great song in the middle of mediocrity.
  
  Uththamapuththiran
  G.Ramanathan supposedly brought strong Western influences to TFM for
  the first time in this movie. Amazing tracks including the combination
  platter of ragams in "Yaaradi Nee Mogini". Besides displaying GR as an artist ahead of his time, this soundtrack features a fresh, prime TMS.
  
  
  Thiruvilayaadal
  A landmark effort by K.V. Mahadevan. The sheer effort, depth and range of this project is astounding. Something like this would be hard to achieve today. What a pool of talent! It showcases perhaps the best group of singers in one soundtrack-TRMahalingam (Isaithamizh), PBSrinivas (Pothigai), KBSundharaambaal (Pazham Neeyappaa), TMS (Paattum Naanae, Paarthaa Pasumaram), Balamuralikrishna (Oru Naal Podhuma), PSuseelaa (several songs) and many more.
  
  
  Kudiyirundha Koil
  It's a shame MSV's legacy is lost to twentysomethings today. When he reigned, the man poured. MSV tackled more musical genres in this one movie than most MDs spend their careers trying to cover. There are seven songs in this movie, each a perfect gem. I have discussed this soundtrack at length in http://newtfmpage.com/forum/3828.13122.22:50:42.html, so I'll avoid repeating it here.
  
  
  Oru Thalai Raagam
  T.Rajendar, a bonafide talent in tasty (if not always tasteful)
  compositions and mannered lyrics haunted TFM for a while with this milestone
  soundtrack. Unrequited love's every mood is in evidence here: longing (Kadavul Vaazhum), melancholy (Naan Oru Raasiyillaa), denial (Vaasamilla Malaridhu), self-pity (Idhu Kuzhandhai), infatuation (Ada Manmadhan), and beckoning (Koodayila Karuvaadu).
  
  
  Ilamai Oonjalaadugirathu
  The most varied of Ilayaraaja's masterworks. "Orae Naal"-one of the best duets ever with a spectacular guitar, violin and flute combination; "Thanni Karuththiruchchu"-a classic folk song proving that folk songs needn't be devoid of meaning; "Ennadi Meenatchi"-a disco inferno helping Kamal's tribute to Elvis and Travolta in one shot; "Kinnathil Thaen Vadiththu"-Vaali and IR's Rubaiyat, is there a more pleasant ode to wine and love?
  
  
  Kaatrukkenna Veli
  Panchu Arunachalam who gave the world Ilayaraja also gave TFM Sivaji Raja in this superb debut. How this artist got forgotten is a mystery that still eludes me. From the vibrant "Kadal Meethilae", to the seductive "Rekha Rekha", from the celebrating "Naan Vanangukiraen" to the nostalgic "Chinna Chinna Megam", which remains the best kept secret in TFM history, there's so much energy and spunk in this soundtrack that it's a shame Sivaji Raja still hasn't seen the limelight.
  
  
  Paalaivanach Choalai
  This is Shankar-Ganesh's magnum opus. A soundtrack that just brims with
  youthful exuberance from the forgotten youth anthem, "Engal Kadhai" to
  the revered ballad, "Megamae", along with the humorous "Pournamai Neram" and the irresistible "Alaanaalum Aalu"S-G reached a high that promised a lot more
  of their future than was the case.
  
  
  Eera Vizhik Kaaviyangal
  Easily the best experimental album by Ilayaraaja. Spellbinding musical
  vignettes-En Gaanam, Thendralilae-with Debussy-like piano pieces by IR that defy any available musical label. Wrought in my favorite IR era, back when he roamed the musical arena unleashed with reckless
  abandon, before religion would find and ground him, before blockbuster producers would
  swarm and smother his creativity.
  
  
  Gentleman
  A blissful soundtrack, a "how to" exposition of rhythm instruments. ARR also tackles several musical genres in this soundtrack and comes up aces-"En Veettu" a Carnatic classical, "Usilambatti" a captivating folk number with lusty mandolin and flute, "Chikku Bukku" a rousing hip hop romp with signature folk drums, "Paakkaathae" a playful dance delight, and "Ottagaththa Kattikkoa" an amazing blend of unlikely influences such as orchestral strings and chorus dressing up what is essentially a therukkooththu song about a hungry hunter and permissive prey.
  
  
  Poovellaam Kaettuppaar
  I know many would scoff at this selection but this is the best sign of the future of TFM foreshadowed in the tail end of the millenium. While it has more flaws than the other selections here, mainly in the selection of singers, that still doesn't take away from the marvel of the musical arrangements and execution. This is the first time I've found the perfect balance of old and new, east and west, lyrics and music, vocals and instruments in a TFM effort. I know IR and ARR have excelled in this criteria before, but not to the seamless perfection of YSR especially in the way the vocals aren't drowned by the music and in the way that the interludes seem to be tailor-made for the song instead as exhilarating tangents. The spirit of "Poovellaam Kettuppaar" is addicting like no other soundtrack in recent memory-set out on this world trip and sample the South American Calypso in "Oh Senorita", feel the island breeze in "Chudithaar Anindhu" with its disguised reggae beats and haunting flutes, succumb to the symphonic ballad "Irava Pagala", dance to the downtown club hip hop of "CBI Engae", feel the spring and bloom in "Poovae Poovae" and return home to enjoy the abundant nature in "Sevvaanam".
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 209.36.218.65) on: Thu Jan 20 17:09:01 EST 2000
  
  Oops, I just checked that the link I gave doesn't work. My post is in the "MGR film songs are always popular" thread in Old Responses.
  
  

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