Neethaney En Ponvasantham Music Review

By
Rajasekar S

Before Reviewing this album, I must say one thing, Illayaraja just  getting older by age. But his music is still sweet sixteen, The maestro just sculpted his master piece with this album,The album does not belongs to carnatic, western,pop,Hindustani,rock or Jazz genre . This one is pure Raja genre for sure, you can witness some thing you never heard in Indian music,let me start the review straight away...


1)Kaatrai Konjam: singers:Karthik

The song starts with Raja's typical 80's composition, slowly it just grabs our attention, the mesmerizing voice of Karthik and Na.Muthukumar's apt lyrics just blew us ,this song proves that still our ears are addicted to Raja's 80's music.

2)Pudikala mamu:Suraj Jagan,Karthik

When you are listening to this song,especially the first few minutes ,before the stylish vocals of Karthik and suraj starts,you will just ask yourself, hey am I listening to Illayaraja or some western album?, one must say pure western music, Na.Muthukumar's lyric aptly depicts the Engineering college life,The beats and electrical guitar just makes us to feel the tempo & surely this song is going to be an anthem for college goers.

(Thumbs up)

3)Ennodu Va Va: Singers:Karthik

This song is already popular with the audience, thanks to the the forty second teaser, again Karthik just proved that he is such a versatile singer,This one may appeal to be a 80's music at start, but slowly Raja's music takes us somewhere, with his orchestration, especially the violin pieces  just mesmerized us,Again Na.Muthukumar lyrics are glued with Maestro's music, a best example is Kathaluku ilakanamey-thannal varum chinna chinna thalaikanamey,Kathal athey porukanumey ilaienil kati vaithu uthaikanumey!

(Thumps up)

4)Saayndhu Saayndhu: Singers Yuvan Shankar Raja and Ramya NSK

The song starts with yuvan's trendy voice which just hooked us straight away ,The song have two dimension the first half is filled with electrical guitar's beat, the second half just joined with Raja's special symphony touch and a soulful Ramya Nsk's voice, again Na.Muthukumar  did a stunning work with his lyrics.

(Thumps up)

5)Vaanam mela: Singers: Illayaraja,Bela Shende

The one and only song sung by the maestro in the album, again Raja's brilliance over composing a romantic melody is proved with the opening music itself, Bela shende's voice equally attracts us,there are so many high pitch moment in the song both Raja & Bela schende sung it with an  ease,Master piece all the way in the lines of Thendral vanthu Theendum pothu.

(Thumps up)

6)Satru Munbu:Singers:Ramya Nsk

The song depicts the agony and pain of a girl's failure in love, Na.Muthukumar's lyrics and Illayaraja's powerful orchestration is just brilliant.

7)Mudhal Murai: singers:Sunidhi Chauhan
This song is also similar to the previous one only in the situation of depicting the love failure of a girl, Sunidhi Chauhan will go places after this song because its a rare opportunity for a female singer to get a such a high pitch song, the Neethaney en pon vasantham chorus shows us that this one must be a situation song and needless to say Raja's music depicted the agony successfully.

(Thumps up)

8)Pengal Yendral:Yuvan Shankar Raja

This song is quite contradictory  to the previous one,it depicts the boy's disappointment over a girl's love,This song has more power than the previous one  because of Yuvan's pathos voice, Illayaraja used fast paced Electrical guitars & drums to depict the mood and it just paved way for another master piece.

(Thumps up)

Okay is there someone who says Raja's music is outdated ,oh yea this is Raja's reply for you, and to all the Music lovers keep the Audio CD safely, because even after a decade you will listen this one, pure master piece, Hats off to Raja sir ,Na Muthukumar and special thanks to Goutham menon for his collaboration with the maestro.

Rating:4/5-Raja all the way

Illayaraja - A Inspiring Phenomenon

By

Rajasekar S

Illayaraja a well known music composer almost one entire generation (80's) are still praising his music, still many FM stations are alive because of this genius, and especially during night slot it is very difficult for them to air any other songs other than Raja's music. Recently many young film makers revealed that they came to film industry because Illayaraja's music inspired them. A music composer may get inspired from another composer, but a film maker inspired from a music composer, Bizarre isn't it? 

Myskin,Goutham Menon,Prakashraj & many such Film makers of this generation are going gaga about their experience of working with the maestro, so what’s special about Raja's music?  Illayaraja differs from any other musician, his contribution is not limited with just composing songs, his music gives life to so many films, especially his divine background score conveys the thought of a film maker efficiently than a lengthy dialogue, he knows where to maintain silence in the film and where to include the background score

There are so many movies which just ran because of this genius' music, especially his Background score for directors like Mahendran,Maniratnam,Balumahendra were top notch.Recently Mahendran said " My film is nothing without Raja's Music", this may appeal to be a exaggerated statement, but it has a underlying truth. Mahendran used Raja's music as a essential ingredient in his style of film making, so he felt like that.

Another thing that impressed many film makers is that his orchestration technique,Maniratnam's words may convey this very well, this is how Maniratnam illustrate about Illayaraja's stlye of composition "Ilayaraja would look at the scene once, and immediately start giving notes to his assistants, as a bunch of musicians, hovering around him, would collect the notes for their instrument and go to their places. When the orchestra played out the notes, they would be perfect, not just in harmony but also in timing ,the background score would commence exactly where it should and end at the exact place required. Ilayaraja is a genius, who could compose music with just one look at the scene".

Even Thiagarajan Kumararaja, the young and dynamic film maker who made a stunning debut with the highly critically acclaimed Aaranya kandam says " If I have to name someone who is responsible for me coming to films, it is Ilayaraja's music. From a young age, I've been a huge fan of his music. Because of that, I studied Visual Communication. I like films and I have been watching films from a young age. So, making films happened to be a natural progression."

So Illayaraja cannot be briefed just as a musician, this man is a living inspiration for many composers and many film makers and still inspiring many ,a true genius.

Breaking Point

By

Rajasekar S

In K-Town everybody familiar with the word "Chemistry",People often talk about the chemistry between the onscreen leads,but then there are some off screen pairs exists which made a strong impact in the mind of a common film goer. one such bond that is very much essential for a film is the bond between the Director and music director,in fact the songs in the film gives the first impression & always there is a saying called first impression is the best. There are many such Music Director & director combination which gave some evergreen songs but they parted away due to some issues.

Among all these combination one cannot forget the Raja sir & Mani sir combination. Right from Pallavi Anupallavi(1983-Mani sir's first film which had a popular love music which is used by Vishnuvardhan in Sarvam)to Thalapathy(1991) the combination shook the entire South Indian Industry. But as Kamal says "every man has a breaking point" this combination too parted away at a point of time not because of any bitter issue but Mani sir found a musician who has a strong potential as good as Raja sir thy name is AR Rahman ,though people enjoys AR Rahman & Mani sir combination one cannot forget those evergreen songs delivered by the Raja sir and Mani sir.

Similarly among the current generation ,Yuvan shankar Raja & Selvaraghavan made a great impact and produced one of the best album of our times,their combination started with Thulluvatho Illamai(2001) to Aadavari matalaku ardhalu verule(2007-Telugu version directed of Yaradi Nee Mogini),especially the theme music in Pudhupettai,7g Rainbow colony is one of the best in the industry that is ever made.

Goutham menon, one of the few directors who gives so much importance to the songs & his combination with  Harris Jeyaraj delivered one of best romantic albums from Minnale(2000) to Varanam Ayiram (2008)and even in the recent Maatran Audio launch KV Anand literally made a request to Goutham Menon & Harris Jeyaraj to work together.

It doesn't means that without these combination their film's failed to deliver a good album, you may have lot of friends in your life but one cannot forget the days you spent with your old school friend.