Pradeepan, Haha...I hear you man! Maybe I will rate all the songs 10 eventually, once they sink in more...who knows!
--- In [email protected], Pradeepan <pradeepan....@...> wrote: > > c'mon Chord.. > Hosanna - 9 & Omana pennae = 8 ?? > They both deserve 1 notch Higher. > > Hosanna takes me on a dream. > btw, I also favored Amazon to iTunes.. nothing matches a real Hard cover CD > :) > > On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 10:44 AM, ichord <purev...@...> wrote: > > > > > > > First of all, I do not support piracy. I wanted to wait until Tuesday > > before hearing the songs and eventually writing a review, but the weaker > > part of me got the upper hand this time and I caved in. Please forgive me. I > > assure you that I did order the CD from Amazon and awaiting that in the > > mail. > > > > If there's a distinct trend that I see in ARR's music over time, it's his > > reduced emphasis on musical adventurism and acrobatics and increased > > emphasis on subtle musical forms within a composition, often perceived > > subjectively as "not living up to his own standards". I don't agree with > > that notion since it's ARR who recreates his own standards with each > > release, just like destroying his own ego before a compositional session. > > The burden of responsibility to recognize this is up to the listener, who > > may be challenged and confounded by expectations and biases, which is normal > > and natural. Again, these are trends only and just from my observational > > standpoint...nothing is black and white or exclusionary. This trend may be a > > function of two forces: 1)Age (emphasizing more of a gestaltic perspective) > > 2) Progressive evolution as part of a unique artist whose mindset is bent on > > conceptual expansion and really trying hard to avoid being typecasted, > > escaping from his own set trails to form new and distinct roads. The music > > of VTV is a major step in AR's evolutionary process as an artist who's never > > content with the status quo, or even his own previous success. Remember, > > it's the artist over the entertainer, and in VTV, it's the pure artist > > within ARR, even beyond musician, that is in the driver's seat. I will not > > comment on the lyrics since I don't understand Tamil. > > > > 1) Omanna Penne: > > Steady and soothing.....a composition that oozes with spiritualness and > > introspection. I love how AR juxtaposes the Western rhythms with the > > Carnatic raagas first by the female voice, and weaving throughout the > > stylistic Nadaswaram, whose roots are deeply carnatic, but expressed so > > universally in this track. Wonderful singing by Benny and the Nadaswaram > > ending is surely a page from the Rehna Tu continuum outro. Nothing fancy in > > this composition, but the feeling left behind is extrenmely elevating and > > cleansing. Fantastic start. (8/10) > > > > 2) Anbil Avan: > > ARR at his playful best. He must have had a lot of fun putting this track > > together. There is nothing heavy or mindblowing about this track, but what > > makes it work for me is the joyful innocence in the melody and the very > > interesting sonic arrangements using a Shehnai type sound juxtaposed with a > > church organ sound. The musical interlude that has this also has some very > > nice, quick chord progressions that defy banality. The melody sticks easy > > and would be a fun song to dance with. (7/10) > > > > 3) Vinnathaandi Varuvaayaa: > > Wow......what a minimalistic impact! Minimalistic impact is something that > > I have been missing from Rahman's ouevre in recent films, but here it is, in > > its full glory and form. Using a minimalistic sound template for a title > > song is quite bold and outside the box, but boy does it work for me!!! The > > acoustic strings (guitar? harp?) along with vibes and small bells create > > such a unique, peaceful ambience in this song that transports me into a > > dreamlike world. Beautiful string additions in the mid section only add > > depth to amazing vocals, chords, and heartfelt emotions in this gem, but > > likely to be underrated track. Delicate, subtle, dreamy, ambient, soft, > > restrained, soothing, warming.....I can go on and on..... Again, a track > > doesn't have to be complex and adventursome to be powerful....this is the > > genius of AR....he can create such a powerful ambience using minimal > > quantity. (8/10) > > > > 4) Hosana: > > There is no other composer in India who can arrange better than AR. In this > > song, many of AR's strengths are showcased.....sound structure, layered, > > thick, yet uncluttered arrangements, symphonic textures, haunting melody, > > soothing ambience. The sound layers are so clean and crisp....that beautiful > > strumming acoustic guitar is so nice!!! Also worthy of metion is the high > > toned Scottish flavored flute and the subtle mandolin rhythms in sync with > > the main rhythms, punctuated by the pulsating string sections. The female > > choir with the angelic expression is one of the most beautiful choir sounds > > I've heard. This song sticks to you and won't let go. A complete masterpiece > > IMO that is one of the best songs that ARR has composed in recent years. > > (9/10) > > > > 5) Kunnukkul Kannai > > Another playful techno oriented track with some pleasing electronic > > arrangements. The unique feature of this track for me are the string quartet > > type rhythmic accents throughout that give this youth song a very Western > > classical feel. Relatively simple by composition and sound, but again, a > > nice dance number with good melody. Rahman not living up to his standards on > > this one? Well, that's up to you to decide, but it's an enjoyable one for > > me, though If I had to pick my least favorite in this soundtrack, it's this > > one. (7/10) > > > > 6) Mannipaaya > > I was looking forward to this song ever since I knew Shreya and AR would be > > singing it, a romantic duet. The song has everything I could hope for in a > > romantic duet....breathtaking melody, beautiful soundscapes, sophisticated > > arrangements, gentle ambience, subtle symphonic artistry. I love the piano > > backdrop and so many of the symphonic instruments can be heard in > > isolation...oboe, clarinet, tympany, flute, etc. A very subtle masterpiece > > in my opinion, that can only be appreciated by those with a certain musical > > sensitivity and emotional open-ness, and of course, who like mushy romantic > > numbers! The melody is quite drawn out with long contours, so it's not a > > song that's easily melodically remembered the first time go, but certainly > > sticks with you with repeated exposure. Strengths of this track...mood, > > delicate arrangements, subtle artistry, certain melodic sections, innocence, > > sincerity. One of the album's highlights for sure and I hope it's picturized > > well (9/10) > > > > 7) Aaromale > > Wow.....just wow!!! AR takes a page from the Pink Floyd era, but nothing > > here is lifted or copied. Sensual, stylistic, clean acoustic guitar playing > > along with passionate and mindblowing vocals by Alphonse make this track > > simply mindblowing. What is so unique about this song is again, minimalistic > > impact with sound, instruments, but also chordal architecture.......there > > are only 2 alternating chords being used in the entire song!! Can you > > believe it? The chorus part which begins with "Susti Susti" harks on raaga > > Bhimpalas to create a magical effect....imagine...juxaposing a 2 chord > > bluesy guitar riff with a raaga based melody.....only AR....only AR.... The > > added percussions increasing the tempo only add to the intensity and > > sinisterness to this pathbreaking and out of the box track. And man, what an > > ending...the way the vocals fade out......oh man!!!! The ambience created is > > just out of this world....it leaves me stunned, mesmerized, in awe. > > (10/10)!!! > > > > General highlights of this album include minimalistic impact, originality, > > very sophisticated and classy arrangements, incredibly strong ambience and > > sound quality, and soothing influence. I don't think anyone will be > > complaining about sound issues in this album like we saw for Blue, as ARR I > > think paid a lot more attention to that aspect this time around, perhaps > > keeping our "Blue" feedback in mind??? The soundtrack also has a wide range > > of styles, sounds, musical forms that keep you interested. Because of the > > highly international, situational, and somewhat unconventional nature of the > > songs, these will only be appreciated most with time, post movie visuals, > > and by those who are most open minded about music in general. Those who only > > like the antara-mukhda type film songs will find the listening experience to > > be awkward and just too esoteric. Also, except for the first track with > > carnatic raagas, most of the rest of the album is void of obvious ethnic > > Indian sounds/styles/forms, consistent with the international and more > > universal musical approach. This again, may be a turn off to some. Like all > > new ARR albums, esp. ones like this that have some unconventional and new > > elements, it will take time to grow. > > > > My overall rating....9/10. A distinct highlight of ARR's career...one of > > the very finest musical packages you will find anywhere in the world today, > > not because of its complexity, wizzardry, or dynamics, but for sincerity, > > ambience, mood, minimalism, subtlety, and overall spiritualness. A nice > > instrumental track addition would have made this album perfect for me. > > > > > > > > > > -- > > "All you need to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to you" > - Gandalf the Gray. >
