Very gud write up .. :) Btw Thomas Train has become a rage among kids ;)
On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 8:15 AM, Gayathri Chandrakasan < [email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi AJ, > > Thanks a lot, that's really very thoughtful of you. > > Like your daughter, my nephew loves the "Dhan da dham dham" part as well. > In fact, even at home, I've often caught him playing with his Thomas trains > while chanting this particular portion. And I absolutely agree with you. > This number will definitely be a hit among kids. > > Can't wait for the release of ARR's compositions of the nursery rhymes > (it's still on right?) With this rate, ARR is certain of winning the hearts > of millions of children all around the world. And AJ, do send my regards to > your daughter.Take care > > > > --- On *Tue, 5/4/10, AJ <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: AJ <[email protected]> > Subject: [arr] Re: My thoughts on Raavan > To: [email protected] > Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 4:49 AM > > > > Great post, Gayathri! You know, I was going to write a post wondering where > your review was! I was waiting for it! I value each and every post of yours > here! > > My daughter is also 3 and studies at a Monstessory! And you're right, it > helps to be in a good mood when listening! > > My daughter loves Beera too....the rhythm, and esp. the part when Vijay > sings, "Dana dha Dham Dham!!!" She loves that part!!! She wants me to sing > that song along everytime it comes on in the car. That song will be a hit > among kids I think! > > --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. > com<http://mc/compose?to=arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.com>, > Gayathri Chandrakasan <gayathri_ck17@ ...> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > My thoughts on > > Raavan > > > > Ok, let me begin > > with a warning…this is a long post, and those who know me (and know how I > love > > > to drift out of the topic most of the time) here’s a consolation…there’s > a > > “delete” just around the corner for your convenience LOL, Just kidding, > please read > > this mail, even if it’s only to bash me up later on > > > > On the other > > hand, though I’ve been listening to Raavan for the umpteenth time now, I > kept > > > having second thoughts about stating my views on the album in this group. > > “Why?” you may ask me…well, even if you’re not, I’m still indebted to > provide > > > you with my reasoning > > > > To begin with, > > the chaotic surrounding here has kinda put me off. I mean, it’s a norm to > see a > > group of members praising an album while the other being critical on the > same. Isn’t > > this what has been happening for every new releases of ARR’s? So why fret > now, > > you may ask. Well, for some reasons, Raavan’s release has witnessed even > some > > of the most “self-composed” members to throw caution to the wind and hurl > abuses > > to one another. (Hey, don’t start picking on me now, I promise that I > won’t say > > > your names out loud!) > > > > On the other > > hand, if you guys are trying to spice things up here, you sure are doing > a > > great job at this. The fact that my mail-box is crammed with nothing less > than > > 100 mails from ARR group per day itself is a clear evidence to this! LOL! > > > > Secondly, I was > > contemplating whether to put my thoughts down now or to come up with a > collective > > review once the Tamil version is out. Then again, the release of the > Tamil > > version has been delayed for some time now, and between writing now (when > I > > still have the urge to do so) and waiting for the indefinite release of > the > > Tamil version, I chose the former. So here it is… > > > > Let me be > > honest…I mean really honest with you guys. I’ll begin by telling you what > > happen on the day I bought this album…The moment I got out of the store > after > > > purchasing the album, the sky opened up and start flooding the whole > town. You > > may say that it’s God’s way of showering blessing, but why does it have > to > > happen at a time when I didn’t have my umbrella around? I ran to my car > as fast > > as I can and guess what?…I couldn’t find my car keys! (it was stuck > inside my > > handbag with my hundred other things…well, whoever said that a lady’s > handbag > > contains almost everything under the sun wasn’t kidding themselves. My > handbag > > had almost all…except my dumb car keys ) > > As luck would have it, there wasn’t a shelter nearby, thus, I had to open > my > > > handbag in the middle of the road, drenching myself and the hundred other > stuff > > I was talking about, in the process of finding the keys! > > > > So, yeah, I > > finally found the keys, got in to the car and just at that point, some > > nutcracker had to double-park his car beside mine! Well, after a short > dispute > > and many honks later, I managed to get my car out. Now, here’s the moment > I was > > > waiting for, the excitement of listening to ARR’s album for the first > time > > > > Beera Beera with > > Vijay Prakash’s strong vocals set the ball rolling. Karthik came in next > with > > > Behne De, followed by Thok de killi, Ranjha Ranjha, Killi re and Kata > Kata > > and…well, that’s it. Wait a minute…that’s it? I haven’t even begun to > enjoy any > > of them yet For the first > > > time, I found that I didn’t have any thoughts about ARR’s album…not even > a > > negative one…I was feeling almost indifferent and I didn’t like the > feeling at > > > all. Hating an album is one thing, but indifferent? If only this day > could get > > worse. > > > > So, I started > > playing them again from the beginning. By then, I reached the Montessori > where > > my 3 years old nephew studies. I picked him up and was just about to > replace Raavan > > with Thomas & Friends soundtracks (despite months of cajoling him to > listen > > to ARR, I must say that I’ve failed to break my nephew’s “relationship” > with > > Thomas & Friends soundtracks) when a “miracle” occurred. No, there was no > > signs of snow falling (that would have been a disaster, not a miracle > ;)…it > > > was my nephew swaying his body to the beats of Beera Beera. Hey, were the > beats > > there the first time around? I abandoned all thoughts of changing the cd. > > Instead, I hiked up the volume and both of us started to sway together > this > > time around. Beera Beera has the grandeur presentation with Vijay > Prakash’s > > > solid voice giving a wonderful rural touch to it. In fact, the name Beera > is so > > addictive that by the end of the song, both my nephew and me kept singing > Beera > > Beera from the top of our lungs! (well, it was really more like > “screaming” > > than “singing” actually but who cares?) And the beats, wow! I’ve always > > maintained that ARR provides the best percussion sounds…and time and > again, he > > > proves me right. Beera Beera is definitely a wonderful start to the > album. > > > > Behne De > > followed thereafter. Undoubtedly, this has one of the best prelude > ever…there > > is something so mystifying in the prelude that you just can’t wait to > hear what > > > ARR has to offer. And with Karthik giving his best (as always), you can > never > > be wrong in classifying this as the best number in the album. God knows > why National > > Award has eluded Karthik for so long. This guy deserves it and more… > > > > On the whole, > > > Behne De grants such a spellbinding experience! I’m left speechless…And > my > > nephew? Well he’s too busy staring at the cute chick in the car beside > ours to > > notice this number. Oh well, one day he’ll learn to appreciate ARR’s > music. > > > > Then comes Thok de killi…there’s something so modern > > > yet rustic in this number. Again the percussion takes full control of the > song > > that my nephew started jumping on his seat again…if only I was not > driving, I > > would have joined him too. The sudden increase in the tempo coupled with > Sukhwinder’s > > > amazing vocals just leaves you asking for more. > > > > > > > > Rekha Bharadwaj and Javed Ali came next with the > > seductive Ranjha Ranjha. I have to admit. I never liked Rekha’s voice. > Yeah, I > > know…I might be alone in this, but still, I never liked her voice…til > Ranjha > > > Ranjha happened. In fact, her voice is so captivating that she completely > > overshadowed Javed Ali’s performance here. Great going Rekha, you just > got > > > yourself another fan on the list! > > > > > > And there’s also Khilli re, a typical Shreya > > > Ghosal kinda number. But this time around, ARR ropes in the sweet Reena > Bhardwaj > > (is she related to Rekha by any chance?). And I must say, she did great > justice > > to this song. The song has a soothing effect, coupled with Reena’s > melodious > > voice. And I was mighty impressed with the first interlude…so much so > that I > > > can almost imagine Aishwarya gracefully performing her Bharatanatyam to > it. > > > > > > > > And finally ARR brings in Kata kata. Like Beera > > Beera, Kata Kata too were given a majestic look, all thanks to the grand > > orchestration and vibrant voices in the form of Ila Arun, Sapna Awasthi > and > > Kunal Ganjawala. There is a festive and > > > celebratory feel to the number which makes you want to hear it over and > over > > again. > > > > As an album, Raavan is a definite treat to the > > ears. It’s so wonderfully woven that they all fit together while still > managing > > > to be distinctive at the same time. And with wonderful picturisations > (which we > > can fearlessly expect from Maniratnam & team), this would definitely turn > > out to be “picture-perfect”. > > > > > > > > And yes, what was the biggest lesson I’ve learned > > from this experience?. ..Never hear to ARR’s new album when you’re in a > ghastly > > > mood! > > > > > > > > Oh yeah, wanna know what happened to my nephew? He > > didn’t want to leave the car when we reached home so we decided to go for > > another round of drive while listening to Raavan…over and over again. > > > > > >
