Monday, January 30, 2012

Ilayaraja is back!! 'Dhoni' Music review!


Ilayaraja  is back with his old ways! He has recorded the songs and BGM live for Prakash raj's directorial venture - Dhoni. The trailer looked melodramatic but the BGM was quite impressive from the Zen of music, Ilayaraja. It would be untrue if I said I was eagerly expecting a brilliant Ilayraja album. I know the golden era is over. But even now I never fail to listen to his albums at least once just not to miss few gems which only he can give [like Maa ganga, Om Shivo om - Naan Kadavul, Kuthikkira Kuthirai - Azhagarsaamiyin kuthirai]. I stumbled upon this post today in facebook and learnt that Dhoni songs were released. And like what all staunch Ilayaraja fans do, I listen to the songs... and rest was just magical...


                                           

Before going to the review, I should tell from where I got the above video. I got the above video from KuralTV website :)


Chinna kanniley is what Raja would have conjured up for director Faazil – the strangely Christian sounding tune, kids’ chorus, all add up to a simple, highly appealing song; Shreya Ghoshal is in fabulous form here, but Naresh Iyer sounds odd and vastly unlike himself, for some inexplicable reason. If thats what he calls voice modulation, he should listen to the very next song in the album - Vaangum panathukkum - sung by none other than SPB.


Na.Muthukumar’s  fanciful lyrics around middle-class living, in Vaangum panathukkum, is accentuated by SPB's singing and Raja’s wonderful orchestration that is surprisingly free from his standard, modern accompaniments! SPB has played round in this song with full freedom like how a new wife would cook.. even though it tastes ridiculous, we are just fine with that. IR should've felt the same when SPB sang to his tune after a while!


Thaavi thaavi and Vilayaattaa are instantly reminiscent of Raja’s golden age – incredibly beautiful music for heartfelt tunes and surprisingly synth-free, again. 


Raja sings like only he can in Thaavi thaavi, fully expressing the song’s meaning in his age-withered voice – the violin orchestra and the overall sound is absolutely mesmerising! Hariharan’s Vilayatta is equally beautiful – a slow, haunting tune, again propped by highly imaginative violin usage! It’s other version by Shreya Ghoshal is even better! 


After what felt like eons, here’s an Ilayaraja soundtrack that brings back his glory days, sans synth and with superb orchestration that the man is known for! It’s amazing to listen to an Ilayaraja soundtrack so clean and earnest in its overall appeal, after such a long time, probably after Pithamagan!


Listen to all the songs here - http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0003314



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