Music Review: Vettaiyadu Velaiyadu & More

Over the last week or so, I have been listening to Kamal Hassan's upcoming Tamil movie Vettaiyadu Velaiyadu's songs. The music is by Harris Jayaraj, who's fast replacing AR Rahman as numero uno in Tamil Music industry. Like AR Rahman's songs, HJ's songs take multiple listening before you start liking them and eventually you will start loving them :) Ok, now on to the songs:

Karka Karka is the song that's supposed to tell us all about our hero -- how he's cleaning up the society and all that (I hate these self indulging songs and I agree with lazygeek on this). I love the rap though. Who are these singers? Tippu? Andrea? 3.5/5

Manjal Veyil is my favorite. It starts out slow and lifts you up slowly. The music is uptempo and the guitar is used very well. Hariharan is simply amzing. Dunno if its Hariharan or Vijay who goes

Vannangal Vannangal Attra
Valiyizh Valiyizh sila Nadakkiral Nadakkiral
Manjalum Pachayum Kondu
Peyuthu Peyuthu Malai Nalaikiral Nalaikiral

You should listen to this song on full blast when you drive :)... I can't stop listening to this song. My rating: 4.5/5.

Neruppae is refreshing but it gets boring in the middle. But I do like Sowmya Raoh's (sp?) voice. Nothing special in this song... My rating 2.5/5. So is Uyirile Enathu.

Paartha Mudhal is my other favorite. First of all, I love Harmonica and I think this song uses it quite well (or a variation of that). And Bombay Jayashri is always soulful and her crispy voice gives life to this song. When HJ and Bombay Jayashri collaborate together, its always has been pure magic - Vaseegara from Minnalae, Ondra Renda from Kaaka Kaaka and Mudher Kanave from Majnu. Unni Menon is his natural self. My rating 4/5.

I have also been listening to Pattiyal. Music is by Yuvan Shankar Raja. Why does he have to sing three of the seven songs himself? Are they saving money on getting a proper playback singer?

The next one up is the Ajith starrer God Father. Music is by AR Rahman. Usual AR Rahman style is in action... Innisai Azhakidayae by Mahathi is a good Carnatic rendition. I love the remix version of this song. They should more remixes of Tamil songs, like they do in Bollywood. Infact I was introduced to many old hindi songs through their remixes. 4/5.

Kaatril Oru Vaarthai is by SP Balasubramanian (yes, he has the same name as me, and the resemblence stops there) & Sadhana Sargam. Why, AR, do you have to torture us with these non-native tamil singers who just kill the pronounciation? Why? Particularly singing alongside SPB, Sadhana sounds awful. 3/5.

Dhinam Dhina Deepavali is also good and Kalpana's voice is different - good different. 3.5/5

A whole lotta new playback singers are being introduced in tamil cinema these days, innit?