Malayalam Film Music

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menaka: why don't you post a review of Devasuram?

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Songs of dhEvaasuram:

(1) http://www.keralam.org/Soorya.ram
(2) http://pendulam.com/jkg/ra/carnatic/sarasi-j.ra
(3) http://www.keralam.org/ShreePadam.ram

I could pool up only these three songs of dhEvaasuram. To me, they do not sound to be the most wornderful creations, but they are definitely good. Search for Devasuram in "google" and you will find it to be listed in many pages as the one of those films in which Mohanlal is stunning. It is considered on par with HHa and Bharatham. Musically, IMO, not so. But this is based on the three songs I have given above.

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Review of Summer in Bethelehem :
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An album by Vidhyaassagar. After his classic "veNNilaa chandhanak kiNNam" in "azakiya raavaNan" my respect for him had gone up by many orders of magnitude. This album , IMO, is another good one from VS.

EthrayO jenmamaai: (7/10)(mood - romantic, lulling lead tune - classic)


The song features a new voice - Srinivasan (not sure if it is the same Srinivas of tamil) which is a welcome change. Though one cannot get tired of listening to KJY over and over, time has come to allow new voices in the arena for the simple reason that KJY is getting older and so is his voice. With MGS is notching up the highest number of songs after KJY, there needs to be whiff of fresh air in the male vocal portions and it is good to see VS experimenting.

On to the song. The song is predominantly set in Aanandha bhairavi (atleast in the pallavi). One cannot help being reminded of the lines "thEdinEn kaadhalaal Odivaa" from the MSV song "engE avaL" when Srinivasan/sujatha sing "ethrayO jenmamaai". nice melodic song.

kunnimani: (5/10) (mood - upbeat, lead tune - folksy)

The raga mohanam has remained as one of the most used and abused ragams in the film hiistory. IF VS is called "ARR of MFM" this song does justice to it. The choral harmony that VS has used is clearly rahmanic. There is nothing to rave about. It is a song. not so bad not so good. but soft.

maarivillin: (5/10) (mood - heavily upbeat, lead tune - poppish)

The beat is highly poppish. The lead tune is set apparently in harikaambOji with anya swarams showing their faces occassionally. The formulation of the pallavi and first portion of the sharanam are good. The sharanaM's end cacophonically. No great interludes. When the singers sing "kunninu ..kootti nadakkum", it is very much reminiscent of "kaatu muyalukku pani pidikkum gaanakkuyilukku..pidikkum aaNi vErukku maN pidikkum pombaLaikku kili pidikkum" of "kuchchi kuchchi raakkamaa.

My observation : the song does not make an impact. You may or may not take it in your collection - you are better either way.

Oru raathri koodi: (10/10) (lead tune - classical, mood -romantic)

just one word- FANTASTIC ! This is the song of the album ! What a melody ! It is this kind of melodies that VS is capable of giving but is restraining himself because of the commercial constraints. A MUST in MFM collector's racks ! The song is very much reminiscent of "malarE mounamaa". Every time the sharaNam ends, (eg "manasindE paatu kEttuvO"), I am overwhelmed with tears in my eyes ! The sharaNam ends totally unconventionally with an extended aalaap. Such is the power of the melody in this song. It has two versions: - a duet and solo sung by (default) KJY. Go for the duet version. You'll start loving chithra (or her voice or whatever ) immly. It may be said to be composed in a variant of kaanada (which ofcourse is the fav of VS). But you will never find it unless you look for it !

The talents of VS are manifest in this song. The interludes flow without hindering the melody. Infact, one will rarely notice that they are there. Such a melody packed song !

PuncillamEl:

a variant of maarivillin but sung by chithra with choral harmony. You DO get reminded of a portion of "oooh lalala.." song. I would prefer this to maarivillin.

chooLamadichchu:

A song not worthy of hearing set in madhyamaavathi + brindhaavaNi. Could have been a good song had it been set in a different rhythm.

Confusion: (8/10) (mood - heavily upbeat, lead tune - classical)

Ha..a song with a difference ! Set in "ShaNmugap priyaa" the song can very well be sung in carnatic concerts with lyrics altered. The song is clearly inspired from "mayilErum vadivElanE" and reminds you instantly of "kaathal kasakkuthaiyaa". But the disco rhythm takes it to a different level. A song with a difference and deserves a place among the indipop collections. MGS has done a great job. But I would have loved to have SPB in it though his malayaaLam sucks big time

OTW, the album is a good buy.

E-mail me if you want the mp3 clips.

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MS,
I also like that song a lot. 'Oru raathiri koodi'...

Can you give me the raga of the song 'kalari vizhakku' from Oru vadakkan veeraakatha...

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Mmmm...anyone know just how big the songs of 'Nokkettha doorathu kannum nottu' were when they released in 84?

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BTW, MS, what do you think of the songs from films like Priyam and Niram, not to mention Satyam Sivam Sundaram.)? In the latter, I liked Walking in the moon light.

Personally, I thought that KJY sounded great in the mizhiyariyaatha song in Niram. What raag is it? It sounded very different for a mallu song...with syth music and everything.

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Hi aruvi:

Oru rathri koodi is one of the numbers which keep you listen to them over and over.

"nOkkeththaaththa dhooraththu kaNNum thottu" has two fantastic songs and I remember them being played over and over in the radio when the movie hit the theatres. "aayiram kaNNumaayi"- and "kiLiyE kiLiyE" by chithra are two nostalgic melodies I can remember. (dig :Infact, I associate my memories with my grandpa in Alleppey with these songs) ). The portion "paingiLi malar thEnkiLi" makes you listen to it repeatedly.

I reserve my comments on Niram for my review I have not heard the songs of priyam and SSS. IS there a link where I can listen to them ?

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You can check the songs out at www.binod.com

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If you are interested in Live malayalam music.. Vist http://listen.to/narayan

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Hello
very good collection..
Thanx lot