IlayaRaja's New Albums 2013-15 - Mahendran film/Thaarai thappattai/Mythri

[sivasub]

My review after a couple of hearings:

1. Ishq-a-phillum: The lyrical ballad that Balki talked about. Full of lyrics - looks like a tribute to the film industry. It has a very hoarse singing by Suraj Jagan and follows one of IR's typical flows where he plays with most of the adjacent notes (experts, please confirm). Overall it gives a very different feel when you hear - sounded more like jazz to me. Definitely a good song.

2. What a star: This one is rendered by Caralisa Monteiro and the only song that has lyrics by Kausar Munir. The drum beat is something that we have heard many times. But there's a small alaap like sound that is so very good. Perhaps this is a song played in the background when Dhanush becomes a superstar in the movie.

3. Piddly: The one we have been hearing for many days now. Superb rendering by Amit and a good song overall.

4. Sannata - Song from the elder Hassan sister rendered nicely. Aasaiya kaathula thootu vittu in a techno form. IR really experimented on this song with the initial chorus and the subsequent guitar support. A very different attempt to be making a cult song in Tamil.

5. Thappad: Lyrics are something that i got very impressed with. A completely different song from whatever attempted by IR so far, rendered nicely by Suraj again. I personally like this a lot and feel it has all ingredients of a blockbuster. Perhaps this song comes in the background when the tension b/w Amit and Dhanush start.

6. Lifebuoy: Starts with lifebuoy ad and then meanders all over. Couldn't really relish this song... perhaps because this is very situational. Does it come when Dhanush is doing ads before becoming a star!!! A 3rd for Suraj Jagan; lucky guy.

The feeling that I was having after listening to this album is that while IR is moved on, all of us have remained where we were so many years back. Hats off to the maestro for having tried something that he may himself have never tried venturing. Oram po, oram po, Ilayaraja vandi varudhu....