Shamitabh | Maestro | Amitabh | Dhanush | Balki | P. C. Sreeram

[buggle]

http://accessbollywood.net/2015/02/0...hamitabh-2015/


"....More distracting than any of these flaws is the movie’s music. The songs are horrible, but the incidental music is downright clownish. Any emotional moment is punctuated with garish musical cues so amateurish that it’s hard to believe that this is Balki’s third film...."

Author might know musiq, not music

[Fliflo]

Well...need to post this as well on reviewers opinion on music..

Teja
February 11, 2015 at 10:41 am
Shocked to see your comments on music. Sorry to say, I found them very juvenile. Best thing about Shamitabh is it’s music. Not sure what kind of music you’re exposed to. The bollywood sounds you hear to these days can not be termed as “music”. Golden era of bollywood music is long gone, and this movie’s music brings back those memories. Tunes are very refreshing and background score adds a new dimension to the film. Almost every review out there has a positive feedback on music, and it’s composed by a man who has done musical score for a 1000 films, besides a few symphonies. You might want to give it another try, with an open mind, as this music is not in regular bollywood masala format.

Reply ↓
Kathy Post author
February 11, 2015 at 11:19 am
Musical taste is a matter of opinion, Teja. That I don’t share yours doesn’t make my opinion “juvenile.” If Balki’s intent was to evoke a time in cinematic history when every emotional reaction was cued by garish fanfare, then perhaps he succeeded. I found the music a major distraction. We agree to disagree.

[irir123]

Fliflo - the same critic has gone gaga over Dilwale Dulhaniyan le jayenge music! nothing wrong with that - the critic is more used to uncomplicated simple stuff from bollywood.

having said that we have to admit Shamitabh is a bit odd for an IR album - will be watching this weekend for the score

[Hulkster]

Fliflo - the same critic has gone gaga over Dilwale Dulhaniyan le jayenge music! nothing wrong with that - the critic is more used to uncomplicated simple stuff from bollywood.

having said that we have to admit Shamitabh is a bit odd for an IR album - will be watching this weekend for the score

I can understand why you do feel odd. In fact it applies to many fans who are used to thalaivar's live orchestra output and his recent output in many songs. To me it does not feel odd because i always see him as someone who can bend any music form or instrument to his unique inimitable style. How his output is derived is based on the kind of movie situation he receives. A simple example would be neethaaney en pon vasantham. If the situation requires bubble pop/rock/indian classical/blues etc he will derive it accordingly, but not before tuning them to his genre. What amazes me is that he has churned out all compositions in the same duration as he does for most of his film soundtracks. It is like whatever music form that exists, is nothing but the same 7 notes to him.

[dochu]

Unless one has a strong background or qualification in music, direction etc - it isn't quite right to comment on technicalities, which the reviewer in accessbollywood took it for granted.

As a lay person, one can comment on whether they like it or not and not more than that. Speaking of that, sometimes I have crossed the line stating that IR may composed in a hurry or so. Who am I to say that? Hence sometimes, I am guilty too.

This reviewer wrote clowny etc on IR's music. Those are adjectives best used for actions and not sure how it fits in a music composition. Weird choice of words.

Secondly, the review itself is not much in technicalities, but just a lay person's review - which any of the forum members can write.

Thirdly, I posted a comment in her blog questioning - but it did not get posted and comments got closed within few hours.

That shows how much value the review is.
Since it is from a western world, I don't think we have to give that much importance to it.

On related note, I think we may have increased some revenue via google ads, amazon adwords etc for the author of that site, which may be a true intention. Because it is easy to attract billions of Indians than millions of americans to make some profit. If one sees the source of the webpage, you can see the javascripts related to advertising and such.

[uvowefiyas]

It is like whatever music form that exists, is nothing but the same 7 notes to him.

Exactly. Whether it is tharai thappatai or keyboard or orchestra that rhythm patter and emotion out of it when seen in picture and numerous variations to patterns is intact, irrespective of what form of instrument used. The touring talkies trailer in youtube which starts with SAC singing and there comes tune with traditional drum instruments playing opposite and then same is repeated with piano or keyboard i guess..never realized the drum pattern and piano/keyboard patter is same..goosebumps..

[JamesDap]

I don't think say Piddly or Sha Sha Mi Mi are any less orchestral than songs like Naan Kadhalin Pudu Padagan which he did at his commercial peak. So it's a misnomer that orchestra defines IR, which surprisingly even IR has encouraged through his discourses/rants in public over the last few years. What people who yearn for that 80s like feeling are missing in the new albums is the more heightened energy levels and sharp dynamic shifts in the 80s songs. I remember once I heard Kurangu Kaiyil Maalai and Thodatha Taalam back to back and was surprised at how much more vigorous the latter track was. But that is a function of how music is produced these days. Even very pedestrian Hindi soundtracks from that time were recorded in a more organic way than today. IR has moved on and adapted to the music culture of the day, but the fans cling to the past. Also, if you heard Karthik sing some IR classics in the NEPV launch, that should tell you that most of today's playback singers simply cannot execute his material with the conviction and energy that SPB or Yesudas brought to the table. The singers played a greater role in breathing life into IR's songs than perhaps he, the fans or critics have acknowledged over the years. Even a composer as great as IR needs a great set of pipes to truly make a song.

[irir123]

I don't think say Piddly or Sha Sha Mi Mi are any less orchestral than songs like Naan Kadhalin Pudu Padagan which he did at his commercial peak. So it's a misnomer that orchestra defines IR, which surprisingly even IR has encouraged through his discourses/rants in public over the last few years. What people who yearn for that 80s like feeling are missing in the new albums is the more heightened energy levels and sharp dynamic shifts in the 80s songs. I remember once I heard Kurangu Kaiyil Maalai and Thodatha Taalam back to back and was surprised at how much more vigorous the latter track was. But that is a function of how music is produced these days. Even very pedestrian Hindi soundtracks from that time were recorded in a more organic way than today. IR has moved on and adapted to the music culture of the day, but the fans cling to the past. Also, if you heard Karthik sing some IR classics in the NEPV launch, that should tell you that most of today's playback singers simply cannot execute his material with the conviction and energy that SPB or Yesudas brought to the table. The singers played a greater role in breathing life into IR's songs than perhaps he, the fans or critics have acknowledged over the years. Even a composer as great as IR needs a great set of pipes to truly make a song.

few things to backup your very legitimate and relevant points:

1. IR's music was just explosive - it changed right after Nayagan - in fact oldtime TFM hubbers used to divide IR's music as pre and post Nayagan years when even the sound of the tabala became less organic.

2. NEPV is the most 'complete' album in recent times - in terms of complete interludes (even there i didnt like the second interlude of "yennodu vaa vaa"), novel tunes and all IR related elements it was complete -Megha comes closest to NEPV - the interludes at some points in 'mughilo megamo' are filled with cues that instead of carrying the main melody kindof stalls the song - very unlike IR - i think its coz its an intrusive cue IR is forcing into the song, without even his own liking!

3. Shamitabh sounds like Balki having either forced IR into making compromises or hurriedly getting the tunes and the recordings done - in his hero-worship of IR, am not sure if he is very skilled in getting what he wants from IR - be it 'ishq phillum' or 'sha sha mi mi' the base rhythm is so monotonous its shocking by IR standards whose trademark is polyphony and constant surprises - the programmed loops of the 90s were still better (even if they paled with his pre-Nayagan output) - and the orchestration was top-notch - why dont we get to hear the percussion styles as in "ilavattam" from my dear marthandan - that was acoustic organic drum, so was 'oru naal' from devadhai ? compare these with "ishq phillum" - it does sound hollow and plastic

[JamesDap]

Very interesting bifurcation as pre and post Nayagan. It is true that around this time, the synth influence began to creep up in his music. Here he was actually catching up with world trends, as pop too got more robotic from the mid 80s. Even earlier but from mid 80s it was all over the place. But it was during this synth oriented phase that IR introduced interesting and unusual rhythm patterns like Vana Kuyile. From 2000s he has gone back to simpler patterns but still with drum machines instead of live drums. However I do still hear baroque harmony in Ishq and Sha Sha, it's just less noticeable since superficially the music sounds different.

[irir123]

crimson king - am copy pasting my posting from another thread, since we are discussing the change in IR's style post Nayagan

some IR's telugu songs from 1990 onwards

they are just out of this world stuff!
only make sure you shut your eyes while listening.

try these:

(year 1991-92 - the bass line is badass and the second interlude frenzy is something he has not done anytime before or after)

(valai osai redux - the interludes particularly the second interlude is goosebumps)

('yemma andhi mayakkamaa's richer and lusher cousin with BADASS guitar riffs and an outrageously creative version of some ragam!)

- Songs 4 and 6 are outright masterpieces - 6 is Dharmavathy, and song 1 is still a great one despite sounding similar to 'priyasakhi' from Gopura Vasaliley, no.5 has some brilliant violin motifs.

- 'chamakku' and 'kolo kolamma' are marana mass maya mayagowlas which shot Chiranjeevi to heights even he wouldn't have imagined of! 'shubhalekha' is a riot with a percussion for a horse ride song, and the interludes are therichufying bombs and again the second interlude -OMG!