The duo of Ilayaraja and Balu Mahendra has always come up with songs that are immortal in the annals of Tamil film history.
Be it Moonram Pirai or the recent Sathy Leelavathy or Marupadiyum, the duo has adapted themselves to the changes and come up trumps in giving a bunch of melodious numbers.
Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam is no different. They have come out with five numbers with Vijay Yesudass rendering a couple. Shreya Ghosal, who is emerging as Ilayaraja's favorite, is also in fine form in this album.
Remarkable orchestration, melodious music and soft lyrics all find a place in the album. Ilayaraja true to his reputation has rendered a good work in the movie. A real treat for music-lovers today, when peppy music with nonsense lyrics have become the order of the day.
1) Antha Naal Nyabakam (Vijay Yesudas, Shreya Ghosal) A typical Ilayaraja melody. Vijay Yesudas and Shreya Ghosal get ample space to set themselves up and then take off to great heights. The tempo is leisurely and the feel is soft romantic. Very little orchestration with enough scope for the lyrics to flow freely, quite characteristic of Ilayaraja, makes the song pleasant on the ears. Vijay Yesudas shows that he is now coming into his own after being in his father's shadow for long.
2) Ennada Ninaicha (Ranjith, Vijay Yesudas)
A 'dappanguthu' number glorifying the hero. Unfortunately Ranjith, whose voice is more westernized, fails to live up to the song. Actually, the number begins promisingly, but goes haywire with Ranjith going to higher scales.
3) Kaattu Vazhi Nadaiya (Illayaraja) How many times have you heard Ilayaraja come up trumps singing a slow number with very less orchestration but with astounding sturdiness? This number is one more in the list. Though the song doesn't have any thing big including the lyrics, it's the nasally haunting voice of the maestro combined with a excellent violin piece in between makes the song sound extraordinary. A sure chart-buster.
4) Killi Thattu Killi (Bhavatharini, Jyothi) Ilayaraja's daughter Bhavatharini combines with a new singer Jyothi for the soft, slow but a melodious number. With mild use of percussion all through combined with Bhavatharini's voice, the song is yet another pick of the album. Bhavatharini always gives her best under her father's baton, and it shows here too.
5) Unnalae Thookam (Ranjith, Malathy) Malathy has become a sought after singer to render top-range mass numbers. And she does here too with vim and vigor. She goes quite easily in top gear in this song. However, a shrewd Ilayaraja has handled the fusion of rural and western music in the song to make it sound different. The fusion has been rendered with ease and elegance by the maestro.
All told, an album worth a buy.