Where was I all these days?

Thanks to the cybercafe in Frazer Town, Bangalore where I had the good opportunity to listen to Atif Aslam crooning "Adat" and when I enquired with the cybercafe's owner he replied the song's from "Ek Pal" but on a search on MusicIndiaOnline I stumbled across "Tere Bin" which I understand has become some kind of a "National Anthem" here in India. The song sung by Atif and composed by Mithoon is a must listen and has been used for the movie "Bas Ek pal". Mithoon the 21 year old composer of the song is from India whereas Atif hails from Pakistan. The combination has been deadly. I believe they are working on new material as well. "Bas Ek Pal", the title track sung by Kay Kay and Sunidhi is also a good number with some lovely guitar riffs and licks. Nice work by Mithoon, Vivek and Pritam.

The other song that I couldn't resist asking the cybercafe owner details about was "Aa Paas Aa" by Shreya Goshal from the movie "Ankahee" though the bass guitar reminded me of Harris Jayraj's "Zara.." or his Tamil original "Vaseegara".

I haven't listened to some good Indian music for long and what a relief to hear songs as these. You cannot afford to miss these lovely songs.

Lovely Hindi Songs

Though I liked "Mere Haath Mein" and "Chaand Sifarish" when the songs of Fanaa were released on MusicIndia online I thought I'd wait a little longer, but not any longer. After having watched the beautiful movie and replayed the songs countless times I highly recommend them. It's been a while since I liked the music in a film but the Jatin-Lalit duo really impress. It is also the first time I liked a Shaan number. Sunidhi Chauhan also does a great job on the duet "Mere Haath Mein" with Sonu Nigam. Check the songs and the film. They are worth it.

A smash hit from A R Rahman

It was out on Raaga.com and oosai.com but it took a day later to appear on musicindiaonline.com. Songs of Sillunu (Jillnu) Oru Kaadhal have been released. The song that is going to be on everyone's lips is "Munbe Va" sung by Shreya Goshal, Naresh Iyer and chorus. The piano is great on the song. You musn't be doing anything else but listening to this song right now. A R also sings another good number titled "New York", a slow number like the one he did in "Kannathil Muthamittal". This beautiful song and the good ones from the film "Godfather" can very easily bring A R Rahman back to where he always belongs - on the very top. Check out "Munbe Va". Lost count of how many times I've listened to it in the past three days.

For a change, a lovely Telugu number

Ever since I saw the lovely video of this song I have been trying to track the number and finally with a little help from my Telugu-speaking friends, I finally nailed it. Check out this gem from the Telugu movie "Okariki Okaru". The song is sung by Shreya Goshal, probably the best female playback voice there is in India today. The song is called "Nuvve Na Swasa". Never miss it.

Rock on Himesh

Before he can run out of ideas Himesh had better look for inspiration and new styles before his music turns out stale. Meanwhile he seems to be delivering hit after hit in the the Hindi film Industry. Check out the numbers below.

"Aashiqui Meri" from 36 China Town
(will post other movie hits soon)

By the way songs from the movie Gangster based on a Himesh formula seems to be making waves too. "Ya Ali" is a good one but it would hav been more acceptable had it been shorter.

One more lovely song for Yesudas from Jeychandran

Though the music of the song may sound familiar to music from Tamil songs I couldn't help enjoying this lovely number from music director M Jeychandran made for Yesudas for the Malayalam movie "Madhuchandralekha". Check it out. Lovely one.

Run and get this album, now!

I didn't know that in such a short period another great album would be released just after Himesh Reshammiya's "Apka Suroor" to give the latter a run for its money. What a classic from Kailash Kher. The album is titled "Kailasa" and what we have is more of Sufi/Punjabi rocking numbers sung to Khawali and funkeyed Khawali tunes. The singing is more refined and talented, relying more on raw vocal power than on studio modulation and tweaks. The techno music is not stale either. The nice ones and bound to be favs are "Tauba Tauba" (the remix is OK too), "Teri Deewani" (currently No.1 at the Indipop countdown at MusicIndiaonline.com and one that has a nice video too), "Dilruba", "Albela Saajan" and "Naiharwa" with the latter ones less techno and funkier than the earlier ones in the list. "Alla ke Bande" is a number listeners and viewers may have listened to earlier. One of the classics "Daulat Shohrat" was removed from the list and I wonder why. Search the web and I am sure you'll find it somewhere.

Some songs I missed and certainly worth listening

Not any likeable hit in sight (in my opinion). So I decided to write about some not so old songs that I missed mentioning. First the songs "Pani Thuli" by Kay Kay and Shreya Goshal and "Merke Merke" by Shankar Mahadevan and Sadhana Sargam from the movie Kanda Naal Mudhal. The tile song "Kanda Naal Muthal" is a nice fusion of classical singing and violin accompaniment tuned to funky beats. "Koo Koo" is not a bad song either, depends on how soon you can get bored with it. "Dialamo Dialamo" from the movie Dishyum is enjoyable after hearing it played repeatedly on radio and T.V.

A hit for Manjari and Illayaraja

Although he has composed music for only a few films in Malayalam, Illayaraja is popular In Kerala where normally singers are more popular than music directors. And he has given them yet another big hit with the song "Attankaraiyorathu" for the movie Rasathanthram starring Mohanlal and Meera Jasmine. This song is going to be another feather in the cap for Manjari who has rendered the song. Illayaraja gave some time immemorial Malayalam hits that are requested even to this day on T.V and radio shows. Some of them are the very famous "Poongatrinodum" and "Konchi Karyalle" from the movie Poomugapadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu, "Thumbe Vaa" and "Kili Paadunnu maanathu" from the movie Olangal.

A R Rahman's magic sparkles now and then

Check out both versions of "Innisai". One by Mahathi and Naresh and the version by Mahathi and Saindhavi from the movie "Godfather". The song reminds of visuals made by Mani Ratnam in his movies. Wonder if the movie has such good visuals to match the grandeur of the songs.

A beautiful song from Yesudas and other new good Mallu songs

"PachapanamThathe" from the Malayalam movie "Nottam" is a lovely song with a simple beat but one that brings cheer to Yesudas's fans. It's always a good feeling to see veterans make a great song now and then. There is a melancholy about this song that is going to be enjoyed for quite some time. The songs "Mayangi Poi" by Chithra and "Melle" by the music director Jayachandran are also worth a listen.

New and young music directors, singers and lyricists are making Malayalam songs more appealing particularly for malayalee listener's in other states. One such contribution are the songs of the new Malayalam film "Out of Syllabus". Check out "Mayajalathil" sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan son of veteran actor Srieenivasan. If only Bennet and Veetrag had added a different tune in between the second charanam and Pallavi (instead of repeating the same tune again from the previous charanam-pallavi tune) and matched the charanam to the pallavi with a modified tune with beats the song would have been all the more better. Other songs in the movie that are worth mentioning are "Poyivaruvan", both Manjari and Veetrag sung versions and "Ee Kalpadavil" again both the Asha and Venugopal versions. The song "Poovinu Ithal Cheppil" sung by Manjari and Vidhu Pratap is listenable too.

More great stuff from Vidyasagar

After "Poi" I couldn't help listening to Vidyasagar's next offering for the movie "Thambi" and I wasn't surpried to find some very pleasant numbers. Jump first to "Sudum Nilavu" sung by UnniKrishnan and Harini. What a lovely number. The song actually reminds you of several other tamil songs but can't think of them now. I don't know what's with the smaller songs in movies these days (there are too many of them) but you always wonder why they weren't extended into full versions. Two of those good ones are in this movie too. Check out "Enn Kaadhal" by Saindhavi and "Kanavaa" by Madhushree.
Thambi.

S P B back with a great number - Songs from the movie Poi

Besides the eye-catching new girl Vimala, the K Balachander movie features a great number by THE greatest singer in the country, S P Balasubramianiam. The vocals are sweet and the song stylish for a cool evening setting. It is called "La La La". What a long run SPB has had and he still has great potential to impress after singing over 35,000 songs. Two other small songs also impress. "Enna Tholaithai" by Chithra and "Inge Inge Oru Paatu" by Shankar Mahadevan. But it will be SPB's song that is going to be real "killer". "Kutty Kutty Kavithai" by Shalini is an OK number. Full points to Vidyasagar for all the lovely compositions. Check it out at the following link on musicindiaonline. Poi.

Himesh Reshammiya delivers a stunner

After composing music for T.V serials and movies Himesh's debut solo double CD album Apka Suroor (Vol.1 & 2) is one rocking album that is certainly going to be talked about for a long time. Instantly gratifying, the very vocal and catchy songs are going to appeal to anyone. No wonder most of the songs from the album are in the top 20 list of www.musicindiaonline.com's Indipop countdown. Vol.1 contains the originals and before anyone else can make remixes out of them Himesh offers all the remixed versions of the originals on Vol.2. This review is of the originals on Vol.1.

Start with "Naam Hai Thera", the song that is featured in the advertisement on T.V that got me instantly hooked. I am sure you'll be hooked too. Next stop, check out "Tu Yaad Na Aaye Aisa Koi Din Nahin". Reminiscent of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan it's a lovely qawwali based number. Time to rock again. Jump to "Mere Lamhon Ki Aarzu", an awesome number with great vocals, lyrics and a terrific beat. Take a break now with "Samjo Na", a lovely acoustic number. Time to groove again, this time with a slower rocker. Check out "Ched De Pyar Ki Baat". With female vocals, rap and Saarangi thrown in good measure it's a groovy number. Follow this one with "I love you O Sayyoni" which has all the potentail of becoming a crowd fav. with live audiences. And here's more. Follow up with "Aashiqana Hai Dil" a song sung well to complete a groovy three song set. Before you can wind down here's one more daandiya number. Check out "Nachle it's folkish". Not a great number as there have been many similar ones but this one is daandiya perfect.

Ok, time to wind up now. Listen to "Chahe Gila Karo" a beautiful song with some fantastic singing and wrap up the collection with "Vaada Tainu"

Although "Tera Suroor" is currently No.1 listen to it at the end to remind you that all good things need not always come to an end. Listen to the song and then start all over! The album is certainly worth a couple of first listens.

Almost all of the songs on this album are great for playing live. Himesh delivers in one "kick-ass" album what Indian and Pakistani rock bands haven't done in decades.

Paramasivam scores with three songs, Paarijatham with one

Three songs tuned by Vidhyasagar in Thala's new movie "Paramasivam" are going to be hits for sure. The first is the delightful "Asa Dosa" sung well by Priya Subramani. "Kannan" is another short lovely number sung by Kalyani Menon, Lakshmi Rangarajan and Saindhavi. By the way it looks as though there are two Kalyani Menons or are they the same. Remember the 80's hit "Nee Varuvai ena Naan ninaithen". It was sung by a Kalyani Menon too. And finally "Natchithira Paravaikku" sung by Tippu and company. The chorus of the children in this song will remind you of Illayaraja's songs in the movies "Anjali" and "Virumandi".

The real treat however is "Unnai Kanden" from the movie "Paarijatham" that debuts Saranya, daughter of actor/director Bagyaraj and Poornima Jayaram. Sung stylishly by Shruthi and company to the tune of Dharan's music it may sound a bit like "Vaseegara" but it is a beautiful number. Treat yourself.