Mildly interesting

With a name that is as self-explanatory as it is amusing, Raj TV's Tamil cinematic venture Kadhalna Summa Illa (Love isn't Easy) comes to you with Vidhyasagar, Mani Sharma and E S Murthy's tunes, to boot. Pa Vijay and Na Muthukumar have contributed the lyrics. Here's the lowdown on the album:

A bike revs up and Tippu picks up at a steady pace with Jai Sambo and with its crash-banging style and heavy, thumping rhythms you're pretty sure that this one's some sort of entry song for the hero and his cohorts. It comes with all the kuthu trademarks: some rap, flutes and various groans and simple lyrics that exhibit the carefree-ness of youthful spirits. Familiar it might be but it does have some spirit.

Ennamo Seithai Nee starts suspiciously like Lagaan's Radha Kaise Na Jale -- and the general effect itself echoes the song, pretty much, minus the complexities of the original itself. Udith Narayan's trade-mark nasal voice rambles along, while Sujatha adds able accompaniment -- an effortless exercise for her. It's not a particularly engaging number -- and just manages to pass muster.

Ranjith and Noel begin One Way -- a synthesized potpourri with clanging instruments and an enthusiastic beat. A segment of rap and some more heavy duty music follow; some totally random parts of the song do interest you -- but regretfully, the moments slip away into ordinariness.

Samayamae begins in a rather intriguing, with Sujatha's mellow voice rising and falling slowly -- now, if only there was a definite direction the song was taking. It seems a lot like a late eighties or early nineties number. The lyrics echo angst at one point; romance at others -- and are uniformly lacklustre.

A simple track with Sanskrit chants and a rather ominous beat categorizes the short Love Emotion.

Anuradha Sriram begins Juram enthusiastically, in company of Ranjith, and a rather long colloquy ensues, after which begins the mandatory front-benchers number -- and the lyrics contribute to it in every way. The lead singers' verve and enthusiasm do carry the song through, sometimes.

Sound of Love is a medley of instruments and chorus -- and though made of oft-heard melodies, is a rather soothing end to the rather maddening collection above.

At times mildly interesting, at others, falling flat -- that seems to be the general tone of this particular album.

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