Yuvan Shankar Raja and actor Jeeva had created magic earlier in the critically acclaimed Raam.
Jeeva won the best actor award and Yuvan best music director award for the film at the Cyprus International Film Festival (CIFF). Now both are coming together in Thamizh M.A (the title of the film has now been changed to Kattrathu Thamizh to avail tax benefits) again as hero and music director.
Yuan has a pleasant surprise up his sleeve for the Tamil film music fans; his father Ilayaraja has rendered one of Yuvan's compositions in this album and incidentally it is the pick of this five-track album.
Thamizh M.A is the debut directorial venture of Ram who earlier worked as an assistant to Balu Mahendra. Na Muthukumar has penned the lyrics.
The album opens with Ennum Oriravu, a strangely tuned piece rendered by Yuvan himself. Rendered in the beginning in an inebriated style, (the reason for which you can make out from the lyrics towards the end of the number) the track is interspersed with monologues reflecting the despondency and despair of the protagonist who has taken refuge in smoking ganja.
The track rendered in a laborious and somnolent style has accelerated drumbeats and orchestration and change of rhythm. Na Muthukumar's lyrics so far are meaningful and impressive. But when he continues saying the hero has to smoke ganja because he has become Siva, who controls the birth and death of all beings, the lyrics become unpalatable.
But Yuvan has amply compensated for this lackadaisical piece with the following number Paravaye ennai made fascinating by Ilayaraja's sublime rendition. The rap and extended instrumentation prelude is misleading. What follows is no fast track, but sheer melody. The maestro brings out the pain and pathos of the hero with his soul-stirring rendition in his inimitable voice and keeps you wrapped around his fingers. The combination of good lyrics, inspiring beats, splendid rhythm, western style humming and sheets of haunting guitar delineations create excellent harmony.
The following Para para pattampoochi is an enticing piece. There is both melody and energy in it. Rahul's excellent rendition, controlled orchestration, simple yet inspiring rhythm and instrumentation with flute and guitar expositions make it a felicitous piece.
Yuvan once again gives his voice, which at times has an uncanny resemblance to his father's, to the next track, Unakkagathane. The somnolence is gone from his voice; instead there is life and energy though his rendition still sounds laborious occasionaly. It is a romantic piece with no despondency in the lyrics or rendition style, but full of positive feelings painting a picture of the lover's intense and supportive love for his lass. The composer has accessorised this track with western style instrumentation, humming and accelerating beats.
Vazhgai enbathu, a typical Shankar Mahadevan number charged with adrenaline glorifies Thamizh and 'Tamizhagam' and provides variety to the album. Extensive electrifying orchestration with racy percussion, changing tune and Shankar Mahadevan's vibrant rendition make this a buoyant piece
Yuvan winds up the album with the repetition of the maestro's mesmerising piece Paravaiya ennai.
Yuvan needs to be applauded for avoiding his fetish for remixes!! It is definitely a fascinating album from Yuvan Shankar Raja.
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