Bhoopathy Pandian's second film, Thiruvilayadal Arambam features Dhanush as the hero. Unfortunately, the music by D Imman is hackneyed, and completely fails to impress.
The rustic tune chosen for the opening number Adra rama is apt. The lyrics are about a girl attaining puberty, a much-celebrated event in villages. But Vairamuthu, a gifted poet and lyricist seems weighed down by the star. Otherwise, why is there a lyrical throwback to Dhanush films with Manmatha razaava?, devathaye nan kandan, kathal than nan kondan etc? His lines, with vulgar innuendo lack aesthetic quality. The song helps composer Imman establish himself as a good sinfer with a powerful voice, but he should avoid lifting old classics in his orchestration.
Kannukkul etho, a smooth romantic song by Vijay Jesudas and debutant Reeta is the pick of this album. The dulcet cadence of Vijay's voice has an identity of its own, and no one can accuse him of trying to be a clone of his legendary father, Jesudas. Reeta shows great promise, with depth in her voice unlike some recent newcomers.
Karthik and Ranjith work hard with their Ennamma kannu but can't hold a candle to the original by SP Balasubramaniam and Malaysia Vasudevan, from Rajani-Satyaraj starrer Mr Bharath. It is beyond comprehension why music directors draw from each other's repertoire, a practice currently in vogue. The very fact that lyricists or composers are constantly walking into the past shows their creative bankruptcy.
Vizhikalil vizhikalil is another romantic duet, starting as an uptempo song and gradually mellowing down into a soft melody. Harish Raghavendra's voice modulation is praiseworthy, while Viveka's lyrics are pleasant and meaningful.
Theriyama parthuputten which follows has a soothing quality but is marred by Ranjith's off-key start to the song.
The last track, Mathura jilla is a teasingly erotic song deliberately targeted towards the front benchers. Viveka's lyrics leave nothing much to the imagination. Kalpana's nasal twang, especially in the high notes, makes her singing unpalatable.
The one good thing about Imman's music is that it is not ear-splitting. Even the fast numbers have a melodious feel. But even though he has churned out songs pleasing to the ear, the music and even instrumentation sound like mock-ups of other hits. The heard-that feeling and Imman's penchant for remixes makes this album an also-ran.
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