Seems like most reviews are giving a thumbs up to the album with lots of 4s and 4.5s. Some critics feel that the OST is not up to the mark of previous ARR-Gowarikar works or not up to their own expectations. I feel that if the music is a bit impersonal compared to Swades or Lagaan, it's because the subject matter demands it. This is a movie about royalty, about the movers and shakers, not focusedon the common man, like in Swades and Lagaan. Hence, the songs will not have the same identifying status, yet, sustaining tremendous quality all the same. The music is lush and absolutely gorgeous. Most folks I know, who have good taste in music, love the OST.
Also, tastes and preferences seem to change over time. When Swades' music first came out, nobody made a big deal of it except us fans. Many were comparing it unfavorably to Lagaan. Now, all of sudden, people are claiming it as their favorite, a far superior effort to JA and a true classic. Hail Swades! Hail Lagaan! But a classic JA is not and ARR-Ashu has failed us for the first time. Just watch. In a few years, these same folks will be doing the same thing......putting down whatever new album comes out then and praising JA to unknown heights. Apart from Rahman, when was the last time you heard something of equal quality to JA in terms of musical lushness, depth, melody? Right. That's what I thought.
