Chord!! Thanks for putting an end to our eager and long waiting for your Raavan review. As usual, Superb Review..
Hmm..yes. Emotional Experience is the best measure to judge an ARR album. Kalyan K. On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 6:52 AM, AJ <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaguuuuuuumein...........Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaloooooooooooo...................!! > > Uh E E E Oh......Uh E E E Oh......oho ho ho ho ho...... > > ..........as soon as I heard these sounds as the first few seconds of > "Beera" rolled on, I knew from the get-go that this album would be a very > interesting music journey.....but then again, which ARR album is not an > interesting journey, whether it fits your musical fancy or not? > > I've been listening to the music of Raavan pretty much non stop for a few > days now and as I came to thinking about how my review would shape up, it > occurred to me that a full song by song review as I have penned earlier just > didn't seem apt for an album like this, especially for such an > unconventional score and that too so soon after the release. I also feel > that Raavan's musical strength and identity lies more in the album as a > whole than as a collection of individual songs. I also feel I have formed > enough of a solid opinion on the album as a whole to write at least > something of substance. Will my thoughts and opinions change with time from > this point on? In the past, this usually never happened........what I have > felt about an album a few days after its release after multiple listens > usually stayed firm over the course of time, although my feelings for > individual songs may fluctuate with time. A song by song review for this > album has been stated already elsewhere and will be seen quite a bit in the > coming days, so I thought.......been there.......done that.......let's take > a different approach this time......shall we? > > Some things never change........or maybe.....the more things change, the > more they stay the same? I wonder about these sayings......and then think > about Rahman and his music. What has changed with Rahman over time? What has > remained constant with his output over the years ever since Roja? I think I > can get into some intellectual back and forth about this to no end and have > full debates with many of you here, but here's one aspect about Rahman that > has remained constant from the very beginning: > > Rahman Keeps Experimenting. > > Sure, you know that......I know that.......most hard fans of ARR know this, > but do some of you who pine for the "90s Rahman" to return realize that his > current success domestically and internationally (oodles of awards, praises, > Padma Bhushan) is because he looks forwards and not backwards? He is a man > of the moment......attempting to reinvent himself with every project and > being careful not to trip over his own ego, literally, wanting to destroy > any trace of good feelings related to previous successes, clearing the slate > for the new movie, new director, new story. > > Rahman is like a "mad" scientist ("mad" meant to convey a good quality, not > a bad one) in his own musical world......thinking, thinking, > thinking......out of the box, beyond current norms, stretching the limits of > imagination and creativity through his work, yet very respectful towards the > art form and the industry establishment and rules surrounding the need to > make music that only fits the script and the director's vision......like a > free painter within a very solid frame that he knows he's not supposed to go > beyond. But, some frames are larger than others, and within those larger > frames, Rahman has more wiggle room to be a bit more wild, more like the mad > musical scientist that he really is, that is just craving to burst forth. > Mani Ratnam has always been one of those directors who provides a pretty > large canvass and/or frame for Rahman to stretch his musical brain so to > speak. > > Raavan's music as a whole is a great example of unconventionality in > today's film music time, with bridges extending forth connecting various > genres of music, such as heavy rock to traditional Indian folk, electronic > to African rhythms and tribal moods, semi classical to trance, etc. Although > these unconventional bridges are not new to Rahman's style of music, > Raavan's soundtrack displays these connectors in much less subtle and > unpredictable form than his most recent works, such as Delhi 6 or VTV, which > is perhaps keeping fit with the character of the movie, Raavan, who with ten > heads/minds and being "wild" and "unpredictable" as quoted by Aishwarya Rai > at the music launch. > > Rahman's albums have always had elements of unconventionality.....it's what > made him so successful and continues to keep him so relevant. However, I > view each of his albums as distinct points in a larger journey, connected > only by the listeners' memories and expectations.....single album entities > within a larger musical and spiritual journey that is entirely Rahman's, but > yet witness-able to us, those who follow him closely. I think it's > reasonable to rate each album on a conventionality continuum plot with > highly traditional on one end and radical on another. For example, Thiruda > Thiruda would be closer to the radical side, while Jaane Tu Ya Jaana Na more > on the traditional side. To me, Raavan falls more on the > unonventional/radical side of the continuum, but yet, having strong elements > of mass appeal and conventionality contained within. Tracks like "Khili Re" > and "Ranjha" are examples of the more traditional emphasis. > > When I judge a Rahman album as a whole, there are certain key elements that > I look for to base my judgement: Sound, sound quality, melody, > innovativeness and originality, arrangement depth and complexity, > instrumentation range, variety of style and genre, variety of mood, rhythmic > appeal, singing, lyrics. I feel that the music of Raavan scores high in all > these areas. But, really the most important determination for me is the > emotional impact.........how I feel after listening to each song or after > the album has completed.......do I feel uplifted? Soothed? Inspired? So far, > the music of Raavan leaves me energized and uplifted...leaves me with very > good, positive feelings at the end, despite the heavy, dark nature of some > of the tracks. Here are some key thoughts about the album from me: > > The Positives: > - Huge range of sound and musical forms......very multi-genre, showcasing > ARR's tremendous range and versatility in compositional style and content. > - Sound quality is fantastic......"Blue's" issues are history. > - Each song has a very strong identity that leaves you with a different > feeling.....the emotions in each song are strong and concentrated, packing a > punch. A very impactful album. > - Singing and lyrics are top notch. ARR's use of chorus and percussion > stand out the most in this album, keeping fit with the movie theme and plot. > > - I love the heavy folk nature of many of the songs.......takes me back to > traditional India and its inherent charm and rusticity. > - Use of electric guitars is widespread, but tasteful in this album and not > overdone. > - Behene De is one of ARR's most epic sounding tracks ever. It's a monster > track......rich in sound, heavy mood, and the ending is simply larger than > life. > - Khili Re is one of the sweetest, most lilting melodies ARR has ever > composed, beautifully rendered by Reena Bhardwaj. This will be an evergreen > classic. > - There's so much going on musically in each track with layers of sound and > instrumentation and ornamental effects.......a classic trademark of ARR's > genius. > > The Negatives: > - I feel the album is too short. The listening experience goes by too > quickly, leaving me wanting for more music (which may be a function of my > own greed too). > - The album's strong musical unconventionality and rough sounding/edgy > parts may restrict universal appeal. > - I didn't like the first musical interlude in "Ranjha Ranjha"....just > found it somewhat discordant musically. > - I wish some of the songs had longer, more elaborate, and more melodic > musical interludes (Ranjha, Beera, Kata). > > All in all, I love Raavan's music and want to listen to it again and again. > It leaves me feeling inspired musically and enriched > culturally.....connecting me back to traditional Indian roots even though I > live in the US. Yet, it's a very internationally oriented music album too, > requiring a certain open mindedness and tolerance for music of various types > to be fully appreciated, like most of ARR's albums these days. It's an album > that has many moods and emotional shades, taking me on a very powerful, but > short musical and emotional journey that is never watered down. Not one song > is skip worthy or filler to me. Those who are internationally musically open > minded and least cynical about music in general will appreciate this album > the most. > > Isn't the best measure to judge an ARR album your emotional experience? > Forget previous ARR albums, forget your expectations, forget intellectual > analyses......at the end of the day, how does the music make you feel in the > moment? If you feel good while and after listening to Raavan, go with it. > Have fun with it. Let loose. If you don't feel good, that's ok.....move on > and hope for the best next time. > > Let's be more like ARR. With each album, he starts over....creates a blank > slate and composes in the moment, what is required, what is needed, what is > inspired at that time only. This is why I never once mentioned this album in > comparison to any of his previous ones. Let us, his fans, try and do the > same......live with each album in the moment, attempting to avoid previous > comparisons and our own expectations, often times unreal and unfair. You'll > enjoy the experience much more and truly realize the genius of our "mad > musical scientist". Take each album for what it is.....like it or not like > it......but, not what you want it to be or expect it to be or thought it > could be. > > These words must not be reproduced without express written permission and > are the opinion of the writer of the review. > > >
