Hey Raavan!
April 26, 2010I was in a meeting at work; yet another boring one. I was getting restless. Not because of the scale of boredom of the meeting. But a voice was running in my head and I had to listen to it again. I was getting impatient. It was almost like my brain had stopped understanding audio signals other than that tune running in my head.
I went to the music store on 24th morning to buy the CD of Raavan. It was the fastest walk I had back to my home. And the music began. These were my thoughts (strictly not a review) as I heard the songs!
First Hearing:
OK… This does not sound like a Mani-ARR combo album. I know the movie is going to be earthy or non-urban. So I could understand where it came from. But still, I really couldn’t comprehend a couple of songs. Katta Katta has to be the best. The panjavadyam kind of feel towards the end got me hooked on to it! Yet another marriage song, I guess, from a Mani Ratnam movie. It swept me off the feet the first time I heard it. There is a whole list of singers in the song. I wouldn’t go into the details. Behne de could have been much better.
5 Hearings after:
I almost like every song in the album. Good to hear, I guess. I sure cannot expect an album like Dil Se. May be something like a Guru is in store. Beera Beera is nice. Much better than what I thought it was, when I heard the promo. Speculations over Rahman’s voice, Kailash Kher’s voice in the song all ended now. It is Keerthi Sagathia and backing vocals by Mustafa. New find is not anymore new for an AR album. I wish they had put up a photo of all these singers so that people can actually relate to them. The song is short and sweet. Or spicy I must say.
7 Hearings after:
Behne De is going to be the song of the season. Karthik is one hell of a singer. A love song with a difference, I dare say. I am sure once I see the movie; I am going to hear it non-stop.
10 Hearings after:
The best part about Mani- ARR hindi albums is that it is most likely to be penned by Gulzar. And I was as glad as ever when I heard Thok De Khilli. If it is a sukhwinder-ARR-Gulzar trio, I think it should be declared as a classic even before they venture into creating the song. The strains of the clarinet in panchavadyam style can be found in this song too. People who had complaints with Jai Ho not being as good a song can please listen to this!
13 Hearings after:
Khili Re Khili could have been better. Coming from the league of Chinna Chinna aasai to Na Na re(Guru) the female solo could desires a punch.
18th Hearing(Listening after the meeting rushing back to my seat)
I have to say I felt like a drug addict inhaling a pinch of cocaine, when I returned back to hear Ranjha Ranjha. This, ladies and gentlemen is yet another masterpiece by AR. Javed Ali’s lines in the second/third stanza, Rekha Bharadwaj’s voice and the sweet humming of Anuradha Sriram puts together a mesmerizing experience. Glad that I can experience the same for a while to come.
Jaa Re Udd ja: Heard Rahman rendering this song in the music launch. It completes the album and yes, it is a Mani-ARR combo, for sure!
And I am patiently waiting for the Tamil version too !
Its true. Rahman’s compositions always change in your head the more number of times you listen to them. I’ve saved myself from repeated hearings because I know I wont like the tamizh versions as much if I get hooked to the hindi
And i’d hate for that to happen. So we shall wait patiently, and give them both equal attention!
loved all of ‘em right from the beginning…first few heeds, Kata Kata certainly grabbed my attention…then came Beera – loved the African chant in the beginning…me too waiting to get a copy of the tamil version, I have a feeling I’ll like it more