Nov 17, 2004 04:47 PM
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(Updated Nov 17, 2004 04:48 PM)
Why I bought this album?
The director of the movie “Swara Abishekam” is K.Vishwanath who has directed musical classics like “Sankarabharanam”, “Sagara Sangamam (Salangai Oli in Tamil)”, Sippikkul Muthu etc., In his movies all the songs will be situational, classical based melodies. He has extracted the best from the best music composers like Illayaraja, K.V.Mahadevan.
Vidhyasagar composing for such a classical album is by itself raises lot of expectation. Vidhyasagar who came with soulful melodies initially has turned into a commercial sound maker these days as a result he is composing only senseless fast numbers to suit the taste of low class audience. But now he has returned back to his roots of melody making from sound making. So I was thrilled to hear his potential in composing such pure classical songs though I have heard a lot of his semi classical melodies.
Above all, Read on the list of singers who have sung the tracks of this album. They are S.P.Balasubramaniam, K.J.Yesudas, Mano, Chitra and S.P.Shailaja. These legendary singers of last decade dominate the whole album leaving little space for breeding singers.
First of all, I should reveal that I can roughly understand Telugu. So no comments on the lyrics part of the song. But good lyrics will always come with a unique sound that gels with the mood of the song. Moreover I totally agree with Bharathiyar’s words “Sundara Telunginil Pattisaithu” after hearing this album. Telugu sounds like a beautiful language and it has got music of its own. Now let us get into the tracks, totally there are 9 gems (tracks) in the album.
Venu Gana Sammohanam
Shankar Mahadevan, Radhika and Chorus
This song is instantly catchy with a foot tapping folk rhythm and a melodious tune. The genre it belongs to is traditional unadulterated Telugu folk and the way the flute and percussions used enhances the earthy feel of the song. Shankar sings his king of song with ease along with Radhika’s sweet rendition who sounds like Sujatha. The chorus part and the orchestrations are good. This song will appeal to both classes and masses.
Okka Kshanam
S.P.Balasubramaniam, S.P.Sailaja
The song starts promisingly with a flawless alap rendered by SPB and SPS together. SPB’s style of singing needs no mention but even now we feel his singing is as refreshing and soothing as it was 15 years before. It is unbelievable that he is 60 plus, his voice is still young. S.P.Sailaja’s rendition is at par with SPB in this song. It is a semi classical lullaby with a nice tune and expressive singing by both the singers.
Kudikkanna Athirene
S.P.Balasubramaniam, Suneetha
It is again a semi classical number with a soulful tune and emotive singing. SPB sounds completely different in this song with more romantic voice. Suneetha is equally good and her voice is sweet. This song reveals the utmost care that the composer has taken to compose each and every word in the lyrics of the song with flourishing notes.
Nee chente Oka Chanchita
Mano, Chitra
It is a foot tapping melody with keyboard rhythm and heavy orchestrations flowing in the background. Mano comes back after a long gap and yet again proves his skills in singing such melodies. Chitra is the singer that I admire the most. She proves that she is the best with this song. Vidhyasagar has tactically used Mandolin pieces spread all over the song to make it sound different from other melodies and it has worked out well and it also has haunting flute pieces in the interludes. Singing and the tune of the two lines “Athey katha ithi Aunemo antunthi mathi” that comes repeatedly is punchy.
Adhi Needhani – Edhi needhani
SPB, Chitra
The greatest duo singers of the last decade come together in another intricate duet song. It is a soft number with a classical based tune and with the usage of apt instruments at apt places. Piano prelude brings a different sound to this melody.
Anjudai Lakshmanudu
K.J.Yesudas, SPB
It is highly emotional and situational number in which the brothers emotionally shower praises on each other. Elder brother says,”what good deed I did to have a brother like you calling me “Anna”” and younger brother states the same in return. But the truth is that it is we who have to sing what good deed we did to hear such a pure classical composition sung by two legends being at their best. This song is the highlight of the album. K.J.Yesudas, though his voice sounds his age, elevates the song by his flawless rendition of swaras and singing the words with apt gamukkas. The song goes out of the world when SPB and Yesudas together render complex swaras in synch at the end complementing each other.
Raman Vinodhi Vallabha
Sriram Parthasarathy, Madhu Balakrishna
If the previous song had great old singers, this song falls in devotional genre with two new breeding singers proving that they are nowhere inferior to old singers in singing such pure classical numbers. It is pure classical number with rich carnatic orchestra backing.
There are two more small traditional numbers “Suprapatham” that starts the album and “Mangalam” that ends the album which is a fitting opening and closing for such a divine classical album.
Finally, I should say Vidhyasagar has well utilized the chance to prove his potentials to Telugu film industry where he is yet to get his due recognition in spite of being successful in both Tamil and Malayalam cinema. No wonder if Vidhyasagar gets National award for this album and he deserves it. If you are a fanatic fan of any kind of good music beyond all social, cultural and lingual barriers with an open mind then this album will be a treat for your soul and senses.
