Music Review: Sketch (Tamil)
Composer(s): S. Thaman
Listen to the songs online here: Saavn
Thaman, like Imman, has followed an alarmingly staid template of late, invariably landing one hit song per album. But one listen to Sketch, and the man proves me wrong. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by how consistently good it is, but also for the fact that it defies expectations in ways least imagined, the tunes crafted for endless repetition without an iota of boredom and familiarity coating them. That isn't to say it's free of the usual auto-tune trappings typical of the composer. If anything, it's wholly intact in Dhaadikaara. (And Carnatic exponent Sudha Ragunathan is perhaps the last person to need its help!) But catchy the song is all the same, and will have you bobbing your head to its heady lounge'ish tune. Atchi Putchi, its massy dappan koothu flavour aside, comes off as try-too-hard and formulaic, while actor Vikram, in Kanave Kanave, makes an appreciable return as a singer (his best since O Podu 15 years ago!) for what's a simple but engaging melody. It's however in the remaining two songs Cheeni Chillaallee and Vaanam Thoorammalae that Sketch really soars, with Thaman concocting some of the most euphonious tunes in his discography. The latter especially is a captivating semi-classical stunner and it helps that singers Deepak Subramaniam, Roshini and Shashaa Tirupati lend rock-solid vocal support. But for that one middling kuthu, Thaman delivers his career best with a melody-heavy Sketch.
Listen to the songs online here: Saavn
Thaman, like Imman, has followed an alarmingly staid template of late, invariably landing one hit song per album. But one listen to Sketch, and the man proves me wrong. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by how consistently good it is, but also for the fact that it defies expectations in ways least imagined, the tunes crafted for endless repetition without an iota of boredom and familiarity coating them. That isn't to say it's free of the usual auto-tune trappings typical of the composer. If anything, it's wholly intact in Dhaadikaara. (And Carnatic exponent Sudha Ragunathan is perhaps the last person to need its help!) But catchy the song is all the same, and will have you bobbing your head to its heady lounge'ish tune. Atchi Putchi, its massy dappan koothu flavour aside, comes off as try-too-hard and formulaic, while actor Vikram, in Kanave Kanave, makes an appreciable return as a singer (his best since O Podu 15 years ago!) for what's a simple but engaging melody. It's however in the remaining two songs Cheeni Chillaallee and Vaanam Thoorammalae that Sketch really soars, with Thaman concocting some of the most euphonious tunes in his discography. The latter especially is a captivating semi-classical stunner and it helps that singers Deepak Subramaniam, Roshini and Shashaa Tirupati lend rock-solid vocal support. But for that one middling kuthu, Thaman delivers his career best with a melody-heavy Sketch.
Surprised to see that you’ve liked this album, considering the poor form that Thaman’s been in last year based on your ratings of his work from last year. Will listen to this ASAP.
ReplyDeleteColour me surprised! Granted it's a commercial film soundtrack, but like I mentioned in the review, the tunes are refreshingly different. And this coming from Thaman left me all the more astonished! Hope you liked it :)
DeleteSo, I ended up listening to it & I must say that I haven’t been immensely impressed by Thaman since Mundhinam Paartheney (which IMO was the best Tamil soundtrack of 2010).
DeleteNow that you mention it, I do recall the movie having a bunch of good songs. Thanks for making me revisit it!
DeleteDo revisit Eeram, Aridhu Aridhu, & “Paniye” from Ayyanar. They did have songs that I admired from Thaman.
DeleteOh yes, I do love Mazhaiye Mazhaiye from Eeram. Probably the first song from Thaman I listened to!
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