Kannamoochi Enadaa

Produced by: Radaan Mediaworks (I) Ltd., UTV Motion Pictures and Pyramid Saimira Entertainment. Ltd., Singapore

Directed by: Priya V

Lyrics: Thamarai

Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja

Album Label: Big Music

Starring: Satyaraj, Radhika Sarathkumar, Prithviraj, Sandhya and Sripriya

Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Swetha, Haricharan, Palghat Sriram, Sainthavi, Prasanna, Dr. Narayanan, Madhushree, Vijay Yesudas. Harmony by Priya, Reeta, Reshmi, Fegi, Rahul, Vijay, Megarharini, Sathya, Naveen

Director Priya V, Lyricist Thamarai and Composer Yuvan Shankar Raja who gave us some first-rate music in Kanda Naal Mudhal are back together for Kannamoochi Enadaa. The film is expected to have a Diwali release.

Yuvan Shankar Raja is steadily evolving into a music director with a style both distinct and individual and can now hold his own ground without constant comparison to his brilliant father Ilayaraja. He does tend to be more western than most of his contemporaries though this is hardly a shortcoming as far as his younger fans are concerned. Music from his earlier films Kaadhal Kondein, Pudhupet, Chennai 600028, etc have been very popular and have made him a sought after composer in the Tamil film industry.

The album is essentially a mixed bag with a couple of songs that, on a first hear, grab your attention immediately and a few that grow on you and while are not brilliant or exceptional, are not total write offs either!

Megam Megam sung by Haricharan and Swetha – has lyrics that are awash with visual metaphors that illustrate love and longing woven around nature’s delights! There is some good guitar work in the interlude and the pleasing vocals are complemented by some great harmony and humming by the back up vocalists.

Kannamoochi aattam (Palghat Sriram, Sainthavi, Prasanna and Dr.Narayanan) starts off with the first line of the traditional Oonjal pattu,

Kannoonjal Aadiyirunthaal, usually sung in some Tamilian weddings when the bride and groom gently sway on a swing before the actual marriage ceremony. However, one’s expectations of a melodious and soothing song in Anandabhairavi are belied as the song swerves sharply into a strange musical mix of electric and bass guitar, gentle mridangam and strident drums competing with a melody that is essentially semi classical with a smattering of English lyrics, a bit of thaanam and swaras added for good measure! While the song interesting in bits, the lyrics are quite banal and on the whole it is not an outstanding song.

Sanjaram would have been my pick of the album except that this duet is flawed by Madhushree’s lackluster performance and terrible diction. Here is a song that otherwise sparkles with expressive lyrics, impressive vocals by Shankar Mahadevan and the back up singers and exquisite string and percussion arrangements, especially in the second verse, when the sound of splashing water is employed as percussion accompaniment with great effect.

Andru vandhadhum is my pick of the album and is based on an old MGR favourite with the same title from Periya Idathu Penn– It is not a remix in the true sense of the word but rather an inspired and adapted version – carrying the original melody and lyrics only in some parts of the song’s pallavi and refrain. YSR has put together a jazzy and elegant composition with soft lilting orchestration (great percussion and guitar work) embellished with pleasant lyrics and dazzling vocals by Shankar, Haricharan and Swetha and stylish harmony to make it thoroughly enjoyable

Puthum Pudhu Kaathu – by Shankar Mahadevan and Vijay Yesudas is definitely the most ordinary number of the album. The song starts off with promise and loses its spark and gets monotonous after one verse. It does have a good tempo, some nice nadhaswaram accompaniment and good rendition by both singers, but somehow fails to make an impression.

To sum up, the music and lyrics of this ‘feel good’ family entertainer (as described in the film’s promo) are mostly an enjoyable experience and easy on the ear. Yuvan Shankar Raja’s adroit synthesis of a range of instruments like the guitar, nadhaswaram, strings, mridangam and drums and very skilled harmony (by a group of talented back up singers) in this album are testimony to his facility to blend and create interesting music. It is commendable that the album also credits each and every back up vocalist, musician and technician who has worked on this album.

For more information on the film visit: http://www.kannaamoochienadaa.com

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