Getting into the album.

My Name is Billa – Navin, KK – Not that the original was a great song, but it was the heart’n'soul of the original and did fit very well in the context. The one which reportedly catapulted a star to a “super star”. This one should have improvised on where the original was ho-hum, but it just adds a cacophonic orchestration, to go with the same song… Way too much noice

Naan Mattum – Deepika. Starts of with spanish grooves, and a nice tempo. The interludes boast of mid-eastern sounds. Am guessing this is the very equivalent of SEL’s (Don-Redux) Aaj Ki Raat. Does’nt scale the heights of the hindi equivalent, but seems to be the pick of this album.

Sei – Neha, Pradeep – Mid-eastern sounds here again, the tune seems familiar. The song starts of well, but somewhere in between goes haywire. Not sure I like it, yet.

Vethalaye Pottendi – Shankar Mahadevan. Cult track from the original, and here Yuvan packaging is relatively better (well it is pure packaging, isn’t it?). Shankar fills in OK for Malaysia Mahadevan. The decibel levels are on the higher side, but “sakthi konjam erudhadi” justifies the sound levels .

Seval Kodi – Could be the intro song for the “nallavan” Ajith, in the movie. The tune is as old as the original movie, and has been used by Yuvan himself in many movies (Incl Vishnu’s Pattiyal).  Straight from Yuvan’s cold storage.

Theme Music – Techno for stylish, but sounds fairly ok. Though suffers from the Hindi Don remake influence, it should go well with the movie.

Overall a very average album from Yuvan’s music factory (that’s what it has been this year, many movies but very few of quality). Read somewhere in TFM forums (Vengalai Kadaikulla Yaanai poodha madri), very apt for this “sound”track, literally!!!

 Lots of build up to this sound track,  and given a muted Udhaya (ARR and Vijay), and Vijay the self proclaimed heir to the thrown, things just add up.  So does the soundtrack formula.. Generally I read Karthik’s review (milliblog) before even listening to a sound track. Given his so-so review, I didn’t get gung-ho about this album to start with.

Rather than going through the titles in an order, I go with the tracks which hooked me up right from the word go!

Kokilam – Wow!!! I loved this track when I heard the promos. And fell hook line and sinker for this one. Sriram Parthasarathy is just a treat to listen. Wonder why he is not in demand!!! Saindhavi (incidentally paired up against SP in an interview a few weeks back in Vijay TV) and Sriram create magic on the boom box. This techno track is on the lines of Mellisaye Mell… from the very forgettable Mr.Romeo (not the song, the movie). Kokilam…enough said!!!!

Ella Pughazhum – Is this a track written for Vijay or for the singer (Isai puyal himself). Very much goes with his mojo of “All Credit to the Omnipresent”. Whatever was the background, neat stuff from the evergreen Valee, and the tunes does justice. I see this as a slower version of Ballelakka. But this one scores more for the lyrics. “Netru Nadandha Kayathai enni, Nyayathai vidalama?”… Good one

Nee Marylyn Monroe  – oo oo ooo… Peppy! Ujjaini just enjoys herself thoroughly. With the Tanglish lyrics, and anglicized singing, fits well as a party ditty. Truly DJ material

Valayapthi Thaviley – Starts of well, then fizzles into a regular fare. Regular to the extent that it borrows from “Ambasamuthiram Ayyar Hotel” from SOK.  Lyrics are downright funny. “Kutchery” with “Bus Eri’…. I guess I could try my hand writing songs!!! So-So

Madhuraikku Pogadhey – Rahmanized version of Pallikudam Pogamaley. Wonder why ARR chose this tune. Some nifty chorus in singing though. Even the very thought of ARR doing a song in the lines of Deva gives me nausea.

Ponmagal Vandhaal – I don’t like remixes. In this I don’t even like the original. This does not play in my iPOD, ever!!!

An Average sound track by ARR, trying to do justice to a Vijay film, and hence a half baked album. But sure has a couple of tracks which wil go the distance.