Thambi Music Review

There are few recently released Tamil sound tracks which I never thought that it will be as good as it is. I don’t mean that they are great but some of the songs in albums Dishyum, Kalvanin Kadhali, Thambi and Thiruttu Payalae are very good. But the album Kalaaba Kadhalan (by Niru) which I expected to be very good turned out to be average. Also soundtrack of Sithiram Pesudhadi by a new comer Sundar Babu is average. Let me share my views these albums one by one. And here is for Thambi.

A soundtrack like Thambi is very rare these days that has got all melodies. And when Vidhyasagar is on the credits; we no needn’t worry about the beauty of the melodies. The highlight of the album is the fresh sound that comes out of unique fusion and orchestration laced with layers of synthesized sound and rhythms on semi classical tunes. The other highlight is the come back of some special singers like Jayachandran, Swarnalatha and UnniKrishnan.

The album starts with a romantic semi classical melody Sudum Nilavu with voices of one of the best singer pairs in the recent past UnniKrishnan and Harini. Beautiful lines like Nangu Udhadu Pesum vaarthai Mutham Aagum is evident of Vairamuthu’s perennial talent in penning such love duets. Even the next sensuous number Summa Kidantha has got interesting lyrics (by Vairamuthu) on sex that beautifully and safely walks on to a thin line between divinity and vulgarity. Kalyani (who sung the recent hit Unnai Charanadainthen” from Thavamai Thavamirunthu) is another good import from kerala. She has got a cute voice and could express well while singing. I liked the way a bass flute and a pan flute goes in parallel with male and female vocals at the end.

The song Poovanathil is a mix of M.S.Viswanathan, Illayaraja and a little bit of S.A.Rajkumar’s style of compositions. The main tune is good but I thought the song could have been done better especially at some places orchestration with strings sounds good (like that in IR songs) and at some places it sounds clichéd (like that in SAR songs). The age shows in Jayachandran’s voice but yet a flawless rendition and so is Swarnalatha.

Kanava and En Kadhal are short and sweet melodies. I think Sainthavi who has sung, ”En Kadhal” could have sung the “Kanava” song too because Madhusree’s diction is still pathetic which distorts the beauty of the melody. But Sainthavi is too good in “En Kadhal”. “En Kadhal” could have been bit longer. Ennama Jakkama is a foot tapping number with nice rhythms and strings arrangements in the background. I am happy that though it is a foot tapping song it not a routine non-sense kuthu number. Flute pieces sprinkled all through the song add a melodic touch to the song. Olaikudisa starts promisingly with guitar strumming but soon turns about to be yet another kuthu song. The very short theme music carries revolutionary words of Bharathiar backed by heavy percussions and chorus.

One the whole, the album is a surprise package from Vidhyasagar. It proves a point that when asked for Vidhyasagar can give immortal melodies consistently. Hope he will give more importance to such movies and music than kuthu number in Vijay and Ajith flicks. I am now eagerly expecting the release of “Poi” soundtrack in which he joins hands with veteran director K.Balachander who is known to extract best music from the composers.