Grey Matter

With the posts about Airtel Super Singer and controversies surrounding the show making waves, I just got reminded of one such singing reality show that I used to catch up. Star Singer is a program on Asianet channel.  I like the quality of singers there. And the show was language agnostic, there by we got to hear the songs from varied languages.

A couple of songs from the youtube:

Why doesnt anybody speak about the two short movies that are nominated for oscars that also have an Indian connection : The Final Inch and Smile Pinki.

I wanted to see them but no links in the Youtube.

Both seems to have a real portrayal of India and Indians. Not like the overly hyped Slumdog Millionaire.

I agree the movie was fun. But its just like anyother bollywood movie. I didnt see the “Wow” Factor in it. Same goes with the Music. We have heard better tracks from A R Rahman.

Sakkaraikatti is the new tamil movie album by A R Rehman. The song Taxi Taxi in that movie is exactly copied from daddy yankee’s rompe including the starting humming “Na na na na”

Meanwhile yuvan goes rock and roll in saroja movie, with the song “My Life”. The whole song is having English lyrics unlike the usual gibberish and hip hop style English lyrics in between the Tamil lyrics.

Nada Nada Nada is the new anthem of a few rock fans.This is a song from a malayalam rock band called Avial.I have heard these songs some pretty long back.But it is now that the band is finally releasing their eponymous debut album called Avial.

Avial is, by the way, a food dish which is a mixture of many vegetables and coconut.

The other band that i have been hearing to long enough now is junkyard groove.This band is from chennai.They have a song called folk you where the singer goes thanthana thane thanthana thane.Its a folksy catchy song.

These rock bands not only capture the local musical flavour but also the poets.Recently i caught glimpse of Raghu Dixit project.Their popular Hey Bhagwan is a reggae style song.Gudgudiya is written by Sant Shishunala who they say to be Kabir of Karnataka.

The first time i listened to somebody make contemporary song out of famous poet/song was when Susheela Raman played in chennai some years back.She sang a few songs which are normally sung in carnatic fashion.

And finally anybody for a TR tribute band? Dandanakka,danakkunakka.

1.Had Illayaraja monetized his works like what the western bands do, he would have bought the entire part of India below the Vindhyas.

2.People should stop the practice of referring a MSV composition and a Kannadasan lyrics as MGR song.Means the actors don’t get undue credit.

3.We shouldn’t be deceived into watching crap movies just because their songs became famous.For eg: Kadhalar Dhinam

3a.Converse of the above: We shouldn’t be listening to crap songs even if they were featured in good movies. Eg: Any good movie with Deva Music.

4.We don’t get to hear any background score and hear the five or six songs of the movie even in the official album CD, however excellent the BGM are. Read the analysis and hear the Background Score of Lagaan here

5.Plagiarism will be under control if musicians don’t have the burden to create music for some situation or create songs like some other song.The presence of some  Actors/Directors makes it mandatory for musician to create songs like item numbers,Kuthu Paatu etc.Here is a list of few songs that have been plagiarized by Indian musicians.The list includes some of the greatest names in Indian music scene.

Paruthi veeran is my latest addiction.Awesome tracks by Yuvan.Its quite offbeat with only folk intruments.The songs have good lyrics too.

Tanka Dunga is my favorite.Nathaswaram solo is too good.Vuroram puliyamaram is irresistable.Ariyatha Vayasu,Iayyayo and sari kama pathani are in trade mark ilayaraja style.Son has learnt his fathers style.

Altogether a good indeginous tracks.

Bala found this song from some blog….wanted to put this song in my blog but what the heck wordpress does not allow embed tag..heres where blogspot scores over wordpress and also its the only place where it is superior tried to upload it in the files section its not doing it…ok leave it…

this song is amazingly funny,oozing with confidence of the singer..a must hear one…

hear mallu hotstepper here

update:wordpress supports embeding odeo