Rama Rama Krishna Krishna Audio Review

Darling Audio Review

Varudu Audio Review

Maro Charitra Audio Review

Ye Maaya Chesave Audio Review

Leader Audio Review

Leader is the forthcoming movie directed by Sekhar Kammula, starring Dr. D.Ramanaidu's grandson Rana. It is produced by huge production house AVM. The music is composed by Mickey J. Meyer who composed chartbusting numbers for Happy Days. The lyrics are written by Dr. Veturi Sundaramurthy. Unlike previous movies directed by Sekhar Kammula this movie is coming with huge expectations. Let's see how the audio turned out.

01 - Maa Telugu Thalliki
Singers : Late Sri Tanguturi Surya Kumari
The introduction to the song is well composed with English lyrics. They used the same vocals as the original song and fuzed it with the modern composition of Mickey. It is a wonderful combination and the use of instruments in the song is interesting. You will definitely like it in the first listening.
Rating: 3.75/5

02 - Aunana Kaadana
Singers : Naresh Iyer, Shweta Pandit
This is a typical Mickey composition. Reminds a bit of "Arere Arere" and "Nijamga Nenena" but at the same time is different. Naresh Iyer is very good and Shweta Pandit chips in at the end. One of the best melodies in recent times.
Rating: 3.75/5

03 - Vandemataram
Singers : Nakash Aziz
This song reminds us a bit of AR Rehman's "Vandemataram". The song is very catchy and will no doubt be in your head after listening to it. There is not much to say about the music as it is the lyrics and vocals that dominate. The some of the pronounciation by Nakesh could have been better, otherwise it is another excellent song in the album.
Rating: 3.5/5

04 - Rajasekhara
Singers : Shweta Pandit
This is the item song in the movie. Don't expect the kind of loud music in a normal item number. It has got a tradition North Indian feel to it. But it doesn't really have the energy that it should have had. The orchestration is really light and the song overall is pretty soft. Not bad, but maybe should have been better.
Rating: 2.75/5

05 - Hey CM
Singers : Sunita Sarathy
A female solo song. There is a good use of piano and other instruments in the song. It is again quite a soft song. Sunita Sarathy is okay but her pronounciation of some words is a bit weird but overall pretty good. This one grows on you as you listen to it, it may not appeal straight away.
Rating: 3/5

06 - Sreelu Pongina
Singers : Krishna Chaitanya, Siddharth, Kranthi, Sashi Kiran, Aditya
Chorus song, the standout is the lyrics. The music is also pretty good. Vocals are also not loud but the lyrics are clearly heard. May not be liked by all but will grow on you.
Rating: 3/5

07 - Leader Instrumental
Singer: Mickey J. Meyer & Shehnai By Balesh
An instrumental version of the first number in the album. The shehnai is top notch and the musical background is also superb. A good instrumental song.
Rating: 3.25/5

Overall Rating: 3.3/5 (Very Good)

Last Words:
Another excellent album by Mickey J. Meyer. The thing I like about about him is he never compromises for lyrical clarity. In 2007 it was Happy Days, last year it was Kotha Bangaru Lokam, this year it is Leader. There are large expectations on this movie and the music has lived up to it let's see how the movie fares.

My Picks: Maa Telugu Thalliki, Aunana Kaadana

Aarya 2 Audio Review

The much-awaited Aarya 2 is releasing in a couple of days. The combination of Aarya is back in Allu Arjun-DSP-Sukumar. Obviously expectations are high. Let's see how the album turned out.

01 - Mr. Perfect
Singers : Baba Sehgal, Rita, Devi Sri Prasad
Lyrics : Kedar
Rap : Devi Sri Prasad
What a start to the album! The introduction music is very catchy and you probably hear a lot of ring tones based on the intro. Baba Sehgal does a great job and lyrics are perfect. The rap done by Devi Sri Prasad is interesting. It has good musical interludes and tune for dance so we have to see how it is picturised in the movie. Definite chartbuster.
Rating: 3.5/5

02 - Uppenantha
Singers : K.K.
Lyrics : Balaji
This song comes under the same genre as "Feel My Love" from Aarya. The introduction music in again good. KK does a good job again especially in the high pitch regions. The interludes are well composed. The lyrics are suitable for the song. It might not have the lasting appeal that "Feel My Love" had but it still a good song.
Rating: 3/5

03 - Baby He Loves You
Singers : Devi Sri Prasad
Lyrics : Chandrabose
The starting of the song is interesting with a conversion and then the song. Devi Sri Prasad's voice suited the mood of the song. The lyrics by Chandrabose are the highlight for this song, and make it interesting. We have heard tune before but the rendition by Devi Sri Prasad and the lyrics give a lively feel. Another good number.
Rating: 3/5

04 - Ringa Ringa
Singers : Priya Hemesh
Lyrics : Chandrabose
This is the Aarya 2 version of "Aa Ante Amalapuram". Even the song is actually quite repetitive with "Ringa Ringa" every few lines, it is still very catchy and will make a good dance number. The beat is good with heavy drum usage. Let's see how this song is picturised, but it is going to a popular number.
Rating: 3/5

05 - Karige Loga
Singers : Kunal Ganjawala, Megha
Lyrics : Vanamali
This is the first duet in the album. It doesn't quite stike the same chord as the other songs in the first listening but you like it after repeated listing. Kunal Ganjawala is okay, but another singer may have been better. Megha voice in refreshing. The lyrics are also pretty good. But somehow the song lack a bit of energy somewhere. Not bad.
Rating: 2.75/5

06 - My Love Is Gone
Singers : Ranjith
Lyrics : Chandrabose
This is a techno number. The introduction music is good in typical techno style. It is a perfect dance number, and hopefully we will see some good moves from Bunny. The start of the first interlude has a tune that sounds a techno version of "Edo Priyaragam" from Aarya, it is good that they have at least one reference to the original movie. Ranjith injects a lot of energy into the song and the lyrics are also good but dominated by the music.
Rating: 3.25/5

07 - Karige Loga (D-Plugged)
Singers : Sagar
Lyrics : Vanamali
This is softer version of the earlier song. The lyrics are heard clearly in this version and Sagar is pretty good in this one. The strumming of the guitar gives a good feel to the song. It is probably a sad version of the earlier one. I liked this version better than the earlier one because the orchestration is more attractive. Pretty good.
Rating: 3/5

08 - Mr. Perfect (DSP Mix)
Singers : DSP
Lyrics : Kedar
Another DSP Mix. We had one for King and Jalsa and now for Aarya 2. It is in typical DSP style and you can just imagine him dancing and singing this. The mixing is pretty good like his earlier remixes. The use of the beat is pretty good again. He doesn't deviate too much from the original song which is good because it keeps the original flavour of the song.
Rating: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.1/5 (Good)

Last Words:
No doubt this is a chartbusting album. Almost all the songs are good in the first listening and the rest are good in repeated listening. Devi Sri Prasad scores another music hit with this one. It will definitely help the openings for the movie. Let's see how the film turns out on the 27th November. While I'm hear I might as well tell you that it has been censored and got a U/A certificate. It runs for about 2 hours and 35 minutes.

My Picks: Mr.Perfect, My Love is Gone

Ek Niranjan Audio Review

Everyone has form slumps. If you take a cricketer, for example, they may hit five tons in row but they may also get five ducks in a row. But they will still be remembered as a great cricketer if they come back after five ducks to score more centuries. The same applies in the movie industry. Mani Sharma has been in a form slump of sorts for the last couple of years. He really needs one rocking album to come back. Ek Niranjan is the next offering from Puri Jagannath with Prabhas in the lead. Let's see if Mani is back in form.

01 - Ek Niranjan
Singers : Ranjith
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
One of the best title songs in recent times. The rendition by Ranjith is perfect and shows the hero's characterisation in his expression. The lyrics are catchy and the tune is immediately hummable. The introduction tune gives a new feel to song and beat is superb. No doubt that this song will be a chartbuster.
Rating: 3.75/5

02 - Gundello
Singers : Hemachandra, Geetha Madhuri
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
Hemachandra has been featuring in Mani Sharma's albums for the last couple of years and almost all the songs he has song are hits. Prabhas-Mani Sharma-Hemachandra combo was seen in Prabhas' last movie Billa in the song "Bommali". The same magic didn't quite repeat this time but it is not a bad number. Hemachandra is good as usual, as is Geetha Madhuri. The lyrics are OK, but the main feature of the song is the tune. The pallavi after the first charanam is good as the vocals are mixed with a guitar which gives a feel to the song. But overall, it is just an average song because it has similarities to Mani Sharma's earlier songs.
Rating: 3/5

03 - Sameera
Singers : Karthik
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry This song immediately reminded me of "Devuda" from Pokiri. The feel of the song is the same, but the rendition is a lot softer. There are always songs like this in Puri Jagannath movies, remember "Choopultho Guchchi" from Idiot and "Ninne Ninne" from Desamuduru. It is another hummable number, but lacks the catchy lyrics that the other songs I mentioned have. Karthik is good as usual.
Rating: 2.75/5

04 - Evaru Lerani
Singers : Malavika
Lyrics : Bhaskarabhatla
Hasn't it been a long time since we heard a slow melody from Mani Sharma? This one is a soothing melody number which brings back memories of Mani Sharma's older tunes for movies like Okkadu and Khushi. Malavika does a good job and Bhaskarabhatla's lyrics are also good. This one is not for the people who like fast dance numbers but it will be liked by melody lovers.
Rating: 3.25/5

05 - Mahammari
Singers : Kalyan Vasanth, Geetha Madhuri
Lyrics : Bhaskarabhatla
This is another mass number with an interesting use of a trumpet in the introduction. You remember Kalyan Vasanth from various singing shows on TV, he gets his chance with this song. It is very similar to "Choododdu Antunna" from Pokiri. The lyrics are alright. Not a bad number but not the best either.
Rating: 2.75/5

06 - Nartanatara (A Tribute to Michael Jackson)
Singers : Ranjith, Nilayini
Lyrics : Vishwa
A tribute to Michael Jackson from the Telugu industry. It is pretty good number, but the only drawback is the lack of lyrical clarity in the female singer. The musical interludes given by Mani are superb, especially the second interlude when the tune and beat of Michael Jackson's Billy Jean is used. The lyrics are good by Viswa who is good at incorporating English lyrics into Telugu (for example the Athadu introduction song). It's not a chartbuster but not a bad number either. What I want to know is, how they are going to picturise it and how they are going to fit it into the movie. In the credits perhaps.
Rating: 2.75/5

Overall Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Last Words: It is not just Mani Sharma that needs to get back into form, it is also Puri Jagannath and Prabhas. For all three this is a crucial movie. As far as the audio is concerned, it is pretty good and will help the movie's openings. I wouldn't say Mani is in full form yet, but definitely on his way back.

My Pick: Ek Niranjan

Ganesh Audio Review

Ganesh...Just Ganesh is an upcoming film starring Ram and Kajal. It is directed by Saravanan (who is debuting in Telugu), and is produced by Sravanthi Ravikishore on the Sravanthi Films banner. The same banner produced last year's super hit Ready also starring Ram. My expectations are high for this album because young and talented music director Mickey J. Meyer composed music for it. Mickey's soundtracks such as Happy Days, Hare Ram and, of course, Kotha Bangaru Lokam were all musical hits. Let's see how this one turned out.

01 - Tanemando
Singers : Javed Ali
Lyrics : Seetarama Sastry
This is a typical Mickey melody. It has elements of "Nijamga Nenena" from Kotha Bangaru Lokam and "Sariga Padani" from Hare Ram. But it is very different from those songs as well. The musical introduction sound more like an interlude as the song starts abruptly (I had to check if the song was playing from the start the first time I heard it!). The interludes are constructed in accordance with the feel of the song and the lyrics are very well written as usual by Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry. Javed Ali has surprisingly good Telugu pronounciation, and has pretty good clarity in his rendition. It is a good soothing song to begin the album.

Rating: 3/5

02 - Lalla Lai
Singers : Krishna Chaitanya, Shweta Pandit
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
This is like a song with a folk-like beat and modern orchestration. The beat of the song reminded me a little bit of "Konda Kaaki" from Aparichitudu. It is sung by Shweta Pandit who sung "Nenani Neevani" from Kotha Bangaru Lokam and Krishna Chaitanya who is well known from reality singing shows. The staring of the charanaalu reminded me a little bit of the charaanalu in "Ninne Pelladukuni" from Ready. It is not a bad song either, but somehow it lacks the appeal the Mickey songs usually have. There is not much to say about lyrics, they are simply written for the tune.
Rating: 2.75/5

03 - Yele Yele
Singers : Srimathumitha
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
The introduction, though short, is interesting. Srimathumitha's voice is very peculiar, and her voice has been distorted deliberately in some parts for effect. It is a quiet song in all aspects, musically and vocally. They have tried for something new with this song and it is hard to say whether it paid off. It sounds very different, but may not be universally liked. I thought it was something new, and it did get into my head after a while. I will leave this one up to you to judge, but I thought it was pretty good.

Rating: 3/5

04 - Raja Kumari
Singers : Kunal Ganjawala, Srimathumitha
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
Just when we have heard something that sounds very different we hear something that is very routine. There is an ample dose of Hindi and English lyrics along with the Telugu. The only parts of the song I liked is the first interlude and the tune of the charaanalu. Otherwise, there is not much to say about this song. The singers were alright, but Kunal Ganjawala's voice was a little bit rough for this song. OK but a little bit routine.

Rating: 2.5/5

05 - Chalo Chalore
Singers : Karthik, Kids Chorus
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
This is obviously a song involving kids. The movie is supposed to revolve around kids and is said to targeting the family audiences. This song will be liked by kids especially because of the lyrics. The lyrics in the charanaalu are well written, e.g. "TV channelani Pogola marpinchestha, Video games adela o wrist watch konipistha..." Karthik as usual does a good job. I liked the humming given by the chorus as well, it is quite catchy. Overall, I think this number will be a good one to watch on screen. A good number.

Rating: 3.25/5

06 - Raja Maharaja
Singers : Ranjith
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry

This seems to be a hero introduction or celebration song. It is the only song in the album that justifies the title Ganesh. It has an interesting introduction for a song that is targetting the masses. It also doesn't have heavy beats that is a characteristic of mass songs. Interesting orchestration, but it may not reach the targeted audience. Ranjith also does a good job. I thought it as a good number.

Rating: 3/5

Last Words:

Overall it is an album that will only appeal to a select proportion of the audience. It has some good melody and doesn't offer much to the mass audience. It is a complete contrast to Ram's earlier film Maska, which was a musical feast for those craving fast dance numbers. Coming to Mickey, I thought it was a bit of a disappoint from his side. This album certainly doesn't measure up to his last release Kotha Bangaru Lokam. It may not help the movie in a big way. Nevertheless, it is a good album and you can listen to it in your free time.

Overall Rating: 2.9/5 (Above Average)

My Pick: Chalo Chalore

Anjaneyulu Audio Review

Ravi Teja is back after Kick, this time with Anjaneyulu. The music is composed by Thaman.S who also composed the music Kick. Let's see how it turned out.

1 - Dil Se Bolo
Singers : Ranjith
Lyrics : Krishna Chaitanya
This is probably the introduction song. The starting humming is nice. Apart from that there is not much that is new about the song. Ranjith does well. The lyrics in the pallavi are good, "Choostara Tamasha...". The 1st interlude probably could have been a bit more energetic, the second one is good. The end of the charanaalu are good. But the main problem is that somehow it lacks appeal, and the lyrics sound like we have heard it before. Otherwise, it is above average and will probably catch on after repeated listening.
Rating: 2.75/5

2 - Yem Vayaso
Singers : Naveen, Jyotsna
Lyrics : Krishna Chaitanya
This a techno-like song. It is basically a female solo with Naveen only singing in some of the pallavi and the last charanam. Is this the Jyotsna from Idea Super Singer on MAA TV? Anyway, she does a good job. There no are heavy beats or instruments used in this song, and it gives a soft feel to the song. The lyrics are sufficient. Not bad, might be liked if listened to repeatedly.
Rating: 2.75/5

3 - Anjali
Singers : Shankar Mahadevan, Rahul Nambiar, Megha, Priya, Janani
Lyrics : Chandrabose
This is a heroine chasing song when the hero confesses his love for her. I liked this song on first listening. The use of guitar in this song is the highlight as well as the interesting lyrics. As far as I heard, Shankar Mahadevan sung most of this song, I didn't really hear Rahul Nambiar. Megha, Priya and Janani were probably the female chorus. This song will be popular especially if the movie is successful.
Rating: 3.25/5

4 - Olammy
0Singers : Karthik, Vardhani Thaman
Lyrics : Bhaskarabhatla
This is an out and out mass song. It is full of heavy beats and is a very Ravi Teja kind of song. Karthik is a suprising selection for this song, as he usually sings melodies. I don't know if Vardhani Thaman is related to the music director, but she sung well in this song which is a contrast to the number she sung in Kick. The lyrics will appeal to the front benchers.
Rating: 2.75/5

5 - Nuvve Kantapadanante
Singers : S.P. Balu
Lyrics : Krishna Chaitanya
This a slow, sad melody and is a bit song. SP Balu is the perfect selection for this song. He is the only one who can do justice to this song. It is more a bit song with more music than singing. It has a very AR Rehman feel to it as well. It will be interesting to see how this is picturised as it is unlike most Ravi Teja songs. I will leave you to listen to this one, I liked it.
Rating: 3.5/5

6 - Raajulakey Raraju Singers : Ranjith, Suchitra Lyrics : Krishna Chaitanya
This another mass song. It lacks the appeal that Olammy has, it is just a song full of heavy drum beats. Suchitra sings most of the song and Ranjith chips in the end. It may be liked by the mass, otherwise it is not really that appealing. The interludes and orchestration is typical for a song like this. The lyrics are okay but are drowned out by the music.
Rating: 2.25/5

Last Words:
When we listen to music from a new, upcoming music director we expect something new. Thaman doesn't seem to offer anything new. His music is heavily influenced by Mani Sharma, who he worked under. He does a better job in this album compared to Kick. We will have to see how successful this soundtrack is as there are other heavy weight albums out at the moment like Magadheera and Josh.

Overall Rating: 2.9/5 (Above Average)
My Picks: Nuvve Kantapadanante, Anjali

Josh Audio Review

Josh...Youth Rockzzz Naga Chaitanya's debut film had its audio release on last Saturday and the was available in the market on Monday. The tunes are composed by Sandeep Chowta who composed music for Nagarjuna movies Ninne Pelladatha and Super. Let's see how the sountrack turned out.

1. Diridiri Diridi
Singers: Sandeep Chowta, Kunal Ganjawala
Lyrics: Seetarama Sastry
This is the song that was used in the promos and can be called the title song. The introduction music is really catchy which is probably why it is being used the trailers. The rest of the song, however, is not quite up to expectations. The tune in the pallavi is a total contrast to the rest of the song which is not appealing as it loses it feel as a hard-hitting, energetic song. The selection of singers is not good as the lyric clarity is lost in the voices of Sandeep Chowta and Kunal Ganjawala. There are also some parts of the interludes that make you lose the feel of the song. Coming back to this song, it is just an average song. The instument usage is alright and the lyrics are also ok.
Rating: 2.75/5

2. Neetho Vunte
Singer: Karthik
Lyricist: Seetarama Sastry
This is Sandeep Chowta kind of melody song. It is not a normal melody as it has some moments of fast beats. The tune sounds western but the lyrics have a Telugu feel to them, which is nice. Karthik, who is in the top 5 singers in Telugu at the moment, does a spendid job. The thing I like about this song is that the lyric clarity is perfect unlike the first song. The selection of singer, orchestration and lyrics are the highlights of this song.
Rating: 3.25/5

3. Jigijikka (Bit Song)
Singer: G. Raju
Lyricist: Chandrabose
This a bit song, so there is not much to talk about. There is minimal music, it is a song that talks about the atmosphere at college. The Jigijikka part of the song sounds very familar especially the tune.
Rating: 2.75/5

4. Aawara Hawa
Singer: Sowmya Rao
Lyricist: Seetarama Sastry
This a female solo so it may be the heroine introduction song. The tune is pretty good and used in the introduction and the two interludes. The singer does a good job with good diction and lyrical clarity. This doesn't really sound like a Sandeep Chowta kind of song, but has elements of his songs like the English lyrics in between. This song will catch on after repeated listening. The lyrics are good and use of instruments is good.
Rating: 3/5

5. Bad Bad Boy
Singer: Ranjith
Lyrics: Seetarama Sastry
This may the hero introduction song. It has typical hero introduction song lyrics where he talks philosophically in the charanaalu and then says he is a Bad Boy in the pallavi. Ranjit has become the standard choice for hero solo songs and introductions. He does a good job as usual. Coming to the orchestration this probably the most Chowta-ish song in the album it has some characteristics of songs in Super and Bujjigaadu. But the only difference is that the lyrical clarity and quality in this song is much better.
Rating: 3/5

6. Annayochinado (Bit Song)
Singer: Ramana
Lyrics: Chandrabose
This is another bit song with minimal music. It sounds like a folk song especially the tune. If anyone has been watching the singing talent show on MAA TV, Idea Super Singer 3 you would know that Chandrabose is one of the judges in that show along with renowned folk writer and singer Goreti Venkanna. I was joking that maybe Chandrabose has been taking tips from Venkanna on folk songs. Anyways, jokes aside another thing that to be said about this song is that the producer Dil Raju has sung this song (Ramana is his actual name). For a bit song it is good.
Rating: 3/5

7. Evvariki
Singers: Rahul Vaidya, Ujjaini Mukherjee
Lyrics: Seetarama Sastry
This is another melody song. The introduction music of this song is really good and well composed. However, the feel of the song is lost once the singers start singing. The way "Evvariki" is said is kind of annoying as it is said in a very un-Telugu way. That is the main setback of this song, the lack of current Telugu pronounciation. It is only in a few places (mainly at start of second charanam), but they are clearly audible and must have felt like a dagger in the heart of Seetarama Sastry. Leaving aside that mistake, the voice of the singers are good especially Ujjaini Mukherjee's which sounds a bit like Sadhana Sargam's.
Rating: 2.5/5

8. Me Me Meka (Bit Song)
Singer: Chandrabose
Lyricist: Chandrabose
Another small bit song which may be used for comedy on screen. It is not really appealling on listening and has to be seen on screen to say any more.
Rating: 2.5/5

9. College Bulloda
Singer: Vittal Rahul
Lyrics: Chandrabose
This sounds like "O My Brotheru" from Arya. It definitely has a Devi Sri Prasad kind of feel to the song. It will appeal to college-goers and youth. Vittal Rahul does a good job and Chandrabose's lyrics are suitable to the song.
Rating: 3/5

Last Words:
I feel Sandeep Chowta music sounds different but does not always have universal appeal. For example, there are only a small proportion of the audience who liked the soundtracks of Super and Bujjigaadu. He does bring novelty with his music. In this album, I think he has not been given that much freedom in the selection of singers as he usually chooses Hindi singers (who don't usually sing in Telugu). Dil Raju may have influenced the choice of lyricists and singers and hence the songs have a little more nativity than Sandeep's previous soundtracks in Telugu. I think it is not a bad soundtrack and its success will also depend on how the movie fares at the box office. Worth a listen.

Overall Rating: 2.9/5 (Above Average)
My Pick: Neetho Vunte

Current Audio Review

Sushanth and Sneha Ullal starrer Current, released to good openings but is now doing average business. The speciality of this movie is that young and rocking music director Devi Sri Prasad is composing the music. Let's see how it turned out.

1. You Are My Love Story

Singer: Devi Sri Prasad

Lyricist: Bhaskarabhatla

This is dance number on the lines of "Chupultho Guchchi, Guchchi" from the film Idiot. It also has elements of a DSP composed "You Rock My World" from Arya. You have probably understood that it sounds like something we have heard before. It still not a bad number. I think it might have been better if someone like Ranjit was selected as the singer, however DSP did a decent job. The lyrics are typical of what we expect in a song like this. The only downfall of this song is it lacks originality.

Rating: 2.75/5

2. Rekkalu

Singers: Sagar, Ranina

Lyricist: Bhaskarabhatla

A romantic duet that had DSP touch. I like the first interlude with saxophone and the overall feel in this song. Sagar has done a good job and a new voice Ranina also did well. The lyrics are pretty good in the charanaalu. The use of english "There is something new about today..." is pretty good as well. Overall, it is a good song.

Rating: 3/5

3. Ammayilu Abbayilu

Singers: Franco, Andrea

Lyricist: Ramajogayya Sastry, Andrea

This is another disco song. The overall orchestration of the song is good. The introduction is good, "Clap for the girls, Clap for boys..". It has the energy that most Devi Sri Prasad songs have. Franco (who sung "Ayyo Ayyo" from Ready) and Andrea sing with gusto. The interludes are good, especially the second one when Andrea sings "Boy meets a Girl, Girl meets a boy, and there is a moment of joy." Lyrics wise there is not much to say, it may appeal to youngsters. Overall it is another dance number.

Rating: 2.75/5

4. Current

Singers: Benny Dayal

Lyricist: Ramajogayya Sastry

The title song of the movie. Devi Sri Prasad has a habit of composing catchy title songs, e.g. King title song, Jalsa, Ready. It must be said that this one is a step below those. The pallavi is pretty good, "Sarrrru Mantu vallantha paake feelinge ra Current!". But I feel that the lyrics in the charanaalu should have been better. It is catchy none the less just for the main line in the chorus. The interludes are good, the first one in which there is a chorus singing in English is good. Overall, it is a good song but could have been better.

Rating: 3/5

5. Atu Nuvve Itu Nuvve

Singer: Neha Bhasin

Lyricist: Ramajogayya Sastry

This is definitely the best song in the album. Although it is a sad song, it is rendered really beautifully by new singer Neha Bhasin. Her voice is really peculiar, in that it almost sounds like a male voice in some places. The violin introduction gets you into the mood of the song straight away. The main thing that makes this song good is the lyrics by Ramjogayya Sastry. After listening to the songs he has written you wouldn't think that he can write a song like this. But he proved me wrong, he did a really job. The orchestration is in tune with the feel of the song. This is the chartbuster of this album.

Rating: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.1/5 (Good)

Last words:

It is a pretty good album but it is typical Devi Sri Prasad. Worth listening in free time.

My Pick: Atu Nuvve Itu Nuvve

Ride Audio Review

This youthful entertainer centered around a bike is running successfully. For the first time, rocking singer Hemachandra has turned music director for this film. Let's see how the audio turned out.

1. Rangula Lokam

Singers: Clinton, Venu, Sravana Bhargavi, Bhargavi Pillai

Lyricist: Bhaskarabhatla

This seems like an introduction song to the movie. It talks about how students feel once they go college. It is a really energetic song and has four singers lending their voices for it. The lyrics will be liked by youngsters and the musical interludes are appealing as well. Overall it is an energetic song that will be liked be the youth.

Rating: 3/5

2. Mahive

Singers: Hemachandra, Sravana Bhargavi

Lyricist: Ramajogayya Sastry

The tune of this song will surely get stuck in your head after you listen to it. It is used in some of the trailers as well. Hemachandra, who rocked everyone with his voice in the song "Bommali..." from Billa, has done a similar job here. Especially the little chant in between reminds you a lot of "Bommali...". However, I liked this song better than "Bommali" as it is especially good in the pallavi where Hemachandra starts singing and there is a change in the beat. The charalu and the interludes are well composed as well. It must be said that this song doesn't seem like one composed by a debutant. This is another number that will be liked by the youth.
Rating: 3.25/5

3. Edo Edo

Singers: Hemachandra, Geetha Madhuri, Sravana Bhargavi

Lyricist: Bhaskarabhatla

This is a melody infused with a bit of rap. All the singers do a good job especially Hemachandra in the rap part, "Deni peru lovu ro, Padani vaadu ledu ro...". The interludes are well composed and once again this is a song that will especially be liked by the youngsters. Sravana Bhargavi has sung a few songs in this movie and it is good to see young Telugu singers coming into the scene. The lyrics are peppy and overall it is a good song.

Rating: 3.25/5

4. Ride

Singers: Deepu, Babloo

Lyricist: Ramajogayya Sastry

The title song and also a friendship song. There have been many movies released after Happy Days based on friendship and this is another one. It is a good song after repeated listening. I especially like the second interlude where there is an opera-like aalapana. The charanalu are well orchestrated with each singer singing each line. The lyrics are simple and peppy. It is a softer song compared to most of the album. The singers did justice to the song.

Rating: 3.25/5

5. Naa Manasantha

Singers: Hemachandra, Sunitha

Lyricist: Bhaskarabhatla

This a melody song. It starts off well but somewhere it loses the listener's interest. It is sung well by Hemachandra (who is shows his versatility in this album) and everyone's favourite Sunitha. But somehow it doesn't quite have the pulling-aspect that the other numbers in the album have. I have been listening to this album for about three weeks and this is the only song that I feel like skipping everytime. Not that it is a terrible song but it just doesn't sound new and doesn't provide much variety musically or lyrically.

Rating: 2.5/5

6. Danchave (Remix)

Singers: Venu, Sai Shivani

Lyricist: C. Narayana Reddy, Gurucharan

There doesn't seem to be an album without a remix these days. This is a remix of the super-hit song from the movie Mangamma Gari Manavadu starring Balakrishna. It starts off with the original and then moves into the remix. It is well remixed and is a treat for the mass audience. It is full of beats and is ideal for heavy dance moves. The lyrics, as far as I know, are the same as the original, and the singers do well. As a number on its own it is not that great but will be liked by most people.

Rating: 3/5

7. Ride Theme Music

Singers: Hemachandra, Babloo, Geetha Madhuri, Sravana Bhargavi, Pooja

All the singers in the album come together for this number. It is infact a fusion of all the songs in the album. It doesn't really have any singing, so I am not sure what the five singer actually did. But the musically it is really well composed with a great use of a variety of instruments. I am not sure if this is in the movie, but I think it would be great music to have in the starting titles.

Rating: 3.25/5

Last Words:

This is a pretty good album appealling mainly to the youth audience. The only problem I find with this album is that there is probably one song too many. The movie is also targetted at the youth and hence it is running successfully. If you haven't heard this soundtrack yet go ahead and listen to it.

Overall Rating: 3/5 (Good)

My Picks: Mahive, Edo Edo

Magadheera Audio Review

The most awaited film of the year, Magadheera, has finally had its audio release on June 28th. It has been a while since it has released, but I am writing the review now after I have listened to the songs a few times. So lets see how it turned out. The music director is MM Keeravani.

1. Bangaru Kodipetta

Singers: Ranjit, Shivani

Lyricist: Bhuvanachandra

This is the much talked about and publicised remix of the yesteryear hit song by the same name. While the male voice in original was sung by SP Balasubramanium, Ranjit croons for the remix. To tell you the truth about this song, it is not that much different to the original, with the same lyrics used as well. The interludes are modernised and different singers are used to suit modern tastes. If you are expecting something different from the original you may be disappointed, but I think the real test of this song will be on the screen when Ram Charan steps up to try to challenge his father in dance moves. Overall, it is still a good song and will be probably be a chartbuster just because the original was so trendsetting.

Rating: 3.25/5

2. Dheera Dheera Dheera

Singers: M.M.Keeravani, Nikitha Nigam

Lyricist: Chandrabose

For me this is the best song of the album. It is slow soothing melody that will be liked on the first listening. However, there is one thing that I didn't like about this song and that is the selection of singers. I don't believe that Keeravani's voice will suit Ram Charan, although he did sing it well. A voice like Karthik might also suit this song. But being a music director, Keeravani probably knows more about which voices suit which songs. The two things I liked about this song are the soothing lyrics and the overall orchestration. The second interlude is especially good to hear and picks up a beat which gives the song a more majestic feel. This song will probably come in the much talked about flashback in the movie.

Rating: 3.5/5

3. Panchadhara Bomma

Singers: Anooj Guruwara, Reeta

Lyricist: Chandrabose

This song starts off well with a good instrumental introduction. But the thing I didn't like about this song is that the musical interludes and the tune of the singing don't have great synergy. Paataki musicki sambhandam ledu. The music suggests that it will be a slow melody, but it isn't completely. The singers did a decent job within their limitations. The lyrics are ok. Overall, a better number may be expected.

Rating: 2.75/5

4. Jorsey

Singers: Daler Mahendi, Geetha Madhuri

Lyricist: Chandrabose

Once again Daler Mahendi is singing a Telugu song after the hit song in Yamadonga, "Rubberu Gajulu". Does the combination of Keeravani and Daler Mahendi repeat the same magic? Unfortunately, the answer is no. This song lacks the catchiness that "Rubberu Gajalu" had. Daler Mahendi's lyrical clarity isn't great, which we all know. Remember in "Rubberu Gajalu" how he said "Nuvvante Paadi, Paadi" instead of "Nuvvante Padi, Padi". Well that turned into an attraction for that song, but for this song his mispronounciation hinders the quality rather than enhance it. Geeta Madhuri is a really versitile singer and has a great future. As I said before the lyrics aren't catchy. Overall a disappointing number, but we will have to see how the public will repond to this one.

Rating: 2.25/5

5. Nakosam Nuvu

Singers: Deepu, Geetha Madhuri

Lyricist: MM Keeravani

This is also a run of the mill song. We have heard these kind of songs before. The lyrics are simple in the pallavi, maybe a bit too simple. However, the upside to this song is the rendering by the two singers. Deepu and Geeta Madhuri both being young upcoming Telugu singers, did full justice to this song from their side. It is Keeravani that disappointed a bit from both the lyrical and musical side. It is not an unbearable song, but in a big movie that is coming out with huge expectations we have to expect the best.

Rating: 2.25/5

6. Rolling Title Music

Singer: Jassie Gift

Lyricist: MM Keeravani

For the titles we would expect powerful and majestic music especially for a movie like this that has a flashback with a Royal flashback. However this sounds like title music for a comedy movie. Keeravani said that he included a song that will ward off evil eyes (dishte teese paata). Well, maybe this song will serve that purpose. We will have to see how the titles will be shown on screen to see the complete impact of this number. From a purely audio perspective, it is not a great number.

Rating: 2/5

Last Words:

I think the comments and ratings that I gave above should some up how I feel about this album. It is not the kind of album that you expect from a mangum opus. However, if you see the other movies that came in the combination of MM Keeravani and Rajamouli such as Chatrapathi, Vikramarkudu, Sye etc they all didn't have great soundtracks either but went on the become hits at the box office. From my point of view, the trailers of the film are really promising and the background score (in the trailers) was pretty good. So we will just have to see how the film turns out and how the songs are picturised.

Overall Rating:

2.67/5 (Average)

My Picks:

Bangaru Kodipetta, Dheera Dheera Dheera

Oye Audio Review

Oy! The next offering from youthful star Siddharth. An important thing to mention about this album is that the album production was also done by Siddharth. Yuvan Shankar Raja composed the music. Let's see how the music has turned out.

1. Oy! Oy!

Singer: Siddharth

Lyricist: Chandrabose

This is an energetic song with peppy lyrics. Siddharth has sung really well and there is a lady's voice that comes in the charanam that is also good. There are two things I really like about this song: (1) The introduction and (2) The charanaalu. The introduction starts off slow but then the beat picks up which really gets you into the song. The charanaalu are full of energy and nice rhyming lyrics. Out of all the songs I have listened to this year, this appealed to me the most on the first listening.

Rating: 4/5

2. Saradaga

Singers: Karthik, Sunidhi Chauhan

Lyrics: Anantha Sriram

A song in which the heroine talks about her feeling towards the hero. The thing I liked about this song was the interludes and the introduction (piano). They sound different to what I have heard before. But personally I thought the palavi of this song isn't really catchy and the charanaalu are not that catchy either. I liked the use of the piano for interludes. The singers both did a good job.

Rating: 3/5

3. Waiting for You

Singer: KK

Lyrics: Vanamaali

A somber song. Again there is use of piano for the introduction. KK does really well in this song which has both base and high pitch singing. His diction is also really good. I really liked the lyrics in the first charanam: "Puvve mullai, kattesthundaa..., Neere nippai kalchethundaa...". Overall the lyrics are good. The interludes are good, especially the second one in which it starts by overlapping the voice. This song reminds us a bit of Naa Manasuki from AMAV another Yuvan Shankar Raja composition. Overall, it is a good and hopefully it is picturised well.

Rating: 3.5/5

4. Anukoledenadu

Singer: Shreya Ghoshal

Lyricist: Vanamaali

A heroine solo song. The starting of this song is really good, with a good beat. However the energy level fall once the singer begins singing. This maybe because the lyrics aren't catchy in the pallavi. However, the interludes are well composed. The lyrics in the charanaalu are good. There is a high pitch section at the end of the charanaalu which Shreya Ghoshal sings with gusto. Her diction of telugu is really good which contributes to the lyric clarity. A pretty good number.

Rating: 3/5

5. Povodhe Prema

Singer: Yuvan Shankar Raja

Lyricist: Vanamaali

The music director decides to sing this one. Unfortunately, I didn't find this one impressive. The main reason is the lyric clarity and diction. Yuvan singing-wise is alright but his diction is not impressive. His pronounciation for words like "vellipothundaa" (going), "inallu" (all this time), "saapum" (curse) are irritating. Basically a lot of people pronounce these words like this, but in a song the mood of the song and lyrical-value is really compromised and more care should have been taken. In terms of composition, it is a good one but a better singer with more familiarity with the language should have been used.

Rating: 2/5

6. Seheri

Singers: Toshi, Priya

Lyrics: Surendra Krishna, Krishna Chaitanya

This another energetic song. The introduction is peppy and the pallavi is really catchy. Toshi is good especially in the catch-line of the song "Seheri". The interludes are modern with interesting combination of instruments used. The way the first charanam is composed is nice, with a complete constrast from the rest of the song in which the female voice sings. The only part that was a bit disappointing, was the pronounciation or incorrect lyric in the second charanam. The male voice says, "Manasuki doochindi chese" instead of "Manasuki thoochindi chese". But the rest of the song is impressive.

Rating: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.2/5 (Good)

My pick: Oy! Oy!

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Oye

Don Audio Review

The long awaited audio of Ragava Lawrence's Don starring Nagarjuna was released on December 5th. What is interesting about this movie is that Lawrence has ventured into music direction. He is also starring, directing, choreographing the dances, and providing the story and screenplay. This a lot of work for one man to do, and you would expect it to impact on the quality of the final product.

Well coming to the music there are 6 songs, starting with:

1. Su Su Suriyana

This fast number is sung by Shankar Mahadevan, with lyrics from Chinni Charan. This are a lot of drum beats with less of the other instruments. On first listening it does not appeal as it does not sound fresh. It reminds of other hero introduction songs even the eariler combination of actor and director in "Mass". On the whole is nothing new, and just an average number.

2.5 out of 5

2. Intha Andanga Unnave
This a melodious number sung by Harish Ragavendra and lyrics from again from Chinni Charan. This is definitely a good listen after the first song. This is refreshing, but does sound completely fresh. It still does the job and suits the persona of Nagarjuna that we are accustomed with. With nicely rendered interludes and a pretty good choice of instruments and singer, this is no doubt a chartbuster.

3.5 out of 5

3. Muddu Pettu
Sung by Harish Ragavendra (again) and Saindhavi this duet is not a great number. Chinni Charan again penned the lyrics which do not deserve a mention for this song. It is heard to listen to it the first time and I suspect gets harder and harder to listen. This is filled with drum beats, and not much else. Even the singers could not save this number it is a below average song.

1.75 out of 5

4. Yedho Undile
This peppy number was obviously composed to target the youth audience. It was rendered by Suchitra and Viswa with lyrics also provided by Viswa. The song doesn't appeal on first listening but differently does catch on consequent listens. It is not a bad number with respect to some of the other songs in this soundtrack. The interludes are pretty well composed with good use of instruments and not mindless drum beats. This is quite a lot of English used in the lyrics, which I am not a huge fan of but I have got to admit does work to some extent in this number. An alright number and may appeal after repeated listening.

2.75 out of 5

5. Neekai Nenu
Another melody in this soundtrack sung by Hariharan and Rita, lyrics by Chandu and Madhu. This slow number is not too bad on the ears but haven't we heard this kind of song before. This lacks originality in the lyrics, we have heard "neeku", "nenu", "nuvvu", etc., many times already. But if you put the originality aside it is a good number with good use of instruments, especially violins in the second stanza. Both singers do there jobs adequately.

3 out of 5

6. Dada Putistha
Another song from Shankar Mahadevan and lyrics again by Chinni Charan. Another fast number with plenty of drum beats. This may be a good number to compose a dance for but it is not that great to just listen to. If this song is picturised well than it will appeal especially to the masses. Again not a bad number, but isn't fresh.

2.5 out of 5

Overall
This does not sound like the work of a debutant music director, but saying that it doesn't make the music good. The two best tracks in this soundtrack are the melodies. The songs that are trying to target the mass audience fail to impress. Ragava Lawrence may just be trying to juggle to many things at the same time. However, if all these songs are picturised well it will definitely help the movie's cause. On the whole, the Don soundtrack is not a liability to film but neither is it an asset.

2.67 out 5
Average