June 04, 2009 APK
Rating - ***.25
AVM Musical
Mani Sharma's latest, AVM's Evairaina Epudaina stars 'Happy Days' kid Varun Sandesh and the album starts off with country and salsa influences, emerging with more Telugu-ness (whatever that is) as the album progresses. All moods and genres are almost covered, making it a versatile musical.
Akasamlo This song sounds like a Mani Sharma meets Devi Sri Prasad number. Tippu sings Krishna Chaitanya's lines. The song is slightly slow paced but peppy and has a catchy rhythm in both the simple lyrics and Sharma's current favorite-country-style guitar strumming, leisurely and gently. A nice opening number, the title track and one of the picks. ***.25
Malli Malli Rita and Rahul Nambiar sing this mischievous duet. The lyric by Rahaman starts with a simple tongue twister. Sharma goes on to compose in a salsa style this time. It reminds of a few other songs, including Sharma's own previous compositions. ***
Naa Manase Remember 'Devuda' from Pokiri? This song is its poor cousin. Also rendered by Ranjith, with lyrics by Bhaskarabhatla and of course, composed by Mani Sharma. The jist is the same, the feel is the same, the energy slightly mellowed but reminds you painfully of its predecessor. Still, it's a decent number by itself, especially the first few stanzas. A gentle hand with the mixing would have worked better. ***
Madhurayathana Seduction song? Possibly. Rita sings to Veturi's lines. For some reason this sounds like an 'Ilayaraja inspired 500 other composers' song, though Mani Sharma has a style of his own and never bought into that. The thing is, even though it has a nice tune and instrumental and all that, it sounds like many others before it is. Typical. Yawn.. **.75
Varevaa Hey, this is actually the female version of the poor cousin of 'Devuda'. Okay, wait, simplified: girl-chasing-boy number this time, with the girl praising the boy and the chorus singing the girl's qualities. Sharma plays gleefully with his keyboard to mixed results. Rita sings the solo with a much western-influence quality about it but without any real flavor. ***
Neelalu Garu Hemachandra and Malavika render Vennelakanti's melancholy lines. The vocals are good, the tune is lilting (err..Gala Gala, anyone? Not the same, but in that genre) and the lines are typical of the writer's style. This is that sort of a happy-sad number, full of love and longing. One of the three picks of the album. ***1/2
Vaanemo Tadisi Cute, quirky lyrics that go like 'Vanemo Tadisi godugu pattukundi..endemo kallajodu pettukundi..anta kottagundi' by Krishna Chaitanya. Singer? The lead, Varun Sandesh debuts as a singer too and renders the song about first love-first smile well. It's a short and sweet number, youthful and flavorful. Another pick, for all the above mentioned factors. ***1/2
Nara Naramentila The album signs off with a lively number rendered by Rahul Nambiar with lines by Krishna Chaitanya. The song is about the girl he loves and how he will get her no matter what. So..vivacious and filled with energetic beats with good vocals, the album seems pretty rounded by this time. ***.25
Last Word The songs do grow on you, but nothing too spectacular although two of the numbers are catchy. It's a big album, with a total of 8 numbers and no repeats, so everyone is bound to find something to suit their tastes. Mani Sharma definitely doesn't disappoint, but does not surpass expectations. The first few stanzas of all songs are pretty good but after point, (maybe because there are so many), you press the skip often. AVM's movies are generally filled with music, and good music at that in the best of times, and although the album is not a stand-out, it is pretty decent stuff and is bound to grow with time-and the release.
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