Balki's next project - Shamitabh

Listening again, while AB lacks the modulation and expression of voice that a proper singer may possess, his diction is impeccable (naturally!).  Even when he's putting on a slightly anglicized accent to suit the music, his pronunciation is crystal clear and the placement and emphasis is very appropriate.  In that aspect (and that aspect alone), even some of today's celebrated playback singers would do well to emulate his example.  His singing doesn't sound as irritating as I had expected it to because he handles the words well.

Though I don't understand hindi, I am enjoying this song only because of the melody, especially the charanam. And the way it ends is Raja style.. So I would have liked even if it was not sung by Amitabh.

Trailer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzJfGRrHlxY

^was the film crowdfunded? list of producers tails cast and crew

Balki marketing

nalladhu nadandhA sari

Looks like Thamizh edition of The Hindu has hired thatstamil reporter (Shankar)

piddly sE bAthen

இளையராஜா என்ற இசை மேதைக்கு முன்னாள் பாட பயமாக இருந்தது. அதனால் வீட்டில் வைத்து ஒத்திகை பார்த்த பிறகே பாடினேன், என்று திரையுலக ஜாம்பவான் அமிதாப் பச்சன் கூறியுள்ளார்.

Funny translation for "call of nature"

piddly - hit  

The multi-tasker of Bollywood, Swanand Kirkire, has all the right words in place

He’s right now in the news for penning success after success — every one’s singing along with “Tinga tinga nanga panga dost” from PK, and Amitabh Bachchan’s music video, sitting on the potty singing his “Piddly” song in the to-be-released Shamitabh is all the rage.

on the recording, Amithabh mama has this to say

I feel very conscious if I have to sing for somebody. Which is why I said that I am not going to go to Chennai to sing with Ilaiyaraaja in his studio with 50 musicians and him watching me. Serious. I never go there. It's unbelievable. I could never do that. I did some of that for my earlier songs when the form of digital music was not there, be it with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rajesh Roshan or Pancham when I sang for them in Amar Akbar Anthony, Naseeb and Mr Natwarlal. There was a kind of familiarity with them and also that the singing per se was not really singing, but it was more like chatting and putting a little singing in between. But all the songs I have sung recently, be it the Baghban song or the songs that I have sung for Ram Gopal Varma, are all proper singing. For the Piddly song, I just requested for the pro tools to be sent to me. And then I will go and sit with Aadesh Shrivastava here right next door with just the two of us in a small room. And I tell him don't call anybody. We just fool around in any case at night when I go there. And we just sit and record it, he balances everything and puts all the mistunes into tunes. We have wonderful instruments now to do that and then he sends it across. I was unable to maintain the pitch Ilaiyaraaja had sent, so I sang it on my own pitch and he very graciously got the rest of the orchestra down to my pitch, so what you now see is what he reconstructed keeping my pitch in mind.

Press meet youtube



There's going to be a 'jana gana mana' orch by IR (existing melody) sung / acted by AB with PC Sriram camera...

Wizzy wrote:on the recording, Amithabh mama has this to say

I feel very conscious if I have to sing for somebody. Which is why I said that I am not going to go to Chennai to sing with Ilaiyaraaja in his studio with 50 musicians and him watching me. Serious. I never go there. It's unbelievable. I could never do that. I did some of that for my earlier songs when the form of digital music was not there, be it with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rajesh Roshan or Pancham when I sang for them in Amar Akbar Anthony, Naseeb and Mr Natwarlal. There was a kind of familiarity with them and also that the singing per se was not really singing, but it was more like chatting and putting a little singing in between. But all the songs I have sung recently, be it the Baghban song or the songs that I have sung for Ram Gopal Varma, are all proper singing. For the Piddly song, I just requested for the pro tools to be sent to me. And then I will go and sit with Aadesh Shrivastava here right next door with just the two of us in a small room. And I tell him don't call anybody. We just fool around in any case at night when I go there. And we just sit and record it, he balances everything and puts all the mistunes into tunes. We have wonderful instruments now to do that and then he sends it across. I was unable to maintain the pitch Ilaiyaraaja had sent, so I sang it on my own pitch and he very graciously got the rest of the orchestra down to my pitch, so what you now see is what he reconstructed keeping my pitch in mind.

Good on him, he is honest enough to admit it.  I remember Parineeti Chopra claiming she was a classically trained singer and her singing on the song she recorded was quite terrible.

Out on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/in/album/shamitabh-original-motion/id958193101?ign-mpt=uo%3D2

Personally, not very hopeful going by the previews. But hey, Shruthi Haasan has sung a rebooted version of Aasaya Kaathula Thoodhu Vittu  with synth #Crie

For the listening purpose:



Aasaya Kaathula Thoodhu's reboot version is solid, all sortsa fun, dialog between tabla and synth is winmax. Piddly pEsiyAchu. Thappad weakest song. Nonsense by my Raaja standards. Lifebuoy subversion good fun. Ishq E Phillum is a solid song. But the predominance of synth in everything  Overall fun based. But very Raaja lite. Nenja midhikkala, varudi izhukkala.

Balki said this will be finest album in his career. I can excuse his excitement, but at least expected an album that is like Cheeni Kum or Paa. This ranks well below those two albums IMO. Some sounded a bit too noisy in fact. I expected Piddly to be the weakest song of the album. But that appears to be one of the better songs, compared to others. Yet to give few more listens before I can conclude.

*Peeps in* The second interlude in Thappad rocks big time. Not nonsense. Taking it back. But still, weakest song in the album. Sha Sha Sha predominance of synth irritates. But piano chords are excellent and all tunes are engaging.

app_engine wrote:

This obviously needs a separate thread - to track everything that's happening right from the beginning!

Mayil Senthil has got some treats for us from iLaya thaLam, to begin this thread with:
http://soundcloud.com/mayilsenthil/sets/ilayathalam-balki-bombay

So this is not from Shamitabh. Then from which album is this? Need to investigate.

The tunes are engaging so far...am listening now. I so wished that Raja would give this album the full treatment, like say a Megha. Have his favorite Hungarian friends perform on the album. The synth rhythms in this album tend to get monotonous when we know Raja is capable of so much more. But in any case, I'll take what I can get...I love the tunes.

Just listening to Ishq and there is an immediate connect just the way I had with Muthal Murai.  I don't have a problem with the synths....so far.  I think it's the most tasteful it's been in a long time, certainly as far as high profile projects go.  Way more to my taste than say on Friends or Oru Naal Oru Kanavu.  I guess he pampered us with the rich, lush orchestral Megha and NEPV soundtracks but it can't happen every time.

Just as I was preparing to dump Sha Sha Mi Mi, the charanam got me right back into the track.  Actually, it's a very nice uptempo commercial track and heaven knows that genre hasn't worked so well for him in a long time.  Though it's probably a bit too polite for today's 'standards'.

Even barely into the first interlude, Sannata is already my favourite of his 'classic reworkings'.  Of course, I am not super fond of the original and being that it was also intended for (albeit tribal) dance, it adapts more easily to contemporary tones.  Ironically, with the right promotion, I can see it becoming a hit in Bollywood.  This is flat out the most contemporary album I have heard from IR (that is, excluding the phase when he dictated music culture in TN of course).  The results:  edifying in parts (already referred to) and not so much in others (Thappad/Lifebuoy).  Two tracks, Piddly and Ishq e Fillum, combine the contemporary with signature elements of vintage Raja quite beautifully, better than, if I may so, Sannata.

Obviously not a patch on Megha or NEPV and in this case, my first impression is unlikely to change as it is a very light album.  But on the other hand, I will possibly like it more than Un Samayal Araiyil.

Yes, the album does feel light...possibly because of synth layer upon synth layer. I feel the orchestration has been kept simple and light due to this. Again, this is just based on a first listen. I'm sure repeated listening will bring out more nuances and depth. I don't mind the synth but in some of the songs, it feels like there was an opportunity lost with a fuller orchestra. I love the tunes, melodies and of course Sannatta is a knock-out in terms of arrangement.

Am I the only one who liked Thappad? The way whole tune goes along with rhythm is very nice. For some reason I don't see much clarity in the arrangements this time (may be because of too much synth)

I listened few times and I liked it... It's different compared to any raja album.. No great melody, nor great orchestration, bt still engages.. I guess it's more suited for the movie situations than as a music album.. Konja nalaiku odum, till we get other big album, like thara thappatai...
As many have mentioned already, there are lot of synth sound.. Bt the usage of synth is very different in the album, may be he was asked to give trendy sounds.. Wonder how this guy keeps updating himself with the latest technologies in music, and brings out new sounds.. One more thing which strikes while listening songs is the punch in the vocal part esp by Suraj.. As Raja said once, he has "injected" it in his voice..

Wondered why there was something familiar about the bassline of Sha Sha Mi Mi.  Realised that it somewhat evokes the iconic Thriller bassline.  IR has often praised MJ in public speeches but hasn't usually revealed much of an MJ influence in his work.  In fact, as Piddly follows Sha Sha Mi Mi, the beat does kind of evoke Billy Jean.  Esp the additional drum fill kind of fulfills the role of the clang-clang guitar riff on the chorus of Billy Jean.  Looks like IR channeled his inner MJ for this commercial album.

Easwar wrote:I listened few times and I liked it...  It's different compared to any raja album.. No great melody,  nor great orchestration,  bt still engages..  I guess it's more suited for the movie situations than as a music album..  Konja nalaiku odum, till we get other big album, like thara thappatai...
As many have mentioned already,  there are lot of synth sound.. Bt the usage of synth is very different in the album,  may be he was asked to give trendy sounds..  Wonder how this guy keeps updating himself with the latest technologies in music, and brings out new sounds..  One more thing which strikes while listening songs is the punch in the vocal part  esp by Suraj..  As Raja said once,  he has "injected" it in his voice..

Orchestration on both Ishq E Fillum as well as Piddly is great.  Ishq E Fillum is a great melody as well.  Give it time. Not counting Sannata though it's a really cool reworking of an old track.