Thambikku Intha Ooru(Tamil,Dharan)

Javed Ali's pronunciation in Mudhal Pen Neeye is horrible but the song works,mainly because of the delectable 'Undhan Kangal Unnaipol' chorus.Koothadu Machi is wacky stuff from Dharan-Even though the tune is familiar enough,composer packages some catchy elements to make the track work.Naresh Iyer's pathos song,Yennai Yaar tries too hard to make up its bad tune with the orchestration but ultimately fails.The title song is predictably a hero-worship track and predictably fails,with an age-old tune which is outright banal.Hariharan and Shreya Ghoshal's Yaaradi is a neat melody but has nothing novel about it while Benny's woefully short Ore Minsaram is the best song of this soundtrack-One rap on the knuckle for Dharan for making this track so short!..Thambikku Intha Ooru is average stuff from Dharan.

Mundhinam Partheney(Tamil,SS Thaman)

Indre Indre is very Mani Sharma'ish and the pleasant arrangements help the already uplifting tune,helped considerably by Ranjith's excellent vocals.Pesum Poove is tailor-made for Krish and Suchitra-the song which starts off slowly,leads to the hum-worthy chorus which comes out of nowhere!..Manadhin Adiyil has a brilliantly conjured pop'ish tune with Priyadarshini sounding like a complete rockstar while Maya also has a very likeable pop'ish sound with a refreshing tune that works instantly.The highlight of the soundtrack is Kanavena and the title track-While Haricharan rocks the lovely tune in Kanavena,it is actually the bewitching arrangements that makes it a winner.And Thaman goes behind the mike this time and delivers a knock out in the title track-The jazz tinged arrangements blends amazingly well with Thaman's vocals and the title riffs are humworthy-Big time!..Mundhinam Partheney's soundtrack is Thaman's best till date!

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya(Tamil,A.R.Rahman)

After so much hype about Vijay Prakash's Hosanna,the song barring the catchy chorus is actually very average.And one can almost feel the fact that Rahman should have added a little more than just the chorus which comes for a minute!..Naresh Iyer's Kannukkul Kannai has a damn addictive tune and Rahman does exceedingly well when it comes to orchestration while Devan Ekhambaran and Chinmayi completely steal the show in Anbil Avan-With an enticing tune,Rahman is at it again and does his magic in the quirky interludes.Benny's subdued rendition in the breezy Omana Penne is fabulous and the mild carnatic base towards the end of the song is a masterstroke!..Shreya Ghoshal's Mannippaaya has a pleasant enough tune but really lacks the extra punch that a Rahman track usually has.Except for the beautiful title riffs,the title track also really has nothing going for it.Alphonse's Aaromale is the highlight of the soundtrack-Rahman smartly packages the right proportion of backgrounds in a moody tune,and not to forget the Malayalam lyrics!..Even though few songs fail to reach expected standards,VTV's soundtrack is sparkling and sets the tone beautifully for the film!

Goa(Tamil,Yuvan Shankar Raja)

The title song and the club mix version are completely scintillating-Has all the hep elements that one looks forward from Yuvan and also has some completely rocking sounds interspersed between all the singing!..Andrea's vocals is breathtaking in the delightful and serene Idhu Varai even as Ajeesh steps up in the middle and sings his way to glory!..Ilaiyaraja,SPB and Chitra rule the mighty enjoyable and massy Vaaliba Va Va and the catchy and addictive hum in the middle makes it even more nicer!..The five cousins have a ball in singing the unbelievably Raja'ish folk track in Yezhezhu Thalaimuraikkum and needless to say,this track works-big time!..Ilaiyaraja's off key vocals is a misfit in the haunting pathos song,Oru Nalla Ooru while Adida Nayandiye is punchy and is one heck of a lively folk track!..The highlight of the soundtrack is Kaathal Endral and Idai Vazhi-Yuvan's short Kathal Endral reaches 7G high with a sparkling tune which is rendered in his own style by Yuvan while Benny and Mamtha Mohandas'Idai Vazhi is easily the best of the soundtrack-Yuvan simply weaves magic in both the tune and the arrangements,ala Rahman here!..A completely dazzling and an eclectic soundtrack and Yuvan starts the year with a bang!

Asal(Tamil,Bharadwaj)

The title track,beyond all appeasing-Ajith elements is a winner mainly because of the refulgent orchestration which thankfully doesn't go overboard while Kuthiraikku Theriyum has one really addictive free flowing tune with some fantastic vocals by Surmukhi!..Tottodaing is a lame title but the song has a neat rhythm with some interesting hooks while the slow and plain Em Thanthai is also pretty competent with Bharadwaj towering over the vocals.Yey Dushyantha's orchestration is blatantly lifted from Yeh Ishq Hai(Jab We Met) but has a lively tune that works well.The last track,Yengay Yengay however plays out flat and fails to make an impact.Charan gets a pretty good soundtrack from Bharadwaj in Asal!

Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam(Tamil,GV Prakash)

Kanna Nee Ennai's beautiful tune perfectly fits in the Bombay Jayashree's territory and she renders the song with consummate ease while the imposing jazz doesnt gel very well with Nenjam Nenjam's rather subdued tune but GV makes up for it with his excellent vocals.Vellaikkari's tune reminds of GV's earlier work and the tune itself falls flat while Raja Singam is on the same lines;it has a trite tune and the ennui sets in pretty quickly.The short Ilanthamizha with impressive retro sounds and an enjoyable tune works well.The IKMS theme,with some catchy and eerie sounds is very impressive while the War theme is also pretty good but the song title seems to be a misnomer.IKMS is an average soundtrack,but GV Prakash has to be lauded for continuously choosing variegated scripts.

Tamizh Padam(Tamil,Kannan)

Pachcha Maanja,beyond the produce-a-parody-of-eulogising-the-hero antics,(which is more evident in the interludes and paragraphs)the song actually has one enjoyable tune that works.O Maha Zeeya also carries the spoofy sound with all the nonsense from the other films used as lyrics,but has a beautiful tune rendered very well by Hariharan and Swetha Mohan.Even though the tune is a tad routine,the irony in Kuthuvilakku is told in a fantastic way which is enough to warrant a listen.Even with all the catchy sound,Oru Sooravalli has nothing novel about it and fails to work.The nursery-rhymish theme music also has nothing going for it.The parody is used to full extent and it actually gives a quirky ring to this soundtrack.

Kutty(Tamil,Devi Sri Prasad)

Feel My Love with KK's vocals works once again,this time in tamil-With one breathtaking tune,KK gets into the scheme of things and renders this song confidently.This has always remained one of the best compositions by Devi and thankfully its not tainted here by bad lyrics.But from hereon,this soundtrack sadly nosedives into a dreary one.Devi uses his Dil Maange more from Sangama in Lifea Jali Thaan but it is rude to even compare this song with the telugu equivalent,Thakathimithom.Nee Kathalikkum Ponnu also has this street smart charm as that of One Side Love from Arya and works to an extent while Kannu Rendum is silly and makes zero impact.Yaro En Nenjai,the Nuvvunte equivalent fails to recreate the magic which it did in Telugu.This soundtrack is nowhere near Arya,but it has its rare moments.

Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai(Tamil,Yuvan Shankar Raja)

The title song is no doubt foot-tapping,but it lacks the required punch that a Yuvan song usually has-Ranjith in the middle makes the song nicer though!..Poo Mudhal Pen Varai is a complete winner-Even though the core tune is middling,Yuvan makes up for it with a scintillating orchestration.Ranjith's vocals is the saving grace of Oru Punnagai Thane-The age old hooks and a familiar tune pulls the song down.En Aasai Ethiraliye is one annoyingly tuned song but has some good backgrounds while En Jannal Vandha's highlight is the imaginative arrangements,ably supported with some good vocals by Roshni,Priya and Divya.The introduction song where Yuvan talks is a cheesy attempt,but with a very catchy soundscape and therefore passes muster!..Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai's soundtrack is strictly average.

Paiya(Tamil,Yuvan Shankar Raja)

En Kaadhal Solla is vintage Yuvan-the suddenly rousing chorus is the highlight of the song,even as the tune sounds pleasant and has good vocals by Yuvan!..Karthik's Sutthude Sutthude is shockingly routine-Though Yuvan does a damn good job in the backgrounds,the tune is at best,hackneyed!..Benny's Poongatre Poongatre has surprisingly less inventive backgrounds,but it has a sprightly tune which is perhaps more enjoyable in the paragraphs.The overall sound of Adada Mazhaida sounds genuine but the song per se has a rather patchy tune and falls flat.The best of this soundtrack is Thuli Thuli-Supported by an incredible tune,Haricharan completely steals the show with his vocals! Yuvan definitely stutters a bit in Paiya,but delivers..yet again!

Naanayam(Tamil,James Vasanthan)

Ranjith is at his usual best in the moody title track and it has a soaring chorus which is the highlight of the song,apart from the excellent arrangements.Aasa Aasa's tune structure is out of the box;ditto for the orchestration,which overall makes for a compelling listen while the sprightly Ka Ka,sung enthusiastically by Devi Sri Prasad and Simbhu is one highly enjoyable track!..Sunitha Sarathy adds the extra oomph to the unconventional Kooda Kooda even as the dazzling backgrounds takes the song to a completely different level.The chorus in this song which comes out of nowhere is very catchy!..The mellifluous Naan Pogiren is straight out of James Vasanthan's book and SPB and Chitra do their stuff yet again.James Vasanthan extends his range very well with Naanayam's soundtrack.Stylish(Definitely not stylized!)soundtrack.

Kavalar Kudiyiruppu(Tamil,James Vasanthan)

The Happy-go-lucky hero's intro song(most likely!)Appan Policeda is a patchy effort with all the routine elements thrown in to annoy the listeners while the Rahman-styled friendship track in Gangai Nathi is breezy and instantly likeable.Sharreth and Priya's Kodi Kodi Asaigal is very listenable,thanks to the creative 'take-notice' kind of orchestration which overshadows the tune while Thaaye Thaaye,with minimal backgrounds sustains interest mainly due to Srinivasan's vocals.The last track,Uyirodu Uyiril has nothing to rave about,but makes for a very good listen and is ably supported by Chinmayi's excellent vocals.James Vasanthan comes up with a promising soundtrack in Kavalar Kudiyiruppu!

Aval Peyar Thamizharasi(Tamil,Vijay Antony)

Ranjith is completely adorable in Nee Otha Sollu Sollu even as the tune churned out by Vijay Antony is pretty good with rustic arrangements.Guju Guju Goods Vandi has a very enjoyable tune and Nancy and Silviya are one of the reasons why this track sustains interest.Vineeth Sreenivasan sings in a bizarre fashion in Vadaka Therka,which completely falls flat while Vijay Antony's ebullient vocals considerably help a weak tune in Palayan Kottai.Everything about Malgudi Subha's Kol Tanaa Rangubhai is outlandish and doesnt register at all.Yethanayo Katha Undu also falls under the same category,but the funny lyrics do help a bit.Veera Shankar's three tracks are soporific and doesnt deserve a mention.Even as Vijay Antony shows some promise in a rustic theme like this,this soundtrack fails to work as a whole.

Siddhu +2 First Attempt(Tamil,Dharan,Babu Shankar,SS Thaman)

Yuvan's predominantly non-nasal vocals is a surprise package in Poove Poove-An instantly addictive melody which is very much Yuvan'ish and Dharan does an excellent job,more so in the remix version!..Dharan's two other tracks however fall flat!..Money Money is predictable right from the start and is forgotten quickly while Naan Alagana Thamarai's remix by Suchitra,Madhumitha and Venkat Prabhu is massively cringe worthy.Thaman props up an enjoyable tune Gundu Chattikulle and Ranjith's fantastic vocals is perhaps the life of this track.Babu Shankar rounds off the soundtrack with an insipid composition in Kelu Kelu-And Haricharan is a complete misfit in this track!..Multiple composers on almost all occasions is a bad idea.This soundtrack is no different!..

Appavi(Tamil,Joshua Shridhar)

Edu Edu Velai's rather routine tune goes completely unnoticed because of the mighty rousing backgrounds which elevates it to an altogether different level.Eechalakka is an amalgamation of predictable sounds added with some atrocious rendition while Shankar Mahadevan's Vaada Vinmela is another hero-worship track that only gets into the nerves.Krish's Yaaro Yaar Ivan is competent-The song has catchy enough backgrounds and arrangements but is undone by a hackneyed tune.The last track,Rayilin Padhayil however is a beautifully conjured melody-With a neat rhythm and excellent vocals by Hariharan and Shreya Ghoshal,this track is mesmerizing!..Joshua Shridhar makes a return to the music scene...but without his earlier form!

Vettaikkaran(Tamil,Vijay Antony)

Shankar Mahadevan's Naan Adicha is a stale khichdi of Vijay's earlier annoying introduction songs and is instantly forgotten while Puli Urumudhu pushes a step further and is a full-on attack on the senses.Even though En Uchi Mandai reeks more of Vijay Antony's style than the actor Vijay,this track too with adequately cacophonic and jarring sounds is plain silly!..But the soundtrack gets a shade better with the next two songs,Oru Chinna Thamarai and Karigalan-Oru Chinna Thamarai has a lovely tune,completely tainted by the unnecessary rap fragments but has some competent singing by Suchitra and Krish.However Surchith and Sangeetha's Karigalan works beautifully-Despite the occasionally annoying lyrics,this track has a very enjoyable tune with some interestingly infused folkish arrangements.Barring 2 songs in which the composer gets the better of Vijay,Vettaikkaran's soundtrack is maha-stale.

Peranmai(Tamil,Vidyasagar)

Barring Madhu Balakrishnan's angst-ridden singing that is laudable,Kaadu Kalai fails to make an impact mainly due to a profound tune structure.Kaatu Puli,thankfully has a neat and simple tune with lilting layers that unfold in the middle even as the composer infuses some adequately catchy sounds in the later part of the song.Choice of K.K to croon this song is a pleasant surprise!..Thuppakki Penn has some very good orchestration with a mundane tune,but gets reasonably better when it reaches the paragraphs while Sonia Irabar and Sianed Jones' When the Boys is plain tedious and is annoying after an amount of time.Yerathala Yezhu Mani is the highlight of the soundtrack-With a Raja like tune and enchanting orchestration,this track showcases Vidyasagar's maturity and Sadhana Sargam simply sounds astounding in this song!..Vidyasagar comes up with a dithering soundtrack in Peranmai!

Yogi(Tamil,Yuvan Shankar Raja)

More than the tune,it is the abolutely divine Saarangi backgrounds that hits the bulls eye in Yaarodu Yaaro-Yuvan's off-key vocals actually adds charm to this song!..Yuvan's catchy orchestration is used to the maximum in Yogi Yogi-Barring the minor irritant in the form of Blaaze,this song is foot-tapping,grows more on you on multiple listens and Neha as usual,does full justice to her job!..The other version,with some addictive hooks also works effectively!..Yuvan carries his Oororam Puliyamaram sound in Seermevum Koovathiley-With some amazingly-conceived lyrics and authentic tune changes at regular parts of the song,this song works yet again!..But the highlight of the soundtrack is Yogi's theme and the other Saarangi version-Both the tracks are sheer delights and Yuvan elevates it to another level with his stunning orchestration(Especially Ustad Sultan Khan's repetitive humming in the Saarangi version is just brilliant!)..Yogi's soundtrack is divine and is refreshingly different from the surfeited and one-dimensional stuff that other contemporary music directors are presently doing in the Tamil industry-A must listen!..

Unnaipol Oruvan(Tamil,Shruti Hassan)

Kamal Hassan fritters away from his usual singing and pretends in Allah Jaane,which also has a sleep-inducing tune,but the song also has occasional spurts of quality backgrounds in the middle which ultimately goes in vain.Shruti Hassan with her atrocious pronunciation is a complete misfit in the other version!..Shruti seriously fails to exploit a competent tune in Nilai Varuma with good vocals by Bombay Jayashree and Kamal Hassan and the song ends up as a bummer!..The title song also doesnt work-Beyond the catchy backgrounds,the tune is amateurish and is a complete let-down.Blaaze annoys throughout Vaanam Yellai and that nursery-rhymish tune and rap is only laughable.Giving the composing job to Shruti was indeed a big move,but she makes a terrible mess of the soundtrack-disappointing!..

Aadhavan(Tamil,Harris Jeyaraj)

Benny Dayal sings in a totally weird fashion in the mighty uninteresting Damaku Damaku-A totally bizarre tune again undone with a Deja vu feeling that immediately settles in,when the song starts.Dekho Dekho is unbearable-Less said,the better!..Karthik's Hasili Fisiliye has the composer pushing his luck to a very very uncomfortable level-The song from the starting note reminds of a dozen other songs of his earlier compositions!..Mano's Maasi Maasi,with a largely outdated tune is instantly forgotten while Chinmayi and Unni Krishnan are wasted for another pointless(And again monotonous-That is always there for a Harris composition!) tune in Varayo Varayo.Shail Hada desperately tries to bring in some life in Yeno Yeno Panithuli,but the song remains dead throughout.Harris comes up with another massively cringe-worthy soundtrack in Aadhavan!