L. Subramaniam — Kalyānī & Sarasvatī

I wouldn't dare rate a Carnatic album. Come to think of it, I don't really rate albums in general. The first time I decided to 'get into' Carnatic music, in my late teens, I latched on to L. Subramaniam's music. Not knowing where to start, I got my hands on his discography and started from the beginning. One song melded into the next, and that one into the next, until it all just seemed like one wonderful-sounding monolith. 

The next time I decided to 'get into' Carnatic music, I decided I'd start with L. Subramaniam's catalogue. Armed with a non-zero amount of knowledge in Hindustani classical music, I thought I'd be better placed to take on the endeavour than earlier in my teens. I was wrong. However, I found that I gravitated to two L. Subramaniam albums in particular - Kalyani and Sarasvati, both released on Water Lily Acoustics. You’d assume this gravitation had something to do with my new-found non-zero understanding of Hindustani classical music. You’d be wrong. I just really liked the album covers. And of course, the music too. For the decade or more since, I’ve often returned to several L. Subramaniam albums, but none more so than these. 

I wouldn’t dare rate a Carnatic album, but I really like these two, and while I wouldn’t rate them, I’d certainly recommend them, therefore making them, at the very least, very good albums.

P.S. Each of the albums also features, L. Subramaniam’s first wife, late Viji Subramaniam, a renowned vocalist, on the tambura (tanpura).