Mani Shrama is truly one of the best music directors, but even the best have off days. Many of his recent albums may have divided the fans as it carried more populist sound, he bounced and composed the music to 'Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum'. With a rustic setting, the promos certainly got us hooked with the gritty music.

Krishnam vande jagadgurum album opens on a gentle, romantic note with the breezy hummable melodious track of 'ARARE PACI MANASA' featuring the voices of Narendra and Shravan Bhargavi. This song has good lyrics by Sirivennela which captures cute love, esp the lines "Yedo Ayomayam, Ainaa mama priyam… Daanne Kadaa manam premantam.." The instrumentals are very nice with different guitars.

Next up is the item song 'SEI ANDRI NAANU' sung by excellent Shreya Ghosal. The beginning does remind you of ‘Kajra Re’, but any comparison fades when the lyrics start in. the song starts with kannada lyrics and shifts into telugu. The lyrics by E.S. Murthy are so inventive and funny., esp the last line 'Bisleri botilla adolla andalu, tags isirestharu teeraka daahaalu'. Sherya Ghosal's voice provides a new spin on the usual item number. The song definitely can function as a good item song with melody in it

Then comes "JARUGUTHUNNADI JAGANNATAKAM" undoubtedly the best song of the album which has lyrics by Sirivennela and sung by the great S.P.Balasubramanyam. Mani Sharma has done a brilliant job with this soundtrack and completely hooked us with his interments on this soundtrack and shows his versatility. While listening to this lengthy musical score (nine and half minutes), I got goosebumps and with the mix of breathtaking music with great lyrics tanned powerful voice this song is undoubtedly the best song of the year.

After the energy packed great song in the album comes 'SPICEY SPICEY GIRL' which is the kind of song one expects from Mani Sharma when he sets out to make a regular commercial number. It’s peppy, very youthful. Sirivennela pens quite interesting lyrics that avoided cliched lines (minus the unneeded English lyrics it is absolutely for the regular cinema goers). One does miss the innovation the first three tracks encompassed but at the same time ‘Spicey girl’ is a treat for the Mani Sharma commercial cinema lovers who want to hear him in his element. Hemachandra, Chaitra and Shravana Bhargavi sang this song.

The fun number, 'RANGA MARTHANDA B.TECH BABU' sung by Ragu Babu, Sai Madhav, and Hemachandra goes like a conversation manner. This is bound to get some laughs on screen but as a track, it does suffer from too simplistic lyrics and has an influence of 'Emotional Atyachar' from the movie Dev D. The music does improve the track, starting from a traditional Dhol- Sannayi then to the brass band style then shifts its great to rock style. A very innovative change overs but nothing special.

Then comes my another favorite 'CHAL CHAL CHAL' with an interesting choice of Joanna for the track to which Sai Madhav Burra penned the lyrics which looks like another item number in the film. The lyrics are quite good, especially in the charanam. Definitely this is the kind of variation you want in an album as it has something new to offer.

The last track in the album is a track that is probably going to be heard in the film more than any other, 'THE EVOLUTION THEME'. Mani Sharma delivers great orchestration for this theme and its a haunting piece.

But for a standalone Mani Sharma album Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum will fit in the 'good' category. Only "Arare pac Mansa", “Sei andri Naanu” and "Jaruguthunnadi jagannatakam" can be classed as songs that have the wow factor that we come to associate with his best music.