Album Review Corner 2002
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Welcome to my Album Review Corner for 2002. Hope you find the album reviews helpful. I will try to be as diplomatic and objective as I can.
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OU XIANG SINGERS.
If you notice the market now, there are a lot of so called Ou Xiang singers. Well...I am going to introduce to all some albums from Ou Xiang Singers.
WEWE'S HAPPY DAY
Wewe was actually formed 2 years back. Happy Day was their first single...but however they did not receive enough good response. Later, they went on to act in TV serials, You Wei in Ma La Xian Shi, Li Wei in Tu Si Nan Zhi Wen...and it made them enjoy fame...thus they managed to come out with a full album.
Can WeWe sing...i would say so so lar...i wun say they have superb singing skills...music wise...i would say it's very suitable for teenagers taste...with most of them fast songs. Few ballads...but they have good producers behind the album...if u like music which is easy to listen to, fun, to get u happy and relax...this album is not bad.
Li Wei and Lin You Wei each have a solo in the album...personally i prefer you wei's voice. Overall, this album is a must buy if you are into Ou Xiang singers...and if u want it to be autographed by the 2 guys who are coming soon.
RATING: B
RECOMMENDED SONGS: MAO, TING BU DAO NI, HAPPY DAY, SARA, NI BU KUAI LE, YUAN LAI AI NI SHI ZHE ME KUAI LE
VIC CHOU (ZAIZAI) MAKE A WISH
Can Zaizai sing?
I would say alright...has shown improvement since Zui Te Bie De Cun Zai/Wei Ni Zhi Zhuo.
It doesn't matter if you are not a good singer...as long you know the market and have good producers behind you.
Hence, an album of ballads/comfortable medium paced songs...I would agree that all the songs are very very nice...
Zaizai still needs to improve on pronunciation...
RATING: C+ -
Sun Yanzi's START ALBUM
An album of covers. If you are non-Yanzi fan, you can give this album a miss.
Basically what irks me is comparison between Yanzi and the original singers, and that Yanzi actually sings better than the original singer...what a joke. E.g. Ah Mei's Yuan Lai Ni She Me Dou Bu Xiang Yao..
She also did covers of faye wong's tian kong, karen mok's mei shi jian...i wonder what is she trying to prove?
Looking on the bright side, i do enjoy the rendition of the english covers...but nothing beats what i feel the highlight of the album, Someone, composed by Yanzi...(this song is recorded in Sammi's Qu Ai Ba album as Zhi Dao De Qing Gao Su Wo) This song is also Yanzi's first composition...
For bonus tracks, there are 2 songs jiu shi zhe yang and Up 2 U, both advertisement songs.
RATING: B -
In this posting, I would like to recommend 2 singers from EMI/Virgin.
Firstly, let's talk about Shunza.
SHUNZA'S FRIEND
After being confronted by Yao Qian on if you don't 40,000 copies, you would not have your next album, and with her disastrous previous hip hop album, and with all the bad publicity, Shunza has decided to shut up, and do less promotion...
Well...this album well...how would i put it...it's definitely more radio-friendly than her previous MEI YOU CHOU NU REN album...does it mean that Shunza has to yield in to industry standards?
In fact I enjoy the ballads in this album. Although Dear Friend is a cover song, it is one again, a touching song, and it does get to me...a very good song. Next ballad song I would like to recommend is Juan Lian. Although it is another cover, but once again, it is yet another touching song...and the other ballads I would recommend include Kan Jian Star Blue and Gei Wo.
Of course you can find the other alternative music, you can find it in Qia Qiao De Ji Mo (folksy). Would recommend It's cold outside (a demo) and It's gonna be alright.
And yes, And I know, a duet by Shunza and Elva Hsiao. 2 great R&B singers put together. What kind of chemistry would you see? Not bad...sparks manage to fly...you seldom get to see 2 females singing a duet.
RATING: B+ -
ELVA HSIAO'S 4U
After a long 10 months, Elva is finally back with her long awaited 4th album.
Four You + For You + 4 You = 4 U.
This album strives to give us 4 sides of Elva...white, red, blue...hehe...forgot about the last...
Anyway...image wise, yes, she decides to return to a simple image.
Yes, she has been dropped by Mcdonalds from singing the advertisement song...and yanzi is taking over...but heck...let's ignore that to focus more on Elva's music.
In this album, Elva has sort of dropped quite a bit of R&B for some refreshing change of songs. In fact, she is able to find her own voice and walk out of Coco Lee's shadow...
She has taken vocal lessons and yes, her techniques and voice have improve tremendously.
Keeping Jim Lee, Jae Chong and Chen Wei and adding Chen Zihong as producers in addition to the wonderful lyrics by Lin Xi and Yao Qian, this is definitely a good buy album.
Now let me recommend some songs from this album.
Track No 3 WO XI HUAN NI KUAI LE
Lyrics by Yao Qian and composed by Chen Wei. This song's MTV is way cool, music wise, it's very refreshing, and unique...this is a feel good song in this kinda turbulent days...find that Elva's singing is improving, seen from this song.
Track 4 Kuai Ge
Lyrics by lyrics maestro Lin Xi...he compares love to a fast song...very good intelligent lyrics...this song is rather short, and is a cover, it has a spanish-latin arrangement and it would make you wanna dance...Elva keeps her voice a little down to attempt this song...yet another song to prove her vocal prowess.
Track 6 Zi Ji Ren
Another lyrics masterpiece by Lin Xi...this song is rather a rock song...although it is not one of the zhu da this is a great song with the lyrics together.
Track 9 Yin Wei Ni
This track is composed by Elva herself. It has the sunny feel of California...it's a medium beat track and it is kinda like cappucino...when it comes to this song, Elva is at her best
Track 8 Xiao Zhe Ai Ni
Another piece of work by lyrics maestro Lin Xi...the music is more to zhong ban...in fact this is quite a sad song...that's what i feel...the lyrics can be quite sad...and yes...elva is once again at her best.
Track 7 Wo Men De Ji Mo
A slow song combining the finest qualities of Yao Qian and Chen Wei.
Track 10 Cha Qu.
A touching song...which uses orchestra music...a slow movin ballad...listen out to the chorus...lyrics by Yao Qian
Track 2 Wen Zi Ji
I've seen the MTV. It's great...composed by Shunza and lyrics by Yao Qian, this is one of the best songs in the album...feel very touched by the song and elva's delivery...a slow ballad...it would easily be one of the best songs in the year.
Don't miss out on this great album. Support Elva.
RATING: B+ -
Thanks for the insightful reviews (thought you were a bit overly generous with Zai2 and Yanzi, but nevermind
) Anyway album reviewers need not be "diplomatic and objective" lah ... just speak from your heart!
I'm not a big Elva fan as I wasn't too impressed with her previous one... but I'll give this one a listen. -
tho many ppl prefer d original version of "yuan lai ni shen me dou bu yao", but I've heard one of the djs,(forgot who), he said that he liked Stefanie's version coz he feels that yanzi has put her feelings into this song...
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My views are opposite: I feel A*Mei put in more feelings in her rendition than Yanzi. Can see that Yanzi put in efforts to sing with feel, but to me, nothing beats the original by A*Mei. If I really want to be critical, A*Mei brings out the feelings of a heartbroken woman who gets ditched, Yanzi's version is more "shao nian bu zhi chou zi wei" and borders near the "wu bing shen ying" kind.(no offence)
In fact, you can only find a more "feeling A*Mei" in her 1st 2 albums. The recent one is not bad, but still her 1st 2 albums have the most "feel". -
Well to be fair, A*Mei was already quite a veteran by the time she released her 1st album with that song, having sung in pubs before that. She's probably more experienced in love too, compared to Yanzi, so that helps. When it comes to putting "feelings" into a song, A*mei is really good at that. Yanzi has her emotional side too, but maybe she'll get better when she's gone thru a heartbreak, sth like that... haha
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No updates???
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Did not buy any albums recently...unless u all want a review of the Tu Si Nan Zhi Wen soundtrack...
Probably do one on yong bang...but not so nice...coz i know him... -
gosh! this topic has been dormant for ages...
It's actually my fave topics in this forum.... can someone care to share his/her views on the more recent releases? -
Ah well...sure...lotsa new albums gonna be on the market...so juz watch out this space
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Ok, not really good at doing reviews, but here's my some penny-worth comments :
***
David Tao - Black Tangerine (Hei Se Liu Ding)
David Tao's album is pretty good if you are not exactly looking for R&B. Quite a fair bit of rock, and boy, can David Tao ROCK! I am pleasantly surprised at it, though I was a little disappointed at first as I was one who expected good R&B from the "Father of R&B". But it got into me the more I listened to it over the weekend. Will probably add another half-star after even more listens...
Rating :
(out of 5)
***
Shin Yue Tuan - Shin
It's about time for some nice rock, and Shin Yue Tuan provides a good deal of it. Fave track has got to be "Shi Jie Mo Ri". The lyrics about a guy whose love knows no bounds, not even till Doom's Day - the end of the world. Yes, Shin's voice sounds like Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, esp when he plunges into "na han". And yes, "Shi Jie Mo Ri" reminds me so much of "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing", which ironically was the theme of "Armaggedon", a movie about Doom's Day. Nonetheless, it is a good song. The other songs are really credible rock too, and you'll be surprised how good the rock version of "One Night in Beijing" can sound.
Rating :
***
Elva Hsiao - Wen (1st single off her new album)
Ok, this is not an album, but the very 1st single off her new album. Written for Elva who is believed to be always falling in love but never have her love requited, as those men are eventually only passerbys in her life. Her voice is still as lovely and silky, it's a song which really brings out the "pain" of her wanting but not getting. Elva fans will like this.
Rating : 1/2 (out of 5) -
Hajime...where did u hear her song from?
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Quan qiu shou bo on 933 recently. Listen out.
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hey, i'm pretty new here
was just snooping around when i came across the 'local singers/composer' thread and then this one, muz say that i've made some great discoveries along the way! esp on a particular mr huang and small winter....
really enjoyed the reviews here, hmmm...got industrial standard! keep it up...btw, would like to find out, wat are the kinda music mags u folks normally read?
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really enjoyed the reviews here, hmmm...got industrial standard! keep it up...btw, would like to find out, wat are the kinda music mags u folks normally read? [/b][/quote]
well...I usually don't read(i did read the Ozzy Osbourne recent book though...Ozzy is King)...but sometimes l do look thru some music mags...and I remember i saw b4 this dunno wat I magazine...where they had tis EXACT same little old like 'hidden camera' kinda photo of me printed on a few pages next to my name tat makes me look totally weird!
[/quote] -
oops! horrors!
someone should tell them to stop using that pic!
maybe you can provide us a nice glamour shot of yourself or we can arrange a photography session
email me lah.....kekeke....
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harlow,
I kena prompted by the sgforum pple to post a mail. since my fren has spoken, I think I better write something.
Truthfully I dun read any mags, coz I am illiterate!! Haha!! -
I guess you can always sue them on the grounds that they used an image which does not depict your charismatic looks decently enough on its widely distributed mags.
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mercy pls!
the mag needs talented and charismatic people like u folks to get going...
guess who....dun sue!! -
[b]mercy pls!
aiyah no need to worry at all about that lah...with all those ppl non stop ripping us small time singaporean songwriters off by downloading the bloody mp3s coz they think music is free, where got money to pay lawyer?
the mag needs talented and charismatic people like u folks to get going...
aiyoh....don't say that lah...we need talented ppl like u to make boring bums like me look talented and charismatic...
my fren just now told me that the i mag recently had tis little write up on a few of us and all the melody writers had photos except me huh?! hahh...it''s ok...tat's cool..at least tat photo is gone...
wat the hell?! U(xiaohan) illterate..??? hahha...for all those words u have written....all i could do is 'la la la'....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz -
So, what mags do you guys read? recommend a bit la.. so that I can pick up a bit of more refined english along the way..
btw, HYR, you dun La, you juz Hooo... like an owl..
I dunno about you guys, but I dun really like to read mags, coz too many pics, see until dizzy
I prefer to read those books with pictires, like this guy called Ji 3 Mi 3, taiwanese I think.. he is really popular now.. he draws alternative looking yet colourful pics with some words under it.. it is really cool... I recommend pple who wants to have inspirations to just stare at the pics and you might just get ideas flowing to your brain! 
My fren from Tw gave them to me..
Anyway, our local singer Cai Chunjia sang this song about two pple living in the same block of apartments and they never met each other coz one will turn right and the other turn left while they get out of their aptments. Tat song ripped off the JiMi artist guy man!! He has one book called "turn left turn right".