Grown Up
BY2
Twin sisters Miko and Yumi are now all of 18 and old enough to, um, cradle a giant apple from the looks of the album cover.
Despite the clumsy reference to forbidden fruit, Grown Up actually pulls back from the jail-baiting sexiness of their second album Twins (2009).
Opening track Take Me Away, by the memorably credited Dr Moon, is sweetly escapist: “Suddenly want you to take me away, leave this dust, find a region with no smoke/A sky full of starlight, will make all wishes come true.”
After that highlight, alas, the rest of the album fails to deliver.
Do check out Moon’s lyrics on What Do U Want though. Comparing the dance floor to a farm, the lyrics go: “Your vegetable has run off with someone else.”
Label mate JJ Lin lends a hand by composing and rapping on Get Together but the bouncy tune is let down by mundane lyrics – it is never a good sign when they have to resort to spelling out their name in a song.
The girls try their hand at composing and writing lyrics for This Is Love, which is supposed to be about the thrill of falling in love but fails to convey it.
Perhaps, they need to grow up even more before their efforts bear fruit.
The Drifters
The Drifters
This new Taiwanese duo comprise Darren and Yannick, both of whom have backgrounds in visual art and, fortuitously for them, both have ties with Mandopop star and label boss Jay Chou.
Darren got to know Chou through another singer friend, Alan Kuo, while Yannick was the son of Chou’s high school music teacher.
It just goes to show the importance of knowing the right people in the music business, as it was Chou’s brainwave for the two to come together and form an act.
His shadow hangs heavily over this debut album. The sing-song-rap of You Are My Band-Aid is reminiscent of his style, and he also contributes a couple of tracks. The Drifters even have a pointless remake of the Jay Chou-Vincent Fang-penned hit Where’s The Promised Happiness?. A pity, for there is a light breezy vibe to the record that can be quite pleasant.
If the indication of who sings what in the lyric book/calendar is right, then Yannick could well be channelling the laid-back groove of surfer-singer Jack Johnson in Paris Lovers while Darren’s voice is slightly richer and more evocative.
Still, there is not such a big difference between the two that a song like, say, Miss You And I Write A Letter, needs to be parcelled out between them. And no thanks for burying this memorable Chou-Fang collaboration right at the end of the album.
For the moment, The Drifters are getting publicity for the Jay Chou connection but they will need to come up with a more distinctive sound if they want to stick around.
(ST)
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Voice
Chyi Yu
From Buddhist chants to Christian hymns, veteran Taiwanese singer Chyi Yu has certainly got things covered on the religious front.
After releasing three EPs of sutras in 2004 and another in 2006, she is crooning Amazing Grace and Christmas carols such as Silent Night and Joy To The World on her new English album.
Her light, soaring vocals make it all sound quite pretty but while pleasant on the surface, nothing is deeply felt and the album comes too close to being bland. The inclusion of hoary chestnuts such as You Light Up My Life do not help in upping the excitement level either.
I would much rather she release another album of original material. It has been 13 years since Camels, Flying Bird & Fish (1997), but that strange and beautiful record still lingers in my mind.
Or maybe it is April and I am simply not in the yuletide mood.
Manifold
Brian
Brian Joo was one half of the Korean R&B duo Fly To The Sky, who split up after eight albums including the No. 1 records No Limitations (2007) and Decennium (2009).
On his second solo offering, Brian continues to groove to the smooth, slick sounds of R&B and signals his ambition of breaking into the international market with the inclusion of three English tracks – Do It, Tears Run Dry and Bullet.
He has a leg up in this respect over former partner Hwanhee, as he is a Korean American and has no problems with enunciation.
The three tracks also show off his ability to go from sensual lover who just wants to “do it, do it, do it, do it, do it/All night long with you” to a man who is “broken, wide open” to a guy who cannot commit and keeps “dodging the bullet”.
Brian is certainly living up to the album title.
ZE:A – Nativity
ZE:A
Talk about mixed messages.
This Korean boyband sound like a sci-fi novel (they are also known as Children Of Empire), dress like a themed challenge from Project Runway (“Design a black outfit that would take a jockey from horse-racing to a night out on the town”) and have a song called Mazeltov, the Yiddish expression to convey congratulations.
Intriguingly, the English bits of that track include “Latin girl, Mexican girl, American girl, Japan girl, Korean girl” and “Mazeltov, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday”. Whatever it is they are celebrating, ZE:A are certainly being all-inclusive.
One message though rings out loud and clear on the three-track danceoriented EP. They sing on New Star: “I wanna be a star.”
Yeah, you and every other Korean boyband out there.
(ST)
Chyi Yu
From Buddhist chants to Christian hymns, veteran Taiwanese singer Chyi Yu has certainly got things covered on the religious front.
After releasing three EPs of sutras in 2004 and another in 2006, she is crooning Amazing Grace and Christmas carols such as Silent Night and Joy To The World on her new English album.
Her light, soaring vocals make it all sound quite pretty but while pleasant on the surface, nothing is deeply felt and the album comes too close to being bland. The inclusion of hoary chestnuts such as You Light Up My Life do not help in upping the excitement level either.
I would much rather she release another album of original material. It has been 13 years since Camels, Flying Bird & Fish (1997), but that strange and beautiful record still lingers in my mind.
Or maybe it is April and I am simply not in the yuletide mood.
Manifold
Brian
Brian Joo was one half of the Korean R&B duo Fly To The Sky, who split up after eight albums including the No. 1 records No Limitations (2007) and Decennium (2009).
On his second solo offering, Brian continues to groove to the smooth, slick sounds of R&B and signals his ambition of breaking into the international market with the inclusion of three English tracks – Do It, Tears Run Dry and Bullet.
He has a leg up in this respect over former partner Hwanhee, as he is a Korean American and has no problems with enunciation.
The three tracks also show off his ability to go from sensual lover who just wants to “do it, do it, do it, do it, do it/All night long with you” to a man who is “broken, wide open” to a guy who cannot commit and keeps “dodging the bullet”.
Brian is certainly living up to the album title.
ZE:A – Nativity
ZE:A
Talk about mixed messages.
This Korean boyband sound like a sci-fi novel (they are also known as Children Of Empire), dress like a themed challenge from Project Runway (“Design a black outfit that would take a jockey from horse-racing to a night out on the town”) and have a song called Mazeltov, the Yiddish expression to convey congratulations.
Intriguingly, the English bits of that track include “Latin girl, Mexican girl, American girl, Japan girl, Korean girl” and “Mazeltov, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday”. Whatever it is they are celebrating, ZE:A are certainly being all-inclusive.
One message though rings out loud and clear on the three-track danceoriented EP. They sing on New Star: “I wanna be a star.”
Yeah, you and every other Korean boyband out there.
(ST)
Chicago The Musical
Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Atkins Enterprises with John Frost and Fran and Barry Weissler
Esplanade Theatre, Tuesday
Chicago, together with Cabaret, are the dark glinting jewels in the oeuvre of the legendary partnership between composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb.
The cynical heart of this musical is unveiled right from the start. There is an announcement that we are about to watch a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery – all the things we hold “near and dear” to us.
The setting is the 1920s in the Windy City when jazz was the brassy soundtrack of the times and hot-blooded killers grabbed newspaper headlines.After shooting her lover dead, Roxie Hart (Sharon Millerchip) is bundled off to jail where she plots and schemes to escape from the gallows. Another merry murderess, Velma Kelly (Deone Zanotto), finds that the media spotlight begins to gradually shift from her to Roxie.
The thought struck me when I first saw the revival of Chicago on Broadway that if the musical genre did not exist, it would have to be invented for this show, so perfectly did it justify the coming together of theatre, song and dance.
It is hence, for me, the standard to which all productions of Chicago have to measure up. The 2002 Oscar-winning film adaptation had the audacity to cut the duet Class, among other transgressions, and does not come up to scratch.
This Australian version is essentially the same production as the 1996’s Broadway revival which features sleek choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of famed choreographer Bob Fosse.
The ensemble makes a splashy song-and-dance entrance with Velma singing All That Jazz. Black skin-tight outfits sheathe buff male bodies and lissome female dancers to make up what has to be the sexiest chorus in town.
It is a blistering start to an elegantly and energetically staged show with the cast nailing one number after another.
Millerchip was a standout. She could put on a kittenish purr and turn on the coquettish charm and then sing with wild-eyed abandon of her ambition to be in vaudeville. And the tricky scene of her as a ventriloquist’s dummy to lawyer Billy Flynn’s literal machinations in the courtroom was nicely executed.
As the thwarted Velma, Zanotto made you feel her frustrations though not quite with the vulnerability that Bebe Neuwirth (from the sitcom Frasier) brought to the role, which won her a Tony Award in 1997 for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. It would also have been nice if there had been greater chemistry between Millerchip and Zanotto.
The rest of the cast had their chance to shine in individual numbers. In particular, Colleen Hewett impressed with the saucy and sassy When You’re Good To Mama as the formidable Matron Morton who presides over the women’s jail while Damien Bermingham, who played Roxie’s husband Amos, stole the limelight with Mister Cellophane, a number about being ignored.
When Chicago was first staged on Broadway in 1975, it received a mixed reception from audiences unused to the frequent breaking of the fourth wall and the deeply mocking tone of the musical.
We now live in times when the idea of the celebrity criminal barely raises an eyebrow– they probably have their own TV shows – and we can listen to lines such as “murder is a form of entertainment” without flinching.
There is barely a ripple even when Billy sings in Razzle Dazzle: “What if, in fact, you’re just disgusting?/Razzle dazzle ’em/And they’ll never catch wise!”
A musical that dares to snigger at its audience? Bless Chicago’s deliciously dark and twisted heart.
(ST)
Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Atkins Enterprises with John Frost and Fran and Barry Weissler
Esplanade Theatre, Tuesday
Chicago, together with Cabaret, are the dark glinting jewels in the oeuvre of the legendary partnership between composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb.
The cynical heart of this musical is unveiled right from the start. There is an announcement that we are about to watch a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery – all the things we hold “near and dear” to us.
The setting is the 1920s in the Windy City when jazz was the brassy soundtrack of the times and hot-blooded killers grabbed newspaper headlines.After shooting her lover dead, Roxie Hart (Sharon Millerchip) is bundled off to jail where she plots and schemes to escape from the gallows. Another merry murderess, Velma Kelly (Deone Zanotto), finds that the media spotlight begins to gradually shift from her to Roxie.
The thought struck me when I first saw the revival of Chicago on Broadway that if the musical genre did not exist, it would have to be invented for this show, so perfectly did it justify the coming together of theatre, song and dance.
It is hence, for me, the standard to which all productions of Chicago have to measure up. The 2002 Oscar-winning film adaptation had the audacity to cut the duet Class, among other transgressions, and does not come up to scratch.
This Australian version is essentially the same production as the 1996’s Broadway revival which features sleek choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of famed choreographer Bob Fosse.
The ensemble makes a splashy song-and-dance entrance with Velma singing All That Jazz. Black skin-tight outfits sheathe buff male bodies and lissome female dancers to make up what has to be the sexiest chorus in town.
It is a blistering start to an elegantly and energetically staged show with the cast nailing one number after another.
Millerchip was a standout. She could put on a kittenish purr and turn on the coquettish charm and then sing with wild-eyed abandon of her ambition to be in vaudeville. And the tricky scene of her as a ventriloquist’s dummy to lawyer Billy Flynn’s literal machinations in the courtroom was nicely executed.
As the thwarted Velma, Zanotto made you feel her frustrations though not quite with the vulnerability that Bebe Neuwirth (from the sitcom Frasier) brought to the role, which won her a Tony Award in 1997 for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. It would also have been nice if there had been greater chemistry between Millerchip and Zanotto.
The rest of the cast had their chance to shine in individual numbers. In particular, Colleen Hewett impressed with the saucy and sassy When You’re Good To Mama as the formidable Matron Morton who presides over the women’s jail while Damien Bermingham, who played Roxie’s husband Amos, stole the limelight with Mister Cellophane, a number about being ignored.
When Chicago was first staged on Broadway in 1975, it received a mixed reception from audiences unused to the frequent breaking of the fourth wall and the deeply mocking tone of the musical.
We now live in times when the idea of the celebrity criminal barely raises an eyebrow– they probably have their own TV shows – and we can listen to lines such as “murder is a form of entertainment” without flinching.
There is barely a ripple even when Billy sings in Razzle Dazzle: “What if, in fact, you’re just disgusting?/Razzle dazzle ’em/And they’ll never catch wise!”
A musical that dares to snigger at its audience? Bless Chicago’s deliciously dark and twisted heart.
(ST)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Love In A Puff
Pang Ho Cheung
The story: Retail assistant Cherie (Miriam Yeung) and adman Jimmy (Shawn Yue) meet as they take cigarette breaks in the same alley. They are drawn to each other and the development of their tentative relationship over the course of a few days is depicted against a background of incessant smoking.
The English title sounds like a fluffy romantic comedy but Hong Kong’s Pang Ho Cheung is too wily a writer- director to simply serve up something as mundane and straightforward as that.
In fact, the opening credits will have you wondering if you walked into the right screening hall as it seems to be the set-up for a slasher horror flick. It turns out to be a scary story being told by a smoker to his regular group of kakis.
Driven by the anti-smoking regulations to take their breaks at a few select spots, these knots of outsiders soon form their little cliques and as another character remarks: “It’s a great way to meet women.”
There is a spark of interest between Cherie and Jimmy when they first meet and that soon flames into something more. But how will things develop given that she is more trusting and straightforward by nature while he is more suspicious and likes to answer questions with questions?
Thus, the film chronicles the tricky terrain of first attraction. Is it a crush? A passing infatuation? Or is it something more? How do you judge your feelings and then communicate that to the object of your affection, who may or may not feel the same way?
The nuances and ellipses of a nascent relationship are explored to great detail but Love never feels bogged down.
As he had previously demonstrated in comedies such as Men Suddenly In Black (2003) and AV (2005), Pang has an ear for great dialogue, which goes from raunchy to incisive to laugh-out- loud hilarious. Like Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, 1997), he has a love for onscreen characters telling stories that push the boundaries of good taste but could never be accused of being boring.
Also, Yeung and Yue slip so easily into their roles and play off each other so naturally that what unfolds seems entirely believable.You can chart Cherie’s every emotion and insecurity by the looks on Yeung’s face and then share her delight when she secretly allows herself little smiles of happiness.
The idea that these are real people rather than mere caricatures is strengthened by the addition of reality show-style interviews with the various characters.
As with AV, a sweet comedy about pornography which also had something to say about the state of Hong Kong’s youths, Pang once again makes some shrewd social observations, this time with regard to smokers and smoking.
Some have bemoaned the state of Hong Kong cinema and the lack of exciting auteurs in recent years but the scene cannot be completely dismal when there are originals such as Pang lighting it up.
(ST)
Pang Ho Cheung
The story: Retail assistant Cherie (Miriam Yeung) and adman Jimmy (Shawn Yue) meet as they take cigarette breaks in the same alley. They are drawn to each other and the development of their tentative relationship over the course of a few days is depicted against a background of incessant smoking.
The English title sounds like a fluffy romantic comedy but Hong Kong’s Pang Ho Cheung is too wily a writer- director to simply serve up something as mundane and straightforward as that.
In fact, the opening credits will have you wondering if you walked into the right screening hall as it seems to be the set-up for a slasher horror flick. It turns out to be a scary story being told by a smoker to his regular group of kakis.
Driven by the anti-smoking regulations to take their breaks at a few select spots, these knots of outsiders soon form their little cliques and as another character remarks: “It’s a great way to meet women.”
There is a spark of interest between Cherie and Jimmy when they first meet and that soon flames into something more. But how will things develop given that she is more trusting and straightforward by nature while he is more suspicious and likes to answer questions with questions?
Thus, the film chronicles the tricky terrain of first attraction. Is it a crush? A passing infatuation? Or is it something more? How do you judge your feelings and then communicate that to the object of your affection, who may or may not feel the same way?
The nuances and ellipses of a nascent relationship are explored to great detail but Love never feels bogged down.
As he had previously demonstrated in comedies such as Men Suddenly In Black (2003) and AV (2005), Pang has an ear for great dialogue, which goes from raunchy to incisive to laugh-out- loud hilarious. Like Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, 1997), he has a love for onscreen characters telling stories that push the boundaries of good taste but could never be accused of being boring.
Also, Yeung and Yue slip so easily into their roles and play off each other so naturally that what unfolds seems entirely believable.You can chart Cherie’s every emotion and insecurity by the looks on Yeung’s face and then share her delight when she secretly allows herself little smiles of happiness.
The idea that these are real people rather than mere caricatures is strengthened by the addition of reality show-style interviews with the various characters.
As with AV, a sweet comedy about pornography which also had something to say about the state of Hong Kong’s youths, Pang once again makes some shrewd social observations, this time with regard to smokers and smoking.
Some have bemoaned the state of Hong Kong cinema and the lack of exciting auteurs in recent years but the scene cannot be completely dismal when there are originals such as Pang lighting it up.
(ST)
Ice Kacang Puppy Love
A-niu
The concept of the star-studded ensemble cast gets transplanted to this region with the debut feature of singer-turned-film-maker A-niu.
The cast is a veritable who’s who of Malaysia-born pop stars, including Angelica Lee as A-niu’s onscreen crush, Fish Leong as a silent admirer, Gary Chaw as a cowardly bully and, most memorably, Eric Moo as a blustery ne’er-do-well.
While most of the actors are already in their 30s, it is to their credit that nothing about their portrayals of high- school students is particularly jarring.
And writer-director A-niu’s choice of leading man was no ego-stroking exercise but clearly a case of the right man for the right job. With his crooked teeth and sadsack face, crew cut and get-up of singlet and flipflops, he makes you root for the underdog. Then again, the role should not be too much of a stretch given that the story was based on A-niu’s own experiences.
Apart from the pleasures of pop star-gazing, the film also lovingly evokes the simple joys of life and is as much an ode to small-town Malaysia as it is to first love.
(ST)
A-niu
The concept of the star-studded ensemble cast gets transplanted to this region with the debut feature of singer-turned-film-maker A-niu.
The cast is a veritable who’s who of Malaysia-born pop stars, including Angelica Lee as A-niu’s onscreen crush, Fish Leong as a silent admirer, Gary Chaw as a cowardly bully and, most memorably, Eric Moo as a blustery ne’er-do-well.
While most of the actors are already in their 30s, it is to their credit that nothing about their portrayals of high- school students is particularly jarring.
And writer-director A-niu’s choice of leading man was no ego-stroking exercise but clearly a case of the right man for the right job. With his crooked teeth and sadsack face, crew cut and get-up of singlet and flipflops, he makes you root for the underdog. Then again, the role should not be too much of a stretch given that the story was based on A-niu’s own experiences.
Apart from the pleasures of pop star-gazing, the film also lovingly evokes the simple joys of life and is as much an ode to small-town Malaysia as it is to first love.
(ST)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
DNA Mayday World Tour (2010 Unlimited Edition)
National Stadium
Last Saturday
When Taiwanese rock band Mayday performed here for two nights last August, they busted the midnight mark on both occasions with high-octane shows that celebrated the 10th anniversary of the quintet’s first major concert.
It was such a high point that topping it was always going to be a massive challenge. The lads have made things even tougher by hitting the road again without a new album and essentially touring a spruced-up version of their previous gig.
This time round, the venue has shifted from the Singapore Indoor Stadium to the National Stadium.
Still, things started off on a familiar note with the same opening video of the band members breaking free from the shackles of humdrum lives. While the rigged stage seemed to be on a larger scale, the globular screen was also another recycled element.
But lead vocalist Ashin, guitarists Monster and Stone, bassist Masa and drummer Guan You quickly pumped up the energy level with fast-paced numbers including The Yell Of Spring and Minnan track Hosee.They had the 15,000-strong crowd on its feet and singing along from the get-go and once again proved why they are currently the biggest Chinese band around.
Even the appearance of a 2.7m-tall Transformer-like robot did not dwarf their presence on stage. Then again, it did little beyond lifting its arms, though there was a cute exchange in which it said: “Hi everyone, I want to dance too but if I do, the stage will collapse.”
All the stops were pulled out for the closing number Tenderness at the end of the three-hour-long concert as fireworks and confetti showered the dark red sky in an unexpected and exuberant touch.
The National Stadium was an entirely fitting venue as it placed Mayday in the illustrious company of stars such as Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and A-mei who had performed there.
Despite sweating it out on stage, the band were in their element in the outdoor setting and had no problems connecting with a larger audience.
Guan You made the crowd feel special when he revealed that he had brought his baby daughter Rose with him and that this was her first overseas trip.
There were also several good-natured references to Taiwanese girl group S.H.E’s gig, which was taking place at the same time at the nearby Indoor Stadium. Ashin asked: “Do you want us to end later than next door?” and the crowd roared “Yes!” He smiled and chided the audience for being competitive before admitting that Mayday were equally so.
And despite the muddy conditions after an afternoon downpour, the flying insects and the frustratingly long line to get into the stadium, the fans cheerfully put on another stellar showing.
It is this bond between band and fans that makes Mayday concerts special. And it is why this gig was still a worthwhile experience even if it did not top last year’s peak.
Many of the songs are earnest and optimistic and offer encouragement or escape from sometimes humdrum lives. The atmosphere is electric when you are part of a thousands-strong chorus belting out the lyrics: “I really wish to fly/Escape from this crazy world/If you do find me/Don’t bring me back”.
For the duration of a Mayday song, album or concert, one is happy to be lost.
(ST)
National Stadium
Last Saturday
When Taiwanese rock band Mayday performed here for two nights last August, they busted the midnight mark on both occasions with high-octane shows that celebrated the 10th anniversary of the quintet’s first major concert.
It was such a high point that topping it was always going to be a massive challenge. The lads have made things even tougher by hitting the road again without a new album and essentially touring a spruced-up version of their previous gig.
This time round, the venue has shifted from the Singapore Indoor Stadium to the National Stadium.
Still, things started off on a familiar note with the same opening video of the band members breaking free from the shackles of humdrum lives. While the rigged stage seemed to be on a larger scale, the globular screen was also another recycled element.
But lead vocalist Ashin, guitarists Monster and Stone, bassist Masa and drummer Guan You quickly pumped up the energy level with fast-paced numbers including The Yell Of Spring and Minnan track Hosee.They had the 15,000-strong crowd on its feet and singing along from the get-go and once again proved why they are currently the biggest Chinese band around.
Even the appearance of a 2.7m-tall Transformer-like robot did not dwarf their presence on stage. Then again, it did little beyond lifting its arms, though there was a cute exchange in which it said: “Hi everyone, I want to dance too but if I do, the stage will collapse.”
All the stops were pulled out for the closing number Tenderness at the end of the three-hour-long concert as fireworks and confetti showered the dark red sky in an unexpected and exuberant touch.
The National Stadium was an entirely fitting venue as it placed Mayday in the illustrious company of stars such as Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and A-mei who had performed there.
Despite sweating it out on stage, the band were in their element in the outdoor setting and had no problems connecting with a larger audience.
Guan You made the crowd feel special when he revealed that he had brought his baby daughter Rose with him and that this was her first overseas trip.
There were also several good-natured references to Taiwanese girl group S.H.E’s gig, which was taking place at the same time at the nearby Indoor Stadium. Ashin asked: “Do you want us to end later than next door?” and the crowd roared “Yes!” He smiled and chided the audience for being competitive before admitting that Mayday were equally so.
And despite the muddy conditions after an afternoon downpour, the flying insects and the frustratingly long line to get into the stadium, the fans cheerfully put on another stellar showing.
It is this bond between band and fans that makes Mayday concerts special. And it is why this gig was still a worthwhile experience even if it did not top last year’s peak.
Many of the songs are earnest and optimistic and offer encouragement or escape from sometimes humdrum lives. The atmosphere is electric when you are part of a thousands-strong chorus belting out the lyrics: “I really wish to fly/Escape from this crazy world/If you do find me/Don’t bring me back”.
For the duration of a Mayday song, album or concert, one is happy to be lost.
(ST)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Monga Original Soundtrack
Various artists
Given that the hit Taiwanese film is about hot-blooded gangsters, the soundtrack is surprisingly mellow.
It also boasts a cool, alternative-scene vibe, thanks to producer Sandee Chan who has rounded up an intriguing line-up of acts, including critics’ darling Deserts Chang, Singaporean singer-songwriter Tanya Chua and indie rock band 1976.
Chan also wrote and contributed vocals to a couple of songs. Even the stars of the film, Ethan Juan and Mark Chao, chip in for a passable duet on Tonight Tonight.
The other half of the first disc, however, falls into the usual trap of soundtracks and turns into a grab bag of disparate tunes, including two versions of the Air Supply ballad Making Love Out Of Nothing At All and J-rock number Sweet Dreams.
Disc two features evocative, mood-setting instrumental tracks composed by the ubiquitous Chan while the DVD includes trailers for Monga and behind-the-scenes snippets on the making of the soundtrack.
I Am Jocie
Jocie Guo
After singing about rodents (The Mouse So Loves The Rice) and cockroaches (No More Panic), local singer Jocie Guo is ready to move on from cutesy ditties.
Her third album opens with Gimme Me A Call, a tricky number that switches tempos between stanza and chorus, and she also offers up several upbeat dance tracks, including Countdown To Happiness, Attitude and Tell Me.
It is nice to see her stretching herself as she also composes three tracks here – the ballads Clear Blue Sea, Love Him For Me and Wishing Tree. They are pleasant enough despite having a faint whiff of deja vu.
Perhaps a venture into lyric writing next? Then the transformation from kiddy bopper to grown-up singer-songwriter will be complete.
Chasing Dreams
Kelly Chen
Has it been five years since her last Mandarin offering, Eternal Sunshine?
Truth be told, Kelly Chen’s absence has been barely felt. The Hong Kong singer-actress has been releasing albums since 1995 but one would be hard-pressed to name her hits.
Chasing Dreams tries to remedy that dire situation and almost succeeds with ballads such as Contentedness That’s Forever and A Glimmer Of Light.
On the latter, she sings: “Don’t be scared, don’t feel lost, I’ll be by your side to accompany you through the night and protect this glimmer of happiness.”One could well imagine this as a lullaby for her baby boy who was born last July.
Too bad the album ends on a bum note. Look Love, a duet which pits Chen’s sharp, almost brittle vocals against Alan Tam’s Cantonese-accented Mandarin, is an exercise in futility
(ST)
Various artists
Given that the hit Taiwanese film is about hot-blooded gangsters, the soundtrack is surprisingly mellow.
It also boasts a cool, alternative-scene vibe, thanks to producer Sandee Chan who has rounded up an intriguing line-up of acts, including critics’ darling Deserts Chang, Singaporean singer-songwriter Tanya Chua and indie rock band 1976.
Chan also wrote and contributed vocals to a couple of songs. Even the stars of the film, Ethan Juan and Mark Chao, chip in for a passable duet on Tonight Tonight.
The other half of the first disc, however, falls into the usual trap of soundtracks and turns into a grab bag of disparate tunes, including two versions of the Air Supply ballad Making Love Out Of Nothing At All and J-rock number Sweet Dreams.
Disc two features evocative, mood-setting instrumental tracks composed by the ubiquitous Chan while the DVD includes trailers for Monga and behind-the-scenes snippets on the making of the soundtrack.
I Am Jocie
Jocie Guo
After singing about rodents (The Mouse So Loves The Rice) and cockroaches (No More Panic), local singer Jocie Guo is ready to move on from cutesy ditties.
Her third album opens with Gimme Me A Call, a tricky number that switches tempos between stanza and chorus, and she also offers up several upbeat dance tracks, including Countdown To Happiness, Attitude and Tell Me.
It is nice to see her stretching herself as she also composes three tracks here – the ballads Clear Blue Sea, Love Him For Me and Wishing Tree. They are pleasant enough despite having a faint whiff of deja vu.
Perhaps a venture into lyric writing next? Then the transformation from kiddy bopper to grown-up singer-songwriter will be complete.
Chasing Dreams
Kelly Chen
Has it been five years since her last Mandarin offering, Eternal Sunshine?
Truth be told, Kelly Chen’s absence has been barely felt. The Hong Kong singer-actress has been releasing albums since 1995 but one would be hard-pressed to name her hits.
Chasing Dreams tries to remedy that dire situation and almost succeeds with ballads such as Contentedness That’s Forever and A Glimmer Of Light.
On the latter, she sings: “Don’t be scared, don’t feel lost, I’ll be by your side to accompany you through the night and protect this glimmer of happiness.”One could well imagine this as a lullaby for her baby boy who was born last July.
Too bad the album ends on a bum note. Look Love, a duet which pits Chen’s sharp, almost brittle vocals against Alan Tam’s Cantonese-accented Mandarin, is an exercise in futility
(ST)
Friday, April 16, 2010
Prince Of Tears
Yonfan
The story: Taiwan’s White Terror period was at its peak in the 1950s. During that time, thousands of people suspected of being communist spies and sympathisers were arrested and interrogated. When their father Sun Han-sun (Joseph Chang) and mother Ping (Zhu Xuan) are taken away, sisters Li (Cai Pei-han) and Zhou (Yan Xin-rou) find their lives irrevocably changed and they have to depend on family friend Uncle Ding (Fan Chih-wei) for help. Zhou is also shown kindness by her schoolmate Rainbow Liu (Lee Bo-shiuan) and her mother Ouyang Liu (Terri Kwan).
One would never have guessed that the film-maker responsible for the risible howler that was Colour Blossoms (2004) is the same man behind the restrained and measured drama that is Prince Of Tears.
The earlier movie by Yonfan, which explores various sexual relationships, was scattered, lightweight and indulgent – everything that Prince is not. It is as though the heft of history has anchored this film and curbed the worst of his excesses.The feature was in the running for the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival last year but lost out to the war drama Lebanon.
The story here is based on the life of actress Lisa Chiao Chiao, a Shaw Studios star in the 1960s and 1970s who was in films such as the noir thriller A Cause To Kill (1970). The director-playwright also drew on his childhood memories of a period that is still painful to revisit for many in Taiwan.
The anti-communist White Terror refers to the political suppression that took place while Taiwan was under martial law from May 19, 1949 to July 15, 1987. During this time, more than 3,000 people were summarily executed, and more than 8,000 others were imprisoned for real or imagined support of the communists. Others who have drawn on this turbulent time include Hou Hsiao-hsien in City Of Sadness (1989), the first film to do so.
Prince makes it clear that there was flagrant abuse going on in the name of cracking down on communism and it was not uncommon for innocent folks to be hauled off on trumped-up charges.
This miscarriage of justice is particularly poignant here because much of what happens is portrayed from the children’s point of view. Their loss of innocence is devastating as they try to piece together what is happening around them and learn bitter lessons about betrayal.
As an audience member, one identifies with them as one is also trying to figure out the tangled web of relationships among Sun, Ping, Uncle Ding and Ouyang Liu.There is much that is left unsaid in the ellipses but the holding back works as a dramatic device to keep one invested in the tale, which unfolds at a leisurely pace.
The cast does a good job. Chang brims with vigour as a pilot with the picture-perfect family and Fan passes muster in the trickier role as the secretive and possibly despicable Ding. Newcomer Zhu and previous Golden Horse Award nominee Kwan are elegant and intriguing. The child actors are self-conscious at points but are generally convincing and deeply moving in a few scenes.
Leaving aside the aberrant Colour Blossoms, one can see echoes of Yonfan’s other works here. He has previously tackled the subject of doomed relationships among languid women and handsome men in films such as Peony Pavilion (2001) and Bishonen (1998).
Then there is the beautiful art direction and the penchant for the voice-over which, in Prince, invites the question of who the narrator is exactly.
Despite the tragedy that envelopes the characters, Yonfan does not cloak Prince with defeatism but instead presents an enigmatic ending that lingers on long after the credits have rolled.
(ST)
Yonfan
The story: Taiwan’s White Terror period was at its peak in the 1950s. During that time, thousands of people suspected of being communist spies and sympathisers were arrested and interrogated. When their father Sun Han-sun (Joseph Chang) and mother Ping (Zhu Xuan) are taken away, sisters Li (Cai Pei-han) and Zhou (Yan Xin-rou) find their lives irrevocably changed and they have to depend on family friend Uncle Ding (Fan Chih-wei) for help. Zhou is also shown kindness by her schoolmate Rainbow Liu (Lee Bo-shiuan) and her mother Ouyang Liu (Terri Kwan).
One would never have guessed that the film-maker responsible for the risible howler that was Colour Blossoms (2004) is the same man behind the restrained and measured drama that is Prince Of Tears.
The earlier movie by Yonfan, which explores various sexual relationships, was scattered, lightweight and indulgent – everything that Prince is not. It is as though the heft of history has anchored this film and curbed the worst of his excesses.The feature was in the running for the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival last year but lost out to the war drama Lebanon.
The story here is based on the life of actress Lisa Chiao Chiao, a Shaw Studios star in the 1960s and 1970s who was in films such as the noir thriller A Cause To Kill (1970). The director-playwright also drew on his childhood memories of a period that is still painful to revisit for many in Taiwan.
The anti-communist White Terror refers to the political suppression that took place while Taiwan was under martial law from May 19, 1949 to July 15, 1987. During this time, more than 3,000 people were summarily executed, and more than 8,000 others were imprisoned for real or imagined support of the communists. Others who have drawn on this turbulent time include Hou Hsiao-hsien in City Of Sadness (1989), the first film to do so.
Prince makes it clear that there was flagrant abuse going on in the name of cracking down on communism and it was not uncommon for innocent folks to be hauled off on trumped-up charges.
This miscarriage of justice is particularly poignant here because much of what happens is portrayed from the children’s point of view. Their loss of innocence is devastating as they try to piece together what is happening around them and learn bitter lessons about betrayal.
As an audience member, one identifies with them as one is also trying to figure out the tangled web of relationships among Sun, Ping, Uncle Ding and Ouyang Liu.There is much that is left unsaid in the ellipses but the holding back works as a dramatic device to keep one invested in the tale, which unfolds at a leisurely pace.
The cast does a good job. Chang brims with vigour as a pilot with the picture-perfect family and Fan passes muster in the trickier role as the secretive and possibly despicable Ding. Newcomer Zhu and previous Golden Horse Award nominee Kwan are elegant and intriguing. The child actors are self-conscious at points but are generally convincing and deeply moving in a few scenes.
Leaving aside the aberrant Colour Blossoms, one can see echoes of Yonfan’s other works here. He has previously tackled the subject of doomed relationships among languid women and handsome men in films such as Peony Pavilion (2001) and Bishonen (1998).
Then there is the beautiful art direction and the penchant for the voice-over which, in Prince, invites the question of who the narrator is exactly.
Despite the tragedy that envelopes the characters, Yonfan does not cloak Prince with defeatism but instead presents an enigmatic ending that lingers on long after the credits have rolled.
(ST)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Time Flies
Eason Chan
Times flies, but not fast enough between Cantonese releases by Eason Chan.
On them, the Hong Kong singer goes for broke in his choice of material in a way that he just does not do on his more mainstream Mandarin releases. Add to the fact that he performs an act of alchemy whenever he sings in Cantonese. Somehow, the timbre of his voice and the tones of the language seem made for each other.
His back catalogue is replete with examples of this magic from the stellar balladry of Guilty Conscience on H3M (2009) and Under Mount Fuji on What’s Going On... ? (2006) to the all-dance album Listen To Eason Chan (2007).
No Man’s Land, the first single from this six-track EP, tackles the unlikely subject of infidelity head-on. And this is after Chan himself was rumoured to have been embroiled in an affair with fellow married Cantopop star Kay Tse.
Wyman Wong’s incisive lyrics cut into the heart of illicit desire: “I want to lie without batting an eyelid, this love is inhumane.”One wonders how much to read into such lines as “If we had met three or five years earlier, there wouldn’t be this struggle in my heart/I believe nothing can develop if we were to continue this entanglement/But I want to be entangled with you”.
The controversial lyrics and a striking video of the singer struggling underwater have turned this into a smash hit in Hong Kong.
Given the brevity of the record, there really are no filler tracks, though the inclusion of the ad jingle for McDonald’s is a little jarring.
Regardless, there is no doubting that Chan is at a creative peak right now, but he is not one to rest on his laurels. Instead, he will dress up as a human salamander for the cover just to show you that he is willing, and able, to go out on a limb.
Shero
S.H.E.
On April 17, girl group S.H.E and rock band Mayday will be battling it out in Singapore with concerts at different venues. But really, it is all good off-stage. After all, singer-songwriter Ashin wrote the lyrics to their 12th album’s title track Shero.
This reviewer though is not convinced by such lines as: “Can’t see, can’t find, can’t wait for your hero/Why not be a shero who props up the sky with her own two hands?” The trio’s message of female empowerment has always seemed too glib and opportunistic.
The highlights are instead the Minnan track I Love Rainy Flower Night which is cloaked with nostalgia and Desert Island, the JJ Lin-composed romantic duet (or is it quartet?) with One Million Star alumnus Judy Chou, Desert Island.
Despite not having the strongest vocals, Selina, Hebe and Ella have proved to be surprisingly resilient with a smart choice of commercial pop and by diversifying into idol dramas and lucrative endorsement deals.
The accompanying DVD of their Taipei concert built around their previous album FM S.H.E (2008) actually shows them up when it comes to live performances but it will probably only serve to whet fans’ appetites for their upcoming gig here.
(ST)
Eason Chan
Times flies, but not fast enough between Cantonese releases by Eason Chan.
On them, the Hong Kong singer goes for broke in his choice of material in a way that he just does not do on his more mainstream Mandarin releases. Add to the fact that he performs an act of alchemy whenever he sings in Cantonese. Somehow, the timbre of his voice and the tones of the language seem made for each other.
His back catalogue is replete with examples of this magic from the stellar balladry of Guilty Conscience on H3M (2009) and Under Mount Fuji on What’s Going On... ? (2006) to the all-dance album Listen To Eason Chan (2007).
No Man’s Land, the first single from this six-track EP, tackles the unlikely subject of infidelity head-on. And this is after Chan himself was rumoured to have been embroiled in an affair with fellow married Cantopop star Kay Tse.
Wyman Wong’s incisive lyrics cut into the heart of illicit desire: “I want to lie without batting an eyelid, this love is inhumane.”One wonders how much to read into such lines as “If we had met three or five years earlier, there wouldn’t be this struggle in my heart/I believe nothing can develop if we were to continue this entanglement/But I want to be entangled with you”.
The controversial lyrics and a striking video of the singer struggling underwater have turned this into a smash hit in Hong Kong.
Given the brevity of the record, there really are no filler tracks, though the inclusion of the ad jingle for McDonald’s is a little jarring.
Regardless, there is no doubting that Chan is at a creative peak right now, but he is not one to rest on his laurels. Instead, he will dress up as a human salamander for the cover just to show you that he is willing, and able, to go out on a limb.
Shero
S.H.E.
On April 17, girl group S.H.E and rock band Mayday will be battling it out in Singapore with concerts at different venues. But really, it is all good off-stage. After all, singer-songwriter Ashin wrote the lyrics to their 12th album’s title track Shero.
This reviewer though is not convinced by such lines as: “Can’t see, can’t find, can’t wait for your hero/Why not be a shero who props up the sky with her own two hands?” The trio’s message of female empowerment has always seemed too glib and opportunistic.
The highlights are instead the Minnan track I Love Rainy Flower Night which is cloaked with nostalgia and Desert Island, the JJ Lin-composed romantic duet (or is it quartet?) with One Million Star alumnus Judy Chou, Desert Island.
Despite not having the strongest vocals, Selina, Hebe and Ella have proved to be surprisingly resilient with a smart choice of commercial pop and by diversifying into idol dramas and lucrative endorsement deals.
The accompanying DVD of their Taipei concert built around their previous album FM S.H.E (2008) actually shows them up when it comes to live performances but it will probably only serve to whet fans’ appetites for their upcoming gig here.
(ST)
Saturday, April 03, 2010
The Adult Storybook Live Concert
Joanna Wang
In last year’s album, Joanna & Wang Ruo-lin, Taiwanese singer-songwriter Joanna Wang decided to stretch herself. She covered oldies such as Don McLean’s Vincent on one disc and delivered kooky original compositions including Adult Crap on the other with her band New Tokyo Terror.
This concert album contains recordings from her Asian tour which saw her perform in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei. Her husky throatiness sounds just dandy in a live setting and she fully does justice to her own songs.
The choice of covers, though, leaves much to be desired. She leaches the campy fun out of Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round and drains the brash sexiness from Olivia Newton-John’s Physical.
Disappointingly, the DVD does not add much to the release. One gets to see quirky costumes and whimsical sets, but she is not the most engaging of entertainers. Her phrasing seems a bit rote too, but then she is just 21. She might sound like an old soul, but is far from one.
The Recording Diaries
Crowd Lu
At 50 minutes long and retailing for about $30, this DVD about the making of Taiwanese singer-songwriter Crowd Lu’s latest album Seven Days, out last year, is strictly for fans.
We get to see how the lyrics for Oh Yeah!!! were written on the fly and also his very first performance of the song where he urged the audience to forget about it after hearing it. Unfortunately, there is footage of only the first few lines included here.
Still, the writing and recording process is largely not a very exciting one and there is little light shed on his creative process. But you do get to see the key role producer Tiger Chung plays in this enterprise.
The scenes of Lu singing his new songs for his parents and younger sister at home are quite sweet and heartwarming. The cheerful, idealistic and optimistic young man you see on stage is the same person off it, and that is the most heartening thing about watching these diaries.
Nayuta To Fukashigi
Sukima Switch
Japanese jazz pop duo Sukima Switch hit the ground swinging with third album opener Double Star Prologue.
Core members Takuya Ohashi and Shintaro Tokita handle vocals and various instruments including guitar, harmonica and keyboard, with studio musicians chipping in when needed.
The jazz influences can be seen in the use of brass instruments on a couple of tracks and in a strong sense of rhythm but the sensibility here is undoubtedly pop.
Not surprisingly, Niji No Recipe and Golden Time Lover, from the popular anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood were both top five hits on the Japanese singles chart.
It is also impressive that Sukima Switch write, arrange and produce all of their material. They certainly are a winning combination.
(ST)
Joanna Wang
In last year’s album, Joanna & Wang Ruo-lin, Taiwanese singer-songwriter Joanna Wang decided to stretch herself. She covered oldies such as Don McLean’s Vincent on one disc and delivered kooky original compositions including Adult Crap on the other with her band New Tokyo Terror.
This concert album contains recordings from her Asian tour which saw her perform in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei. Her husky throatiness sounds just dandy in a live setting and she fully does justice to her own songs.
The choice of covers, though, leaves much to be desired. She leaches the campy fun out of Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round and drains the brash sexiness from Olivia Newton-John’s Physical.
Disappointingly, the DVD does not add much to the release. One gets to see quirky costumes and whimsical sets, but she is not the most engaging of entertainers. Her phrasing seems a bit rote too, but then she is just 21. She might sound like an old soul, but is far from one.
The Recording Diaries
Crowd Lu
At 50 minutes long and retailing for about $30, this DVD about the making of Taiwanese singer-songwriter Crowd Lu’s latest album Seven Days, out last year, is strictly for fans.
We get to see how the lyrics for Oh Yeah!!! were written on the fly and also his very first performance of the song where he urged the audience to forget about it after hearing it. Unfortunately, there is footage of only the first few lines included here.
Still, the writing and recording process is largely not a very exciting one and there is little light shed on his creative process. But you do get to see the key role producer Tiger Chung plays in this enterprise.
The scenes of Lu singing his new songs for his parents and younger sister at home are quite sweet and heartwarming. The cheerful, idealistic and optimistic young man you see on stage is the same person off it, and that is the most heartening thing about watching these diaries.
Nayuta To Fukashigi
Sukima Switch
Japanese jazz pop duo Sukima Switch hit the ground swinging with third album opener Double Star Prologue.
Core members Takuya Ohashi and Shintaro Tokita handle vocals and various instruments including guitar, harmonica and keyboard, with studio musicians chipping in when needed.
The jazz influences can be seen in the use of brass instruments on a couple of tracks and in a strong sense of rhythm but the sensibility here is undoubtedly pop.
Not surprisingly, Niji No Recipe and Golden Time Lover, from the popular anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood were both top five hits on the Japanese singles chart.
It is also impressive that Sukima Switch write, arrange and produce all of their material. They certainly are a winning combination.
(ST)
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