What Is Troubling You

sodagreen

Listen. It is the first word sung here, an exhortation to pay careful attention to sodagreen’s eighth record.

But fans of the Taiwanese indie band would already know to do so, as poetic and incisive lyrics are a feature of frontman Wu Ching-feng’s compositions.

Opening track The Limits Of Happiness has him pondering: “Happiness won’t be like Newton, an apple turning into knowledge/So, should the one who doesn’t get it hate?”

Wu’s trademark soaring vocals have a vivid clarity which convey an emotional immediacy. When paired with poignantly tender lyrics as in Enjoy Loneliness – which the band had performed during the Loud Festival here recently – it’s goosebump-inducing: “Stretched out my hand then without a second thought/Saw your face, it was my universe/A sweet habit turned into routine life/So that I’ve understood something.”

Even if this is not the long-awaited autumnal follow-up to the summer-themed Fever, sodagreen are incapable of putting out a slapdash placeholder just to satisfy fans’ desire for new material.

The album also includes a sweet duet with popular girl group S.H.E’s Ella Chen and her alto pipes blend well with Wu’s high voice.

It all comes to a lovely end with the gospel-tinged title track as Wu sings: “Time never responds/Life never clamours/Even if it’s just moments, I’m not afraid/They make up forever.”

So just listen, and let sodagreen take away your troubles.

Hands Warmed With Love

Jerome Won

After honing his skills at Music Dreamer Cafe in Marina Square for 10 years, local singer Jerome Won is releasing his five-track debut EP.

The 32-year-old has richly evocative pipes that are showcased to great effect in the mid-tempo tracks about love here, including a cover of Hong Kong popster Leo Ku’s Struck By An Arrow.

It is also heartening to see a bunch of new names crop up in the songwriting credits: Composer Tok Ji Xiang and lyricist Zhang Le Sheng came up with the radio-friendly ballad Escape From Memories and for the romantic title track, Won composed the tune and Huang Jia Hui penned the lyrics.

Mournful strings open Hands, which goes on to paint a picture of devotion in a wintry emotional landscape: “I want to give you hands warmed with love, to warm your soul’s weary wait/Two hearts tightly bound together, searching for clues to each other.” This is a promising debut to warm a music lover’s heart.

(ST)