Love Original Soundtrack
Various artists

A Gift Of Love
Victor Wong

Love is in the air but only one of these albums is a welcome gift. As with Doze Niu’s previous film Monga (2010), the soundtrack to Love is no mere afterthought but a smartly curated selection of songs. The Taiwanese director even sings on one track here – the pared-down and earnest Maxim Of Love.
The new number Fool from feted singer Yoga Lin is an undoubted highlight. He makes a convincing case to be a fool for love in the emo ballad: “I don’t need, nor is it important, how great is it to be a fool/I don’t understand, nor do I need to, just let me be this way till I’m old.”
Hebe Tien’s Love! and My Love are more obvious, though still apt, selections. In particular, Love!’s daisy chain of failed connections sets up the film beautifully.
Better yet is the inclusion of Waa Wei’s Stary Birds and Us, both off her new album, No Crying (2011). She coos fearlessly on Birds: “I rush about blindly, how did I end up full of wounds.”
The DVD includes the music video for Fool as well as glimpses of the star-studded cast of Love mucking about on set. It would have been nice, though, to have had more original material as was the case for the Monga soundtrack, which had contributions from actors Ethan Juan and Mark Chao.
While Malaysian balladeer Victor Wong’s latest album comprises original material, it is hard to get excited about much of it. Even the key track A Gift To Unwrap, with lyrics by Lin Xi, feels blah rather than achingly romantic: “You’re the gift I’ve waited to unwrap all my life/This love is too precious, held in my palm, there are no more ifs.”
I Am Sure is one of the more memorable songs here with an easy breezy melody, while Again leaves an impression with its computer game-inspired lyrics and synth effects-laden music.
Problem is, his voice falls on the wrong side of sweet for me and is too often just blandly pleasant.
(ST)