Happy Or Not
Wang Dawen
On his 2013 debut Mandarin album, American-born Taiwanese singer- songwriter Wang Dawen introduced himself with a cheery Hello.
Now, he wants to share his heart with listeners. “Happy or sad, the bitter experiences in life/I want to share them with you without reserve,” he sings on the opening track, You Already Know My Heart.
He gets emotional on Writer’s Block and laments over the gently despondent-sounding plucking of strings: “Wrapped in the scarf you gave to me/In the living room strumming the ukulele.”
However, the high-spirited Wang is still around on Cram School Sucks, which blows off studies in a light-hearted manner; Roller Coaster, a sweet ride through the first blush of romance; and Turbulence, which twirls over the bumpy patches of a relationship.
On this more varied and well-rounded album, Wang proves a talented enough songwriter to sprinkle little surprises in his compositions to keep you listening.
Lyrically, he has improved as well from the more straightforward offerings on his debut.
So, yes, this is a follow-up to be happy with.
(ST)