Can't Be Half
Jason Chan
The Hong Kong- born, Canada-raised Jason Chan may be a relative newcomer but he has heavyweight help in the songwriting department.
Master lyricist Lin Xi penned one of Chan’s biggest hits You Conceal, I Conceal from the EP Close Up (2009), which is thoughtfully included here. He also wrote the lyrics to the standout ballads on this disc, Half Dating and No Wrong Done.
The latter laments a love that ends due to no one’s fault: “It is more painful that there wasn’t someone to steal you away than simply losing you.”
Chan’s voice feels guy-next-door enough that it is pleasant to listen to but it does not quite plumb the emotional depths here.
Smart of him then to vary the material with the pop-rock The Last Embrace and the more light-hearted Imaginary Love by singer-songwriter Chet Lam.
He shows how even if one does not have the strongest voice around, having good taste in collaborators and song choice can make a difference.
Before, After
A-Lin
The A-mei comparisons came from the get-go partly because of A-Lin’s aboriginal background and partly because of her big voice.
A-Lin’s vocals, though, are less husky, with a sinuous sensuousness that is explored on Complete Romance when she croons: “I am only woman/You are only man.”
They are also in fine form for the big ballads such as I’m Very Happy Now and Before, After, which kick into an arena-sized chorus after a low-key start: “Happiness shouldn’t be like rainbows/To be held briefly after the storm.”
The disco surprise of Next Please is a welcome one and continues the mini- trend that has also seen Landy Wen and Tiger Huang get down and boogie.
It may take some more time for her to shake off those A-mei comparisons but A-Lin definitely proves she is her own woman here.
01:59PM
2PM
FOR MUZIK
4Minute
Complaining that Korean pop is slick is like grousing that rain is wet. It is simply a fact of life.
One might as well expend that energy trying to tell them apart given the rate at which they proliferate.
For example, both 2PM and 2AM were originally part of the soccer team-sized One Day. After the split, 2PM ended up with six pretty boys and 2AM with four.
Apart from the numerical disparity, it might help you tell them apart if you have seen Thailand’s tourism campaign as the theme song is performed by Thai American Nichkhun is part of 2PM.
The story for 4Minute, which comprise five sassy girls, is a little simpler. They came together officially in May last year and the line-up includes Hyun A from Wonder Girls, who had the ubiquitous hit Nobody.
As for the music, 2PM offer R&B with blandly generic titles such as Back 2U and All Night Long while 4Minute serve up energetic dance tracks, with the slinky Funny leaving an impression for deviating from the mould somewhat.
It is all quite serviceable if unexceptional.
With groups splitting up and reconfiguring faster than you can say “Anyonghaseyo”, 4Minute’s moniker seems to be a tacit acceptance of the fact that that is all anyone can expect to have of the proverbial 15 minutes of fame.
(ST)