This year again I manage to compile on up, but sadly.... even my favourite 10 doesn't represents the favourite 100 songs i like for the year. But my definite 10 albums is my classic of the year.
1) Jacky Chueng - Private Corner
Jacky Chueng's venture into the HiFi music Jazz and blues had him the first canto-pop artist to arhieve such high commercial success. This PRIVATE CORNER stays on my playlist for quite a long time and also an album that I rarely love it as a whole.
2) Tiger Huang - Simple/Not Simple
Tiger Huang's Not that simple is a classic. Modern Classic, I would say no one would disagree.
3) Jolin Tsai - Myself
Pop Queen of the year whereas other similar acts looks like a copycats.
4) G.E.M. - 18
A debut from a teenage, and its been a long while since a talented young artist emerge from Canto-pop and yet, gathered fame. Definitely my newcomer of the year. (She was the award-winning of newcomer of the year in 2009)
5) La La Xu - Limits
I never notice one album appearing in so many music critics favourite top 10, thats she Lala Xu. Musically and commercially well balance, which leads she to the album of the year.
6) Karen Mok - Precious
Her first self written album, and this is very good. The down side is, no further big improvement for her, since the award-winning singer had already reach her peak long time ago. Thats a pity.
7) Eason Chan - Times Flies
Together with his 2nd EP in 2010, TASTE THE ATMOSHPERE, Eason had not out do himself. However, he is lingering what the commercial market wants and what he wants to move to (musically).
8) JJ Lin - 100 Days
His comeback is always something big. As his usual him, and similar classic hits. Wonder why I didn't feel its bore. That's what he do best in a better form.
9) Elva - Miss Elva
With this album, Elva finally found her style of making an album with perfect formula. I could say, she's Jolin number 2. But that's unfair, she had a different style..... the U.S. style.
10) Show Lo - Rashomon
After many considerations, this album come in number 10 due to the influence of the series "My Sweetheart". Can't deny I listen to songs from this album more than other albums.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sammi Cheng's Latest Single "Water Of Love"
This is the latest MV from the title theme of Macau Water Dance performance.
La La's Limit - The Sophomore Album
With her debut, she gains up the Best Newcomer of Golden Melody Awards 2010, and produce 2 hit singles. I really did wonder, how would she live up to fame with her sophomore effort.
Limit. The title of the her upcoming 2nd album. Suggested she had push up to her limits? According to her website explanation;-
LIMIT - It's a simple word that doesn't overcome the peak, but instead a plain, simple troubles thoughts that also affect you and me daily. If we changes the LIMIT's meaning, honestly facing our shortfall and overcome it.
This album had team up a numbers of celebrity musicians to boost her above her limits. I hopes this little girl could surprise me and also surprise the whole world. I am looking forward for her to bring new changes and achieving further. Continuing her debut's flow of style to bring us the biggest wonders of music.
LIMIT [極限]
詞曲x創作x 製作x合聲編寫 徐佳瑩
林暐哲x 陳建騏x 范曉萱x吳青峯x 葛大為x魏如萱 音樂好手聯合打造
延 續首張創作概念，第二張作品「極限」更完整呈現徐佳瑩豐沛的創作與不設限的想像力。力求完美的她，包辦專輯詞曲創作，親身參與製作編曲以及合聲編寫，對於 情感與氛圍掌握度更勝以往，歌唱技巧也較為細膩精確。專輯製作班底網羅當紅製作人與創作人，集結林暐哲、陳建騏、范曉萱、吳青峯、葛大為、魏如萱等等聯手 操刀。曲風多變，極力擴充音樂的廣度與深度。徐佳瑩第二張嶄新創作專輯「極限」，全身音樂細胞總動員，演唱創作製作全象限奔放延展！
徐佳瑩 第2張創作專輯 [極限]曲目
- 去我家 (To My Home)
- 極限 ( Limits)
- 懼高症 ( Fear Of Heights)
- 香水 (Perfume)
- Love
- 綠洲 (Oasis)
- 殘愛 ( Cruelty Of Love)
- 樂園 (Playground)
- 時間大師 (Master Of Time)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Macy Gray finally found her grace - SELLOUT
About a decade ago, Gray emerged with her hit song, I TRY. Winning the BRITS awards, as the best newcomer. She even was the highlight artist of the year, and gone feature with B.E.P., Fat Boy Slim, etc...
However, after a couples album she still unable to match the popularity of her debut. Her previous release "BIG" is good, but had not won her any commercial success. I had always knew she will make a comeback, but not very least a very good album.
Sellout is one hell of a good pile of tracks. First single "Beauty In The World" had show not much interest from the public, but her team had shown a big effort to push this track to a higher level by featuring onto Ugly Betty and 2010's film KILLERS. This is a song that you can replay it repeatedly on and on with a light, happy praising women in the world. Very different form my usual favorites...heartbreaking ballads.
Follow up singles, "Lately"(UK) and "Kiss It" ft Velvet Revolver(US), had sent to service to different region. I love both of it and it really suits respective region. Both songs do not touch big issues but more commonly like most of pop songs. I think this is right as this is what the pop world need.
Sit back and relax with the whole album, and you will find this is what music Macy Gray do and what we want to listen as well. Not a regular pop/R&B album or something she trying to strike, but a comfortable easy listening tracks after tracks...by means of comfortable listening is not jazz/soul but dance tracks, R&B, soul stuffs. I call this the Macy Gray thing.
Monday, January 25, 2010
四陈星芒- Malaysia's 4C
As for my observations, under the Malaysia chinese-medium entertainment business, there are 4 shining new stars which all begins with the surname of CHEN. They are all in the stage of become the next big thing and having huge potential to be an international stars of chinese language market. They are currently my favourites artist of the moment and they are Andrew Chen Si An(陈世安）, JiaKai Chen Jia Kai（陈家凯）, Quincy, Chen Ren Feng(陈仁丰) and Vchuan,Chen Wei Chuan(陈威全).
All four of them had gone or going through the second and most painful process of an artist development, advancing and growth. All four CHENs had released their debut album and well received within the Malaysia region. All fours also were well reputated newcomers in the 2000 to 2009 era in Malaysia chinese region and was catching some eyes of overseas producers to sign abroad. Timing, and luck had hold them back. Yes, none of them had the luck like Nicholas Teo had back in his early days.
Andrew Chen is one of the quickest among four to pick up from the low side. The winner of the World Chinese Singing Competition held in HK, TVB, landed in the spotlights with high expectation to achieve what Nicholas once achieved. However, due to negative exposure and mismanage by his first record company leads him to a huge downfall. After the expiring of the unfruitful record contract that held him back, he starts to spread his wings with the new EP "Stardom 天后" and setting trends in local music trends. In securing the image step, he is quickly focusing himself into a new recording material to get him ready for his career launch to international market.
My recommendstions would be following a steps of formula sets by Nicholas's career. Venturing into Singapore, Hongkong and China then Taiwan. With the help of ASTRO network of TV stations, he can easily gain enough exposure for these markets. With his hosting ability previously he can gain more exposure by doing music related programme as with JiaYu tv station or something related. This guy is already start sailing.
As for Jiakai, 9 years ago he was the most promising male artist by just listening to his EP with just 5 tracks (2 of them are demos), I quickly hook on this artist. But by the end of the day he is not seen anywhere, with just keeping hearing his recents news from INTI. After years of hiatus, people still ask, where had this JiaKai gone? No one remembers his look, but strong memories of his voice from the korean verse of FLIGHT 943(飞行943) still huanting me. His guest appearance in Penny's song a few years back got me excited which quickly turns my hope of his return to dust. No other artist caught my curiousity that much. Rumours about his girlfriend from preventing his return to music scene fuel up my curiousity. Until last December 2009, Jiakai is officially back to music.
His career relaunch had compare to many establish power singer like Jam Hsiao, but he is one of a kind and he is a natural born vocalist. I always though he could achieve more than any other newcomers from the past 10 years. He is a gem and whereever he goes sure success comes. The holdback of his success goes to his ability to communicate with the media and presenting himself as a superstar. To me, he still looks like a boy next door. A good platform of positioning him in the market is crucial. There isn't any difficulity to launch such a talent any where. Infact he can launch his new album direct at Taiwan, wouldn't be a problem. (Comparing to Wu Jia Fei. he's a bit harder).
Vchuan, is my most favourite among all four. While Jiakai is the most talented vocalist of all four, Vchuan is the given the gift of song writing skills(Both of them also studying in the same college, INTI). From his earliest times of "明天爱谁（Who I Love tomorrow)“, that sparks up a fight between Joey Yung and Jiang MeiChi for wanting to sing the same song, to recent success of numberous hit song written to ShenMu Yu Tong, Jerry Yan, Ding Dang and Rachel Liang. (Most are chosen as main singles from respective album.) He was a promising new artist at the times he released his debut in Malaysia. He had his dark times when his record company that offers him to Taiwan, closed down. Within 2 years of dark times, he had successfully establish himself as hot song writing in Taiwan.
Now with recent news from him that he had been offer a chance to release an album, I wish him best of lucks. With a good make over on the image and his polished new songs, he will definitely find himself a spot in the Taiwan music business. He is now starting out to flame up his reputation with the appearance of SUPERSTAR singing competition. I could see a good future ahead of him.
Quincy Chen on the other hand seems the less lucky ones. His image appears to be too common and only till the time I listen his debut album, (which also did release in Taiwan) I felt he is commercial enough to be an idol. He is sees as like Malaysia version of TANK(Taiwan artist), able to writes his own songs and sing well the same time. However, with lack of his information, (I presume mismanage from his record company) he seems had not make a good impact on the local audience back 3 years ago. Even his venture to Taiwan and China turns out unsuccessful.
From recent news, that he had signed a Taiwan company and under goes neccessary trainings, I am sure he is a good gem inside. By polish some of his writing skills, a star-culture-lesson, and adding a little exposure on the tv/radio hosting, I am sure he could easily stand out from the rest. With a whole new image, and constant exposure its not hard to bring him up.
An artist development usually takes some times. The four Cs I introduce here will be huge with some luck with them, so I will just wait the next 2 years to see them expand out of Malaysia music scene.
All four of them had gone or going through the second and most painful process of an artist development, advancing and growth. All four CHENs had released their debut album and well received within the Malaysia region. All fours also were well reputated newcomers in the 2000 to 2009 era in Malaysia chinese region and was catching some eyes of overseas producers to sign abroad. Timing, and luck had hold them back. Yes, none of them had the luck like Nicholas Teo had back in his early days.
Andrew Chen is one of the quickest among four to pick up from the low side. The winner of the World Chinese Singing Competition held in HK, TVB, landed in the spotlights with high expectation to achieve what Nicholas once achieved. However, due to negative exposure and mismanage by his first record company leads him to a huge downfall. After the expiring of the unfruitful record contract that held him back, he starts to spread his wings with the new EP "Stardom 天后" and setting trends in local music trends. In securing the image step, he is quickly focusing himself into a new recording material to get him ready for his career launch to international market.
My recommendstions would be following a steps of formula sets by Nicholas's career. Venturing into Singapore, Hongkong and China then Taiwan. With the help of ASTRO network of TV stations, he can easily gain enough exposure for these markets. With his hosting ability previously he can gain more exposure by doing music related programme as with JiaYu tv station or something related. This guy is already start sailing.
As for Jiakai, 9 years ago he was the most promising male artist by just listening to his EP with just 5 tracks (2 of them are demos), I quickly hook on this artist. But by the end of the day he is not seen anywhere, with just keeping hearing his recents news from INTI. After years of hiatus, people still ask, where had this JiaKai gone? No one remembers his look, but strong memories of his voice from the korean verse of FLIGHT 943(飞行943) still huanting me. His guest appearance in Penny's song a few years back got me excited which quickly turns my hope of his return to dust. No other artist caught my curiousity that much. Rumours about his girlfriend from preventing his return to music scene fuel up my curiousity. Until last December 2009, Jiakai is officially back to music.
His career relaunch had compare to many establish power singer like Jam Hsiao, but he is one of a kind and he is a natural born vocalist. I always though he could achieve more than any other newcomers from the past 10 years. He is a gem and whereever he goes sure success comes. The holdback of his success goes to his ability to communicate with the media and presenting himself as a superstar. To me, he still looks like a boy next door. A good platform of positioning him in the market is crucial. There isn't any difficulity to launch such a talent any where. Infact he can launch his new album direct at Taiwan, wouldn't be a problem. (Comparing to Wu Jia Fei. he's a bit harder).
Vchuan, is my most favourite among all four. While Jiakai is the most talented vocalist of all four, Vchuan is the given the gift of song writing skills(Both of them also studying in the same college, INTI). From his earliest times of "明天爱谁（Who I Love tomorrow)“, that sparks up a fight between Joey Yung and Jiang MeiChi for wanting to sing the same song, to recent success of numberous hit song written to ShenMu Yu Tong, Jerry Yan, Ding Dang and Rachel Liang. (Most are chosen as main singles from respective album.) He was a promising new artist at the times he released his debut in Malaysia. He had his dark times when his record company that offers him to Taiwan, closed down. Within 2 years of dark times, he had successfully establish himself as hot song writing in Taiwan.
Now with recent news from him that he had been offer a chance to release an album, I wish him best of lucks. With a good make over on the image and his polished new songs, he will definitely find himself a spot in the Taiwan music business. He is now starting out to flame up his reputation with the appearance of SUPERSTAR singing competition. I could see a good future ahead of him.
Quincy Chen on the other hand seems the less lucky ones. His image appears to be too common and only till the time I listen his debut album, (which also did release in Taiwan) I felt he is commercial enough to be an idol. He is sees as like Malaysia version of TANK(Taiwan artist), able to writes his own songs and sing well the same time. However, with lack of his information, (I presume mismanage from his record company) he seems had not make a good impact on the local audience back 3 years ago. Even his venture to Taiwan and China turns out unsuccessful.
From recent news, that he had signed a Taiwan company and under goes neccessary trainings, I am sure he is a good gem inside. By polish some of his writing skills, a star-culture-lesson, and adding a little exposure on the tv/radio hosting, I am sure he could easily stand out from the rest. With a whole new image, and constant exposure its not hard to bring him up.
An artist development usually takes some times. The four Cs I introduce here will be huge with some luck with them, so I will just wait the next 2 years to see them expand out of Malaysia music scene.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
黃小琥-簡單/不簡單 Tiger Huang - Simple/Not Simple
Seems like recently I can predict the top 10 album of the year easily, release since last year 2009, this 1st new album for the past 8 years of Tiger Huang definitely becomes my favourite top 10 for the year 2010. It's already good on the first listen and it grew more on you as you listen it more.
She's a powerful pub live diva as we all knows, and according the standard of this album, effortless, a strong contender for the upcoming Golden Melody Award. From the first single, "Not That Simple"- witty lyrics, true and straight forward. Thats what I call truth hurts. Catchy and powerful ballad, immediately link her to Barbra Streisand of the East(of coz forget Tsai Chin). It's been very difficult for elder age songtress to release something that can hit into the mainstream market. Tiger Huang definitely owes the success to the production team and her effort from the last year's increasing of fame from live tour 08/09 and her constant "mentor" image exposure from Xing Guang talent competition.
Upon the first round of listen, a track call "Partner", easily standout from the rest.This second single quickly could match up the fame of " Not That Easy". These songs really very hard to carry. Those lyrics really needed someone who went through some experience in life to really get the meaning of the songs. Its not easy for a 40-50 y.o. to sing love song and love songs are usually the easiest topic to sing around. This album had target right in Tiger's age. Totally love it.
She's a powerful pub live diva as we all knows, and according the standard of this album, effortless, a strong contender for the upcoming Golden Melody Award. From the first single, "Not That Simple"- witty lyrics, true and straight forward. Thats what I call truth hurts. Catchy and powerful ballad, immediately link her to Barbra Streisand of the East(of coz forget Tsai Chin). It's been very difficult for elder age songtress to release something that can hit into the mainstream market. Tiger Huang definitely owes the success to the production team and her effort from the last year's increasing of fame from live tour 08/09 and her constant "mentor" image exposure from Xing Guang talent competition.
Upon the first round of listen, a track call "Partner", easily standout from the rest.This second single quickly could match up the fame of " Not That Easy". These songs really very hard to carry. Those lyrics really needed someone who went through some experience in life to really get the meaning of the songs. Its not easy for a 40-50 y.o. to sing love song and love songs are usually the easiest topic to sing around. This album had target right in Tiger's age. Totally love it.
黃小琥 - 伴, Partner
Second single from TIGER HUANG's latest album, Simple, Not Simple
伴
作詞：姚若龍
作曲：于曉光、李偉菘
編曲：Terence Teo
如果 命運可以訂做
如果 有另一次選擇
我想我 還是會 把手讓你緊握
快樂地陪你去坎坷
就算 你有天變落魄
就算 你老得不能動
我想我 還是會 挽著你看日落
你的心疼在淚光中
嘴巴上 彼此嫌麻煩
眼神中 關懷那麼滿
沒說愛 卻早已認定一輩子的伴
在人前 從來不浪漫
在心中 卻總為對方打算
最懂的人最暖的伴
就算 我以後變囉嗦
就算 我老了有病痛
我想你 還是會 照顧我到最後
隱藏脆弱不眠不休
沒有辛酸 沒有遺憾
什麼是陪伴 什麼是心安 你是答案
伴
作詞：姚若龍
作曲：于曉光、李偉菘
編曲：Terence Teo
如果 命運可以訂做
如果 有另一次選擇
我想我 還是會 把手讓你緊握
快樂地陪你去坎坷
就算 你有天變落魄
就算 你老得不能動
我想我 還是會 挽著你看日落
你的心疼在淚光中
嘴巴上 彼此嫌麻煩
眼神中 關懷那麼滿
沒說愛 卻早已認定一輩子的伴
在人前 從來不浪漫
在心中 卻總為對方打算
最懂的人最暖的伴
就算 我以後變囉嗦
就算 我老了有病痛
我想你 還是會 照顧我到最後
隱藏脆弱不眠不休
沒有辛酸 沒有遺憾
什麼是陪伴 什麼是心安 你是答案
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