Go (Special Edition) (CD+DVD) (With Presale DVD, Cover Illustration by Gil @ Twins) DVD Region All

Coming on the coattails of the awards season, Ken Hung's new album Go! contains ten new songs. The album is produced by Yu Yat Yiu, Shu Man, and Adrian Chow, and features works by Adrian Chow, Lam Yeuk Ning, Chan Wai Yun, Jacky Fung, Au Kin Sing, Tse Kit, Gu Chi, Cousin Fung, and Oliver Chan. Recall that Ken's last album Love Gutless sold youthful sentiments, pushing a clean, innocent, and sincere boy-next-door image. Go! continues down this road, but this time there's less greenness and naivete amid the youth sentiments. Instead, themes are explored with greater depth of experience and thought processes, and there's a greater sense of connection to the conveyed sentiments. This sense of growth and advancement to a different period in life should not only attract young female fans, but also invite the empathy of young men.

The quality of the songs this time is also commendable, passing the test in both mainstream popularity and replay value. Many of the songs do stand out and prove to not just be generic pop numbers. Of course, taking the youth route is not a viable long-term plan so I'm especially interested in what changes Ken's next few albums will bring. It's about time to start growing up! Ken's performance in the album is above average, and he shows good technique and vocals. His singing, however, still carries a boyish, immature air. Fortunately, this is only his second album so he still has the opportunity to improve.

First plug "Jordan Road" (Track 4) is a moody, melancholic ballad with meaningful lyrics and melody. In the song, Jordan Road becomes a place that brings up painful memories, and the lyrics hit home the point: "I see her but I cannot have her". Ken's performance is up to standard, and he successfully brings out the sorrowful sentiments of the track. The Adrian Chow-penned "Three Legged Cat" (Track 5) is a solid song that brings attention to the plight of stray pets and posits strong criticism of humans. Both the melody and lyrics are superb, but Ken's handling of the song's chorus could use improvement. "Jasmine Coffee" (Track 7) has a funky flavor that is stimulating and refreshing, providing a comfortable listening experience. "In Those Years, The Girl We Pursued Together" (Track 8) and "My Independent Era" (Track 3) are also worth a listen.

by Stephen Lee

(Translation: Sanwei)