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Joseph Cheng Debut EP (Version A) (CD+Photo Album) (Preorder Version)
Joseph Cheng (Singer)
Joe Cheng has much room for improvement in the singing department, but he's got everything else down pat for the fans. The Taiwan TV idol's debut EP comes in two editions bundled with great preorder gifts that should make any fan happy. Version A comes with a cute photo album that a colleague of mine dubbed the "evil book of evilness" when I showed it to her to justify my purchase. This isn't one of those typical photo booklets that come with CDs, but an actual A5-sized hardcover photo album filled with adorkable pictures of Joe in Ishikawa, Japan. (There are a few fan-service pool photos in there.) Were the book a bit bigger, it could be sold separately. I've also just retired my Won Bin... [read more]
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Over The Rainbow Vol.4 (CD+DVD)
at17 (Singer)
Hong Kong duo at17's Over the Rainbow series comes to an impressive conclusion with their fourth and final Vol. 4 blue EP. The EP's main plug "Nothing To My Name But Love" (Track 1) is the kind of feel-good guitar pop number that the duo excels at, sending out a bright and wistful message in harmonized voices. Wyman Wong's mellow, earthy lyrics about being poor in money, but rich in love and music are clearly personalized for the girls, and reflect the tone of not only this EP but the whole album series. The harmonica accompaniment, ear-pleasing harmonization, and catchy composition make for a bright, fresh, and eminently likable song. The next track, smoky lounge-inspired Mandarin number... [read more]
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College New + Best Selection (CD+DVD)
Endy Chow (Singer)
Endy Chow's first solo album since 2005's Light, College is a long overdue release from one of Hong Kong's most talented new-generation singer-songwriters. Granted it's one of those "new + best" compilations that record companies like to put out to test fan patience, but there are actually five brand new songs so it's not a bad deal even for those who already own all of his previous albums (cough... me). Frankly, I'm just glad that Endy Chow is still working. All five of the new songs in College are fairly representative of Endy's rock and ballad style. "Gray Peter Pan" (Track 1) is typical of his rock offerings, a mid-tempo hardish pop rock number, particular notable for its growling guitar... [read more]
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The Day (CD + DVD) (China Version)
Xu Wei (Singer)
If you're yet to discover the wonders of Xu Wei, then this compilation is a great place to start. The Day comes with 15 selected songs from the Mainland singer-songwriter's last three albums - Ai Ru Shao Nian, It's New For Every Moment, Through the Time - covering a good portion of his music from 2002 to 2008, or what I would call his mellow years. Critics quip that Xu Wei's albums all sound the same, and the observation is not unfounded. But Xu Wei's hearty, heart-tugging folk and guitar rock numbers don't just pitch a common sound, but rather a common sentiment, a continuing story of living and moving, crying and dreaming, and staying true to self in an aging, changing world. Since 2002's... [read more]
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East Asia Capital Artists Concert Karaoke (3DVD)
Hong Kong Various Artists (Singer)
| Sammi Cheng (Singer)
| Andy Lau (Singer)
| Miriam Yeung (Singer)
Amidst loud, rousing music, 3 figures rise up slowly into view in the middle of the stage. Turns out it's Miriam Yeung, Andy Hui, and Denise Ho... It's M.A.D.! The trio "Leaps Over the Stage" to begin the party celebrating the imminent revival of Capital Artists under East Asia. What follows is the summer favorite "Red Hot Action La La La" when everyone comes out. Bosco Wong looks rad! But why no Sammi Cheng? Saving the ace for last, maybe? Everyone then retreats backstage, except Denise, who starts the solo sessions with a unique presence that holds your attention - especially on her mentor's unforgettable "Break Open the Iceberg" which sends the audience into a frenzy. Fellow Anita Mui... [read more]
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Happiness Is Free Live (DVD)
Denise Ho (Singer)
On a sunny, breezy Sunday afternoon in February 2009, about 4,000 red-clad, smiling people flocked to the Diocesan Boys' School for one common purpose: to see Denise Ho play a live concert for free. They sat on the green grass of the outdoor sports ground, gathering around a small temporary stage where Denise would entertain the guests. Such a setting lent the concert a sense of intimacy that is fitting for the theme of the event, Happiness is Free, a catchy title coined by Hong Kong's top lyricist Wyman Wong. This generous gesture is the latest endeavor in Denise's social consciousness project that begins with the album Ten Days in the Madhouse and continued with the Decameron documentary.... [read more]
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2008 Mayday Live DVD
Mayday (Singer)
When Mayday burst out in the Taiwan music scene in 1998, they were the voice of youth. Not just because they were young at the time, but because their songs captured youth in all its energetic, hot-blooded, lyrical, fearless, bittersweet glory. Ten years later, Mayday is still the same good old Mayday. They've found greater commercial success than any other Taiwan band and achieved a superstar status matched by few, but they're still the Mayday that holes up every year to make an album that hits the heart, and then tours like crazy to put on show after show that hits the spot. Last December, Mayday returned to the Zhongshan Stadium for their first concerts there in eight years, playing to an... [read more]
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The Songs, The Film And His Autobiography (2CD+DVD)
Andy Hui (Singer)
When pop singers do best-of albums, nine times out of ten they are a bunch of selected songs served with bonus music videos and/or concert footage. Andy Hui shows us other possibilities with his latest career retrospective compilation The Songs, the Film, and His Autobiography, offering a side dish that is no less, if not more, mouth-watering than the main course. This is not to say the songs are not enticing - they are anything but. Having been in the business for over 20 years and responsible for a long list of big hits of the 90s and onwards, Andy has amassed a huge repertoire on a par with those of the Four Heavenly Kings. The distinctions between the two CDs titled On Core Collection... [read more]
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HOCC + Mak Yan Yan - The Decameron Documentary DVD
Denise Ho
| Mak Yan Yan
What does madness mean to you? That is the question most often asked in Hong Kong singer Denise Ho and director Mak Yan Yan's disarmingly engaging documentary on madness, The Decameron. This curious documentary is linked with Denise's most recent album Ten Days in the Madhouse, as her music features in the film and the documentary's ten chapters have the same play-on-name titles as her album's ten songs, but the release is by no means just another album tie-in movie. Both The Decameron and Ten Days in the Madhouse are part of the singer's larger campaign to raise public awareness about mental illness, an admirable project that has encompassed an exhibition, community service, and other... [read more]
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Joey Yung & Anthony Wong In Concert Karaoke (2DVD)
Anthony Wong (Singer)
| Joey Yung (Singer)
They have the same birthday but different styles. Their fanbases hardly overlap, yet when their mikes clash, audiences regardless of allegiances are all in for a blast. The fresh pairing of Anthony Wong and Joey Yung certainly turns many heads. Joey is the reigning queen of Canto-pop, and Anthony's credentials are...well, like he needs any. The first collaboration between these two pop icons, their joint concert held in AsiaWorld-Expo on November 22, 2008 was regrettably too short at just over 100 minutes, but like so many good things in the world, what counts is not the length but the strength. And the concert certainly played to the singers' strengths. There was minimal stage design. Each... [read more]
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Getting Real New + Best Selection (2CD)
Ken Chu (Singer)
F4's least idol member takes a break from Tai Chi to release his second solo album Getting Real. Arriving with little promotion or pop fanfare, Ken Chu's two-disc sophomore album is divided into "Now" and "Then" with the former featuring six new tracks and the latter collecting 16 songs from his previous solo album, the F4 albums, and soundtracks. Released back in 2005, Ken's first album On Ken's Time was a genuinely pleasant surprise with its easygoing mid-tempo guitar and pop numbers, and his latest effort follows in the same vein. Though Getting Real doesn't surpass its predecessor, it also doesn't disappoint. And with all his past singles making it onto Disc 2, this album is definitely a... [read more]
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TV Theme Songs Collection (3CD)
Hong Kong Various Artists
| Sammi Cheng
| Jacky Cheung
| Andy Hui
TVB of the 1980s produced so many classic dramas and so many classic theme songs, it's impossible to collect them all in one release (although we fans would sure appreciate it if someone tried). The latest album to rekindle fond memories of TVB's golden decade, TV Theme Songs Collection isn't the best or most comprehensive compilation for 80s TVB themes as there are many famous songs excluded from the collection. But it's the rare and less obvious inclusions that make this compilation a must-have for 80s TVB fans. The album features 50 TVB themes over three CDs from the likes of Alan Tam, Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, Michael Kwan, Susanna Kwan, Lui Fong, Adam Cheng, Roman Tam, and other... [read more]
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Jacky Cheung Selections (LPCD45)
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung made his entry into my list of favorite singers when I came to Hong Kong in 1994 and heard his song "Just Want To Follow You", which continues to be a favorite among people of all genders and walks of life. Ever since then, I have been spellbound by Jacky's extreme vocal range and his unique singing style. This release features a selection of his best loved hits, many of which also have become personal favorites of mine. "Waiting For You Until My Heart Aches" (Track 1) starts and ends with a classic whistle, recounting the tale of a lonely guy who longs for his past love. Jacky's passionate singing is followed by a memorable guitar solo which is followed by even more intense... [read more]
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Cape No. 7 Original Soundtrack (OST)
Movie Soundtrack
Just how exactly did Cape No. 7 become Taiwan's highest-grossing Chinese-language film ever? By now, the fairy-tale run of this little film about a ragtag band in a small coastal town has become the stuff of legends. Cape No. 7 opened rather humbly in fourth place in Taiwan on August 22, 2008. Carried by word of mouth, it rose to the top spot in the following weeks, breaking record after record as it surpassed the box office of Lust, Caution, Red Cliff, The Dark Knight, and Jurassic Park to become the second highest-grossing film ever in Taiwan. Made on an NT50 million (US$1.5 million) budget, Cape No. 7 eventually pulled in over NT400 million (US$12 million). Given the film's... [read more]
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King Of The Road
Anthony Wong (Singer)
A pop icon without being a pop star, Anthony Wong Yiu Ming is one of Hong Kong's few pioneers in popular music. Like wine, his music seems to keep getting better as the years go by, or maybe it's that I've learned to appreciate his music more and more as the years go by. Given his veteran singer status, respect pretty much comes automatically, but the reverence comes from his ability to stay relevant, be it in his evolving music, his effortless style and glamour, or his work with People Mountain People Sea. With Anthony Wong, his best album is his next one, rather than one released a decade ago. This is why you're more likely to see young fans screaming for Ming Gor (his Chinese nickname)... [read more]
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Nan
Pong Nan (Singer)
Out of the ill-fated 2004-2005 wave of Hong Kong male singer-songwriters, Pong Nan has emerged as a curious survivor. As a low-profile singer-songwriter on a major label, he has largely stayed out of media attention in the last four years - an occasional face in the crowd at charity and award shows, an occasional name in song credits, an occasional poster on the wall for new releases. Without the populist appeal of pre-fab idols or the buzz of indie champions like Chet Lam, Pong Nan has nonetheless managed to stick around somewhere left of mainstream, quietly accumulating a loyal following of listeners with his earthy vocals, politely outspoken lyrics, and moody brooding melodies. Apparently... [read more]
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Faces Of FanFan (3CD)
Christine Fan (Singer)
Fan Wei Qi is a singer who's easy to like, and yet also easy to let slip by. With her down-to-earth image and personality and comfortable, low-key numbers, she doesn't have the pop diva appeal of singers like A-mei Chang, Stefanie Sun, Elva Hsiao, and labelmate Angela Chang, but at the same time falls short of the full-fledged singer-songwriter acclaim of Tanya Chua and Cheer Chen. This might be why it took me so long to purchase my first Fan Fan album. Though I've always liked her music, come checkout time, I'm too easily lured away by the big name albums or the small indie releases. I didn't quite realize how many great hits she has, how familiar her songs are, until I sat down to listen... [read more]
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Wong Kar Kui Memorial Album (CD + DVD + Photo Album)
Wong Ka Kui (Singer)
| Steve Wong Ka Keung
I don't remember much about the summer of 2003, but I remember June 30th. That was the day I arrived in Hong Kong for vacation, and that was the day Wong Ka Kui left the world. As someone who grew up listening to Hong Kong music in the 80s and 90s, Beyond and Wong Ka Kui hold a special spot in my - and I'm sure many other people's - memories. I was quite young when he passed away so I didn't really understand back then what Wong Ka Kui represented for Chinese music, and what his premature death stole from Chinese music fans. But as the years passed, where the idol crushes fade away, Beyond's music remains. Already, it's been 15 years since Wong Ka Kui passed away, and three years since... [read more]
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Mystery (CD+DVD) (Taiwan Edition)
Yoga (James) Lin (Singer)
Afalean Lu and Aska Yang may have beat him to the solo debut, but patience has proven to be wise for One Million Star's first season winner Yoga Lin. After all, Afalean Lu's debut album was buried quickly after being rushed out with cover songs and an awful cover. Aska Yang fared much better, of course, but chart-topping sales can't quite hide the feeling that his debut album is carried by spectacular vocals and hindered by unspectacular songwriting. Yoga Lin's debut album could easily have gone in the same solid, but subdued direction as Aska Yang's, and no one would have complained considering the young singer's proven vocal talent and popularity pretty much guaranteed sales. But Yoga... [read more]
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Lowell Lo 08 Suddenly A Magic Moment (CD+DVD)
Lowell Lo (Singer)
I'm a fairly frequent visitor of the Hong Kong Coliseum, but something felt different on May 17 as I settled into my mountain seat at Lowell Lo in Concert 2050. For one thing, the woman next to me looked like she might be giving birth any second. Instead of the excited teenyboppers and disaffected headboppers that populate the idol and indie concerts I usually attend, this time I was surrounded by middle-aged couples, smiling seniors, and families with children. It was an event that made me feel simultaneously young and old; young because I was a good 15 years lighter than the people next to me, old because I first listened to Lowell Lo when I was the same age as the children being brought... [read more]
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