The Era (Taiwan Version)

One of the best traits of Chou is his aforementioned composing talent. He has a great ear for sounds and isn't afraid to experiment with all sorts of music. He has previously incorporated classical and traditional Chinese music as well as unique sounds like the sound of bouncing ping pong balls into hit songs. In The Era, the talented musician tries out the latest craze in hip-hop, the auto-tune, in two songs. In the first one, the title track (Track 1), Chou perfectly utilizes the robotic sounds the tool lends to his voice and blends it into the fast-paced rap song and its synthesized chorus complete with heavy guitar riffs and quick strikes of piano keys. However in Xi Ha Kong Jie ("Hip-hop Stewardess" - Track 7), he overdepends on the auto-tune and ruins an acceptable song with decent beats. The auto-tune is mainly a tool for those who can't carry a note and Chou has proven in his previous nine records that he can. It is good in small doses but can never carry the bulk of a song.

Besides the auto-tune, the record also features songs in Chou's trademark "zhongguo feng" style, blending traditional Chinese instruments and styles with R&B or rock. Yan Hua Yì Leng ("Fireworks Cool Easily" - Track 3) is a slow, emotional ballad accompanied by piano, guitar and Chinese flute. The pace of the song picks up near the end as Chou adds a rap verse. The use of traditional Chinese instruments is more recognizable in Yu Xia Yi Zheng Wan ("It Rained All Night" - Track 6). Starting with a guitar, it gives way to traditional instruments such as the pipa midsong as he switches to singing in a higher tone reminiscent of a Chinese opera singer.

The guitar seems to be more prominent in this album than in any of his previous albums. It is definitely up front and center in the quirky blues track Mian Fei Jiao Xue Lu Ying Dai ("Free Instructional Video" - Track 4) as Chou seems to revert to his cowboy stage. The lyrics are humorous as he attempts to teach you how to be a rockstar. The final track of the record features him sing-rapping over simple guitar strums. While usual partner Vincent Fang penned a majority of the album, Chou personally wrote the lyrics to this song as he deals with fame while trying to be the same ordinary person he's always been. The track has a whimsical feel not too different from Clear Stars from his debut album. The Era is a very good representation of Chou's music. There's improvisation and fusion of musical genres, touching ballads, and even his slurred pronunciation sprinkled throughout the record. It's a relatively strong release as there is only one song that really should be avoided. The international superstar might never replicate the success of his previous releases, but then again he probably doesn't need to as he steps into a new era of his shining career.

by Leon Lee