So Far So... Close (New + Best Selection) (2CD + Live Concert DVD) DVD Region All

I must admit when I picked up So Far So... Close, it was not so much for the music but the person, or more specifically for that residual fuzzy feeling of 90s pop idol goodwill. I purchased Lose, Eric's most recent "new songs/best of" Mandarin album, for the same reason in 2002, and that album was a disaster as he attempted trendy music stylings that simply did not fit. So Far So...Close, however, is a surprisingly good Canto-pop offering. With an earthy selection of eminently listenable mid-tempo ballads, this has turned out to be one of the (alarmingly) few Hong Kong albums this year that I actually like.

So Far So... Close starts wisely with its best song, "Think First, Love Later" (Track 1). The simple, but catchy melody from Tse Kok Hung, serviceable lyrics from business-as-usual Lin Xi, and nice piano and string arrangement add up to a great pop ballad. Surprisingly, what really lifts this song is Eric's performance. Apparently, thirteen years in the business have not been for nought, because his voice has gained an emotional depth and maturity that I had never noticed before, especially in the lower notes. His singing throughout the album is crisp and clean with - newcomers take note - clear enunciation. Going two-for-two, Tse's other contribution, "Vice Rises Ten Times Higher" (Track 6), is also a winner. The melody feels comfortable, yet different with a standout chorus and great vocal arrangement.

Another outstanding ballad is "Love Declaration" (Track 2), composed by Ronald Ng with lyrics from - who else? - Lin Xi. Short, sweet, and earpleasing, the karaoke-friendly melody is complemented by an excellent arrangement that, while not particularly original, effectively highlights the song's soft and dramatic moments. Again, Eric's delivery here is smooth and on the mark. Unfortunately, Ronald Ng and Lin Xi's other collaboration, "No One is Spared" (Track 9), is significantly less commendable; the melody is basically a series of been-there-done-that pop cliches tacked together with bad transitions.

Eric Suen himself composed "I Love Her Because I Love You" (Track 3), which gets an enthusiastic "not bad". The melody is indistinct but the chorus has a good flow, making for a good-while-it-lasts number. Also living in solid side track territory are "Self Love" (Track 7) and "Protect You Forever" (Track 4). The latter is particularly reminiscent of a 90s ballad with its combination of grounded verses and catchy chorus that approaches dangerously close to cheesy cute. The album's sole fast track, "Kill in a Second" (Track 5) by C.Y. Kong, also has a confused throwback feel to it. The whole thing is a bit messy - octave jumps, busy background noise, vacuous lyrics - and I still maintain that Eric is not suited for fast songs, but the track is harmless enough overall. Does no good, but also does no damage.

"The Benefits of Being Single" (Track 8) and "Peaceful Breakup" (Track 10), both composed by Choy Chi Ho, are what I would call Eason Chan-style songs. Though quite different in tone, they have the somewhat catchy, somewhat formless free-flowing melody that Eason would hit out of the ballpark and lesser singers would completely bumble. How does Eric fare? Again, not bad at all. His performance on the jazzy "The Benefits of Being Single" isn't relaxed enough and the pacing is a bit off on "Peaceful Breakup", but otherwise, he handles the songs quite well. In addition to the new tracks, we also get a second CD of "classics", which basically amounts to perennial favorite "Love Story" plus some other songs, and a DVD of his 903 concert that allows us to compare 2007 Eric Suen's rendition of "Love Story" to the original.

With the Canto-pop scene going officially nowhere, the last few years have opened up a space for grateful nostalgia, be it concerts for semi-retired stars like Shirley Kwan and Vivian Chow, the fabulous revival of the Soft Hard Kids, or the deluge of reissue albums. With Eric Suen's comeback, I can only say that it seems we're not only missing the stars that ruled the 90s, we're even missing the stars that got unceremoniously shook out in the 90s. Kevin Cheng came back, Eric Suen is back. Quick, somebody call Wallace Chung.