Favourite Albums of the Noughties - #1

#1 Tanya Chua 蔡健雅 - Goodbye and Hello (2007)

A bit of history on Tanya: She first emerged on the English music scene in Singapore as a rocker-type singer-songwriter in 1997. Two years later, she released her first Chinese album, where she had to read lyrics phonetically. She met with middling success with her first three albums, as there was some incongruity with her music and her image, which meant that the Taiwanese audience just didn't take to her. It was only at a new label, Warner, when she released 陌生人 (Stranger), that she found her niche --> singing songs of love and heartbreak from the point of view of a intelligent and sensitive urban woman.  There's a certain modern quality to her voice (something I find all Singaporean singers possess) that enables her to connect to both lyrics about surviving in the harsh coldness of cities like Taipei and the struggle to find meaningful contact when you're one soul amidst a million strangers. But there was still something missing in spire of the commercial and critical success Tanya found: She's a songwriter by nature, and due to her weakness in Chinese, she was often getting songs written for her. It wasn't exactly her own voice that she was expressing then.

That changed with 2007's Goodbye and Hello, which I really do believe is a landmark album is the Mandopop world. It had been two years or more since Tanya had released new music, and she had decided in that time to relocate to Taipei so she could improve her Chinese. And unfortunately, she also experienced the tearful end of a relationship. Drawing from her pain, Tanya for the first time ever wrote her own Chinese lyrics - a far cry form the days when she could only read hanyu pinyin. She also took the new role of album executive producer. The result is a soulful rumination of love and loss in the city. Tanya's lyrics were not, and probably won't ever be, as poetic as those of lyricists like Vincent Fang (

方文山), but in their simplicity and stark honesty, she lays bare her emotions, and it is moving and beautiful. There are songs of pure pain, such as the piano-led 空白格 (Empty Space), which is sparse in its arrangement but so evocative and haunting. It's not just all about breaking out the hankies too, as Tanya also sings about the lessons one can learn from failed relationships and move one, like the feisty title track.

The album opens with 达尔文 (Darwin), which talks about how we evolve to become better humans with each failed relationship. The arrangement is gentle, with soft guitar strumming. It's as if she's consoling herself by telling herself how said evolution is good, even though she's still hurting. Goodbye and Hello closes with the same track, except it's now called Darwin II (The Evolved Version). The arrangement is quirkier, brighter. You can imagine her singing this with a wistful smile as she looks back at the past, ready, and importantly, able, to move on.

Goodbye and Hello is my album of the decade.

Stunning song. Gorgeous video. Also a great example of how you don't need big budgets to make beautiful works of art.

Favourite Albums of the Noughties - #2

#2 Britney Spears - Blackout (2007)

I've always maintained to everyone who asks that I love Britney in a completely non-ironic way. I genuinely believe that she's released some pop classics in her career. Singles like Baby, One More Time, I'm a Slave 4 U and Toxic are as good as anything any indie band-of-the-moment can produce. The only problem was that Brit was one those artists inflicted with filler-itis I'd talked about earlier (Youtube Dear Diary from her Oops... I Did It Again! album for an example). Things improved with 03's In the Zone, which was chockfull of radio-ready hits, but it lacked a cohesive sound. In fact, it was anything but cohesive. Dance pop, hiphop, electronica, balladeering, jamaican dancehall - the album was japalang, as Singaporeans would say. Between '03 and '07 came and left K-Fed, a poorly promoted Greatest Hits package, two babies and of course, the unraveling of Britney, all of which culminated in that infamous shot of bald Brit wielding an umbrella against a paparazzo's car.

It was in the midst of her personal turmoil that Blackout was released in the fall of '07. The Danja-produced Gimme More came first. She opened the VMAs that year with this song, and it was a disaster of a performance that she sleepwalked through, a performance that is now iconic, but not for the right reasons. The video was a mess too, especially for Britney, who had always been a great video artist previously. But these misfires cannot take away the brilliance of the song, which is as club-worthy as any first single club banger should be, and as irresistibly sleazy and dark.  "Gimme gimme more," she purrs. It's dumb, repetitive lyrics that pop culture commentators can have a field day interpreting --> Britney's addiction to fame? The paparazzi's hunger for her? The public's fascination for building up and tearing down celebs? Whatever it is, it added an intriguing quality to an already addictive song.

This time around, with Danja taking on a huge chunk of production duties, Blackout had a cohesive sound through and through - edgy urban dance pop. Not a ballad in sight. Second single Piece of Me was yet another amazing meta-Britney moment, even if it wasn't self-penned. Follow-up Break the Ice was the piece de resistance. 'It's been a while. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, but I'm here now," she coos at the start of this Danja production. Such a perfect opening for a comeback first single. If only, you know, she was sane and all.

Recorded during her second pregnancy, Blackout was undoubtedly a producer's album. You can hardly discern Britney's voice throughout the album, what with all the autotune, vocodering and other various effects her voice is put through in the tracks. Even when you can actually hear her, you can feel that she wasn't all that 'there' during the recording process. There's also nearly zero introspection in the album, which you'd expect from a post-divorce album (the nearest she comes is an oblique reference in the album closer, Why Should I Be Sad). It's party time all album long, and almost like she said, "Screw this," popped an ecstasy pill or two, and danced away.

All of these factors combines to produce a feeling of detachment and discombobulation that the album evokes. This somehow works, giving Blackout the cold, cool feel utterly perfect for the modern urban sound. Blackout's about an impersonal an album as you can get, but it's also pretty darn close to pop perfection. 

             This scorcher of a song deserved a much better video... :(

Favourite Albums of the Noughties - #3

#3 Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)

You can probably discern from my postings that I'm quite a mainstream pop fan. Radiohead was one of those bands that I knew was pretty much at the top of the credibility mountain. I know their songs of course. There was the early guitar-band sounds of "High and Dry" or "Creep", and then the band progressed with the critically acclaimed OK Computer, which I bought and from which I loved "Karma Police" the most. But then they went left-field starting with Amnesiac and bye went their accessibility factor. From "Creep" to "Idioteque" - talk about evolution.

After a mini four-year hiatus, In Rainbows was released in '07 amidst great flurry, though not actually for its content. Rather, Radiohead made headlines for the way it chose to distribute the album, making it available for download on its official website for free (sorta. Fans could pay any price they wanted). Possible industry-redefining move? Not quite, as we're seeing in hindsight. Cynical attempt to grab headlines after a lull? Hardly, when the music could more than speak for itself. Nonetheless, this move, marketing ploy or not, worked a treat in restating Radiohead's commercial credentials, as In Rainbows opened strong on both sides of the Atlantic, no doubt spurred on by four years of pent-up demand.

In Rainbows' commercial success was warranted for sure, as the album was actually a return to form. Gone was the indulgence of Hail to the Thief, to be replaced by accessibility, without sacrificing artistry. There were melodies (!) and energy to be found in tracks like "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" and "Bodysnatchers". "Nude" and "Videotape" provide those trademark Thom Yorke haunting vocals and moody, evocative instrumentation fit for a David Lynch movie soundtrack. And then there's my personal favorite, "All I Need". Just a beautiful, moving melody, low-key production and Yorke's soaring falsetto towards the end - sublime.

Singles Selection of 2010

I gotta admit I really slacked off on investigating new music in 2010, and instead went the nostalgic route and often revisited favourites from decades past. Seeking comfort in the familiar when in a foreign land, definitely. Of course, I still managed to listen to some new music, and I decided to throw together a list of my favourite singles of 2010.


蔡依林 - 无言以对

Jolin does American R&B? Sign me up! Before she hit the big big time with 看我72变, Jolin in fact pumped out quite a few R&B-lite tunes, which I think she has a flair for, because she's got a good sense of rhythm with her singing. This is what she should be doing more, instead of the tired Ah-Lian dance pop numbers. 

Take That - The Flood

Robbie's back and takes up a huge chunk of vocal responsibility immediately. Not sure how I feel about that, but I know for sure The Flood is top-notch balladeering, with an urgent and soaring chorus that just builds and builds. Epic! With great vocal harmonies, and some metaphorical mumbo-jumbo lyrics about "learning how to dance the rain" (probably about the band's evolution since its inception), this song is as good as any from the band's 90s heyday.  

Marina & the Diamonds - Oh No!

Forget Ke$ha and Katy Perry, Marina is the triumphant pop story of the year! Interesting look, strong voice, quirky lyrics (that she writes herself), strong hooks aplenty - there's nothing not to love here! This song never fails to perk me up! Marina's definitely the best of the batch of 'quirky' Brit pop gals like Ellie Goulding and Pixie Lott. Do investigate!

林俊杰 - 她说

I was immediately predisposed to liking the song when I learned that the lyrics were written by all-time fav, Stefanie Sun, but 她说 is a really great traditional Mandopop piano-driven ballad. And I love the lyrics too! Well done, Stef! Also love the little piano refrain from 记得 after the first chorus. I had a period in November when I was listening to JJ constantly on my commute to my internship, and this song was a regular guest on that play list. Great melancholic sing along on the walk to the train station haha.

Kylie Minogue  - All the Lovers

I think if there were to be an aural representation of words like 'bliss' and 'joy', this song would be it. Seriously, this song radiates positivity. Kylie softens her already girlish vocals, and she caresses the lyrics of the song in such an intimate, lush fashion I feel that she is singing/whispering directly to me. The Stuart Price production is brilliant too, especially the breakdown before the final chorus. It is pure, well, joy indeed (minor flaw: the breakdown is so great that there should've been an extended one for the album version of the song). Oh and the video is simply amazing too
.
Robyn - Dancing on My Own

Continuing on the path forged by 2007's With Every Heartbeat, Dancing On My Own is another melancholic lyrics set to a throbbing electropop beat-type song. If it ain't broke and all... And no one does painful yearning quite like Robyn. And the wonderful plinky electronica bits really sets off her wonderful, emotional vocals - sorta a juxtaposition of human frailty and digital cool. A perfect heartbreak song for this millennial era. And it's also my single of the year.

Favourite Albums of the Noughties Pt. 1

I'm a bit late in compiling my list of the best of the decade, so sorry to my audience of five (though technically, the decade begins with '01 and ends with '10, so I'm in fact early!). Looking back in 10 or 100 years from now, I'm sure that music historians would locate the death of the album to sometime this decade. Consumers, aided by the digitisation of music and the MP3 revolution, altered their behaviour, forgoing album-purchasing in favour of buying individual tracks,, which have been mostly done on the innocuously-termed store we know as Itunes. A whole generation of music lovers has come of age understanding only the instant gratification model of downloading the latest tracks, the singles, the hits. That's not to mention those who've grown up simply obtaining their music through illegal downloads, which dramatically changes their perception of the value of music and that has consequences that will not be addressed here. In sum then, the idea of an album, one with a cohesive concept from start to finish from the recording to the album art, has in this decade begun its slide into irrelevance, methinks.

I'm certainly no different from the type of people whom I've described above. Like them, I've been afflicted with "shuffle mode-itis", and my attention span's gotten shorter such that I rarely play albums from start to finish nowadays. The probably also speaks to the quality of music that's been put out in the recent past, with complacent record companies concerned with producing only 2-3 hit singles per album, then slapping on 7-8 disposable fillers and calling it a day. Who would listen to an entire album then, when you could simply shuffle between hits from your favourite one-hit wonders.

The point of my insanely long preamble, then, is that in today's ADHD world of music listening, an album that can sustain your interest from beginning to end must indeed be something quite special. I've narrowed down my list of albums of the decade to 5, all of which have been, at one time or another, albums that I've played repeatedly, and which still holds my attention from the first track to the last as I went back to re-listen to various albums to come up with this list. They'll not be to everybody's tastes obviously, but I do genuinely believe that there is objective merit to be found in each that no one can not appreciate.

Firstly, here's some of the albums that just missed the cut of my Top 5 of the Decade:

Stefanie Sun - 孙燕姿 (Stefanie Sun) (2000)

Singapore's biggest star (arguably?) emerged the summer of 2000, proving an instant hit in the Mandopop capital of Taiwan, and justifiably so. Her distinct, vibrato-free vocals, coupled with the words and music of local maestros Wei Song/ Si Song, produced classics like 天黑黑 and 超快感. Millions fell in love with Yan Zi at first sight (or sound, rather), and I was one of them.



Kelly Clarkson - Breakway (2004)

For a 13 month stretch between 2004/05, Kelly Clarkson ruled the world, much like how Gaga is the zeitgeist of the scene now. The run of Breakway-Since You Been Gone-Behind These Hazel Eyes-Because of You-Walkaway must be one of the strongest single runs in recent memory (Again, probably only Gaga with Just Dance-Poker Face-Love Game-Paparazzi-Bad Romance-Telephone-Alejandro can top this, and she accomplished this only with a re-release). We know all these hits, and amazingly, more can be found on the album. Would it be blashemy to say that this is Thriller/Rhythm Nation 1814-like in that almost all songs are single-worthy? This is pop-rock at its finest.

Robin Thicke - The Evolution of Robin Thicke (2006)

There are some records that will sound better live. This is not one of those. Thicke always struggles with his trademark falsettos live, but on record, his voice is gloriously smooth and slick, and this entire album is one groovy ride, without being melodically dull. Guests like Lil' Wayne and Pharell add some amazing hip-hop bite. Thicke has consistently been my go-to guy for R&B music since this album.






Jolin Tsai - 舞娘 (Dancing Diva) (2006)

Jolin's an unabashedly commercial artist, with no pretense of artistry. Often, her music comes off as cheesy, or in Singapore-speak, lian/beng-ish (the closest equivalent is probably music for chavs), but, for just one album, everything fell into place. 舞娘 is still as commercial as they come, but there's a certain epic quality to the formula, having been refined to perfection. This was a pop star at the top of her game.


 



Antony and the Johnsons - I am a Bird Now (2005)

I had never heard anything from Antony Hegarty before this, so it was a strangely disconcerting feeling the first time I listened to his voice, so fragile it's almost cry-like. But quickly, that amazingly unique voice, coupled with his beautiful lyrics (on gender identity), begins to haunt you. Gets minus points because it is a tad too depressing.







Up next: Album #3 in my Top 3 of the decade.

Crossing Musical Borders

While blogging about the topic of Chinese here, I was reminded of a topic that I've been fascinated by, which is the successful export of Japanese, and to a lesser extent, Korean pop culture to the West relative to the export of Chinese pop culture. Music affioncados in Europe and the States sometimes adore Japanese/Korean pop/rock. Some of my American friends love Korean boybands. Some indie music blogs will post news of Namie Amuro or something. Bascially, one could say that there's some sort of niche audience for J/K-pop in the West, and they've sorta got cult status. It would be 'cool' to like L'Arc-en-Ciel, like how it's 'cool' to like the Animal Collective, if you get what I mean.

It's not the same for movies though. Japanese movies are of course appreciated in the West, with the likes of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai being universally acknowledged as a classic. South Korea's Park Chan-Wook attained cult status too. But Chinese films also get love from the West. John Woo and Ang Lee have crossed over to Hollywood, and directors like Wong Kar Wai, Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao Hsien are respected internationally.

But somehow, that is not the case for Chinese music, which puzzles me. The closest thing I can think of would be Faye Wong when she did 'Eyes on Me' for Final Fantasy. But still, no one was interested in her Chinese work. Even the indie-est of indie music lovers would not be into Chinese music. And I wonder why. Is it the ballad-heavy nature of Chinese music that doesn't translate? Is it that there is more originality to be found in J/K-pop, compared to Chinese pop, which I must say can be highly derivative? Is there some sort of cultural affinity that the West feels towards Japan, and to a lesser extent, Korea? Does Japan's status as a first-world, G7 country have anything to do with said cultural affinity? I don't know. I just feel like there is a lot of good to be found in Chinese music and I'd like for it to gain a wider audience beyond Chinese-speaking shores.

The Universal Language of Music

Heard at the last Friday's school Bhangra-themed dance party held to celebrate Deepavali (or Diwali, as they call it): Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy by Tata Young! Who knew third-rate pop songs by ASEAN artistes transcended geographic boundaries? 'Twas a moment of pride when I heard it. I know the lyrics (in no small part thanks to two pals' love for the song during karaoke sessions) to a song by an obscure artiste no one else knew of! Take that, indie kids!

'Twas really nice to eat some Indian curry, samosas, etc. for a change too.

Soul Food

Somehow, ever since I got here, I've been finding myself listening much more to Chinese music. Perhaps it's to compensate from not hearing or speaking the language, but there's this sense of comfort and familiarity I draw from listening to 燕姿 (Stefanie Sun) and others that I don't get from English music. It's probably just me.

Anyway, besides listening to a lot of Stefanie (I told Adel that I've decided she's my favourite musical artiste, all languages considered), I've managed to check out two high-profile Mandopop releases of these past 2 months: Jolin's 特務J (Agent J) and local talent Tanya's Goodbye & Hello.

Jolin's album, from the MVs I've youtubed, is a big disappointment. I had thought that she made some, if not much, artistic progression in her previous album, the mega-selling 舞孃 (Dancing Diva), and was expecting that with her having reached a stage where she could pretty record her farts, package it, and still be the top-seller of the year, she would take some risks. Instead, she chooses to focus more on ever-increasing elaborate dance moves and big budget MVs, with the music serving as a mere backdrop of beats for her to display her hard work at the dance studio. The thing is that there is a limit to the level of complication or intricacy you can throw into your choreography. First, there was the ribbon-tossing of Dancing Diva, then now there's the pole-dancing in Agent J. What's next? 3 1/2 pikes with 2 somersaults and a degree of difficulty of 4.0? And as she gets older, how is she gonna keep upping the stakes in dance? By no means am I against dance-pop music, but I wish she would stop regressing to more generic Ah Lian techno pop crap and put out something less dated, more sophisticated. Think electropop along the lines of Robyn, Girls Aloud, Kylie or even Britney. Sigh, I'm disappointed in you, Jolin.

On the other side of the coin, I absolutely love the singles Tanya has put out thus far for her new album, Goodbye and Hello. This is the first time Tanya contributed lyrics to the songs (usually, she writes the music and then gets others to fill in lyrics), so she's telling a more personal story. That's the PR angle anyway. But the important thing is the melodies are as good as ever, though less obvious and more nuanced and thus more likely to grow on you. The music feels less commercial and hooky (unlike something like Beautiful Love, which is a lovely song, but definitely written and produced for KTV singalong popularity in mind), and more pared-down, organic and very intimate, as if you're sitting in the bar where she's performing just a few metres away on stage, but it remains very accessible. I'm no expert on Mandarin lyrics, but by my reckoning, she's done a pretty decent job. Her theme (a lament on a previous relationship) is nothing new, but her interpretation is different from the usual "my heart's broken when you leave"-kinda obvious sentiments, and it manages to be genuinely moving. And of course, her vocals, simple, chilled and histrionics free, complement the songs perfectly.

An aside: I don't know if it's just me, but I find that in Mandopop, Singaporean female singers have this level of maturity and depth in their vocals that you don't see in most of their Taiwanese peers. Kit Chan, Mavis Hee, Stefanie, Tanya & Kaira Gong all have this quality that I'm talking about (Ok, let's ignore Jocie Kok and Sun Ho), and it means they're able to elevate even crappy run-of-the-mill ballads to a decent level.

So here are the first two singles from Tanya's album. I think both are wonderful.

當你離開的時候 When You Leave


空白格 Blank



Incidentally, Tanya's having the best success of her Mandopop career thus far, with the album debuting at No.1 in Taiwan, so keep up the brilliant work, Tanya!