Chandie
09-08-2006, 08:29 AM
Perhaps Jay knows that his arguably best album to date is his second, 'Fantasy'? It is definitely the utmost favourite for me. I listened to it so much that the MD Cassette broke. It was the album that got me addicted to his melodies and mumbling, even when at that time I didn't understand Mandarin- It broke boundaries and introduced his type of music to a wider array of listeners who aren't even Background Chinese- Thai, Malaysian, Phillipino, and even more recently, as his albums and popularity grew- Japanese and Korean.
Which is why I find that the title of his Seventh album- 'Still Fantasy', very fitting, and in a way quite humbling. It is as if he is telling his listeners, like his close friends whom he's known for the past seven years- that he still has his groove, and he still has what it takes to make our spines tingle, to make us cry, to evoke our happiest and saddest moments, the way ‘Fantasy’ did. This album on a whole seems like a reassessment of the various musical styles that Jay has experimented with over the years. In my opinion it is a very fitting time to do so. Jay has been on the top of his game since the time of his third or fourth album, which undoubtedly means there will be critics who refuse to believe that Jay can still innovate, and still produce the goods that had originally made him popular. The Tall Poppy Syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome) is only inevitable. He has done it again, and even if 'Still Fantasy' is not the most breakthrough of them all, he continues to keep his loyal fanbase salivating for more, as well as enlisting more fans as he continues to do so.
As I see that 'Still Fantasy' is in a way a retrospect of his older works, here are the five main categories and styles that I think Jay focuses on and that we've grown to love:
1. 'We love each other, Lets go skip in the Sun' soppy Catergory:
The most definitive song for this category would be 'Simple Love', in my opinion, from Fantasy. At that time we had known Jay to be young, simple, shy and pure, untainted by paparazzi stories, and that was what his music came across as. This is the catergory Teenage Girls have on repeat on their music players, the songs where they wish their boyfriends can serenade to them on a piano or guitar, during a beautiful spring day. They are sweet as sugar. A Pattern I have found was that the third song for all Jay’s albums fall into this catergory- ‘Xing Qing’, ‘Simple Love’, ‘Secret Signal’, ‘Cloudless Day’, ‘Excuse’ (that’s more of catergory 2), ‘Hair like Snow’, and now, ‘Faraway’, a classic Jay aims will be played on the airwaves fifty years from now. The commercial choice of doing a duet with Crooner of Taiwan is a wise one, as it bridges generation gaps and invites an older listener to give his music a go.
In 'Still Fantasy', I think the song that represents this category best would be ‘White Windmill’- the feeling is comfortable, easy and Jay at his original romantic ‘I would do everything for you’ mode. My only criticism with this song is that the general mood in the beginning resembled Initial D’s ‘All the Way North’ a little too much. Lyrics such as ‘I’d walk with you to the very end…I won’t let go’ would melt any Mandarin appreciating girl, wouldn’t it? His abundant use of Strings in this album is very noticeable- which is continuing his classical old-school romantic style. The Cello opening for ‘The Bed of Chrysanthenum’ is grand, sincere and I’m sure very fitting to the visual richness of his movie ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’. His singing style for that, you can notice, is much more serious and no mess-about; miles away from his playful slurs in, say, ‘The Indian Old Bird’. Some fans, like myself, may be uneasy to listen to Jay sing so…adult like! It is heartfelt, and definitely respectable for parents of yours and mine who always claim Jay doesn’t take his singing seriously. Make them listen to this track and say ‘TAKE THAT!’. When I first heard ‘Rosemary’ I seriously thought it wasn’t Jay singing- because the style was even lazier and more relaxed than his usual standard; almost feminine! It took me two gos at listening to the song to make me recognize that I was indeed Jay. It style and mood resembles Kangta’s ‘Reminiscence’, a song I love. The Bossa Nova groove used in this song and the sexy guitars is a first for him, and I wouldn’t say it works best for him, but is sure good to know that he is experimenting and on his toes all the time.
2. 'We don't love each other anymore, I'm crying and watching rain pour from my dark dark balcony' soppy Catergory:
First song that comes into my mind for this catergory would ‘An Jing’ from his debut album, undoubtedly. I wonder how many girls around the world have cried listening to this song. Jay’s mellow melodies and perfect mix of instruments rhythms can pull exactly those heartstrings. He also did quite well in this area with his album, ‘Qi Li Xiang’, with ‘Excuse’ a great standout for me, as well as ‘Love’s Cliff’.
You will find that melodies of Jay’s in this category often resemble each other- but the moment you recognize a group of chords here or there, the moment slips away, and Jay still hasn’t lost that original appeal. ‘Retreat’ and ‘Heart’s Rain’ may be ‘just another ballad’ to listeners not familiar with Jay, but listeners who have been through his records will know that this particular style of his has matured, and he no longer tries to hard to exhibit all his vocal range, or draw too grand a picture- he just wants to make a good song. There’s ‘Woo!’s in the song that remind me of ‘Ke Ai Nu Ren’. Listen closely for that. Jay conforms somewhat to the Taiwanese formula of Sappy love ballads, but what distincts him with others is his magical ability to get it right, and get it recognizably his; which is why he is one of the favourites of this genre.
Sadly to say though no song in this album so far have managed to make me cry like ‘An Jing’ did, but I am eagerly anticipating another one of those to come along in his future albums, as I am sure it will.
3. Jay has his fun and makes Political and Social Commentary:
In this particular category Jay lets loose and looks around the world for inspiration. He has a go on the Paparazzi (Beseiged from all sides), expresses love for his mother, rubs shoulders with the Italian Mafia Godfathers (Yi Fu Xi Ming) makes friends with ghosts (William’s Castle), Half Monsters (Ban Shou Ren), basketball (Dou Nou and Some kind of Tune) and the like. This is what precisely defines Jay- is indefinable imagination! Lyrics in this catergory are at their quirkiest and funniest, and gives Jay a way to express his views on the world around him. Instruments used and beats are extra funky, as both the audience and Jay have more fun.
‘Twilight’s Chapter 7’ can possibly become the best song to join this group. There’s a mystic Harry Potter quality (it must be the xylophones)- and what we’ve grown to love Jay- the murmuring style and the smooth eerie melody. The beat for this song could have been a little more inventive, but resembles too much to previous Hip Hop beats that Jay has adopted. Jay should spend a little more time inventing fresh beats that I think can even further expand his creative potential.
There’s the sugar-pop ‘Listen to your Mother’ that resembles a children’s hymn, with a the NQMM quality that was found in ‘Malt Candy’. The melody is simple, easy to remember, innocent. It’s cute. It also accentuates Jay’s image of ‘Most filial Son in Taiwan’. But is this style a little too innocent for Jay’s status and musical development as far? That is up to you to decide. For some reason it reminds me of Orange Range’s ‘Hana’, although it nowhere resembles it.
The Siesta grooves in ‘Moulin Rouge’ (I do not think the name for this song is ‘Red Imitation’) is cool, but unfortunately has been used all too commonly in Asian songs of late. The Brass is recognizable, and the only thing that saved this song would be Jay’s straight no-frills rapping.
4. 'This would be on Bruce Lee's iPod' Oriental Rock-
If Jay was to be a singer known around the world for his music- by Non-Asians, that is, it would be for the reason of this particular category. Instruments such as Flutes, Drums, Gongs and sounds of Swords and special effects can only be conjured effectively by Jay and Jay only. Songs from the earliest ‘Ninja’ and ‘Nunchucks’ to ‘Dragon Fist’ to Jet Li inspired ‘Fearless’ pack a punch and have that ‘Chinese flava’ that doesn’t try to confirm to the Diddys and the Nellys, nor anybody, for that matter. This Genre was basically invented by Jay, in my opinion, and it is only those who try to imitate his style who can go horribly wrong, but not Jay.
In this album ‘A Herbalist’s Manual is the representative’. The song is more modern than it is ancient, with his sarcastic tone in rapping and even the somewhat emotionless singing. One thing that annoyed me immensely though, was the sounds I like to call ‘Tigger’s Spring’ in the middle of the song- three of them. But that’s just one of those things I get annoyed with that I always discover in every single album of his. It is funky, a little grittier that his other songs of this style (such as ‘Drifting’) and is something perfect for the latest endorsement of Street Fighter or something similar. I wonder what this song with end up endorsing?
With this album Jay has come full circle, and has looked back to his old songs, and looked forward for inspiration at the same time. My Favourite would be ‘Twilight’s Chapter 7’, least being ‘A Herbalists Manual’, but it is set to change as I listen more to it. As I said, ‘Chrysanthenum’ is very respectable, style the most sincere to date. It is not the most breakthrough of his albums, but is another album that builds his style and foundation to help him become one of the most well rounded, innovative singers in Asia.
Having confirmed that Jay is still ‘Living the Fantasy’, I am sure Jay will deliver something even more extraordinary come next year. Rock on, Jay!
Chandie :flowers:
Which is why I find that the title of his Seventh album- 'Still Fantasy', very fitting, and in a way quite humbling. It is as if he is telling his listeners, like his close friends whom he's known for the past seven years- that he still has his groove, and he still has what it takes to make our spines tingle, to make us cry, to evoke our happiest and saddest moments, the way ‘Fantasy’ did. This album on a whole seems like a reassessment of the various musical styles that Jay has experimented with over the years. In my opinion it is a very fitting time to do so. Jay has been on the top of his game since the time of his third or fourth album, which undoubtedly means there will be critics who refuse to believe that Jay can still innovate, and still produce the goods that had originally made him popular. The Tall Poppy Syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome) is only inevitable. He has done it again, and even if 'Still Fantasy' is not the most breakthrough of them all, he continues to keep his loyal fanbase salivating for more, as well as enlisting more fans as he continues to do so.
As I see that 'Still Fantasy' is in a way a retrospect of his older works, here are the five main categories and styles that I think Jay focuses on and that we've grown to love:
1. 'We love each other, Lets go skip in the Sun' soppy Catergory:
The most definitive song for this category would be 'Simple Love', in my opinion, from Fantasy. At that time we had known Jay to be young, simple, shy and pure, untainted by paparazzi stories, and that was what his music came across as. This is the catergory Teenage Girls have on repeat on their music players, the songs where they wish their boyfriends can serenade to them on a piano or guitar, during a beautiful spring day. They are sweet as sugar. A Pattern I have found was that the third song for all Jay’s albums fall into this catergory- ‘Xing Qing’, ‘Simple Love’, ‘Secret Signal’, ‘Cloudless Day’, ‘Excuse’ (that’s more of catergory 2), ‘Hair like Snow’, and now, ‘Faraway’, a classic Jay aims will be played on the airwaves fifty years from now. The commercial choice of doing a duet with Crooner of Taiwan is a wise one, as it bridges generation gaps and invites an older listener to give his music a go.
In 'Still Fantasy', I think the song that represents this category best would be ‘White Windmill’- the feeling is comfortable, easy and Jay at his original romantic ‘I would do everything for you’ mode. My only criticism with this song is that the general mood in the beginning resembled Initial D’s ‘All the Way North’ a little too much. Lyrics such as ‘I’d walk with you to the very end…I won’t let go’ would melt any Mandarin appreciating girl, wouldn’t it? His abundant use of Strings in this album is very noticeable- which is continuing his classical old-school romantic style. The Cello opening for ‘The Bed of Chrysanthenum’ is grand, sincere and I’m sure very fitting to the visual richness of his movie ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’. His singing style for that, you can notice, is much more serious and no mess-about; miles away from his playful slurs in, say, ‘The Indian Old Bird’. Some fans, like myself, may be uneasy to listen to Jay sing so…adult like! It is heartfelt, and definitely respectable for parents of yours and mine who always claim Jay doesn’t take his singing seriously. Make them listen to this track and say ‘TAKE THAT!’. When I first heard ‘Rosemary’ I seriously thought it wasn’t Jay singing- because the style was even lazier and more relaxed than his usual standard; almost feminine! It took me two gos at listening to the song to make me recognize that I was indeed Jay. It style and mood resembles Kangta’s ‘Reminiscence’, a song I love. The Bossa Nova groove used in this song and the sexy guitars is a first for him, and I wouldn’t say it works best for him, but is sure good to know that he is experimenting and on his toes all the time.
2. 'We don't love each other anymore, I'm crying and watching rain pour from my dark dark balcony' soppy Catergory:
First song that comes into my mind for this catergory would ‘An Jing’ from his debut album, undoubtedly. I wonder how many girls around the world have cried listening to this song. Jay’s mellow melodies and perfect mix of instruments rhythms can pull exactly those heartstrings. He also did quite well in this area with his album, ‘Qi Li Xiang’, with ‘Excuse’ a great standout for me, as well as ‘Love’s Cliff’.
You will find that melodies of Jay’s in this category often resemble each other- but the moment you recognize a group of chords here or there, the moment slips away, and Jay still hasn’t lost that original appeal. ‘Retreat’ and ‘Heart’s Rain’ may be ‘just another ballad’ to listeners not familiar with Jay, but listeners who have been through his records will know that this particular style of his has matured, and he no longer tries to hard to exhibit all his vocal range, or draw too grand a picture- he just wants to make a good song. There’s ‘Woo!’s in the song that remind me of ‘Ke Ai Nu Ren’. Listen closely for that. Jay conforms somewhat to the Taiwanese formula of Sappy love ballads, but what distincts him with others is his magical ability to get it right, and get it recognizably his; which is why he is one of the favourites of this genre.
Sadly to say though no song in this album so far have managed to make me cry like ‘An Jing’ did, but I am eagerly anticipating another one of those to come along in his future albums, as I am sure it will.
3. Jay has his fun and makes Political and Social Commentary:
In this particular category Jay lets loose and looks around the world for inspiration. He has a go on the Paparazzi (Beseiged from all sides), expresses love for his mother, rubs shoulders with the Italian Mafia Godfathers (Yi Fu Xi Ming) makes friends with ghosts (William’s Castle), Half Monsters (Ban Shou Ren), basketball (Dou Nou and Some kind of Tune) and the like. This is what precisely defines Jay- is indefinable imagination! Lyrics in this catergory are at their quirkiest and funniest, and gives Jay a way to express his views on the world around him. Instruments used and beats are extra funky, as both the audience and Jay have more fun.
‘Twilight’s Chapter 7’ can possibly become the best song to join this group. There’s a mystic Harry Potter quality (it must be the xylophones)- and what we’ve grown to love Jay- the murmuring style and the smooth eerie melody. The beat for this song could have been a little more inventive, but resembles too much to previous Hip Hop beats that Jay has adopted. Jay should spend a little more time inventing fresh beats that I think can even further expand his creative potential.
There’s the sugar-pop ‘Listen to your Mother’ that resembles a children’s hymn, with a the NQMM quality that was found in ‘Malt Candy’. The melody is simple, easy to remember, innocent. It’s cute. It also accentuates Jay’s image of ‘Most filial Son in Taiwan’. But is this style a little too innocent for Jay’s status and musical development as far? That is up to you to decide. For some reason it reminds me of Orange Range’s ‘Hana’, although it nowhere resembles it.
The Siesta grooves in ‘Moulin Rouge’ (I do not think the name for this song is ‘Red Imitation’) is cool, but unfortunately has been used all too commonly in Asian songs of late. The Brass is recognizable, and the only thing that saved this song would be Jay’s straight no-frills rapping.
4. 'This would be on Bruce Lee's iPod' Oriental Rock-
If Jay was to be a singer known around the world for his music- by Non-Asians, that is, it would be for the reason of this particular category. Instruments such as Flutes, Drums, Gongs and sounds of Swords and special effects can only be conjured effectively by Jay and Jay only. Songs from the earliest ‘Ninja’ and ‘Nunchucks’ to ‘Dragon Fist’ to Jet Li inspired ‘Fearless’ pack a punch and have that ‘Chinese flava’ that doesn’t try to confirm to the Diddys and the Nellys, nor anybody, for that matter. This Genre was basically invented by Jay, in my opinion, and it is only those who try to imitate his style who can go horribly wrong, but not Jay.
In this album ‘A Herbalist’s Manual is the representative’. The song is more modern than it is ancient, with his sarcastic tone in rapping and even the somewhat emotionless singing. One thing that annoyed me immensely though, was the sounds I like to call ‘Tigger’s Spring’ in the middle of the song- three of them. But that’s just one of those things I get annoyed with that I always discover in every single album of his. It is funky, a little grittier that his other songs of this style (such as ‘Drifting’) and is something perfect for the latest endorsement of Street Fighter or something similar. I wonder what this song with end up endorsing?
With this album Jay has come full circle, and has looked back to his old songs, and looked forward for inspiration at the same time. My Favourite would be ‘Twilight’s Chapter 7’, least being ‘A Herbalists Manual’, but it is set to change as I listen more to it. As I said, ‘Chrysanthenum’ is very respectable, style the most sincere to date. It is not the most breakthrough of his albums, but is another album that builds his style and foundation to help him become one of the most well rounded, innovative singers in Asia.
Having confirmed that Jay is still ‘Living the Fantasy’, I am sure Jay will deliver something even more extraordinary come next year. Rock on, Jay!
Chandie :flowers: