roche
12-30-2008, 07:08 PM
After a LONG-awaited 1.5 years -
during which Lee Hom accomplished what many artistes can only dream of doing:
-- from staging mind-blowing, sell-out "Music Man" concerts,
-- to seeing the release of "Lust, Caution" (directed by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee) on the big screen,
-- to being part of the symbolic torch procession and the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics
-- to conducting the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
and many more....
Lee Hom FINALLY releases his new album Heart. Beat (心 . 跳)!!!!!!
As Lee Hom describes it, this album has 2 distinct styles -
the "Heart" portion, which is the "emotional side, the more introspective side";
and the "Beat" section, which "strong, energetic, and rockin'"
(See youtube link below to hear Lee Hom describing the album in just those words...)
Youtube - Lee Hom describing album in English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XR205ZYYJM)
My first impression after listening to this album in its entirety - Lee Hom has absolutely outdone himself once again...!!!
The album begins with Ai De De Ti / 愛得得體 (Love Properly) which is a playful sounding song, part of the "Beat" collection. Lee Hom makes a pun on the word "De Ti" which means "proper", yet phonetically, it sounds like "dirty" - which of course could plant naughty thoughts in *some* people's heads :angel:
I first heard the song during the Music Man concert, and it might have been the concert atmosphere, but it totally rocked the house and was something that really stuck in my head.
The second track is Xin Tiao / 心跳 (Heartbeat) - which I believe the the first track that they are promoting from this album. It's a romantic song - sung not in the heart-wrenching manner that other classic Lee Hom songs (e.g. Wei Yi) were delivered in, but instead it is more what I'd call a quietly emotional song.
I especially like this because it is a 100% Lee Hom song - he composed the melody, wrote the lyrics, produced the song, did the arrangement, played all the instruments for this track, directed the MV. In addition, he has also said in interviews that this is a personal story of his - i.e. it describes a past relationship that he was in, and is thus very close to his heart.
The next track Chun Yu Li Xi Guo De Tai Yang / 春雨里洗过的太阳 (The Sun That Has Been Washed By The Spring Rain) is a light-hearted sounding song that has me bopping and whistling to it. The magic in this song is that it sounds very simple, yet somehow draws in the listener in some way, and just lifts one's spirits up. Totally something that I'd wanna wake up to, just coz it just brightens up your day. I gotta say that initially I was a little thrown off by the English phrase "if you listen to the rhythm of the pouring rain" - simply coz i was distracted by the English song of a similar title (if you listen to the rhythm of the fallin rain), but after listening to this song a couple more times, I think it blends in very nicely to the rest of the song, and now its one of my faves in this album.
The mv is very adorable too - it features just Lee Hom (no female leads for this one) and depicts him as a loner with a guitar who lives in this yellow caravan. Several cute scenes, like one where he's carrying an umbrella and brushing his teeth in the side mirror of the caravan, or another where he runs for shelter and the rain stops the next moment, leaving him staring around in bewilderment.
The fourth track is Everything, another emotional ballad from the "Heart" segment. I love the chorus - "You're my everything, the one reason that helps me to face this world with courage; I want to give you everything, regardless of how many tomorrows that takes - forever starts from this very moment". I especially like the funny note change at the line "不管用多少个明天" (regardless of how many tomorrows)...
A definite yes for fans of Lee Hom ballads like Kiss Goodbye and Forever Love!
The fifth track Wan Quan Mei You Ren He Li You Le Ni / 完全没有任何理由理你 (I have Absolutely No Reason to Pay Any Attention to You) is quirky & odd-sounding (and FUN!) sort of song that somehow sticks in your head....
Again, it's another song that Lee Hom performed at the Music Man concert, so folks who went would have had a sneak preview then. I had no idea what the lyrics were at that point in time, I just fell in love with this quirky tune that is not quite a melody, but just awesome anyways.
And now that I know the lyrics (and the potential ah, intent of this song - tho Lee Hom denies it) I love it even more!!!
The first stanza totally cracked me up, and the second is a veiled attack on a particular critic who accused Lee Hom of plagarism publicly on a talent show.
The full translation of the song can be found in this thread: Translation (http://www.jay-chou.net/forums/showthread.php?t=279902)
The next song is Ling Yi Ge Tian Tang / 另一个天堂 (Another Heaven) , and - I may be losing credibility as a reviewer here coz I'm gushing over every song so far- but this is yet another fabulous and listenable track by Lee Hom. This is a duet between Lee Hom and Jane Zhang (whom I haven't really heard of previously). It's got a very chinese-y feel to it, is very catchy, and take note of the dolphin sounds made by Jane Zhang!
Track #7 Wan Ou / 玩偶 (Puppet) is another upbeat, fun, jumpy, catchy tune that has you bobbing along, and Lee Hom sounds totally cute in this. Tho there's a line in it " I don't wanna read your script" that got me confused with the next track....
Which is Jiao Ben / 腳本(Script) (See how I could have gotten confused? :angel: ) Though this song is the complete opposite in terms of feel from Wan Ou - this is a slow emotional song. Of the album, I'd say that this is one of the songs that made a lesser impact on first listen. It may be coz I'm so overwhelmed by the first 6-7 tracks that by the time I've gotten to this that I'm too drained to pay attention to it! :tongue: But at this moment, I'd say it's a nice song, but not as "wow" as the other tracks so far - sort of where songs like Di Yi Ge Qing Chen (First Morning) or Xing Qi Liu De Shen Ye (Late Saturday Night) stand in my rankings of Lee Hom songs - more normal, not bad, but more forgettable than the rest. Give me a couple more listens though, I may change my mind...
The ninth track is Jing Zhen Dui Shou / 競爭對手 (Competitors) is another song that falls in the quirky sounding category (like Wan Quan Mei You Ren He Li You Le Ni) - but it's a quirky sound that I love, starting right from the intro. It's got a tad of an R&B + rap feel to it, yet not quite your regular ones. Reminds me a little of Jay in his good ol days :angel: But on first listen, something that made my ears perk up.
The last track Yau Gun Ze Me Le / 搖滾怎麼了 (What's Up, Rock!) has been circulating long before the release of the album, and is what Lee Hom calls "Chinese rock" - using traditional Chinese instruments in a rock-flavoured song. I thought Janet (the female lead in the mv) looked very cool with the pipa... It did take me awhile to get used to this song, but now I'm lovin it. Especially awesome in a concert setting coz it really helps to bring the crowd to its feet (not like we weren't already leaping up and down...)
Overall, this album is a great listen with the mix of the different styles that both touches your heart, and yet has you bobbing and whistling along the next moment.
The quality of the melodies - both in terms of the listenability, the catchiness is delivered at the Lee Hom star (ala Michelin star) quality that we've all come to expect and love.
Yet for long-time Lee Hom fans, an added bonus is that this is a good chance for us to get a peek into the inner thoughts of our (relatively-speaking) reclusive and private hero.
For the first time, Lee Hom is more open about expressing his feelings in his songs, not by the melodies he composes, but also by taking a more active role in writing the lyrics. The lyrics may not be as poetic as what more polished / professional lyric writers come up with, but I like the humour and the emotions they convey.
Recommended Tracks
All of them! :excited:
But in particular (and in no order of ranking):
Track #2 Xin Tiao / 心跳 (Heartbeat)
Track #3 Chun Yu Li Xi Guo De Tai Yang / 春雨里洗过的太阳 (The Sun That Has Been Washed By The Spring Rain)
Track #4 Everything
Track #5 Wan Quan Mei You Ren He Li You Le Ni / 完全没有任何理由理你 (I have Absolutely No Reason to Pay Any Attention to You)
It could be that these are the songs that they're plugging right now...:whistle:
But really the entire album's definitely worth listening (and buying!!! Support Lee Hom!!!)
during which Lee Hom accomplished what many artistes can only dream of doing:
-- from staging mind-blowing, sell-out "Music Man" concerts,
-- to seeing the release of "Lust, Caution" (directed by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee) on the big screen,
-- to being part of the symbolic torch procession and the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics
-- to conducting the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
and many more....
Lee Hom FINALLY releases his new album Heart. Beat (心 . 跳)!!!!!!
As Lee Hom describes it, this album has 2 distinct styles -
the "Heart" portion, which is the "emotional side, the more introspective side";
and the "Beat" section, which "strong, energetic, and rockin'"
(See youtube link below to hear Lee Hom describing the album in just those words...)
Youtube - Lee Hom describing album in English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XR205ZYYJM)
My first impression after listening to this album in its entirety - Lee Hom has absolutely outdone himself once again...!!!
The album begins with Ai De De Ti / 愛得得體 (Love Properly) which is a playful sounding song, part of the "Beat" collection. Lee Hom makes a pun on the word "De Ti" which means "proper", yet phonetically, it sounds like "dirty" - which of course could plant naughty thoughts in *some* people's heads :angel:
I first heard the song during the Music Man concert, and it might have been the concert atmosphere, but it totally rocked the house and was something that really stuck in my head.
The second track is Xin Tiao / 心跳 (Heartbeat) - which I believe the the first track that they are promoting from this album. It's a romantic song - sung not in the heart-wrenching manner that other classic Lee Hom songs (e.g. Wei Yi) were delivered in, but instead it is more what I'd call a quietly emotional song.
I especially like this because it is a 100% Lee Hom song - he composed the melody, wrote the lyrics, produced the song, did the arrangement, played all the instruments for this track, directed the MV. In addition, he has also said in interviews that this is a personal story of his - i.e. it describes a past relationship that he was in, and is thus very close to his heart.
The next track Chun Yu Li Xi Guo De Tai Yang / 春雨里洗过的太阳 (The Sun That Has Been Washed By The Spring Rain) is a light-hearted sounding song that has me bopping and whistling to it. The magic in this song is that it sounds very simple, yet somehow draws in the listener in some way, and just lifts one's spirits up. Totally something that I'd wanna wake up to, just coz it just brightens up your day. I gotta say that initially I was a little thrown off by the English phrase "if you listen to the rhythm of the pouring rain" - simply coz i was distracted by the English song of a similar title (if you listen to the rhythm of the fallin rain), but after listening to this song a couple more times, I think it blends in very nicely to the rest of the song, and now its one of my faves in this album.
The mv is very adorable too - it features just Lee Hom (no female leads for this one) and depicts him as a loner with a guitar who lives in this yellow caravan. Several cute scenes, like one where he's carrying an umbrella and brushing his teeth in the side mirror of the caravan, or another where he runs for shelter and the rain stops the next moment, leaving him staring around in bewilderment.
The fourth track is Everything, another emotional ballad from the "Heart" segment. I love the chorus - "You're my everything, the one reason that helps me to face this world with courage; I want to give you everything, regardless of how many tomorrows that takes - forever starts from this very moment". I especially like the funny note change at the line "不管用多少个明天" (regardless of how many tomorrows)...
A definite yes for fans of Lee Hom ballads like Kiss Goodbye and Forever Love!
The fifth track Wan Quan Mei You Ren He Li You Le Ni / 完全没有任何理由理你 (I have Absolutely No Reason to Pay Any Attention to You) is quirky & odd-sounding (and FUN!) sort of song that somehow sticks in your head....
Again, it's another song that Lee Hom performed at the Music Man concert, so folks who went would have had a sneak preview then. I had no idea what the lyrics were at that point in time, I just fell in love with this quirky tune that is not quite a melody, but just awesome anyways.
And now that I know the lyrics (and the potential ah, intent of this song - tho Lee Hom denies it) I love it even more!!!
The first stanza totally cracked me up, and the second is a veiled attack on a particular critic who accused Lee Hom of plagarism publicly on a talent show.
The full translation of the song can be found in this thread: Translation (http://www.jay-chou.net/forums/showthread.php?t=279902)
The next song is Ling Yi Ge Tian Tang / 另一个天堂 (Another Heaven) , and - I may be losing credibility as a reviewer here coz I'm gushing over every song so far- but this is yet another fabulous and listenable track by Lee Hom. This is a duet between Lee Hom and Jane Zhang (whom I haven't really heard of previously). It's got a very chinese-y feel to it, is very catchy, and take note of the dolphin sounds made by Jane Zhang!
Track #7 Wan Ou / 玩偶 (Puppet) is another upbeat, fun, jumpy, catchy tune that has you bobbing along, and Lee Hom sounds totally cute in this. Tho there's a line in it " I don't wanna read your script" that got me confused with the next track....
Which is Jiao Ben / 腳本(Script) (See how I could have gotten confused? :angel: ) Though this song is the complete opposite in terms of feel from Wan Ou - this is a slow emotional song. Of the album, I'd say that this is one of the songs that made a lesser impact on first listen. It may be coz I'm so overwhelmed by the first 6-7 tracks that by the time I've gotten to this that I'm too drained to pay attention to it! :tongue: But at this moment, I'd say it's a nice song, but not as "wow" as the other tracks so far - sort of where songs like Di Yi Ge Qing Chen (First Morning) or Xing Qi Liu De Shen Ye (Late Saturday Night) stand in my rankings of Lee Hom songs - more normal, not bad, but more forgettable than the rest. Give me a couple more listens though, I may change my mind...
The ninth track is Jing Zhen Dui Shou / 競爭對手 (Competitors) is another song that falls in the quirky sounding category (like Wan Quan Mei You Ren He Li You Le Ni) - but it's a quirky sound that I love, starting right from the intro. It's got a tad of an R&B + rap feel to it, yet not quite your regular ones. Reminds me a little of Jay in his good ol days :angel: But on first listen, something that made my ears perk up.
The last track Yau Gun Ze Me Le / 搖滾怎麼了 (What's Up, Rock!) has been circulating long before the release of the album, and is what Lee Hom calls "Chinese rock" - using traditional Chinese instruments in a rock-flavoured song. I thought Janet (the female lead in the mv) looked very cool with the pipa... It did take me awhile to get used to this song, but now I'm lovin it. Especially awesome in a concert setting coz it really helps to bring the crowd to its feet (not like we weren't already leaping up and down...)
Overall, this album is a great listen with the mix of the different styles that both touches your heart, and yet has you bobbing and whistling along the next moment.
The quality of the melodies - both in terms of the listenability, the catchiness is delivered at the Lee Hom star (ala Michelin star) quality that we've all come to expect and love.
Yet for long-time Lee Hom fans, an added bonus is that this is a good chance for us to get a peek into the inner thoughts of our (relatively-speaking) reclusive and private hero.
For the first time, Lee Hom is more open about expressing his feelings in his songs, not by the melodies he composes, but also by taking a more active role in writing the lyrics. The lyrics may not be as poetic as what more polished / professional lyric writers come up with, but I like the humour and the emotions they convey.
Recommended Tracks
All of them! :excited:
But in particular (and in no order of ranking):
Track #2 Xin Tiao / 心跳 (Heartbeat)
Track #3 Chun Yu Li Xi Guo De Tai Yang / 春雨里洗过的太阳 (The Sun That Has Been Washed By The Spring Rain)
Track #4 Everything
Track #5 Wan Quan Mei You Ren He Li You Le Ni / 完全没有任何理由理你 (I have Absolutely No Reason to Pay Any Attention to You)
It could be that these are the songs that they're plugging right now...:whistle:
But really the entire album's definitely worth listening (and buying!!! Support Lee Hom!!!)