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8 Days
Magazine's review on Faye's new album 'Love for Strangers'
reviewed by Louis Sung
This is undoubtedly Faye Wong's most successfuly attempt at marrying idle
sensibility with mainsteam appeal. The idea itself is nothing new; after
all, Faye's been at it since her '95 Random Thoughts album. But what's
amazing about her latest release is the ease and assureness she and her
producers evince in walking the tightrope between listenability and
pushing the musical envolope.
The album opens with 'blossom to the End', a psychedelic number heavy on
reverb and digital distortion. surprisingly, this is followed by the sweet
sound of 'The Moon Then'. Things then really pick up with 'Hypnosis', a
hip synth-driven track laced with a shang (mountain folksong)- like
chorus. Equally riveting is the title track, a laidback bossa nova tune
enlivened by her daughter TongTong's 'Come on Baby' punctuation and
angelic laughter.
It's remarkable now the album effortlessly lines up one excellent track
after another, such as the wrenching folk ballad,'Overturn', and of couse,
the hi octane techno-ish 'Spectcular'. My personal favourite, if I'm
forced to choose one, is the cantonese track - one of the two here -
entitled 'Postman'. A sequel of sorts to her earlier hit,'Appointment', it
comes complete with though-provole lyrics by Lin Xi. Throughout the album,
Faye's vocals shimmer with their trademark crystalline timbre, made edgier
by an undercurrent of nervous energy and a slight tinge of hysteria.
Definitly the best chinese pop album to emerge this year.
Straits
Times's review
reviewed by Danny Yeo
ON ITS first day of release, this Mandarin album sold 20,000 copies.
It looks set to go double platinum within the next week. (In Singapore, a
platinum record accounts for 15,000 copies in sales.)
You don't expect anything less from Faye Wong.
She may be estranged from husband Dou Wei but his presence is still felt
in this album. Her taste in welding Western-Eastern music elements is
strongly influenced by the talented Dou.
One needs a good mentor to break new ground and try new things. Wong may
need to look for new inspiration after this album.
She is blessed with a clear-as-crystal voice that is unaffected by
smoking, and not aged by motherhood. She sounds almost like a starry-eyed
teenager in track 4, Lovers And Strangers. This soothing number, featuring
excellent music arrangement from composer Zhang Yadong as well as the
voice of little Jing Tong, Wong's daughter, should transport you to a
tranquil island.
Track 2, Once In A Blue Moon, is soft as a whisper and makes you reminisce
about some past regrets. Take note of how Wong interprets the same words
differently as the song goes on.
Track 10, Fantastic (written for a Pepsi commercial), may be the most
talked-about number, but she mentioned publicly that it is her most
unsatisfactory composition.
She also once claimed that she won't record another Cantonese album, so
the last two tracks are to appease Hongkong listeners. Both these
Cantonese songs are as good as the Mandarin equivalents, thanks to Lin Xi.
If you can accept Wong's love for avant-garde stuff, track 1's The Last
Blossom and track 3's Hypnotise should provide good listening, although
you may sometimes not understand her slurring without referring to the
lyric sheet. |
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All
lyrics by Eric Yap, otherwise sated.
OPEN THE
"TU MI"
lyrics by Lin Xi
Every Ant has eyes
and noses,
Whether it is beautiful or not,
or misses by a few micrometer,
What does it matter
Every human
Will Cry when Sad
Will Eat when Hungry
Difference can't be bigger than Heaven and Earth
What excitement does it have
Its got too much too much Mysterious Attraction
Too little Logic,
Too much too much Games,
Only because of Curiosity
What other Worth has it
Hysteria
Attitude towards everything
Dead Hope and Collapsing to the Ground
Each and Every Idol, is also like that
Idol that was mesmerized with before, disappear one by one,
Who has once Sinned Greatly, and Who is God,
We are Waiting
What Miracle,
In the End there is only Thyself
Can't bear to Overly Criticize Every Detail
In the End One Faces Thyself, even then can't Really be Looked Up To
Who gave me the Whole World, I will also Harbor Suspicion
Supremely Happy, and yet could open the "TU MI"
Every Every Every Human, Who is more Beautiful
Every Every Every Human, Who is more Sweeter
Every Every Every Human, Who is more Easier
and what's the Big Deal
Every Ant,
no matter passes by Whom,
Is always that Neat,
what does it matter
Every Human,
when meeting the person that is loved
Instead will palpitate with Fear...
THE
MOON AT THAT MOMENT
(trans.
by Kat)
lyrics by Lin Xi
At
that time we're listening to music
Good thing that I've forgotten who sang it, who sang it...
At that time there's a cup of tea on the table
Good thing that I haven't drank it all, drank it all,
Who can tell me, how strong I have to be
that I would dare to remember and not forget.
At that time if we have stayed here
Your hair would have been how long, how long...
At that time if we haven't said goodbye
Would this door become, a wall...
What difference does it make, ?????
Then I can't have it beside me.
Look, the moon at that moment
it used to represent someone's heart, in the end it's still the same...
Look, the moon at that moment
After one night, it has turned into today's sunlight.
Who can tell me, what kind of religion
Can let people remember and not forget.
When I look back, the moon then
it used to represent someone's heart, in the end it's still the same...
Look, the moon at that moment
After one night, it has turned into today's sunlight.
At that time if we didn't have something
At that time if we did have something
then what would have happened?
HYPNOTIZE
lyrics
by Lin Xi
First
taste of cake
first toy to bring consolation
Sun comes up
sun comes down
ice cream flows tears
Second toy to bring consolation
big wind blow, big wind blow
popcorn bursting is beautiful
From the beginning to the end
forgotten who, remembered who
From start to finish
counting it again
counting it again
is there any wastage?
LA....
First kiss of someone's lips
first time falling sick and wanting to take medicine
Sun comes up
sun comes down
ice cream flows tears
Second kiss of someone's lips
second time falling sick and wanting to take medicine
Big wind blow, big wind blow
popcorn bursting is beautiful
Suddenly the sky brightens
suddenly the sky darkens
All things that are similar
escape to somewhere far away
One two three years old
four five six years old
Thousand autumns, million ages.
ONLY
LOVE STRANGERS
(trans. by Ming Chuen)
lyrics by Lin Xi
I fall
in love with a scar
I fall in love with a lamp
I love listening to the seconds tick
Don't like other rumors
What I love is purer than facial expressions
More naive than existing objects
When all I need is only a kiss
Then give me a kiss
I only love strangers
I only love strangers
C'mon baby
I fall in love with this person
Love his body temperature
Like to see the look in his eyes
Don't like other possibilities
What I love is purer than facial expressions
More naive than existing objects
When all I need is only a kiss
Then give me a kiss
I only love strangers
I only love strangers.
CENTURY
OF LONELINESS
lyrics by Lin Xi
Heart,
Belongs to you,
I borrowed to baby-sit it,
But it turned into my heart's terror.
You,
Belongs to Who,
By chance I passed by
But brought with me upheaval and downfall
All because on the way, on the way,
Big Rain had poured heavily,
Proof that you were here,
But when I close my eyes, and open them again,
I only see the Desert,
What camels do they have there, is the shadow a real person or a fake
Not very Clinging.
A hundred years ago you were not You and I was not me,
Sadness was Real, Tears were Fake,
At first no Outcome.
A hundred years later there is no You and there is no Me
Wind, belongs to the Sky
I borrowed to blow,
But blew up the flames between Mankind
Sky, belongs to Who,
I borrowed to admire
but saw your Silhouette
BUTTERFLY
lyrics
by Lin Xi
Lips have not yet
opened,
Already we are hurting each other.
Date has not yet been set,
Already we don't anticipate.
Phone has not yet hung up,
Feelings have already become rotten.
I wish you were a Butterfly,
appear quickly and leave quickly.
Give me a pair of hands,
To depend on You.
Give me a pair of eyes,
To watch you leave.
Just like Butterfly can't fly across the Ocean,
No one can bear to blame.
Give me that instance,
To Adore you.
Give me a Lifetime,
To send you away.
Can't wait until morning,
Dream Beautifully and Wake Up.
We are all free and relaxed,
Dreams have not yet become Black and White.
Already moved myself out of the Matter,
Swore never said it out before
Relationship is no longer there.
Tears have not yet dropped,
Already forgotten to ponder.
Just like the loving care of a Bowl of Hot Soup,
Can't be brought along everywhere.
AFTER
THE BEEP
lyrics
by Lin Xi
Leave a message,
Leave a message,
Please sigh after the long music.
Leave a message, Please leave a message,
Please cry after I've finished talking.
I'm not here, I'm not here,
Please leave your own Secrets after the beep,
Please Praise Yourself to the speaker after the beep,
Please Moan and Sigh to the Empty Air after the beep,
I'm not here, My body is here, My mind has wandered.
Please talk about an Interesting Topic after the beep,
Please share your Emotional Problems after the beep,
Please do not mention a Certain Name after the beep.
(The Person you are looking for is not Here, Does not want to be searched
for by anyone)
The Person you are looking for is now having fun him/herself
(I'm sorry the Person you are looking for does not want to Say Anything
but its Too Late.)
The Person you are looking for now doesn't need brothers and sisters
(It doesn't matter if you want to Search, its already Too Late)
The Person you are looking for is also Searching
(Who wants to Accompany Me, I'm Playing Hide and Seek )
OVERTHROW
Lyrics : Kwan
I thought innocence
was the answer to everything,
Therefore I thought everything was all natural.
Suspicions slowly thinning,
I thought memories paint the colors of everything,
therefore with regards to your future and mine, I never lost hope.
I believed you, you are love ( I can only let, let you leave)
suddenly you don't even pretend to hide, don't (even) think,
you simply overthrow,
just saying that it was all game, just like that,
you don't even bother don't don't even look, like it has nothing to do
with you,like it was only me that can tolerate, this incomprehensible
regret....
SPECTACULAR
lyrics
by Faye Wong
Better
to prepare yourself
Before your soul is corrupted
You and I still have a chance
To make a messy return to goodness
Clear up all the gossip.
You long for
I wait for
The beautiful shining future
It's not perfect
As long as it's spectacular
But how do I do this
To say to think
Wanting so much more.
Every minute that exists is a different kind of spectacular
Love is always difficult
And dreams are a great collection.
How many times have you and I insisted on it?
Sometimes we compromise
But we refuse to regret.
GUARDING
THE WHEAT FIELD
lyrics by Lin Xi
Wind, blows across
the wheat field,
Field has to be harvested.
May be it is left in my body.
Heart, bruised by you,
Like picking minerals in yellow sand,
May be it will let me Shine.
With you its like Stars and Clouds, Rise and Descend,
No matter how we get in each other's way, Its more Beautiful than Harmful.
With you its like Wind and Dust, Not the same but travelling together,
Together with Sky and Earth, No fear of no chance to love each other.
Coming with two empty hands, Waving when Leaving,
Over Mountains and Waters, Who is inside the Water
Not necessarily advancing together,
Coming with Open Heart, Returning with Assured Heart
Haven't counted Not one Thing,
That Deeply Loved Someone,
A Day can reach up to An Age.
Water, Evaporates becoming Cloud
Cloud, The Discarded Rain,
May be from your sweat.
Hand, Passes the cheek,
The Kiss someone besides you Gives,
May be left in my Palm.
POSTMAN
lyrics by Lin Xi
Until the fine snow
flies down,
Seeps into the Deep Sea Far Away.
Cannot even move two feet,
first thought about,
leaving.
Until you said not coming back,
Until I said you deserved it.
Took down your cloak of emotions
Maybe instead you'll believe Love.
You are a thousand mounds of snow, I am the long street.
Afraid that when the sun rises, we will have to part.
Looking at the Butterfly which can't cross the Heavens,
Who has the rights to Not Understand
( only thing to do is blame the time which goes by too fast ).
You are a letter I am a postman
The Last pair of Legs
Treks through every Dune,
Hurriedly Sending,
Didn't have time to tear open,
The Beautiful World Inside.
Misread the Hotel's Door Sign,
Mistook the Street to Roam,
Want to protect the cooling Food Parcel,
Cannot be simply placed.
Does not contain your strumming and mine,
But contains an ending of strumming.
Yellow leaves will fly far from this fate,
In the end only able to say good bye. |
