January Music Review

Don't be fooled by the title. I have no intentions of making this a monthly thing; it just so happens that my first review coincides with the end of January. Subsequent reviews may or may not coincide with the end of subsequent months.

He's My Son - Mark Schultz: Thanks to Ivan Tiu for introducing this fantastic Christian contemporary musician. A wonderful storyteller, terrific songwriter with an amazing voice, Mark explores human experience through his music like no other has done. He's My Son is the real-life story of a young man diagnosed with cancer told from his father's perspective. The father's helplessness and anguish come pouring out through the lyrics, his cries of despair finding resonance with Mark clear voice, which never threatens to overshadow the words and essence of the song. A masterpiece worth listening to over and over again.

七里香 - 周傑倫: We all know Jay for his R&B tunes, whether the theme is based on sports (鬥牛), martial arts (忍者, 雙截棍, 龍拳, 雙刀), Chinese culture (娘子, 上海一九四三, 爺爺泡的茶, 東風破), foreign countries (伊斯坦堡, 愛在西元前, 威廉古堡, 米蘭的小鐵匠, 以父之名), family (外婆), war (最後的戰役, 亂舞春秋, 止戰之殤), and even chess (將軍). This song from his latest album of the same name is an attempt at the poetic realm, though I find it to be more about poetry than being poetic. A beautiful, sweet song nevertheless. You can always count on Jay to provide an exciting alternative to the current HK trend of self-deprecating love songs.

All Kinds of Time - Fountains of Wayne: I first heard this song in a recent episode of Scrubs. A soft, soothing melody combined with simple, surreal lyrics; perfect for easy listening. There ought to be a music video made for this (maybe there already is, I'm not sure). The song revolves around a moment on the football field, a young quarterback at the helm with the game winding down, his family huddled around the TV screen, and everything happening now in slow-motion as it would in a movie for the dramatic effect. The distant, hollow call for the snap; the dull thundering of feet as the defence come in for the blitz. The QB keeps his cool as he glances left and right; he's got all kinds of time. The play is working out perfectly, as he spots the open man downfield, and he knows he has the world at his feet tonight. A heartwarming song that leaves the listener hanging, waiting, anticipating the impending, deafening roar of the crowd as the ball shoots out of the young man's grip, sails smoothly through the air, and drops neatly into the hands of the receiver at full-stride towards the end zone.

一切還好 - 陳奕迅: A brand new song from Eason, still only playing on the radio, tells the story of a man who had been dumped by his girlfriend some time ago. Now she has in turn been dumped by her new boyfriend. Having successfully moved on, he wishes her well and reassures her that everything will be alright. He is the living proof that there is life after a hearbreak; he triumphed over his depression and got over her. Could this be my story as well? Or am I still stuck at the stage of 明年今日?