i am no music critic

I AM BEYOND ELATED. Finally got my hands on this!!

It arrived on my doorstep just today and I literally ripped it apart (carefully, of course). Big big big thank you to wy for getting this as my birthday present! I love it sooo much! 

I actually went to hunt for it at local CD shops several months after the album's release but they didn't carry it - even at HMV Singapore. Anyway I went to his concert thinking that they might sell it along with the concert merchandise but there was no sign of it (whut, ikr?)... End of story. I'm quite an old fashioned person so I prefer getting CDs than purchasing songs on iTunes (unless I only like one song from an artist). SO JUDGE ME.

My favourite tracks from 危险世界 Dangerous World are:

 特别的人

巴黎

天气先生

爱不来

I've always enjoyed listening to Mandopop/C-pop (especially ballads) since I was young - and that's how I passively improved my Mandarin vocab by stealing phrases here and there from lyrics (furreal LOL). Plus sometimes when I learn the lyrics to the song I get so overwhelmed by it and y'know... Goosebumps. It feels like someone gently squeezed your heart from the inside. 

As opposed to Western music in recent years... It's hard to find a melody as beautiful as its lyrics. Let's just say I love oldies heaps more (I'm old fashioned remember?). Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson... I just wish more people would listen to them. In my defense, I like Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, Westlife and Ariana Grande too!

In my opinion Khalil Fong has always been in a league of his own in terms of music arrangement, production and his signature R&B singing style in the Mandopop world. 方大同's voice is well-rounded and smooth, never shrill even when it comes to the high notes. It sounds comfortable, natural and unpretentious. If honey could produce a sound - it would sound like Khalil. He delivered a solid live performance during his concert so I can vouch for all these praises I'm throwing out.

To transpose R&B influences in C-pop is unconventional but getting increasingly popular. As to whether you can tell the good (aka David Tao, 陶喆) from the bad (aka 张智成, Z Chen - in my opinion), I guess it takes some time to find out who you prefer. 

So, which do you notice first when you listen to a song? Music or lyrics?