AE Experience's 2015 Playlist: The Best of Cantopop, Mandopop, and K-pop

We are back with our playlist of favorites for 2015!

*Please note that this list reflects our favorites from the music we listened to this year (and we sadly have even less time to keep up with music now), and does not take into consideration all material released in 2015.

This post will be updated with Niki's picks for Taiwanese music/Mandopop and K-pop.

Iris' Top 10 Picks in HK Music/Cantopop:

#10: Mr. - 雙面人 (Double Faced Person)

It was nice to hear another angsty song from Mr. the beginning of the year. I like that the song has a more dark and mysterious feel to it, and the music video further brings it out. My favorite part though are the verses, and how Alan’s voice goes deeper as he transitions into the chorus.

#9: Jude Tsang - 格拉斯哥流浪 (Glasgow Rangers)

Jude is truly a newcomer to look out for and as a talented singer-songwriter involved in her own music, she is just what HK’s music industry needs more of. The pop rock style of this song is right up my alley with just enough edge and spunk.

#8: Robynn & Kendy - 想怎樣 (Think How) (Featuring Rocky Chan and Tang Siu Hau)

This collaboration between Robynn, Kendy, Rocky Chan, and Tang Siu Hau is dynamic with their four voices and very uplifting to listen to. It’s a feel-good and fun song full of energy that has some great vocals that work well together.

#7: Pakho Chau - 小白 (Little White)

Pakho continued his pattern of releasing two albums/EP’s a year while juggling his acting career (I seriously don’t know how he does it), but it was this song he released from the very beginning of the year that remains my favorite. The subject matter of the song is different from others as it is about the loss of a pet. Pakho’s vocals are solemn and heartfelt, making it a touching song. The MV is also quite whimsical and creative. The ending with his “Oh’s” allows the song to come to a satisfying and bittersweet end.

#6: G.E.M. 於是 (Therefore)

G.E.M.’s comeback album “Heartbeat” consisted of many great songs, but “Therefore” in my opinion does the best job of balancing both Western and Hong Kong music influences (“Goodbye” and “Away” sound like American pop songs sung in Mandarin). It is full of passion and emotions despite being an upbeat electronic/dance-influenced song. It gets a few points off for the not quite necessary and slightly awkward English rap, but it is one of the best electronic pop songs I’ve heard from an HK artist. The MV gives a simple yet artistic representation of the song.

#5: Jude Tsang - 密室謀殺事件 (Chamber of Secrets Murder)

She may be a rookie, but Jude has seriously gotten my attention from just her first two singles. Female HK singers overall tend to be much less experimental and adhere to a more mainstream pop sound, so it’s great to see that Jude is capable of pulling off different styles. With her passion and involvement in her own music and more edgy sound, Jude reminds me of a female version of her labelmate Pakho. It seems Pakho and Warner has noticed too, as Jude and Pakho released a mash up music video. The song is eerie and dark with a more grunge sound. I love the arrangement of the music and how it incorporates various sounds. Coupled with Jude’s vocals, the song sounds mesmerizing and a little haunting.

#4: Khalil Fong - 聽 (Listen)

It may very well be physically impossible to stay still while listening to this song. Whether you mean to or not, you’ll probably find yourself bobbing your head or tapping your foot along. Khalil just keeps getting better and “Listen” finds the talented artist at a musical sweet spot. The production on this song is top notch, pleasing to the ears, and hopelessly catchy.

#3: Supper Moment - 幸福之歌 (Happy Song)

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a male singer in Hong Kong with vocals that are more heartfelt and full of depth than Supper Moment’s lead singer, Sunny. The song is uplifting and moving and Sunny’s vocals bring so much compassion into the lovely and soothing melody. This is a ballad full of substance and hope without being the least bit boring.

#2: Juno Mak and Kay Tse - 羅生門 (Rashomon)

The title “Rashomon” refers to the contradictory interpretations of the same event by different people. In this case, the song is about a man loving a woman for 10 years, but realizing she wasn’t who he thought she was. Kay sounds lovely as always, and her and Juno’s voices blend well towards the end. I don’t listen to a lot of duets so this was a wonderful surprise, and I enjoyed that the song felt like an emotional and bittersweet confrontation between two people. Juno has come a very long way from the rough and turbulent beginnings of his career and become a respectable and talented even if not well-known artist in the HK music industry.

#1: Dear Jane - 咖啡因眼淚 (Caffeine Tears)

In the last few years, Dear Jane has either released catchy and simple upbeat songs such as “Yellow Fever” or heartfelt ballads such as “Never Be Alone,” but they strike a perfect balance with “Caffeine Tears.” The song shows off the band’s pop punk sound while being a meaningful song about living life with no regrets. From the edgy verses to the slowed bridge and powerful guitar solo, “Caffeine Tears” is an exciting and thematic ride that proves upbeat songs don’t always have to be simple and repetitive, and songs with meaning don’t always have to be ballads. It quickly became my new favorite song from Dear Jane when it was first released, and it remains my favorite song of the 2014.

Song Review: Dear Jane's "咖啡因眼淚/Caffeine Tears"

In the last few years, Dear Jane has released either meaningful, more pop ballads like 2013's "Never Be Alone" or simple and upbeat rock songs like 2012's "Yellow Fever." However, the band outdo themselves by finding a happy medium with "Caffeine Tears," which combines meaningful lyrics with the pop punk sound they are known for.

The takeaway of "Caffeine Tears" is simple, but resonates well: Live life with no regrets. Reality may be tough, but it is better to go after your dreams and live life to the fullest than to not have really lived at all.

Musically, the song is an epic one to listen to and you can tell a lot of blood, sweat, and tears were put into it from the band and the rest of their production team to make it sound so good. Howie has once again created an amazing and dynamic musical composition that at just under 5 minutes, plays like a mini movie. The song starts off upbeat with solid verses and a catchy chorus, slows down during the bridge and utilizes Howie's back up vocals with an echo and faded effect, gradually quickens, then erupts into an extended kick ass guitar solo, before ending with the chorus again. The bridge puts you into a pensive state and the guitar solo make you feel free.

A formula the band has recently found success with for creating great videos, the MV for "Caffeine Tears" possesses a simple story inter cut with shots of the band playing in an empty room, which illustrates the message of the song without taking attention away from it. The video opens with Tim waking up from a dream where he is about to die from a car accident after looking down at his watch, and is then given the same watch from his onscreen girlfriend. After having a jam-packed day going all over the streets of Hong Kong and proposing to his girlfriend, Tim meets the same fate as he did in his dream, before once again waking up. While most Hong Kong MVs these days look cheaply made or are not creative, Dear Jane's last few videos have been memorable and worth rewatching, and this is no different, tying with "Never Be Alone" for my favorite.

"Caffeine Tears" is well-polished and produced, yet edgy, upbeat, and incredibly full of energy, and has a hopeful message to share. In other words, it's Dear Jane utilizing everything it does well. They've yet to disappoint me, but have totally stepped up their game with "Caffeine Tears," making it their strongest single to date.

Song Review: Dear Jane's "不許你注定一人/Never Be Alone"

Dear Jane only released two singles in 2013, but closed the year off solid with "Never Be Alone", easily their best ballad yet.

The song showcases all that is great about Dear Jane: meaningful lyrics, strong vocals, and great composition and production. One of the things I love most about the band is the passion, honesty, and emotion they put into their music, and it shows more than ever here. "Never Be Alone" is a beautiful and uplifting song that tells people that though they may lose a loved one, they will never truly be alone in the world. Tim's vocal delivery is powerful and portrays so much emotion as always. The guitar solo that closes the song makes it feel even more empowering and inspiring and though the song may put you on an emotional ride, it will put a smile on your face by the end.

However, the song is made even better with the MV. It is hands down the most well done MV from Dear Jane yet as it tells a story and amplifies the strengths and emotions of the song without taking away from it. The storyline is simple but touching and makes the song come to life. I also love how the story starts from the present before showing flashbacks, and then finally returning to the present once again. From the waterfall back drop, to the black and white, and all the guys looking handsome and dressed up, the shots of the band were also perfect and added to the melancholic feel.

Dear Jane has outdone themselves with "Never Be Alone." It is an all around phenomenal, touching, and well done song coupled with a memorable music video, and the one that left the most impact on me in 2013.

The band took a break from their usual pop punk sound by releasing two ballads in 2013, so I'm looking forward to hearing their upcoming music, which is supposed to be a return to their punk roots. May 2014 be an even better year for Dear Jane!

Song Review: Dear Jane's "Unavoidable"

Dear Jane makes their 2013 return with their new single "Unavoidable". Right off the bat, it is obvious that this talented band have once again given it their all into this song.

"Unavoidable" is a song that will probably only appeal to a smaller group of listeners. It possesses a softer rock sound, which fans of the band's former rougher and more punk influenced music may not be fond of. At the same time, it is not a song whose melody will immediately stick to you because it's not as catchy as their other material. However, it does not stop "Unavoidable" from being an overall great song.

This may sound strange, but in some ways this is one of Dear Jane's weaker songs, but in other ways their personal best. It's weakness consist of the reasons stated above. One must be more open minded and really appreciate music to realize this is actually one of Dear Jane's best yet. The song embodies what I love this band so much for: true passion and honesty. Howie's songwriting and composition is beautiful, personal and meaningful and Tim is able to showcase his voice and bring his lyrics to life. I'm pleased to see that Dear Jane, while conforming a bit to make it in the mainstream HK music industry, is also staying true to themselves and giving listeners the opportunity to hear something different and full of heart and substance.

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Additional Notes: Against my initial expectations, "Unavoidable" is doing incredibly well! It went #1 on the iTune store as well as on HK music charts, and still high up as we speak. It is wonderful to see a song that doesn't conform to usual HK mainstream tastes garnering critical and commercial success. Congratulations Dear Jane!!!

AEE HK Music Awards

Cantopop has long lost its level of prestige with the dozens of different award shows that give out countless awards. It starts to become hard to tell which awards are really an "honor" and which are just pork chop awards. At the same time, still so many artists and songs go unrecognized. The same people win every year (Joey, Eason, I don't doubt you're very talented, but someone else deserves to win!) until it loses it's meaning. The year of 2012 was quite a great year for Cantopop, and the first ever AEE HK Music Awards hopes to recognize the people who may have not gotten the attention or accolades they deserve without giving out so many awards their meaning is lost.

Song Awards

Top 10 Songs of the Year

#10 - "The End/到此為止" by Shiga Lin

Ballads are nothing unfamiliar to the world of Cantopop, and although "The End" is nothing groundbreaking, it's still a beautifully composed and sung song. Shiga's vocals are gorgeous and full of heartbreaking emotion. The song is very personal and full of meaning, as it signified Shiga acknowledging, learning from, and moving on from a damaging scandal that hit her early last year. She deserves all the accolades she's received for this song, and does not go unnoticed here either.

#9 - "BB88" by Khalil Fong
Upbeat songs are not too common (and quite often they're not good either) in the HK music industry. Khalil released the most upbeat single of his career with "BB88", a pleasant surprise because it stays with his signature R&B sound, while also very creative, catchy, and fun!

#8 - "Drenched" by Wanting Qu
Although written in English by a China-based artist, "Drenched" became a huge hit following being used in the HK movie "Love in a Buff". The song is magical and absolutely beautiful with Wanting's deep and soulful vocals and the moving musical composition, so it just can not go unrecognized here!

#7 - "Cold Joke/冷笑話" by Fiona Sit
After a year of consistently releasing great singles, Fiona capped off the year with "Cold Joke", her most mature and best work yet. The song, from the lovely musical composition to her vocals, is full of so much emotion that you know it is very special to Fiona. There is feeling in every breath. The song is delivered with so much grace.

#6 - "Frail/孱弱" by Kelvin Kwan
Kelvin found his niche sound this year in alternative/rock influenced songs, and "Frail" is the cherry on top of a great year of experimenting with the new musical style. The song is gripping, slightly gritty, and full of angst, not something many Cantopop singers can pull off. It allows him to showcase his vocal abilities while keeping it fresh and original instead of the typical love ballad.

#5 - "So Dry/疗Dry" by Eric Suen
Eric finally returned with a new album again and completely took us by surprise with "So Dry". It's unlike anything he's ever written before. It's catchy, upbeat, but also creative, whimsical, with a message that's easy to relate to. Rarely is an upbeat Cantonese song that good! "So Dry" is the new working people's theme song.

#4 - "Death Row/斬立決" by Pakho Chau
Perhaps no other song leaves as much of an emotional impact following listening as "Death Row", as it honestly does leave you in a state of sadness. The song touches on the issue of cyber bullying and depicts the horrors through its well-written lyrics, a haunting melody, strong vocals by Pakho, and evokes so much emotion.

#3 - "Goodbye" by Dear Jane
After a year of sweeping up awards for "Yellow Fever", "Goodbye" is still a little shining gem that went mostly unnoticed and undecorated by awards. It is a phenomenal song that is heartfelt, moving, powerful, serene, wonderfully produced and polished. Tim sounds his best vocally with his gentle yet powerful delivery, and the instruments come together beautifully.

#2 - "Yesterday/昨天" by Mr.
Mr.'s "Yesterday" is hands down the best rock ballad of the year. It is a beautifully and wonderfully arranged. At a long length of 5:15, the song does not drag on, but continues to deliver to the very end and leaves an impact. The song is powerful, thoughtful, and meaningful. Alan's vocals anchor the song, and the instruments shine, particularly during the guitar solo.

#1 - "Non-Vegetation/人非草木" by Kary Ng
Taking the top song honor is Kary with "Non-Vegetation". The composition and arrangement of the song (which consists of both piano and strings) coupled with Kary's soft but strong vocals is breathtaking and enchanting. Both a bit of sadness and sweetness is evoked. The song says that humans are not like vegetables and meant for living, which is exactly what Kary has been doing: living the life. "Non-Vegetation" is the best song of the year, and Kary's best yet.

Songs that narrowly missed getting placed or ultimately removed included G.E.M.'s "Someday I'll Fly" (meaningful, but in the end sounded generic), Raymond Lam's "Because of You" (lovely, but not outstanding), and Eason Chan's "Heavy Taste" (unique and catchy, but already heavily awarded).  I also really wanted to include Kary's "Ferociously", Fiona's "Better Me", and Pakho's "Irreversible", but excluded them as I didn't want to include more than one song from an artist.

Genre-Specific:

Best Ballad: "The End/到此為止" by Shiga Lin
The most beautifully composed and sung ballad of the year with a story behind it. Although ballads are vastly overdone in Cantopop, Shiga breathes a breath of fresh air into the type of song.

Best Dance Song: "Ferociously/狠狠" by Kary Ng
Dance songs in Cantopop are often poorly done, full of autotune, or just not catchy. Kary's "Ferociously" is catchy, funky, refreshing, with great choreography.

Best Rock Song: "Yellow Fever" by Dear Jane
Rock has found its way back into the mainstream Cantopop industry, a feat worth celebrating. Dear Jans's "Yellow Fever" is a catchy, infectious rock song with a great hook and intertwines dub step well.

Best Duet: "Lone Ranger Companion/獨行俠侶" by William So and Kay Tse
A great collaboration between William and Kay. The song has a lovely melody and the two talented artist's voices blend together and compliment each other very well, making it a more memorable duet.

Music Video Awards

Best Music Video: "Confessions/告白" by Kary Ng
The best music videos don't take away from the song, but compliment it and make it even better. In Kary's first attempt at directing, the MV of "Confessions" acts out the story and message in the lyrics. It depicts the emotional despair of a person who cheated in a relationship, and the one cheated on. The different shots and settings used done and chosen well. Everything from the shots of Kary resting her head on her boyfriend by the sea, to the ones of them hanging out happily in the past, to her singing as her dress flows with the wind are fantastic. The entire video does a spectacular job of boosting the emotion of the song.

Honorable mentions include Kelvin's "People of My Generation" for it's concept, Pakho's "Death Row" for it's art direction, and Eric's "So Dry" for it's creative use of animations. In general, I saw quite a few great music videos this year.

Album Awards

Album of the Year: "My January" by Kary Ng
"My January" went largely unrecognized by awards and deserves a lot more love.  "My January" is a collection of Kary's personal stories of love and life that flows smoothly from track to track until the very end.  It shows her maturation into a fine and talented young lady with songs that show her talent, feeling, and grace.

2nd Place: "Back to Wonderland" by Khalil Fong
Khalil returned to the funkier and retro sound and concept of his popular 2007 album "Wonderland", and it worked.  There's still the same R&B/soul style we know him for, but with a more upbeat and funky twist.  It's an album brighter and quicker in pace than his past works, and one that will have you swaying your head to the music.

3rd Place: "Self-Portrait" by Raymond Lam
Raymond genuinely surprised me with "Self-Portrait", a mature and creative piece of work that exhibited many different musical styles that all worked well with him.  Raymond may be known as more of an idol and not taken very seriously as a singer, but many overlook the fact that "Self-Portrait" is still a fantastic album and his best one yet.

Artist Awards

Most Promising Artist: Shiga Lin
Shiga showed potential as a newcomer, and over the last year has polished up her vocals to the point she's now one of the most beautiful and controlled young voices in HK. She did well with ballads such as "The End" and "Movin' On", and also the midtempo and inspiring "Run". She proved she is also strong and capable of overcoming hardship, which shows she can last a long time in this cutthroat industry. She breathes fresh air into the HK music industry, which is in need of youthful talent like her, so expect to see a lot more of her.

Most Improved Artist: TIE, Fiona Sit and Kelvin Kwan
Fiona first debuted back in 2004 as a singer with potential, but her vocals weren't always too reliable and she had trouble gaining success.  Yet, her voice and control has improved heaps and bounds over the years and she found lots of momentum in 2012 and exerted many different musical styles in her album "Filicious".  All the singles released were hits, and she was able to hold her own concert at the HK Coliseum for the first time.  She too, is steadily becoming a young lady worthy of respect as an artist and will soon emerge as one of the best.

It has been an exciting and impressive year for Kelvin.  He made a comeback to the industry last year, but successfully shed his image and past this year.  He's no longer someone to be associated with his scandal back in 2009, but as the man and talented young artist he is today.  His "Occupation" EP showed he is capable of many musical styles and found a niche in a more gritty and rock influenced type of music.  He has involved himself in the creative process of his music and tried his hand at directing one of his music videos.  This may not have been expected, but Kelvin has vastly improved and is quickly becoming one of the most talented and worth noticing young singers in Hong Kong.

The best singer/band awards are the top honors of the AEE HK Music Awards.  They're judged by the performances of the artists this year, which include the quality of material they've released and the success they achieved, as opposed to just whose the most popular.

Best Band: Dear Jane
Dear Jane was the rising band of 2012 as they achieved great critical and commercial success, sweeping up countless awards for "Yellow Fever", putting them on the map.  They're helping bring rock to the mainstream Cantopop with their more unique punk influences and honest and passionate music.  It's been great seeing them see reach new heights this year, and it's only expected that 2013 be an even better year for them.

Best Female Singer: Kary Ng
Winning the top song award, best dance song, best music video, and best album, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise as Kary grabs the top honor of Best Female Singer.  It's truly been a fantastic year for her and it showed the completion of her transformation into a young woman and musical artist.  She's became one of the shining stars of the Cantopop industry, since she has both years of experience and youth (she is only 26 years old but has been in the industry since around 15).  Mark my words, she is going to become the next pop diva.  Move over Joey Yung!

Best Male Singer: Kelvin Kwan
This may come as a surprise to some people and met with mixed response, but it's been an exciting and impressive year for Kelvin.  He made a comeback to the industry last year, but successfully shed his image and past this year.  He's no longer someone to be associated with his scandal back in 2009, but as the man and talented young artist he is today.  His "Occupation" EP showed he is capable of many musical styles and as mentioned above, found a niche in a more gritty and rock influenced type of music.  He has involved himself in the creative process of his music and tried his hand at directing one of his music videos.  This may not have been expected, but Kelvin is quickly becoming one of the most talented and worth noticing young singers in Hong Kong. ***Update 11/2/13**** I had intended to update this a LONG time ago, but then...life happened, so I never got the chance. This comes awfully late, but I thought it was worth changing before the next awards comes around.

Best Male Singer: Pakho Chau
After I had originally posted this, I had listened to Pakho's music more in-depth and was blown away by the material he released in 2012, as well as all he had accomplished. Pakho has gone from a fresh-faced idol in his early days to an accomplished singer, songwriter, composer, and occasionally music video director (he directed Shiga Lin's "Time for Love" MV). He has evolved into one of the most respectable and versatile young artists today, and is a force to be reckoned with. The singles he released this year were all among the best of 2012.  "Death Row", "Imperfect","無力挽回/Irreversible", and "只有一事不成全你/There's Only 
One Thing I Won't Help You With" were all phenomenal singles that showed his talent, passion, artistic touch, 
and maturity. Pakho topped off his strongest year yet with his much anticipated first HK Coliseum concert as 
well as a compilation album, both titled "Imperfect." He has truly come far and secured himself as a staple of 
the Cantopop music industry. With Pakho, there is hope for continuous fresh and high quality Cantonese music 
as he continues to take the industry by storm.

This wraps up the first AEE HK Music Awards!  The results may look much different than the existing award shows, but my goal was to recognize those who usually do not receive the awards I think they deserve.  What do you think was the best of 2012?  Comment with your thoughts!

Dear Jane x Shiga Lin LOL Concert

On September 28th, HK fans of Dear Jane and Shiga Lin had the joy of attending the two Warner artist's joint concert, cleverly titled "LOL", or "Love Out Loud".  Instead of treating it as a formal concert, Dear Jane and Shiga made it more like a party and big fan gathering, making the event even more fun and enjoyable.  Besides for singing their own songs, Dear Jane and Shiga kept things fresh by covering some of each other's songs.  If you didn't have the privilege of seeing them in concert, or just want to relive it, a lot of great fan cams have been uploaded onto YouTube!

A short overview of the LOL concert uploaded by WarnerHK:

Highlights...

Dear Jane's Tim and Shiga sang Shiga's popular English song "I'm Still Loving You" as a duet, and Shiga sang Dear Jane's #1 hit "別說話/Do Not Speak".  The duet version with the two sounded very nice, and Shiga not only brought justice to "Do Not Speak", but sounded absolutely beautiful and sweet.

"放大假/ Long Vacation": http://youtu.be/2wYAbY4ikXg (Embedding is not enabled).  Dear Jane and Shiga perform the punk rock anthem from Dear Jane's debut album together.  They don't perform this song live often, and it's one of my personal favorites, so this was a treat to watch.

The finale of the LOL concert, where Dear Jane and Shiga were joined by singer friends Ella Koon and Jason Chan.  Fitting with the laid back party feel of the concert, they closed the concert by singing a medley of various popular songs, including "We Will Rock You", "21 Guns", "Call Me Maybe", "Last Friday Night", "Firework", "Baby", and more.  A fantastic and fun finale where everyone looked like they were having a blast!  So many cute interactions and moments on stage.  Notable things include how Tim and Shiga jump around a LOT while singing, Ella playing electric guitar alongside Howie, and Tim dancing to "Party Rock Anthem" and "Gangnam Style".  They closed the number with a performance of their duet "Love Out Loud".

The audience weren't ready to say goodbye to Dear Jane and Shiga even after the memorable finale, which resulted in two more encore songs:

Dear Jane sang their rock cover of "到此為止/The End", which carries a different feel, but has the same emotion.  Shiga sang her cover of "Yellow Fever", which has an electronic dance club feel.  During the dubstep breakdown, Tim starts doing the dance to Gangnam Style (for the second time)!

Of course, there were a lot more great performances from the night, but I don't want this post to get long.  For more fan cams from the concert, visit chaupakhobackup's and dearjane4eva's channel!

Comments: I was hesitant and doubtful of how a concert with two such different artists would work out, but was pleasantly surprised.  The concert was a hit, with good fan turn out, positive reception, and a whole lot of enthusiasm, both from the audience and the musical acts themselves.  Both Dear Jane and Shiga Lin were a joy to watch alone and even more so together with their talent, onstage presence, and real life friendship.  My only wish was that they had performed more covers of each other's songs.  I was hoping to hear Dear Jane sing "好好過/Movin' On" and Shiga sing "Goodbye".  The concert was still fantastic, and made me like Dear Jane and Shiga even more!

Support Dear Jane and Shiga Lin!
If you live in Hong Kong, buy their "Love Out Loud" EP on iTunes, which includes studio versions of Shiga's cover of "Yellow Fever", Dear Jane's cover of "The End", and their duet "Love Out Loud"!

Artist Spotlight: Dear Jane

Biography

Dear Jane is a Hong Kong band formed back in 2003 that is known for their signature pop punk/rock sound.  The band's name "Dear Jane" references a Dear John letter, and signifies how their songs are from a male's point of view. They released their debut record "100" in 2006 under See Music Ltd, whose name originates from how they played 100 shows prior to releasing the album.  After contract disputes with See Music Ltd, the band was signed to Music Nation in 2009 and released their album "XOXO", which scored their first #1 hit "Do Not Speak".  In 2011, Dear Jane was signed by WarnerHK, one of the top music labels in Hong Kong.  They released their "Gamma" EP the same year.  Since then, they have increased in popularity and recognition, becoming one of the bands in Hong Kong's small but steady "band movement".  Their latest EP "Yellow Fever" is now out!

A little more about the members...

The original line up of Dear Jane was Tim Wong as the vocalist, Adam Diaz as the guitarist, Howie Yung as the bassist, and Jackal Ng as the drummer.  Following the departure of Adam, the line up changed and Howie became the guitarist while Jackal the bassist.  Nice Lai later joined the band as the drummer.

Tim Wong - Lead Vocalist Tim was born in Hong Kong on May 6, 1981 and raised in the US.  He studied music at the University of Hawaii.  He previously worked as a model, and had joined TVB in 2003.  He has appeared in several Cantopop music videos as well as TVB series.  His full English name is Timothy Christopher Wong.

Howie Yung - Guitarist Howie was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and majored in economics in university.  He is well versed in writing, composing, arranging, producing, and recording, making him a truly well rounded and talented musician.  Howie writes and composes a majority of the band's songs.

Jackal Ng - Bassist Jackal was born and raised in Hong Kong.  He graduated from University of Hong Kong's School of Design.  He is very skilled at playing the drums.

Nice Lai - Drummer Nice was born and raised in Hong Kong.  He joined Dear Jane as their new drummer shortly after the band signed to Warner.

Artist Critique
There are many great bands in Hong Kong right now, but Dear Jane is my favorite by far.  Their music is catchy yet of quality and substance.  Although I have limited knowledge of Cantonese, I feel like their music is so personal and powerful, whether they're performing an upbeat punk rock song or a soft rock ballad.  There's energy, meaning, passion, and honesty in their music.  I love their pop punk rock musical style, and how they experiment without straying from their signature sound.  Tim's voice has a nice tone, being neither too high or deep.  He has power as well as control in his voice, and transitions from upbeat or hard rock songs to ballads with ease.  The band is a lot of fun to see perform live, as they all have a lot of energy and passion.

What makes me love Dear Jane even more though, is that they all seem like such great guys and very approachable.  They genuinely love what they do, and are so talented, friendly, sweet, and modest.  They frequently update their official Facebook page and constantly keep in communication with fans, even taking the time to reply and thank particular fans once in a while.  Earlier, I had posted the link to my "Goodbye" song review on their page, and they had "liked" the post and personally thanked me.  Also, they just seem like such fun guys to be around!  I love seeing the members joke around and practice in videos.  Tim seems like he has a great sense of humor and can be so silly sometimes.  Also, I have so much respect for Howie.  All the guys are highly involved in Dear Jane and their music, but he is such an insanely talented musician who does so much.  At times, the concentration Howie can have in his music is even laughably endearing.

Dear Jane Song Essentials

"別說話/Do Not Speak"

Their first big hit, "Do Not Speak" went to #1 on several radio stations.  It is a beautiful song with a catchy yet lovely melody.  Howie had originally written the lyrics of the song after a messy break up with his girlfriend.  The lyrics had initially just sat around, but Jackal had played a drum beat Howie liked, and within 30 minutes, the band had composed and arranged a hit.  "Do Not Speak" is a honest and meaningful light rock song about how people should have a silent break up so they can keep the beautiful memories of what a couple once had instead of fighting and causing further pain.

"放大假/Long Vacation"

From their debut album "100", "Long Vacation" is a song everyone can relate to about wanting to take a long vacation from work.  The musical style of the song shows a strong punk influence, which I really like.  It carries a whimsical feel too.  I especially like the second verse where Tim pretends to call in sick to work.  It's a simple, short, fun, and catchy song a lot of people can relate to.

"空中小姐/Air Hostess"

A fun and upbeat song that also has quite the whimsical feel.  The MV is very cute and they look like they're having a lot of fun.  Tim's little "dance moves" are so cute and funny, as are everyone's facial expressions!  Known to be more of rockers, it's endearing to see them in such a goofy yet adorable fashion.

"戰狼三國/Wolf of Three Kingdoms"

One of their heavier rock and punk influenced songs.  I love blasting this song loud and rocking out.  The band sounds wicked here, I love how the electric guitar, bass, and drums come together here.  The chorus sounds very powerful.

"Rising Star"

This song served as the theme song for the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 2011.  The song is one of my favorites because it's such an inspiring, uplifting, and empowering song. I like the simplicity of the alternate MV, with the band performing in an empty room and shots of the members running with a Dear Jane flag.

"慣/Used To"

Although known for their pop punk sound, the band started experimenting with different things as well after signing with Warner.  "Used To" is a beautiful and emotional soft rock ballad.

"Yellow Fever"

A catchy and infectious pop punk song about the guy's like and respect for Asian girls.  This single also marks their first time experimenting with dub step breakdowns.  Read a more in-depth song review here: here.

"Let's Just Do It"

Whether it's getting someone's phone number at a party or asking them to dance, "Let's Just Do It" encourages listeners to just do what they want to do.  It boosts a very sleek sound.  Despite the auto tune used in the song, like "Yellow Fever", it's catchy, infectious, and has a great dubstep break down.  In-depth song review here.

"Goodbye"

A beautiful song that was executed even more beautifully.  Everything about the song is phenomenal: the vocals, lyrics, composition, arrangement, and overall sound.  It is such a powerful and memorable song that leaves an impact on you.  In-depth song review here.

Overall

Dear Jane is a versatile rock band with a distinct punk sound and a great ability to experiment with other styles.  Each member is very talented and makes their own contributions.  Dear Jane is a well rounded band that consistently and constantly makes great music.  Not only is it catchy, but has substance and well executed.  Besides that, they have all proven to be a group of great and fun guys as well.  I sincerely hope that they will be able to win more recognition and popularity.  They are definitely going far!  Go Dear Jane!

Song Review: Dear Jane's "Goodbye"

Dear Jane tells listeners that goodbye is just a new beginning in their breathtaking new single "Goodbye".

The song opens with gently playing electric guitar strings and Tim's vocals, followed by the build up of Jackal on drums. Through out the song, it takes a gentle beat on the verses before playing in powerful unison in the choruses. Tim's vocals sound fantastic here. He may sing upbeat pop/punk rock songs most, but still has a lovely voice and I was pleasantly impressed with his ability to sing with such gentleness yet power when the song called for it. I also love how Howie provides back up vocals in the latter half.

"Goodbye" is a soft yet powerful pop rock ballad that captures such emotion, sentimentality, and passion. Words can not describe how much I'm in love with this song. It's phenomenal and moving. The melody is gorgeous.

The MV was filmed perfectly and compliments the song flawlessly. It is filmed with a vintage style with soft focus, calling for the video to be dominated by calming light blue's, white's, and gray's. The backdrop of the beach with its ocean, rocks, and breeze was beautiful, peaceful, and completely fitting. The band playing on the rocks with the waves and stunning background behind them made it simplistic yet powerful, moving, and full of beauty.

Dear Jane is proving to be such a versatile band with so much talent and promise. Over the last few months, I've been continuously growing to love them more and more. They've tried so many different styles and pull them all off so well. Their latest single is no exception. "Goodbye" is an absolutely beautiful song that carries so much feeling and power. It definitely goes on my list of highlights of the year. I have been replaying it over and over again.

Dear Jane's fourth album "Yellow Fever" will be released on September 4th! Support this amazing band!

Song Review: Dear Jane's "Let's Just Do It"

Things have only looked brighter for rock band Dear Jane since getting signed to Warner. The talented rockers started off the year strong with the commercially successful "Yellow Fever", and now continue their stride with "Let's Just Do It".

For the song's composition, I have many praises, but one major complaint.  It would've sounded nice if they had used a small amount of autotune to build up to and transition from the chorus and create a cool effect, but overlaying lead singer Tim's vocals with autotune through out the whole verses was too much.  However, the simple yet very catchy punk rock infused chorus is enough for me to overlook my criticisms of the verses.  Making another welcome appearance is a dubstep breakdown similar to the one in "Yellow Fever", but still very distinctive with its video game like sound effects and heavy instruments.  I love the dubstep breakdown they've used for the last two singles, but hoping it doesn't become a regular thing in their new music because it'll eventually get repetitive and tired out.

The music video is very simple yet stylish.  The guys all look handsome in suits while performing in a room with smoke around them.  The video goes with a consistent yet classy theme by having the video filmed in black and white, with occasional flashes of fuchsia in between cuts for an appropriate bursts of color.  In general, the video manages to neither be too much or too little.  I love the sleekness of the end product.

The song's meaning is simple: If you want to do something, just do it. Don't stand around contemplating the action, because by then it could be too late.  "Let's Just Do It" has flaws, but makes the best of simplicity and style.  Once again, great job!

Song Review - Dear Jane's "Yellow Fever"

Cantonese rock/punk band Dear Jane continues their growing success with "Yellow Fever", their most successful single yet.

"Yellow Fever" consists of ridiculously catchy lyrics and familiar pop elements, while combining it with their signature rock and punk sound.  Making a surprise appearance is even a wicked dub step breakdown.  The theme and music video of the song is quite whimsical, making it more quirky.  As usual, Dear Jane doesn't disappoint by retaining their heavier rock style.  The song is fun, catchy, and infectious while being edgy and rebellious sounding.  "Yellow Fever" manages to satisfy fans of rock and the band itself, while possibly introducing themselves to listeners of more mainstream music.

The more I listen to their music, the more Dear Jane grows on me.  With talent and the support of a great label like Warner, I definitely see them becoming more and more successful.  I'm psyched that the song has reached #1 on the 903 and Metroinfo charts!  It makes me very happy that a rock band is gaining significant mainstream and commercial success in Hong Kong.  Congratulations guys! This means a lot for the return of rock and bands to the Hong Kong music industry!

Dear Jane, keep being the awesome rockers you are!

The Impact of Mr. and the Return of Cantonese Rock Bands

There once was a time where rock held significance on the Hong Kong music scene, thanks to  "Beyond", who were a huge sensation in the 80s and 90s.  Having experienced massive success in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, and Mainland China, they are still considered the most successful and influential Cantonese band.

Since the turn of the 21st century though, bands, as well as a love for the rock genre, have faded into oblivion in Hong Kong.  Rock music became something that operated underground in HK.  "Mainstream Cantonese music" became classified as mainly pop ballads.  The early and mid 2000's saw the popularity of pop singers like Joey Yung, Eason Chan, and so on.

However, Cantonese music has seen a shift in gears the last few years.  More rock bands have emerged in Hong Kong in recent years.  What's even more of a breakthrough, is that they're debuting under established mainstream record companies and achieving moderate success.  Thanks to bands like RubberBand, Dear Jane, C Allstar, Supper Moment, and most notably Mr., Hong Kong is finally getting a taste of great rock music and bands again.

In 2008, Universal Music's Cinepoly took a chance by signing Mr.  It was an extremely risky move for the Cantopop industry, as it was the first time in 10 years a major record label had signed anything as "unsafe" as a band.  Since then, they've become the most successful and known band in Hong Kong in years.   This has paved the path for rock bands to continue developing and growing in front of the public eye.

Mr. is not the most amazing band ever and I will definitely not say that they are comparable to Beyond, but I greatly credit the return of popularity of the rock and band sound to them.  They're talented and were blessed with luck as well, and they deserve the success they've been getting.  They are well polished enough they fit within the realm of Cantopop, but have a distinctive rock influence that sets them apart.

As a fan of rock music, I'm very happy to see that rock bands like Mr. are finally starting to gain popularity again.  There is no doubt that we will be seeing more of them.  The next band up to debut?  Patrick Tang's recently formed SirV.  Stay tuned for more information about SirV!

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Author's Note: While I listen to a lot of pop music, my favorite genre has been pop/rock and rock for as long as I can remember.  Since getting back into Cantopop and exploring and discovering different artists and styles, I've been very happy to discover Cantonese rock bands like Mr. and Dear Jane.  I wish all these bands even more success for years to come!