Album Review: Kelvin Kwan's "Breakout"

Kelvin Kwan's star continues to shine with "Breakout", his latest and best album yet.

The singer has matured significantly over the years and found the different musical styles that fit him, and "Breakout" shows this. The 8-song album provides a mix of the angst-ridden pop rock Kelvin successfully experimented with in "Occupation", emotion-filled mid tempo numbers, and slower, sweeter songs. Kelvin shows great range in his voice and musical style without including a traditional slow ballad already so often seen in Cantopop.

A closer look...

"Breakout" opens with "手刃情人/Busting My Lover", which bears a similar feel to "People of My Generation" musically wise, but speaks of pain towards a lover. Kelvin's voice and emotions are very raw here and present a different level of intensity than his previous songs.

My personal favorite from the album though is easily second track "你永遠是對的/You Are Forever Right." The mid tempo and melancholic song shows off Kelvin's range and emotion along with a great and moving musical composition. The MV elevates the power and message of the song, but suffers a setback due to Chrissie Chau's mediocre acting.

"一體兩面/Integrated Both Sides" has a slight space-like trance from its beats and arrangement. Although slower than the other songs on the album, it boosts a very serene vibe with a hint of mystery.

"孱弱/Fragile" is a song that takes what Kelvin experimented with from "Occupation" and "People of My Generation" and makes it even better. The song starts off slow with a gentle sadness before going into an angst-ridden and emotional number. This is arguably his best single to date. A more in-depth song review can be found here.

Kelvin once again goes rock with "偉大領袖/The Great Leader", only this time sheds the excessive angst for an upbeat and catchier tune.

"隻字不提/Not Mentioning a Word" is the only song that comes closed to being a ballad on the album, but also one of the less impressive. The arrangement is still very nice and Kelvin never fails to show his range in slow songs like this.

Coming in as another personal favorite of mine is "空氣公園/Air Park," a sweet, relaxing and dreamy song. Kelvin's vocals sound very warm here, putting a smile on your face. It has a very strong calming effect with its thoughtful feel.

The album closes with "舊好/The Old Good," another slower track with a very relaxing and serene vibe. It is an uplifting song with a lovely orchestral and band arrangement, which serves as a nice and sweet way to end the album.

Overall, the album shows great strides in Kelvin Kwan as an artist. "Breakout" reaffirms my confidence in Kelvin as a mainstay in today's Cantopop industry, which is in need of someone with edge and a flair for experimentation like him. He has surpassed everyone's previous low expectations of him as little more than a washed up idol and blown everyone out of the water with his genuine talent. "Breakout" is his most mature and best work yet as well as one of the most consistent and enjoyable albums of the year. I know I will continue to be impressed by him.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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!

Song Review: Kelvin Kwan's "孱弱/Fragile"

Although unable to release another album before the end of the year like he wanted, Kelvin Kwan goes out with a bang with his new single "孱弱/Frail", which is also the theme song for his short film "茶木邂逅" co-starring Shiga Lin.

When I started listening to the song for the first time, I thought "Oh no, another slow ballad".  While I like ballads and Kelvin has a strong vocals fit for them, I was hoping for something more impressive and less generic from Kelvin, who is able to pull off more musical styles than the average Cantopop singer.  However, "Frail" turned out to be much more.

"Frail" opens with a piano intro and softly sung verse full of sadness.  At first, it doesn't sound too special.  The song then develops into a slightly gritty, grunge influenced song full of angst.  Having loved his earlier alternative rock oriented singles "Occupation" and "People of My Generation", I'm pleased Kelvin continued exploring this sound.  "Frail" is not as heavy, but still rock influenced and the song has a very thematic feel making it addictive to listen to.  The edgy electric guitar and music works well against Kelvin's husky and strong vocal performance. The song flows well from a slower to faster tempo and back without every feeling choppy or sloppily put together.  I'm satisfied with the musical direction taken here and think it fits Kelvin very well.

Although the song is pleasantly edgy and gritty, the music video is a bit disturbing.  While I like the cinematic feel with the dark lighting and sleek filming style and how it matches the thematic feel of the song, but the kidnapping plot seems far fetched and off topic (but it may be because of my lack of full understanding of the lyrics).  The sight of Kelvin being locked in the truck of a car, getting yelled at by a presumed ex-girlfriend in Korean, before finally being (assumed to be) killed with a hammer by the girl is rather unsettling.

Overall, "Frail" is yet another great song released to be Kelvin this year and continues to show his potential and talent as a musical artist by exploring a more heavy sound.  "Frail" has managed to become one of my favorite songs of the year just shortly before 2012 closes.

Kelvin Kwan and Hins Cheung Perform "四面楚歌/Distress Everywhere" on RTHK's "Music on the Move"

On May 19th, HK singers Kelvin Kwan and Hins Cheung appeared on RTHK's musical variety show "Music on the Move".  The two were interviewed, and performed their latest singles (Hin's "
壯舉/Strong Move" and Kelvins "我這一代人/People of My Generation".  Most notably, they sang hit single "四面楚歌/Distress Everywhere" for the first time together.  The song was originally recorded by Kelvin and Cantopop princess Kay Tse in 2008, and written by Hins.

Author's Note: Awesome performance by Kelvin and Hins!  Although I think this song will always be best sung with Kay's serene vocals, it was a fun and energetic performance.  Their voices blended well.  Hin's vocals were superb, and pulled off Kay's verses with a deep register.  It's also always a treat to hear Kelvin rap!  The song also sounded great with a live band.  One of my favorite Cantopop songs!

Kelvin Kwan releases official MV for "People of My Generation/我這一代人" (MV Review)

After about a month's wait, Kelvin Kwan has finally released the official MV for "People of My Generation/我這一代人".  Before covering the official MV though, here's the unofficial MV released a month ago and a short critique:

Directed by Kelvin himself, the video is simplistic and raw.  There is not much but the lyrics flashing across the screen, shots of Hong Kong in chaos, and a quick close up of Kelvin at the end.  And yet, that was all was needed.  It manages to evoke so much emotion and be so powerful with minimal effects.

And now to finally unveil the official MV...

I was hesitant on how the official MV would turn out, as I was fond of the  concept of the previously released MV.  It turns out that the original lyrical concept was kept, but intercut with scenes of Kelvin that are fantastically shot.  The shots of him driving, staring out into the horizon, and running backward show great cinematography not usually seen in music videos while remaining powerful.  The ending where he jumps off the building, and the screen fades to black to show a single period is haunting and wraps everything up well.  Overall, the official MV retains the simplicity and rawness, but incorporates additional well shot footage to create a powerful end product.  Kelvin continues to release great material!

Spotlight: Kelvin Kwan (Part 1: Biography and Artist Critique)

Having overcome a major scandal and needing to start from scratch, Kelvin Kwan has outperformed people's expectations and matured into one of the most talented young singers in Hong Kong today.

Biography
Born on March 24, 1983, Kelvin Kwan was raised in Canada in a wealthy family.  He was discovered in 2004 when he went out for a night of karaoke with his father's ex-coworkers.  He was offered an audition, and then signed by Go East, part of Universal Music.  Popular and established Cantopop singer Alan Tam took Kelvin as his godson, and helped him with his music career as well as taught him skills like how to face the media.  Kelvin and Jill Vidal, his girlfriend and another rising singer, became known for their participation in anti-drug campaigns.

His self-titled debut album was released on October 11, 2006.  His duet with godfather Alan Tam, "Big Cry Baby", was ranked as China's 4th most popular duet by China Central Television merely 5 days after the album's release.  Following his successful debut, he released "What Do You Take Me For" in 2007 and "Hello...My Name Is" in 2008.

Kelvin with former girlfriend Jill Vidal

Kwan's career took an unexpected dark turn when he and Jill Vidal were arrested in Tokyo for possession of marijuana on March 3, 2009.  Godfather Alan Tam expressed anger and disappointment with him.  After spending a month in a detention center, Kwan was released and held a press conference to apologize.  There, he announced he would be taking a break from the entertainment industry and take the time to reflect on himself.

Kwan did not return to the music industry until over a year later in mid 2010.  His comeback single "One Year/一年" was a personal song that reflected on himself and the year he was away from the industry.  He released his comeback album "Here I Am" on September 22, 2010.  In general, the public was willing to give the singer a second chance and the comeback was met with relatively positive response.

Following his comeback, Kwan changed his image and musical style.  He adopted a more mature image and started getting involved with his music.  He's experimented with many different sounds and taken part in the writing and composing process of several of his songs.  Having developed more of an artistic and musical direction, he has unexpectedly evolved into something more than just a simple pop singer or gossip magnet.  He released his new and best selection album "Occupation" on March 30, 2012.

Artist Critique

Addressing his past...
At first sight, Kelvin Kwan was just another pretty boy with lots of connections who probably wouldn't last too long or make it too far in the music industry. His career could've died after his arrest in 2009, or he could've continued as an idol singer pretending as if nothing had happened. Unexpectedly, he has taken another route since making a comeback in 2010 and emerged as one of the most talented young singers in Hong Kong.

I won't deny that Kelvin hasn't done stupid and foolish things. In fact, I think it was hypocritical of him and former girlfriend Jill Vidal to be doing marijuana when they actively took part in anti-drug campaigns. Being a celebrity doesn't make up for his fault. However, he's also human. I strongly believe that a person can change and that they should have second chances. Kelvin didn't kill someone, nor did he commit a serious felony. He deserved a second chance, just like any other person who made a couple mistakes as an impressionable young person under pressure. In the end, what matters is whether or not that person turns their life around.

Kelvin was lucky. When he decided to make a comeback, he had the support of his whole record company. Would he have been able to stage such a successful comeback without the massive support? Maybe not. It's his connections and support that got him back into music. However, it's thanks to himself that he's gone so far instead of fading into oblivion after releasing one or two singles. He's proven he has what it takes to not only return, but stay on the music scene for a long time as well.

His music...

As opposed to continuing being the typical good looking young Cantopop singer who only sings love ballads, he's turned into an experimental and developing musician. He's not an excellent one man show who can do everything, but you can easily tell he's trying to improve himself and working to get there. Since his comeback, he has taken on a significantly larger creative presence for his music. He's taken part in songwriting, composing, and has even directed one of his music videos.

Kelvin Kwan has gone from being simply a singer into a developing artist. He is genuinely talented. With a great voice with decent range, he can do a variety of musical styles. His recent music is a joy to listen to because it is refreshing mainstream pop. He incorporates different elements such as rock, rap, hip hop, R&B, etc. He's breaking free of his previous image of singing love ballads too by also singing about political and societal issues. His music feels familiar yet fresh. It is well polished and produced, but his personal touch to it is also obvious. 

Overall

The truth? Kelvin Kwan is a flawed young man who has made stupid mistakes. However, it is because of talent, persistence, and a little bit of luck, that he's still here today. He's stayed out of trouble since and has made up for his wrongs. Forgiveness is a part of life. I have forgiven Kelvin for his mistakes because he's taken advantage of everything he's been fortunate enough to have to be better than ever.

Through out the years, he's outperformed many people's expectations, including mine. I certainly would not anticipate someone of his background and past would become the promising and creative artist today. It's not surprising Kelvin Kwan made a comeback. It is however, a surprise that he's managed to do so much and go so far. However, it's definitely a pleasant surprise. Because of all this, my like for him continues to grow and he is now one of my favorite singers. I strongly believe he will only continue to go farther. Best wishes to Kelvin and his future!

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Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed reading my take on Kelvin and his career, which has been met with mixed response. I tried to be as impartial as possible. What is your opinion on Kelvin's comeback? This was a longer spotlight post because of the in-depth artist critique. I'll be posting the second part (the song recommendations) soon.

Broadening the Horizons: The Start of Interest in Asian Entertainment

Asian Entertainment Experience turns three months old today! :D

In celebration of the three month anniversary of Asian Entertainment Experience, we are writing a special edition of "Broadening the Horizons". Instead of focusing on a specific artist, this time, we will share how we got into Asian entertainment in the first place. Everyone's story is different, including ours. We hope that you will share your story as well!

Iris' story: How I got into TVB Dramas, C-Pop, and Korean music

How did I get into TVB dramas? I was not interested in them growing up, like many other kids. The main reason was probably because I spoke and understood no Cantonese at the time. I mostly watched little kid programs when in elementary school and then Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Something happened in 2008 when I was in the 7th grade though. With the downfall of the two networks, I became sick of the increasingly juvenile programming. At 12 years old, I still considered myself too young for prime time TV and was convinced there was too much sex and violence in American shows. I wanted a balance between the two.

With my mom starting to watch TVB dramas again by downloading and exchanging DVDs, I started becoming exposed to them once again. The first TVB series I was sucked into was "Forensic Heroes II". Two of my closest friends and I all followed it and talked about it. There was no turning back from there, as I started watching TVB series in my free time. I enjoyed the characters, plots, etc. My other early TVB series included "Catch Me Now", and "War of In-Laws II", which are still two of my favorites to this day. Since I didn't understand Cantonese, I watched with English subtitles. My selection was limited, and I watched almost everything that was available.

Soon, just watching the series stopped becoming enough. I started researching the series, the actors, and TVB itself. I also wanted to read other people's thoughts, as well as share my own. I fondly followed TVB blogs, particularly the now closed TVB Musings. I was a silent reader and spent hours reading the blogger's in-depth, well written, and witty works relating to TVB. Shortly before he did his last post, I started commenting and we had discussions about the series and his posts. This became inspiration for me to create my own TVB blog. From that, TVB Interaction was born, an outlet for me to share my excessive thoughts. I still credit MetalAZNWarrior of TVB Musings for developing my interest in TVB, blogging, and writing. He is my "si fu"/mentor.

Due to watching TVB series, I naturally started becoming exposed to Cantopop music again. It started with downloading theme songs I liked, to slowly discovering actual Cantopop singers. Singers I first started listening are Eric Suen, G.E.M., Patrick Tang, and Kary Ng. These four are who got me into the genre, and remain my favorites to this day.

The quality of TVB's series continued to decline, and as a result, so did my interest in them. However, my interest in Hong Kong entertainment didn't die as I developed a new fascination: the artists themselves. Not in the gossip and scandals, but the real life personalities of TVB artists. This gave me more reasons to like them. As time elapsed though and the quality of TVB series gets even worse, I become even less interested. It is my favorite artists like Ruco Chan, Raymond Wong, Myolie Wu, Kate Tsui, Fala Chen, etc that retain the interest.

While I continued to listen to Eric, G.E.M., Patrick, and Kary, my interest in Cantopop itself slowed for a while. I listened to them when they came up on my iPod, but stopped actively looking up and downloading new Cantopop music. A couple months ago, the interest suddenly returned upon the release of Eric's album "Never Said Goodbye".  I started downloading new Cantopop music once again.  This time around, I started exploring more.  Instead of just listening to pop, I looked into rock, R&B, blues, etc.  Recently, I've been loving Kelvin Kwan for his experimental nature into different musical styles, Khalil Fong for his R&B and blues music, and the band Mr. for their rock sound.

For the longest time, I was turned off from K-Pop due to all the girl groups and boy bands, whose generally juvenile and cutesy styles were not my cup of tea.  Thanks to Niki and her great recommendations though, I have been slowly opening myself up to Korean music since the beginning of the year.  However, not the stuff that most international K-Pop fans are into.  I've been finding myself much more attracted to the lesser known and under appreciated solo artists Younha, known for her pop rock style, and the soulful ALi.  I also love the hip hop oriented Epik High and now inactive pop rock band Loveholic.  Of course, those who have been reading my posts, know I'm also a big fan of the fierce girl group Miss A.

Of course, my main interest remains Hong Kong entertainment, which includes dramas and music.  With this interest, I'm starting to understand and speak Cantonese (I can now watch TVB dramas without subtitles without getting too lost), and even starting to pick up a little Mandarin.  Being Chinese, I feel a more personal connection with it.  However, at the end of the day, I appreciate and can like anything as long as it's good.  My interest in Asian entertainment has not died, it continues to grow.

Niki's Story: How I got  into all things Asian Entertainment.

I grew up exposed to dramas from Hong Kong and Mainland China. Being Viet I watched them dubbed and for the longest time thought they were Vietnamese (despite the obvious contrast in the dialogue and mouthing). I was particularly fond of ancient series and loved the cool fighting and powers the characters had. Knowing that the series were set in China (even though I still thought it was a Viet product xP), I developed an interest in Chinese. After growing up realized that the dramas weren't originally in Vietnamese, so I did some research and found out about english subtitle.

By that time, I was mesmerized by Taiwanese dramas so I spent the summer of 6th grade clearing out all the dramas that were available to me. Soon I had gone through most (if not all) Taiwanese dramas available at that time. I moved forward to something new and found out about TVB. I found out by searching up my old dramas that I loved when I was a kid. At first, I wasn't used to Cantonese, being more exposed to Mandarin, so I felt awkward with the change. As a result, I trailed away from TVB for a while and tried watching Japanese dramas. I watched several dramas, but didn't get too into it, so I ended up going back to TVB. Only then did I get hooked onto TVB. Same as Iris, one of the first TVB dramas I had watch (subbed) was FOH2. I had watched the first one dubbed and fell in love, when I saw the second one I was immediately hooked again. From then on I continued in my TVB marathon and once again was running out of dramas to watch.

Because of the lack of dramas I turned to music. I became involved with Taiwanese music first, most of the songs came from the dramas I had watched. Slowly I discovered the artists and learned more about them. From there I was addicted to Fahrenheit and later S.H.E., the two bands that til this day are my favorites.

Also as a supplement I picked up on mangas. My first series was Sakura Card captor. I remember going to the library every week and checking out several book, making sure that I didn't skip any volume. As my interest in mangas grew I started watching animes and picked up on Japanese music along the wa. Most of the music, again, came from the shows.

At this point I had no interest in K-pop or K- dramas, but a trip to Viet Nam quickly changed that. My two cousins were both very interested in k-pop and they soon pulled me into the K-pop world. They first showed me Big Bang's "Haru Haru," Super Junior's "Sorry Sorry" and "It's You", and SNSD's "Gee." I found myself completely addicted by the catchy melodies. I spent the entire summer reasearching and learing more about the artists. That was in early 2009, and I soon learned all there was to learn about K-pop. I also found myself getting more and more disappointed by the new groups.

During freshman year I met Iris and found out our mutual interest in TVB. As we got to know each other better she introduced me to her blog, TVB Interaction. Seeing Iris' blog made me want to start a blog of my own. However, I was hesitant in doing so. After starting the Korean Entertainment Club with Dani and Pinki at our school, I decided to ask Iris to help me create the blog for our club.

Through the blog, Iris and I got to know each other even better. We started to talk about music and exchanged the artists we like to one another. As a result I got into Canto-pop. From Iris' recommendations I  got to know G.E.M., Eric Suen, Kary Ng, and several other artists as well. On the other hand I introduced Iris to Epik High, Younha, and ALi. As I introduced her to Epik High I found myself mesmerized by their music. Iris and I continued to research other types of music and found an interest in something other than pop. (Iris: I also got her into Kelvin, Khalil, and Mr.'s music as well! ;))

Throughout my life I was surrounded by Asian Entertainment and culture, so there's no surprise that it would become a big part of my life. The interest has definitively grown in the past years and will continue to grow.

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Author's Note: I hope I did not bore everybody with the story of how I got into Asian entertainment!  Niki and I have been meaning to do something like this for a while, and thought our three month anniversary would be a good time to do so.  For those wondering why we're celebrating our three month anniversary...it's because for the previous month milestones, we either forgot or could not remember in time to do anything.  So congratulations to AE Experience for making it to a quarter of a year!  In our opinion, this blog is only getting started and continues to develop!

Niki's Note: Thank you for supporting AEE this far and as Iris has said, our blog is still starting out and has a long road ahead.We have many things planned for the future so stay tuned! ;D

Kelvin Kwan - "Occupation" New + Best Selection Album Review

Kelvin Kwan returns with six new songs on his first "new and best selection" album, his first release after 2010's comeback "Here I Am". These six songs aren't only all solid and great listens, but represents Kelvin's maturation into a true artist with creativity, direction, and experimental nature.

A more in-depth look...

The album opens with "Occupation/佔領", featuring rapper MastaMic. To sum it up, "Occupation" is a fantastic track that combines hard rock and rap. The theme is refreshing, as it is the first time Kelvin has dealt with political themes in his music (in this case, last year's Occupy Wall Street). It is a song with meaning as well as musical style.  Read my more detailed song review for it here.

"People of My Generation/我這一代人" stays consistent with the hard rock driven sound and political theme of "Occupation". However, the feel is very different. It boosts a whole new level of intensity. His vocals and the music are very powerful and full of angst. It ends with a slow piano closing filled with sadness. This amount of angst is something I rarely see in mainstream Cantonese music, making it an outstanding song. Listening to it makes me feel full of conflicted emotion. It is such a raw song that gives me chills.

The (unofficial) music video is simple yet so powerful, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that Kelvin directed it himself. It is great to see he is getting so involved in his music!

"Don't Hide/別再躲" takes a much more relaxed feel and tone. However, it is yet another powerful and memorable song. It starts off with a laid back feel with just Kelvin's vocals and the simple strumming of an acoustic guitar. Gradually, it works up and becomes a great blend of electric guitar and drums. The sound is amazing and there is so much emotion in his voice.

"Me or What/我還是什麼" is a mid-tempo ballad also full of emotion. The song, like "Don't Ask" also makes great use of drums and the electric guitar as well as the piano, especially at its climax. The heartfelt ballad is something very familiar to the Cantopop music industry, but it's use of instruments and subtle rock influence makes it stand out.  On the other hand, the music video does not do its job of complimenting the song at all.

"Violations/情事" is an upbeat and uplifting song that boosts a feeling of sweetness and even slight melancholy. It's hard to describe. Perhaps it's because it's used as the theme song of his currently airing ATV sitcom "Heart's Beat for Love" (about a group of young friend's love lives and careers), but it makes me reminiscence about good times. Something about it is motivating, whether it's his vocals or the superb instrumental. It even slightly reminds me of a Zac Kao song, who ironically is his costar in the sitcom.

"Back Wave/回頭是浪" is the last track on the new part of his album (CD1), as well as the only Mandarin one. It serves as a proper closing as the song is soothing and calming. The orchestra featured is beautiful as well. A very lovely song that is a relaxing listen.

Following the 6 new tracks on the first CD are 12 of Kelvin's "best tracks" on the second CD. The selection of songs is good as it is a mixture of his hit singles like his duet "Distress Everywhere/四面楚歌" with Kay Tse as well as notable non-single tracks like the R&B and hip hop influenced "Avalo Kites/千手觀音".

Overall

"Occupation" is a superb compilation of his great music of the past and his great music of today. The album marks the continued development of the new and improved Kelvin, as a man and as a musician. He and his music has matured so much since his comeback.

His experimentation here with different musical styles isn't extraordinary or history making by any means, but comes with great effort and execution. Some of the musical styles exhibited and incorporated here are not something that isn't often seen in Cantonese music in general, but is more uncommon in mainstream Cantopop. With his music, he is helping broaden the scope of mainstream Cantopop.

There is notably a lot more creativity and direction in the six new songs than in Kelvin's past material. Kelvin is constantly growing as an artist, especially with his increased participation in taking part in making the music himself. I look forward to seeing what else he has in store theirs year. In the meantime, his new music is constantly on repeat on my iPod.

Rating: 4.5 Stars


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Author's Note: I have been really into Kelvin's music lately, and as a result feel the want to post about him a lot.  This is my second Kelvin post this week, and I still have a two part spotlight (part 1: biography and artist critique, part 2: song recommendations/reviews) lined up.  This gives me an outlet to give my thoughts on him and his music, as I know I've been excessively praising and spamming poor Niki about it.  After this, I will also be blogging about a variety of things again.  Until then, I hope everyone enjoys my Kelvin posts.

Kelvin Kwan - "Occupation" Song Review

After a successful comeback in 2010 with the album "Here I Am", Kelvin Kwan returns to the music scene with "Occupation", a 2 CD album consisting of his new and best selection.  The first single and title track "Occupation/佔領", featuring rapper MastaMic, reveals a grown up Kelvin with a different musical style.

For "Occupation", Kelvin abandons the typical Cantonese pop style and combines hard rock with rap.  The stye is very Linkin Park like, a refreshing sound for both Kelvin as well as the Hong Kong music industry.  Instead of singing about love, he takes on more political and societal themes by singing about last year's Occupy Wall Street and government's control over society.

While his voice is very fitting for slow and love songs, I'm glad Kelvin is going beyond that and experimenting with different musical styles.  "Occupation" is a fantastic song that reflects a theme and level of intensity not usually seen in mainstream Cantonese music.  Kelvin may have started off as the typical Cantopop singer, but has greatly matured and with this song along with his recent material, he's setting himself apart and proving to be one of the brightest and most refreshing young singers in Hong Kong today.