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!

"Ghetto Justice 2" Review (By Lynne)

Lynne - I am a new contributor here at AE-Experience and this is my first post!

Synopsis:

After releasing from jail, LAW LIK-AH (Kevin Cheng) wants to start anew and he joins hand with his comrade WONG SZ-FU (Myolie Wu) to fight against injustice.

LIK-AH and SZ-FU soon become the “Condor Heroes” of Sham Shui Po but they have conflicting views on things all the time. To make the situation worse, LIK-AH’s ex-wife KING LING-LEI (Christine Kuo) suddenly returns from the USA and the relationship is put to the test. Meanwhile, they have offended the wealthy property developer by handling a building collapse case and LIK-AH’s life is in danger. Even his good friend TING KA-FU (Sam Lee), GEORGE MIKE JR. (Lam Chi Sin) and the newly-arrived policeman LEUNG PAU-SING (Raymond Cho) are embroiled in the legal battle. Will they be able to fight for the disadvantaged people with law in the end? -credits ktvb

Let's start talking:

- First of all, let me ask where did Elena Kong disappear to? After her case, she kind of evaporated? I wouldn't find that abnormal if she was just an ordinary character for a sub-story but she wasn't....was she? Sure, she got her own sub-story but she's also a lawyer. I had expected more of her later in court but sadly she was no where to be found later on. Such a pity, because I thought she was the most interesting lawyer to watch.

 - A praise I'd like to give to the producers/scriptwriters is how they effectively connected GJ to GJ2. Let's be honest, I was totally impressed watching the first few episodes because I felt that they did great linking it to GJ! Unlike other sequels, I could feel GJ in GJ2 and it seems like a continuation where nothing was cut. Of course, it helped a lot with the majority of the casts staying, including the mini supporting characters. Even with the new characters, I loved how they were introduced into the original GJ family (JJ Jia, Raymond Cho and Crystal Li). A smooth transition :)

- Love triangle between Law Ba (Kevin Cheng), Sze Fu (Myolie Wu) and Lynnette (Christine Kuo). What was the point of this triangle? I thought there were going to be cat fights, drama and tears but in the end...nothing. A disappointment? Not really because I hate love triangle's drama. Thank goodness Law Ba was decisive and knew who he loves. Unless written well, I hate it when characters can't choose who they love because it gets irritating. I'd also like to thank Sze Fu, for not get overly suspicious, but instead trusting Law Ba (in the beginning anyways....near the end, I supported her for not believing Law Ba though, because he was). A third thanks for not making Lynnette a clingy person. Why? Because they made Christine's character terribly clingy in Tiger Cubs! (Still can't get over that....)

There is one complaint I'd like to address to Law Ba though. I can see that he's a friendly guy but omg....keep your distance AWAY from Lynette when you don't like her! Seriously! This is why she can't get over you! I know he told Lynette straight out that he only likes Sze Fu but his actions (eating Lynette's left overs etc) are.....confusing. Not only is he doing himself no good, he's also doing Lynnette no good.

Another complaint! Why didn't Law Ba and Lynnette get a divorce? I don't get it....were they planning to keep the "married" status forever? Law Ba, you should know the law better than that....it's polygamy if you ever plan to marry Sze Fu later on. Wait, is it still consider polygamy....since he married Lynnette in the Canada? So marrying Sze Fu in HK....would be technically legal? I don't even know....

 *sigh* Now that I've done talking about that, what is my overall thoughts on this love triangle? Pointless.

-I really liked that case about the pregnant lady. I thought that was pretty interesting and the actress did surprisingly well in some of her emotional scenes. Anybody know her name?

 - The case where the lady was trialed for cheating the government's money. That case was rather little but I just want to complain about the outcome. It's stupid that she was charged guilty.

 - The last case, I felt a sense of deja vu and I think everybody felt that too? In GJ, LA took the conviction for Sze Fu and now in GJ2, Sze Fu was a step ahead of LA and took the conviction for him. In the end though, LA still admitted his guilt in court and stuff....and had to go to trial for murder. I personally don't get why it's self-defense. Even though he did not intend to kill, he still should be held liable in some sort of way shouldn't he? Not charge with murder but something else? But the series never showed any of that later....

 I would also like to add...this case had so much potential. A building collapsing? That's an exciting case! In the end though, it was rushed and so therefore....poorly written.

 - Oh...one scene where Law Ba and Sze Fu were forcing the pregnant lady's boyfriend to serve as their witness (or something along that line). Were they allowed to do that!? I understand that Law Ba usually uses some tricks to get their info but what they did then....I felt it was over the line since it seems like they were threatening the guy.

- Ah Teng (Sam Lee) and Sum Sum (JJ Jia). Surprisingly, I loved them together. Especially since they both have lost their loved ones, they got a sense of understanding and connection with each other. While Ah Teng is unwilling to let go of the deceased Ching Ching (Sharon Chan), Sum Sum is someone who knew she had to move on. This is why I like Sum Sum. She's practical, but kind-hearted and knows that they both cannot dwell on the past forever. Instead of trying to stay in the past, she strives forward for a better future, because she knows that her deceased love would want her to do that. Moving on doesn't mean you have to forget, and that is what she taught Ah Teng. I also liked how they stood by each other's side, especially when Ah Teng's mom died. Without her, I don't think Ah Teng could have moved on again.

- LA (Kevin Cheng) and Sze Fu (Myolie Wu). Once again they sparked wonderful chemistry together! I love watching their small interactions with each other, such as LA rubbing his head on Sze Fu's shoulder. They're such a fun couple to watch :) Not to mention they showed a great amount of understanding with each other throughout the series.

 Kevin Cheng as LA? There's something different with LA this time...Even though LA is still a fun character to watch, I thought he's a bit too "loose" in here. I felt this LA missed the sense of "fire", that strong sense of justice that the previous LA had. Maybe it's because he's a bit too laid back in this one? I don't know. I just know that there's a missing spark or should I say, it's just not as strong as before...

 Myolie as Sze Fu? Myolie once again brings the independent and tough character back onscreen! Like what I said before, I'm glad that Sze Fu did not go through a dramatic breakdown or something with LA but instead, dealt with the problem in a cool-headed matter. This makes me like Sze Fu even better than before :) After finishing the series, I also felt that her performance was better than in GJ, especially her emotional scenes.

- Christine Kuo as Lynnette. What can I say? Please put her in smaller roles? I personally don't find her accents terrible...because I don't understand Canto, hehe.  The main problem I have is with her lines within the expressions, etc. She doesn't have much expression on her face and when she says her lines, I can't exactly feel anything in them. Basically, I find Christine's acting rather wooden. I think her recent roles are too big for her to handle. It's better if she starts of with littler and light-hearted roles, which will be easier for her to portray. And since I can't tell TVB to stop promoting her, I wish her the best and hope that she will improve later on.

- Jazz Lam as MJ, Sam Lee as Ah Teng and Raymond Cho as Leung Bao. I don't think I have to talk much about them since I can easily describe them in one word: awesome. I love their friendship with Law Ba! Just like in GJ, they once again managed to make me smile every time they were together.

 - Crystal Li as Grace. You can tell she's a bit stiff but I don't think she's bad for a newbie :) Not much comment on Grace though...Just her "love" triangle with MJ and Leung Bao, she described near the end that MJ is a good man and Leung Bao is a good "friend". Even though she took both of their arms....I'm still going to assume that she chose MJ and that Leung Bao has been "friend-zoned". :P

Overall Thoughts:

Compared to "Ghetto Justice", "Ghetto Justice 2" lacked strong cases and a sense of "focus".  I felt that the series was everywhere, moving from one case to another. Unlike in GJ where law comes into play though, the issues in here were easily resolved.  LA also seems a bit different in here because he's usually convincing Sze Fu and the others to settle the cases in a more "peaceful" way.  Therefore, it does not involve a lot of court work.  I understand that though, because the cases are rather small....and that's the problem.

In the end, GJ2 failed to give the audience a "message" or something to remember about, when GJ did.  So would I recommend GJ2? If you want something for entertainment, try it out because the characters can easily make you smile and laugh.  But if you're looking for a good law series...this is not exactly what you want.  I'd say it's more like a social service series.

Song Review: Kary Ng's "狠狠/Ferociously"

Kary Ng goes retro for her latest single "狠狠/Ferociously", making it her first dance oriented song in years!  Known for her midtempo songs and love ballads, the young female songstress increases her versatility and well roundedness with her newest plug.

"Ferociously" details a love affair at its most intense with a retro electronic dance musical style, making it a unique, catchy, and addictive song.  There are some attempts at Cantopop dance songs every now and then, most of which I don't thoroughly enjoy because they tend to feel like they're too Western influenced, not innovative, and often, overdosed with auto tune.  "Ferociously" is my favorite Cantopop dance song now.  It's not only upbeat, catchy, and something you could actually dance to, but also stylish, creative, refreshing, and different.  I love the uniquely retro style of the song, which fits Kary very well.  It's great that Kary and her musical team are trying new things, and I'm looking forward to hearing more dance songs from her!

The MV has Kary herself dancing for the first time in an MV since her solo debut days, which I think is great.  She looks so much more mature and better now!  The only thing is I wish they could release a full version of the dance sequence, as you only see bits and pieces of it.  The "evil pig" masks were quite freaky and creepy, and were apparently part of an abstract theme which sought to say Kary could overcome evil like that.  I don't think this theme was executed too well, but at least it was creative and amusing.  The plot of the MV is questionable, but it's nice to see more effort being put into Cantopop music videos.  The MV is fun, quirky, and well shot.

This has quickly become one of my new favorites from Kary.  She is only getting better and better!  "Ferociously" is definitely a song worth checking out, especially if you're looking for something fun and different.

Younha's "Supersonic" Album Review

After a long lawsuit dispute with her former record label, Younha, one of Korea's most underrated and talented young musicians, is finally makes a comeback with a new full length album. The pop rock princess shows she's back and better than ever in "Supersonic", which includes some of her best work yet.

A more in depth look...

"Supersonic" is consistent and stays true to the sound and style of Younha that her fans know and love. Her rock influence is more evident and expanded on here, and it sounds like she's matured and grown into an even better musician. Each song carries her signature pop rock influence, but sets itself apart and has a different feel.

The album opens with the title track "Supersonic", probably the most heavy rock song on the album. From the first track, I was already hooked with the edgy electric guitar riffs and her strong vocals. "Supersonic" is a great pop rock song that boosts a hint of angst that had me captivated.

The album then transitions to "People", which possesses a completely different tone. It's laid back, playful, and even a bit teasing in its delivery and execution, especially when Younha sings "I don't know you".

"Rock Like Stars", featuring rapper Tiger JK, is a rock song with a funky twist. I love how Younha seems to give off attitude through her vocal delivery. A very fun track, and she definitely succeeds in "rocking like a star"!

Next comes the album's lead single "Run", probably my new favorite song by her. "Run" is an upbeat pop song that is uplifting, empowering, and beautiful. Younha simply sounds amazing and the song is not only phenomenal, but so is her vocal delivery. Not only does she show off so much range here, but her vocals along with the music literally give me goosebumps whenever I listen to the song! "Run" is such a powerful and exceedingly gorgeous song, and makes me so proud of Younha. This was her official comeback single, and she just seemed to pour her heart into it with every ounce of passion and love for music inside her.

"No Limit" is a fun and upbeat light pop rock song with a sweeter and thoughtful tone. The feel and sound of the song reminds me of a more mature version of her song "Gossip Boy".

"It Showers" is the first slow song on the album, a touching ballad with Younha's beautiful and moving vocals. The song itself is decent, but her emotion filled vocals pushes it to perfection. Her strong voice is powerful, capable, yet pleasing to the ears instead of grating.

The album continues its slower atmosphere with "Set Me Free". The song is full of intrigue. Though the chorus only consists of her singing "Set Me Free", the way she sings it coupled with the musical composition makes it chilling and empowering.

After "Set Me Free", the album continues the playful and sweet "Cream Source Pasta", which has a midtempo to faster tempo.

Things settle down again with "Wait for Me", which is more calming and serene song that seems to be tinted with slight sadness and melancholy.

Aside from "Run", "Drive" is the album's biggest potential hits. Featuring rapper and singer Jay Park, "Drive" is catchy and radio friendly, but also composed well and meaningful. The sound is dynamic without being too busy by intertwining the song's pop sounds, piano, Jay's rap lines, and Younha's vocals together nicely. I love Younha's line "I'm gonna take control of my life". One of my favorites from the album, and I hope she promotes Drive" to be one of the album's singles.

The album closes beautifully and gently with "Hope", which is dominated by acoustic guitars instead of the electric guitars and drums dominated in the rest of the album's tracks. It is a very sweet and peaceful sounding song, with it's lighter vibe, and even gives off a feeling of hope and thoughtfulness. "Hope" is a gorgeous song. What a perfect way to end the album!

Highlights: Every song on the album is spectacular, but my personal favorites are the lead single "Run", "Supersonic", "Drive", and "Hope".

Overall

There is no dull or bad song on this album. Each song sets itself apart. "Supersonic" is a thoroughly fantastic album and is Younha at her best, both vocally and musically.  Here, she sounds grown up yet fresh. She has never sounded so empowering and amazing! There is so much substance and feeling in her voice and music. No other comeback has felt so deserving and strong this year. This is the best album I've heard all year. From the angst tinted rock songs, to the playful pop rock songs, to the stunning ballads, to the sweet and thoughtful ones, "Supersonic" offers a little of everything, showing Younha's versatility and talent as an artist. Besides that, it's just such a great listen and phenomenal album, from it's artist, musical composition and production, the fresh sound, to the overall wonderful execution. The album is a call out to people that Younha is back, and she's here to stay. "Supersonic" is a must listen of the year, whether you're a fan of Younha, pop rock, or just great music in general.

Rating: 5 stars

Starhub TVB Awards 2012 - Fa Dan Fashion

On Saturday, August 18, a group of TVB artists attended the Starhub TVB Awards in Singapore.  Many of the awards given and the winners were a joke, with even more "pork" handed out than at the TVB Anniversary Awards.  Instead of wallowing about the results of the trivial awards (but if you must - a list of winners has been included at the bottom), let's take a look at the fashion choices by our lovely fa dan's.

Best dressed definitely goes to Selena, who looked gorgeous in a fitted strapless light aqua dress that trailed on the ground to create a mermaid silhouette.  I love the light aqua color, which gives off a refreshing feeling.  The color, design, fit, and of course, the person wearing the dress was beautiful.  To give it a sleek and subtle yet feminine look, Selena pulled up her hair into a loose updo with her bangs to the side, and accessorized with a silver necklace.

Best dressed male goes to Ruco, and cutest couple is Selena and Ruco.  They looked compatible and very sweet together.  Their ensembles complimented each other with the different calming shades of blue.  Ruco dressed in a dark blue/navy suit with black shirt and bow tie.  Not the typical suit you see worn, but he pulls it off looking handsome as always.  However, I wish he opted to stop wearing those glasses all the time.  Ruco went home with the "Best Newcomer" award...and I seriously wonder if he found the win funny, or just plain sad.

The night's Best Actress Myolie Wu wore a deep purple dress made up of a unique fabric (that I can't name).  The neckline and design of the dress, along with her newly cut short hair, makes her look very sharp and fashionable!

Tavia Yeung's fashion choices for award shows in recent years hasn't been anything I've had anything particularly good to say about, but she looked quite lovely that night.  She looked beautiful in her long flowing butterfly printed dress.  The design of the waist of the dress created dimension and created a small waist shape.  Her hair was appropriately pulled into a pony tail.  Tavia's dress makes her look fresh and sweet, and I liked how it wasn't overly formal.

It seemed blues and purples were very popular with the ladies for this event this year!  Linda always looks ready to be crowned Homecoming or Prom Queen with her gowns.  Basically, she looks beautiful but like a princess from a fairy tale.  Nevertheless, I like the color and detailing of the dress, which compliment the sweet and innocent girl very well.  The one shoulder is a nice change from the other dresses.  Ironically, a one shoulder dress is also what I wore to my Homecoming last year...

Fala Chen has a simplistic fashion taste, which is seen in her choices for events such as these.  Unfortunately, simplicity did not work for her here this time as she was just too plain, and the main piece was a disaster.  The strapless white dress had potential, but instead is ill fitting and looks like she wrapped a bed sheet around her.  Predictably, she paired the dress with classic black heels, red lipstick, and simply wore her hair down.  Not Fala's brightest fashion moment, as the whole ensemble did not show her curvaceous figure or beauty.

However, it wasn't Fala that was the evening's worst dressed lady.  In general, I love Kate's everyday fashion sense and think she is a beautiful girl.  Her evening dress choices though are usually a hit or miss, and this was definitely the worst ensemble of the night.  Kate looks gorgeous in curls, but I don't know why she loves donning the slicked back hair so much, which only ages her and makes her look less attractive.  The dress does not compliment her at all, and the worst part has got to be the black yarn (?) that drapes off the back of her shoulders.  Kate looked gorgeous last year at the same event with her slightly curled hair and long sleeved v-neck printed dress.  She looked elegant and attractive without aging herself.  I hope to see her wear a gown that does her justice at the Anniversary Awards.

As always, there were hits and misses for the ladies at the event.  Hope to see even more great fashion at the Anniversary Awards!

The list of winners of the night:

My Favorite TVB Male TV Character:
1. Moses Chan as Sung Yee Long in "When Heaven Burns"
2. Kenneth Ma as Cheung Yat Kin in "The Hippocratic Crush"
3. Kevin Cheng as Law Lik Ah in "Ghetto Justice"
4. Bosco Wong as So Sing Pak in "Lives of Omission"
5. Sunny Chan as Emperor Do Kwong in "Curse of the Royal Harem"
6. Wayne Lai as Po Gwok Tung in "Forensic Heroes III"

My Favorite TVB Female Character:
1. Linda Chung as Kwan Ka Lok in "L'Escargot"
2. Kate Tsui as Yiu Ho Ho in "Lives of Omission"
3. Tavia Yeung as Fan Tse Yiu in "The Hippocractic Crush"
4. Myolie Wu as Wong Sze Fu in "Ghetto Justice"
5. Charmaine Sheh as Yip Tse Yan in "When Heaven Burns"
5. Fala Chen as Chung Mo Yim in "Queens of Diamonds and Hearts"

Star of Perfect Poise Award: Kate Tsui
Most Glamorous Female Artist Award: Tavia Yeung
My Favorite TVB Variety: All Star Glam Exam
My Favorite TVB Mega Variety Special: TVB Gala 2011
Best TVB Male Newcomer: Ruco Chan
Best TVB Female Newcomer: Aimee Chan
Most Improved TVB Female Artist: Selena Li
Most Improved TVB Male Artist: Raymond Wong
Most Energetic Award: Kenny Wong
My Favorite TVB Themesong: The Hippocractic Crush--連續劇 By: Joey Yung
My Favorite Onscreen Couple: Moses Chan and Linda Chung [Yes Sir, Sorry Sir]
Best Smile Award: Linda Chung
Singapore Media's favorite TVB Drama: Ghetto Justice
My Favorite TVB Actress: Myolie Wu
My Favorite TVB Actor: Kevin Cheng
Professional Spirit Award: Wu Fung
My Favorite TVB Drama: When Heaven Burns 

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!

"Tiger Cubs" Review

"Tiger Cubs", with its high budget and quality of production as well as its cast ensemble, is easily the best series of the year hands down.

The series seemingly flies by with its straightforward plot and quick pace.  It has viewers hooked from beginning to end, without ever wavering in quality or consistency too much like typical TVB series do. From the first episode, it is clear the effort that was put into the series.   From the cinematic-like filming style, to the thrilling and well shot action sequences, to the wonderful ensemble of characters, "Tiger Cubs" is the most quality production of the year.

Cast and Characters

"Tiger Cubs" is easily most beloved for its young SDU boys, which consist of Oscar Leung, Him Law, Vincent Wong, William Chak, and Benjamin Yuen.


Oscar Leung receives the best character of his career with "Chong Chuk Yuen", as the role allowed him to shine and show his charisma and potential as a future leading actor.  Unlike his usual more rough and comic relief-type roles, Oscar is a gentlemanly, calm, mature, and sweet young man with a romantic side here, something we've never been able to see much of before.  Despite the age difference, he realistically portrays the brotherly friendship between him and Joe with ease as well as the sibling chemistry with Jessica.  And of course, his signature wink was adorable.

The fabulous acting by the young cast does not stop at Oscar though.  Him Law portrays the confident, cocky, rash, and impulsive "Yu Hok Lai" naturally and without a problem.  He matures and develops a close friendship with the team's technician So Man Keung (portrayed by Mandy Wong) as he helps her get over her fear of heights and achieve her goal of becoming the first female SDU member.  I can not deny he is one of the best actors of his generation and has what it takes to be a lead actor.

Vincent Wong delivers his most natural performance to date as "Yau Chun Hin".  In contrast to his best buddy Ah Lai, Hin Jai is humble and patient, but is insecure and lacks self esteem due to the pressure he feels from his family, which is full of heroic and accomplished cops.  Ah Hin was the character with the most potential, and I had looked forward to seeing him mature and become more confident as the series progressed.  Unfortunately, the script did not seem to have any intentions of focusing in on Vincent (notice he's the only one of the main SDU guys to not have any love interest), as he had the least screen time.  His character development was executed in a disappointingly abrupt and brief fashion.  Regardless, Vincent did wonderfully with what he was given.  In the early episodes, you could see the hesitation in his eyes as he started SDU training.    He also finally shed his habit of adding in English words and phrases to his lines.

No one had expected Hin Jai to be the one to die.  (Thanks to a prank by Jessica, who had "confessed" her character died early on during its airing.  This turned out to be a stunt by Jessica and Vincent to keep the actual ending under wraps.  Very clever, Jess...)  Hin died in such a tragic, graphic, and gruesome way.  Huge props to him for giving such a memorable performance in his last scene.  His death already had me in tears, and seeing the character try to utter one last smile to the world before he passed made my heart break.  Fantastic acting touch.  Previously, I already loved Vincent for his real life down to earth personality but thought his acting left much to be desired.  He shows he has what it takes to be a solid actor here, and I will be cheering for him all the way.  If a sequel does happen, I will greatly miss his presence.

Mandy Wong, like usual, delivers solidly and is perhaps the only female of the male dominated cast that is likable and interesting.  Christine Kuo gives what was hands down the weakest performance with her scattered Cantonese and English and bimbo-like character.  William Chak did well in the one episode he had the spotlight (the tour bus storyline), and I look forward to seeing more of him.


Although our lead actors perform adequately, they fail to shine and instead are overshadowed by the bright group of youngsters I mentioned above (excluding Christine).  Joe Ma, as our leading man, anchors the SDU team as their leader, but fails to leave an impression like the others.  He is likable as the hardworking "Chin Sir" who cared deeply for his subordinates.  As a character with not much of a dynamic though, he was easily outshined.

Jessica Hsuan portrays a different type of police officer here as the depressed and suicidal "Madam Chong".  While she delivers, it is hard to make this type of character likable as the depressed and suicidal state (understandably) of Madam Chong rid her of her personality and livelihood.  When she recovered though, she lost the only major dynamic she had.  However, as Joe and Jessica's relationship finally started to fall for each other, they did get some smiles out of me.  The scene where they are both sitting at the dining table stealing glances at each other was awkwardly adorable.


Other Notable Performances

This review would not be complete without mentioning the series' resident ultimate villains Kenneth Ma and JJ Jia, who made their debut in the first episode and returned in the last for a nail biting finale. Kenneth is chilling, frightening, and convincing as "To Tin Yau".  JJ Jia gives a decent performance as well.  However, they have already received endless praise for their roles, and I would like to mention others too.

Kenny Wong appeared in what was an underrated guest star role.  While I'm not usually fond of the actor, he gives a heartbreaking performance as the loving father forced into committing crime to get money for his sick son's surgery.  You could see the guilt in his eyes and that he genuinely did not wish to hurt anyone, especially in his last confrontational scene with Mandy.  Despite doing a bad thing, he sparked sympathy through the portrayal of all the emotions the character felt while doing it.  Jazz Lam was adorable, pitiful, and convincing as (autistic?) young boy whose life long dream is to be a cop and take care of his mom.  He is such a valuable and rare actor.

Lastly, a shout out to my favorite "underdog" artist, Patrick Tang.  He appeared in the series as a regular under Jessica's team.  Though "Ben" is Patrick's smallest role yet (I smell demotion), he makes the most out of the very minor but likable character.  It was nice to see Patrick in a more professional and mature role.  I loved the character's loyalty to Jessica as well as his subtle touches of humor.


The Series in General

The plot isn't one that sparks thinking or deep meaning, but the writing is above average for TVB's shoddy scripts these days.  The change in format was refreshing and proved to work well.  Since it clocked in with slightly longer episodes, but a shorter overall episode count at just 13, this made "Tiger Cubs" more consistent and less prone to cliches and filler material.  In fact, by the series' end, there is still a lot of potential for further development.  A majority of the scenes served a purpose, and unlike most TVB series today, doesn't stray from the point.  Additionally, the cinematic like filming style and high budget makes it look much more presentable, professional, and more attractive to look at.  It is the rare instance that they try something new and different and succeeded.  Quality isn't compensated, it's even better.  I appreciate how it still has the familiar feel of a TVB series, but attempts new things and actually executes it well.

Highlights

• The brotherhood, friendship, and chemistry between the characters.  The SDU team truly felt like a team, and I'll miss them!
• The action sequences/climaxes.  The cases themselves were fine, but not overly intriguing.  However, the climaxes always had me sitting at the edge of my seat!
• The finale.  Never has the finale of a TVB series had me so nervous, stressed, and thrilled!  My heart was probably pounding by the second half of the finale. 

Overall

You don't break what's not broken.  However, recent TVB series have indeed been broken - in other words they've mostly sucked.  "Tiger Cubs" takes a familiar formula but improves upon it with outstanding acting, cinematography, style, and action.  The script is no masterpiece, but it is through its execution that "Tiger Cubs" shines like a diamond.  

Rating: 4.5 stars