Faith Yang Nai Wen 楊乃文 – 女爵 Continuation
Album Title: 女爵 Continuation
Artist Name: Faith Yang
Release Date: 01/12/2006
Language: Mandarin

After an absence of 5 years, Faith Yang is back with a new CD. Don’t be taken in by the sweet rosy red image portrayed on the cover, this gothic rocker chic have not gone mainstream and the music inside stills packs a punch with razor-sharp lyrics, powerhouse composers, strong music and intense singing. The majority of the songs in this CD is inclined towards that of soft rock with a tinge of wildness.

Listening to track one [女爵] is an enjoyable experience as it is a gothic inspired rock number written by Wu Qing Feng, the lead singer from Soda Green. Listening to this track, one can draw parallels between Faith and the rock group Evanescence as this is probably something the group will produce should they venture into the China music foray. The spunky lyrics compliment the cool image Faith has and is definitely tailored for her. In general, I like the feel that the song is trying to portray, the passion of a women yearning for her man but yet at the same time hidden underneath a composed surface. To get a flavor, you can watch the MTV here

Another song worth recommending is track two [我離開我自己] which is a piano accompanied ballad. In particular, I like the way Faith’s vocal stands out against the soft piano accompaniment, adding an additional sense of loneliness and character. This song can get rather addictive and is constantly playing on ‘repeat mode’ in my iPod.

After the strong showing in the first two songs, it sets me looking forward to what other songs this CD has to offer. The next song [分開] touches on the mixed emotions when a couple breaks up. Breaking up is never easy, there’s always a mix of regret, anger and nostalgia. It’s amazing how all these elements come together in this song.

A marked departure from most of the songs in this compilation is [電視機]. This song takes on a lighter tone with an ultra catchy tune and is an anthem for all the couch potatoes out there. I like the first two verses [壞訊息 好訊息 來自電視機, 不停轉 不停換 從來不休息], how very true this is! This further amplifies the fact that in this modern day and age, the goggle box is no doubt a powerful medium of information dissemination, one that modern living can hardly do without. But be warned, this song can sound rather cliché upon first hearing and can fast become an ear worm upon repeat playing.

The ending note to this CD is a new age sounding English song [Be in Love]. If I’m not mistaken, this is Faith’s first attempt into the English music scene and I must say she did quite well for a first timer. As with most Asian singers, singing in English is not easy and dictation is normally a problem. In this track, there are parts where she sounded kind of like Tori Amos, making one wonder whether this is a deliberate attempt or mere coincidental. Being a fan of Tori Amos as well, I will recommend this song.

For more information about Faith Yang and her music, you can visit her website here.

Track listing:

- 女爵 (nu jue)
- 我離開我自己 (wo li kai wo zhi ji)
- 分開 (fen kai)
- 懂還是不懂 (dong hai shi bu dong)
- 今天清晨 (jin tian qing chen)
- 微笑著揮手 (wai xiao zhe hui shou)
- 之前 (zhi qian)
- 電視機 (dian shi ji)
- 沙塵暴 (sha chen bao)
- 繼續 (ji xu)
- Be in love

Recommended tracks: 1, 2, 3,8,10, 11