Nicholas Tse
Release (Shi Fang)
Nicholas Tse’s fifth Mandarin album “Shi Fang (Release)” features songs written or composed by several most celebrated composers, including FIR, Wu Bai, May Day, You Hong Ming, Yida Huang, Tanya Chua, Vivian Hsu etc.
Although he merely wrote a song in the album, Nicholas co-produced all the songs in the album, also played the guitar solo in Ji Mo Tang Kou.
It started with “Yong Zhe Zhi Ge 勇者之歌” composed by Ah Qin from F.I.R. It’s very much a F.I.R-styled song. However, Nicholas’s vocal sounds a bit forced on the high notes. This makes the other songs in the album much better than this first radio hit. For example, “Ai Hui Lai 爱回来” and “He Shui Dao Liu 河水倒流”, both have good beats and are catchy.
“Ju Jue Gu Dan 拒绝孤独” and “Ji Mo Tang Kou 寂寞堂口”, composed by Wu Bai and May Day respectively, are the 2 best songs in the album. “Ju Jue Gu Dan” starts with a simple verse, then the tension builds up as the song goes. The song really brings out the whole rock atmosphere. The following song “Ji Mo Tang Kou” then puts you in a high mood. The song is great and Nicholas’s guitar solo is excellent! It then continues with another brilliant rock number, “Shang Yi Ci Xia Yi Ci 上一次下一次”, composed by Huang Yi Da.
Though do not stand out as much as the rock numbers, there are good ballads in the album. “Ni Wei Xiao Shi Hao Mei 你微笑时好美” reminds me of Nicholas earlier Mandarin songs. “Zhu Guang 烛光”, an up-lifting song with beautiful melody line and “Gei Tian Shi Kan De Xin 给天使看的信”, Nicholas’s first attempt to a Waltz-like ballad are both well delivered too.
Unlike most Chinese albums which the themes are about love and relationship, there are songs in this album about courage, dream, hope, peace, environment and social problems. Overall, the songs are great. The main weaknesses still remain to his vocal quality and his somehow awkward Mandarin diction.
Track listing:
1. 勇者之歌 Yong Zhe Zhi Ge (Song of The Brave)
2. 爱回来 Ai Hui Lai (Love Comes Back)
3. 你微笑时好美 Ni Wei Xiao Shi Hao Mei (You’re Beautiful When You Smile)
4. 河水倒流 He Shui Dao Liu
5. 拒绝孤独 Ju Jue Gu Du (Reject Loneliness)
6. 寂寞堂口 Ji Mo Tang Kou (Lonely Hall)
7. 上一次下一次 Shang Yi CI Xia Yi Ci (Last Time, Next Time)
8. 别怕 Bie Pa (Don’t Be Afriad)
9. 烛光 Zhu Guang (Candle Light)
10. 给天使看的信 Gei Tian Shi Kan De Xin (Letter to Angels)
11. 爱 Ai (Love)
12. 爱 Ai (Love) [duet with Charlene Choi]
Recommended tracks: 6, 5, 7, 4, 9
Written by ~Jessy~ on Jan 18, 2006
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23 Comments, Join the discussion
didora
haha…
i was looking forward for this.
i really love nic..
esp. this album..
love track 5
Jan 19th, 2006
Christine
He seems off-tune a lot and there’s nothing special about his voice =/
Jan 19th, 2006
~Jessy~
Didora:
I love track 5 too but my favorite is track 6.
Jan 19th, 2006
~Jessy~
Christine:
Maybe you need to listen to the whole album. :)
Jan 19th, 2006
Ev0n
I nv lisen to the whole album, i hav listen to Track 1, 2, 3, 10, 12 but i lyk all the track tat i hav listen.. Great!
Jan 19th, 2006
didora
track 6 is by mayday…
i like it too..
did u notice that nic was also involved playing the part of the solo guitar…
Jan 20th, 2006
~Jessy~
Evon:
You should listen to track 5, 6 and 7 too. They are really good.
Jan 20th, 2006
~Jessy~
Didora:
Yes! The guitar solo in track 6 is played by Nic himself and I love it!
Jan 20th, 2006
mc
I love the whole album..going to grap one..hard to find it. This album have good selling record in China too.
Jan 24th, 2006
~Jessy~
MC:
Cool. The album is great. Where do you live?
Jan 24th, 2006
Monica Wang
I think he’s so cool and I love his songs very much!I always feel so strange when I listen to his music.
Jan 28th, 2006
~Jessy~
Hi Monica,
Thanks for leaving your message here!
Jan 28th, 2006
Yuri
Jessy….. I prefer this album than OIC…esp.. the CONCEPT theme.. though I the music’s more mainstream (need more unique stuff) .. hey MY fave one is Track 6 too.. Ah Xin have great job for Nic.. so happy can listen Nic guitar solo again =D.. though it’s too fast…need more lha hehe… next time he should do one guitar instru session song.. ;)
Good review Jess…
Keep Rockinn!!!
Jan 30th, 2006
~Jessy~
Hi Yuri!
Thanks for dropping by.
Maybe it’s because I prefer his Cantonese songs. ;)
Anyway, this is his best Mandarin album so far. :D
Jan 30th, 2006
Ngoc
OMG Nic rocks! I love his music! LOL Just wanna say that. LOL
Feb 1st, 2006
~Jessy~
Hi Ngoc,
Agree with ya!
Feb 1st, 2006
Victor Ly
Wow, I didn’t know Ah Qin from F.I.R. and YiDa Huang composed songs on this album! Thanks for writing this wonderful review, Jessy! =)
Sincerely,
-=Victor Ly/MaStA ViC
Feb 4th, 2006
~Jessy~
You’re welcome, Victor!
And thank you! :D
Feb 5th, 2006
Ngoc
Is track 6 also known as ‘Traffic Jam’ ?
Mar 15th, 2006
~Jessy~
Ngoc: No, it’s not.
“Traffic jam” is a song in his Cantonese album.
http://chinesemusicblog.com/category/male-artist/nicholas-tse/
Mar 15th, 2006
Ngoc
If you are a Nic fan please join my group please!! http://s11.invisionfree.com/NicTse4eva/ Thx!
Apr 1st, 2006
Ngoc
Oh Jessy sorry! I’m so stupid!! ^_^ LoL
Apr 1st, 2006
sus
I really like this whole album. Love the themes from the songs. I can also feel the style of the songs composed by those composers. He sings out their style with a combination of his own vocal. Love it!
Oct 26th, 2006
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