Chinese Music Blog

The much anticipated 6th album promptly titled 十一月的箫邦 (November’s Chopin) of Chinese R&B king was finally released (1st November 2005). This brand new album features 10 brand new songs, plus 2 additional bonus soundtracks from the Initial D OST.

1) 夜曲 (Ye qu)
2) 蓝色风暴 (Lan se feng bao)
3) 发如雪 (Fa ru xue)
4) 黑色毛衣 (Hei se mao yi)
5) 四面楚歌 (Si mian chu ge)
6) 枫 (Feng)
7) 浪漫手机 (Lang man shou ji)
8) 逆鳞 (Ni lin)
9) 麦芽糖 (Mai ya tang)
10) 珊瑚海 (feat. Lara) (Shan hu hai)
11) 飘移 (Piao yi)
12) 一路向北 (Yi lu xiang bei)

If you’re a big fan (like me) of Jay’s love ballads, then you’d like this album. If you like Jay’s fast rhythm mumble-rap, you’d like this album too! About half of the album is split into slow, sentimental ballads and another half are fast songs with furious raps. I haven’t gone through all the lyrics in this album, so the assumptions are based on my views alone.

I believe most of you have heard 夜曲 and i really like this song. The lyrics (written by Vincent Fong) are very meaningful and it’s about a love song I believe, written to a guy’s dead lover. It’s fast, but at the same time, you feel the sorrow in this song. This’ only my guess, but probably Jay’s doing this song as a sign that his love for his old lovers is dead. He only loves Patty Hou now? :) I like how it’s being done; a modern r&b song with a classical touch.

发如雪 (Hair Like Snow) is probably written to Jay’s girlfriend, Patty Hou. I’ve yet seen the lyrics but this song gives a very ‘ancient’ feeling about a guy professing his love, you know, something like a Chinese poet doing it under a full moon. 黑色毛衣 (Black Sweater) is another very nicely done love ballad with perfectly fitted guitar+percussion accompaniment. It’s really one of my favourite songs in this album.

枫 means fallen leaves in autumn or something like that (correct me if i’m wrong) and well, the feeling autum. Lovers clad in jackets, holding hands, overcoming the angry wind of near winter. This’ why i said his songs and lyrics are meaningful, you get that feeling to go with when you listen to the songs. Another nice ballad, with the orchestra but it somehow sounded a bit like a national anthem though.

浪漫手机 (romantic handphone?) is also a love ballad, with heavier percussion but i thought it somehow reminded of his old song “Xing Qing”. 珊瑚海 (Coral Sea) features Lara from Nanquan mama, and i must say it’s a very good romantic ballad as i think the song itself is quite hard to sing. After listening to it for a few times, I notice in a few parts, Jay had to strain his vocals rather hard to keep up with Lara’s high pitch voice.

For Jay’s rap fans, then 蓝色风暴, 四面楚歌 (has a rather angry feeling, as he’s talking about those paparazzis who are always invading his privacy; hence you’d hear a lot of ‘dogs’ in this song), 逆鳞, and 麦芽糖 (which has quite a similar feeling to the happy “Yuan You Hui”). The rap songs don’t really appeal to me, but 蓝色风暴 started off like a requiem mass until the phone dials and turntablists start coming in.

飘移 and 一路向北 need to introduction. This version of 飘移 is different from the original ost, especially the beginning. The beginning is actually a dialogue from one of the scenes in Initial D. Remember when Takumi’s father place a cup of water in the car and ask him not to spill even a drop? Yeap, that’s the starting of this version of Piao Yi. 一路向北 is one of the songs i won’t grow tired of, as it has this very nice feeling when i listen to it. It’s the same as the original ost.

I’d give this album 4.5/5, like what i gave in my site as i feel that Jay has some more room for improvement, especially in his vocals. No doubt Jay doesn’t have the best or strongest vocal around, but he has a very versatile voice, enabling him to sing all these songs. I’d truly recommend this album, so those who still don’t have it, don’t hesitate.

*I’d try posting the romanised lyrics ASAP*. Exam time! :) Enjoy this album, and have a good night!