Jay Chou worth the wait
Fans and critics alike have
waited with bated breath for Jay Chou's sixth and latest release,
November's Chopin, which hits the shelves today.
Will it be better than his previous album, Common Orange Jasmine?
Will there be declarations of love for girlfriend Patty Hou?
Well, this is an excellent album, though there are no major
surprises except for one wicked number (Besieged - *Si Mian Chu Ge)
in which he openly whips the paparazzi for the first time in his
five-year career.
Along with golden partner Vincent Fang, he delivers his usual
mumble-rap.
His vocals have matured and he does ballads with a heart-aching
twinge - a departure from his bashful love tunes like Simple Love
and Sunny Day.
Easily the most striking track is Hair Like Snow, which is about
reincarnated love that grips you right from the start.
The powerful imagery also hits you hard, transporting you back to
the Li-Bai era with Jay raising his cup to the moon by the window
and pining for his beloved (sounds cheesy but wait till you hear
it!).
I was also touched by the engulfing sadness in the ballad Maple,
which compares lost love to fallen leaves.
And two great bonus tracks from his debut movie Initial D also add
value to the album.
Rating : 4.5/5
Source : The Newpaper
