The 18 Martial Arts--Leehom Wang
2010-08-12 v4v main hub
Verdict: 7/10
Fun fact: The last track features school children singing from Sierra Leone.
Label: Sony Music Taiwan
Release Date: 2010-08-11 (Taiwan) and 2010-08-13 (Worldwide)
Artist’s Official Website: www.wangleehom.com
Being busy is an understatement for 王力宏 LeeHom Wang.
This weekend, the American born, Taiwan-based, multi-hyphenated, musician, singer, songwriter, conductor, producer, actor, writer, and director, will unleash new material for your auditory and visual senses.
Yes, Asia buckle up your seat-belts and get ready for some major LeeHom overload as he releases his new album 十八般武藝 The 18 Martial Arts, and his directorial debut 戀愛通告 Love In Disguise.
十八般武藝 The 18 Martial Arts, seems to serve as the film 戀愛通告 Love In Disguise‘s soundtrack as it features two theme songs 你不知道的事 The Things You Never Knew and 伯牙絕弦. This album marks the return of LeeHom’s “chinked-out” musical style that infuses traditional musical elements of the east, with the beats of western hip-hop. Unlike chinked-out songs off 心中的日月 Shangri-La (2004) and 蓋世英雄 Heroes of the Earth (2005), some of the heavily computerized tracks in this album tend to force my brain to send signals to my fingers asking them to please press “skip.”
Don’t get me wrong, the album has several ingenious moments as well. His talent in composition is evidently displayed when he cleverly arranges for, I am assuming – eighteen different instruments – including Chinese traditional instruments like the double stringed erhu (二胡), harp like guqin (古琴), guitar like pipa (琵琶) and Chinese bamboo flutes.
Lyrically, 徐若瑄 Vivian Hsu‘s heart-warming lyrics for title-track 柴米油鹽醬醋茶 The Daily Necessities, expose LeeHom’s dreams of trading in his hectic lifestyle for the simple life.
Watch the official trailer for 戀愛通告 Love In Disguise, here.
* Artists work hard, support the integrity of their work – buy the album here.
Track-by-track review:
01. Dragon Dance
Serving as the introduction to the album, this track heavily samples sounds and phrases said by actors from his film 戀愛通告 Love In Disguise. Skip.
02. 杜 U ♥ Me (Do You Love Me)
A LeeHom album is not complete unless he includes one song where the chorus starts off in English. A play on words, 杜, is actually the last name of his semi-biographic character in Love in Disguise and is pronounced “do.” This is another heavily synthesized track that I could do without – but that’s just my opinion.
03. 十八般武藝 (The 18 Martial Arts)
Featuring multiple instruments and what sounds like a processed snare drum, the title-track to the album, displays LeeHom’s fluency in the musical language. I enjoy listening to the Chinese harp and flute play off each other.
04. 你不知道的事 (The Things You Never Knew)
As the theme-song to the film and second single off the album, The Things You Never Knew, is a piano driven love ballad that will make the ladies soon over his dreamy voice. This song is a nice contrast to the heavily processed beats from the three previous tracks. Watch the official music here.
05. 伯牙絕弦
The film’s second theme song features lyrics co-written by Mayday‘s Ashin 阿信 and 阿噗. I know die hardcore Homanics will kill me for saying this, but I can’t help but make a comparison to Jay Chou here – is he slurring? The guitar like pipa can be heard throughout the track and the ending instrumental score between the pipa and harp-like guqin is really worth a listen.
06. 柴米油鹽醬醋茶 The Daily Necessities: Firewood, Rice, Oil, Salt, Soy Sauce,Vinegar and Tea
A simple song that refers to a man trading his childhood dreams of traveling around the world in his airplane, with the simplicity of recording “Hi, we’re not home right now, please leave a message,” on the family’s answering maching. LeeHom has mentioned in several interviews, that due to his hectic schedule he can only eat with his family 4-5 times each year in the States. Again, the erhu meshes perfected with both the acoustic and electric guitars. Watch the video here – does it remind you of Disney/Pixar‘s animated film Up too?
07. 美 (Beautiful)
Personally, I don’t like this song; it gives me a headache. It’s too repetitive and it gets annoying. Cut out everything but the flute and I might be able to listen to it.
08. 需要人陪 (I Need Someone To Accompany Me)
A ballad that opens with “open the window and let loneliness breathe,” screams emo to the max. However, this is a nice mellow track that focuses on the piano for the majority of the track. Near the end, when the acoustic guitar joins in, pay attention to the jazz like chords on the piano – Norah Jones-ish- kind of.
09. 天涯海角 (The Ends of the Earth)
I can already picture this track becoming a single. In the music video created in my head, LeeHom will be in a white suit, at some beach standing on a large rock formation, singing his heart out against doves flying by in the clear blue sky. If I was directing, he would be playing the piano too. Karaoke here we come!
10. 你不知道的事 (宋曉青版本)
Film version of The Things You You Never Knew.
11. 自己人 (One of Us)
Written after his inspirational visit to Sierra Leone with World Vision Taiwan, this song light and uplifting – and a nice ending to the album. Music is the universal language that unites all – world peace ok? ✌
Overall, I enjoyed the album and it was worth the wait – maybe I just need a few more listens. After all, I found 我完全沒有任何理由理你 I Have Absolutely No Reason To Care About You, off the album, 心。逃 Heart.Beat (2008), annoying at first, but now I think it’s absolutely brilliant.
Source:
http://vfourvictory.net/2010/08/12/18-martial-arts-leehom/
Leehom Wang – The 18 Martial Arts
王力宏 – 十八般武藝
Genre : Pop
Record Label : Sony Music Entertainment (TW)
Release Date : 2010-08-13
Country : Taiwan
Language : Mandarin
Info
Like a master of the 18 techniques of kung fu, Mando-pop superstar
Leehom Wang is going to wow the world with his matchless versatility
this summer. He takes on starring, scoring, and his first movie
directorial duties for Love in Disguise, a romantic comedy musical set
to open in August. And, a little beLike a master of the 18 techniques
of kung fu, Mando-pop superstar Leehom Wang is going to wow the world
with his matchless versatility this summerfore that, Leehom will
unleash upon us his highly anticipated new original album, in which he
shows us the key to happiness he has found. Composed by Leehom and
penned by Vivian Hsu, the first single from the album is a love song
titled “Firewood, Rice, Oil, Salt, Sauce, Vinegar, Tea”, i.e. the basic
necessities of daily life, revealing the singer’s yearning for a
simpler life.
Tracklist
01. Dragon Dance
02. 杜 U ♥ Me
03. 十八般武藝
04. 你不知道的事（電影『戀愛通告』主題曲）
05. 伯牙絕弦 （電影『戀愛通告』概念主題曲）
06. 柴米油鹽醬醋茶
07. 美
08. 需要人陪
09. 天涯海角
10. 你不知道的事（宋曉青版本）
11. 自己人
English Tracklist
01.Dragon Dance
02.Do You Love Me?
03.The 18 Martial Arts
04.What You Don’t Know
05.Bo Ya Sever Strings
06.Firewood, Rice, Oil, Salt, Sauce, Vinegar, Tea
07.Beautiful
08.Need Accompany
09.Edges Of The Heaven, Corners Of The Sea
10.What You Don’t Know (Song Xiao Qing Edition)
11.The Immediate Family
文章定位：
