Music: Andy Lau's "If One Day"

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GT

Music: Andy Lau's "If One Day"

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IF ONE DAY --- ANDY LAU
Release Date: June 5th, 2003
Executive Producer: Chan Tak-Kin, Andy Lau
Marketed by Catchy Entertainment Ltd.
It?s been two and a half years since Andy?s last full Cantonese album. There?s been the Cantonese singles here and there in EPs, concert CDs, and mandarin albums, but it?s been a long time waiting (at least for a fan like me) for this album. The packaging is fabulous, with a picture frame-like box and ten very different pictures you can interchange as the cover (the one I posted above is probably the funniest one and my personal favorite!). But still, the most important thing is the music.

1) IF ONE DAY
Written by Andy himself (music and lyric), this is the most enjoyable song in the album and is the current #1 hit on most Hong Kong music charts. The lyric is very inspirational especially in times like now with SARS running wild. Andy?s singing and the overall feel of the song is very comfortable since it?s also the theme song for this year?s Green Tea commercial. Great start to the album!

2) MOON OF OLD?YOUR SASSY BOYFRIEND
This is the Cantonese version of the album?s first plug ?Old Moon? which is also included at the end of this album (sort of strange that the first plug of his last mandarin album was a Cantonese song, and now the first plug of this Cantonese album is a mandarin song). The melody is very nice and is a fine ballad if not special. The lyric by Andy himself is not as smooth as the mandarin version.

3) 17 YEAR-OLD
This song might not be spectacular musically or lyrically to the average listener. But to fans of Andy Lau, this song might be the highlight of the album. The lyric, again by Andy himself, is sort of a brief autobiography of his career in showbiz; from entering the training classes at the tender age of 17 to being the most popular singer in HK at age 29 to his days now as a 40 plus entertainer. Though I found the lyric to be way too brief, it?s still very nice to listen to.

4) FISH TAIL LINES
Well?ouch?what a fall of quality, from three very enjoyable (though all slow) songs to this foolish and terrible sounding upbeat Spanish-dance-wannabe. The lyric by Wyman Wong is actually quite interesting, but the music is strange and Andy?s performance is quite ?uncomfortable??bad. It?s definitely the worst track in the album to me.

5) NOWADAYS
Though nothing special, this is an easy-listening ballad with a fine melody and some great piano work. I didn?t like it much at first (probably due to some awkwardness in Andy?s singing in some parts), but it has really grew on me after a few more listens. Still, it?s nothing to get too excited about.

6) LOVER ENEMY
With the success of the song ?Black Bats Central Team? in his last mandarin album, Andy once again tries to rap and try his luck with R&B/hip-hop. This is the kind of songs that you will find in a Jordan Chan album. That being said, this is one of the more attractive songs in the album. Andy?s rapping is not bad, and the rest of the song is quite good and quite refreshing after listening to mostly slow tracks so far in the album.

7) WANT YOU WELL
This is a typical Andy style sounding encouragement song both musically and lyrically. This song is the theme for the Government Flying Service, and the lyric by Andy is well suited for it.

8) LOYAL TO SELF
A relaxing love ballad. Nothing really special besides some fine lyrics by Andy. The music range of the song fits Andy?s voice perfectly.

9) TRUE LOVE IS BITTER
I never knew legendary lyricist James Wong writes music too! Famous for all his lyrical work in the 70s and 80s, I thought he only does that. Despite the surprise, this is a fine tune by Wong with lyrics by Andy (again!). Being the theme song for the cartoon version of the classic tale ?Return of the Condor Heroes? (Andy starred in its TV drama version about 20 years ago), the music arrangement is of traditional Chinese style?something that Andy?s very use to singing, so the overall feel of the song is quite familiar and good.

10) BIG BOY
A typical Andy style folk/pop song with great lyrics by Lam Chik that urges people to treat their parents better. A worthy song at the end of an album.

11) MOON OF OLD
As I mentioned before, this is the mandarin version of track 2 and first plug of the album. A very nice (but also very typical) Andy-style sentimental ballad. It does sound a little better than its Cantonese counterpart.

So that was all the tracks! And I must say that I am slightly disappointed at the overall feel of the album. Maybe I was expecting a little too much with this being his first full Cantonese album in nearly three years. I expected something more fresh, but that didn?t happen. Most of the songs are quite typical for Andy. It does have its highlights though, mostly in the lyrical department with many fine encouraging and inspiring works. Also, no one can question Andy?s dedication in the album as he wrote seven of the eleven lyrics himself and he also wrote the music for the title track (arguably the best song in the album). I hope it won?t be another thirty months before his next Cantonese album, but who knows? With his busy scheduling in movies, concerts, commercials, and the all-important mandarin albums, we might have to wait very long again. Fans can always wait for his yearly release of mandarin albums, and most of the time, those are better anyway.

RECOMMENDS:
Track 1 ? ?If One Day?
Track 6 ? ?Lover Enemy?
Track 3 ? ?17 Year-old?
Track 11 ? ?Moon of Old? & its canto version Track 2 ?Your Sassy Boyfriend?
Track 9 ? ?True Love is Bitter?

GT
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