OK - 张震岳 (Zhang, Zhen Yue)

天真烂漫远了，愤世暴冲远了，彷徨迷惑远了，OK 的张震岳，就在这里。

The innocence long gone, the anger long gone, the dilemma long gone. The OK Zhang Zhen Yue, is right here.

Above is the promotional catch phrase for Ah-Yue's latest album. I heard the first song which featured one of my favourite songstress, 蔡健雅. First impression, 思念是一种病 so-so only. However I only got to listen to his whole album, thanks again to my dependable musics supplier, liangmoi. She bought the imported CD from Taiwan mind you!!! Good musics need to support the ori!!!

I played this album repeatedly during my 5.5 hours drive from Sandakan to KK and it was fantastic. The whole album is very old-skool feel (take this from liangmoi) but I guess I know what she meant by tat. It did remind me of old times schooling and free from troubling and complex matters messing our innocent mind. It's something soothing, easing and relaxing. No angry man screaming about the world's injustice, the political games or bad people roaming around hurting people but it's smooth with some tinge of melancholic feel at it. The melody of the songs are not "big-ballad-big-orchestrated-tear-jerking" type so it blends well with the slight sad lyrics. It's definitely in my 2007 Top 10 album.

1. 思念是一种病 featuring Tanya 蔡健雅 (Missing You is a Disease)

This song reminded me of "Where is the Love" from Black Eye Peas. Featuring the vocal of Fergie, the song has the same impact. Lyrics wise, it's talking about love as well. Smooth, nice and catchy. Hm... since when I kinda like rap?

当你在穿山越岭的另一边

我在孤独的路上没有尽头

时常感觉你在耳后的呼吸

却未曾感觉你在心口的鼻息

2. 你说有个女孩 (You Said There's A Girl)

Liangmoi's favourite. The smooth arrangement is very similar as his previous songs but the you can sense that the heavy sound had been toned down and replacing it is some nice vibe.


3. 路口 (Junction)

Sophia's favourite. Hmm.... tis gal had some change in taste I guess. The lyrics are nice but a surprise phrase which is vulgar to some innocent ears haha.... This is kinda a departure from his style which in his previous albums, he used to utter some profanities. The vulgar phrase he used in this song is actually not tat bad to me but maybe to other ppl. You may not notice it even cox it's embedded slickly in the lyrics.

我不想走去你妈的路口

破碎的痴梦丢到马桶让水流

本人依然没救而香烟没停过

抽到我心很痛

深陷沼泥之中没有人救我

手机上都是你曾经留的讯息

你眼神的不耐有如利刃飞过来

瞬间我终於明白

不在为你心痛

4. 孤獨的夜哨 (Lonely Night at the Sentry Post)

this is another post itself. love the song.


5. 再见 (Goodbye)

I think this is an old song but without the lyrics book with me, I can't really confirm this. The whole song has the 70's Mandarin folk song 民歌 feel with it. If I didn't listen to this is ah-yue's album, I would think that it's some songs from 锦绣二重唱 or something like that.

我会牢牢记住你的脸

我会珍惜你给的思恋

这些日子在我心中永远都不会抹去

Ah yue did another version of this song as well, the 11th track of the album which is slower and more 深情.

6. Others

Other tracks were excellent too with my preference given to the above. Of course there's a track collaborated with MC Hotdog and Hou Pei Chen 侯佩岑. Another track with some aborigines children singing as background vocal is a fresh take of his usually guitar-and-drum.

VERDICT : GOOD, VERY GOOD.