Phuong Vy & Le Hieu – Mua Thu Cho Em

It’s a nice change to hear young singers like Phuong Vy and Le Hieu get intimate with old ballads and it’s also a treat to hear Duc Tri refreshes these standards with a touch of jazz. Mua Thu Cho Em is not a new concept. Duc Tri cut a similar record four years ago with Duc Tuan and Ho Ngoc Ha on Ao Anh. Nothing wrong with repeating a success.

The album kicks off with a duet take on Y Van’s “Nhung Buoc Chan Am Tham.” This tune has been arranged before with an uptempo, but Duc Tri slows it down with a Latin flavor. Between the two, Le Hieu is obviously more experienced than Phuong Vy on covering old standards; therefore, he saves most of the duet tracks, particularly Ngo Thuy Mien’s “Ban Tinh Ca Cho Em.” As for his solo, his bluesy take on Tran Thien Thanh’s “Lau Dai Tinh Ai,” is nowhere near Thuy Vu’s funky rendition. His nasal voice is far less sexy than Thuy Vu’s deep tenor.

Phuong Vy on the other hand lacks the interpretational skills on how to approach a standard. She also lacks the breath control. Her version of Ngo Thuy Mien’s “Ban Tinh Cuoi” is the weakest I have heard. She chooses to restraint yourself instead of taking up an octave on the bridge even though she is capable of soaring. Her rendition of Y Van’s “60 Nam Cuoc Doi” is a proof. Duc Tri turns this tune into a shouting blue, but he also cleverly added an r&b rhythm to it. The result is stunning as Phuong Vy shows her confidence in kicking her vocals up a notch. Unfortunately, she ruined the song with her English fluffing.

Even though the vocals aren’t up to par, Duc Tri managed to created a decent pop album with his minimal, elegant arrangements. That alone proves that he’s talented producer.