Music

Favorite Vietnamese Albums of 2014

To keep with the tradition, I want to post the best of Vietnamese albums each year. This year, however, I didn’t get a chance to listen to many albums like I had in the previous years. With my limited selection, I can only list my 10 favorites of 2014.

  1. Đức Tuấn – Requiem: From concept to production, this album was crafted with high standard. Đức Tuấn gave his best performance in years.
  2. Danh Việt – Chẳng Có Tình Ca: With Danh Việt’s debut, composer-producer Quốc Bảo gives the Vietnamese pop scene the middle finger. It strands away from the current pop trends. All tunes are new and original.
  3. Nguyên Hà – Địa Đàng 2: Although Nguyên Hà has a limited vocal range and a few minor issues of enunciation, she is a compelling storyteller. Quốc Bảo recognizes her strength; therefore, he crafts minimal arrangements with generous space for her to tell his tales.
  4. Bạch Yến –Hát Tình Ca Lam Phương: The man who has contributed priceless treasures to Vietnamese music deserves an album like this.
  5. Phương Vy – Khi Ta 20: This is the album I listened to the most in 2014. It gives a grown-ass man like me nostalgia. Phương Vy and her tasteful, talented musicians reinvigorated the old pop collection by returning to the basics.
  6. Thanh Lam & Tùng Dương – Yêu: The best part of Thanh Lam and Tùng Dương’s collaboration is the spellbinding orchestral work. Lê Phi Phi’s elegant, captivating arrangements, which lift the vocalists to a higher level, stand out by themselves.
  7. Võ Thiện Thanh – Trung Nguyên Lounge Music: A double set to chill out with. Whether in shopping malls or coffee shops, these two albums will calm your nerves and melt your soul.
  8. Nguyên Khang – Tình Hờ: A beautiful ballad album that showcases Nguyên Khang’s mature vocal delivery.
  9. Asia Icons – Mai Lệ Huyền: Mad kudos to Brian Morales for his brilliant work of reinterpreting her popular hits in the 60s to 70s and giving them a fresh, new makeover.
  10. Bằng Kiều, Thiên Tôn & Đình Bảo – Đời Đá Vàng: Bằng Kiều with a soaring falsetto, Thiên Tôn with a charming tenor, and Đình Bảo with a delightful baritone. Using their various tones and individual strengths, they have found a way to harmonize themselves as a group.