On the first encountering of Hong Nhung’s performance in Trinh Cong Son’s “Nho Mua Thu Ha Noi (Recollection of Ha Noi’s Fall),” I had a feeling that she would do well on any song that is relating to the lovely Ha Noi capital. After many hours of searching through the old CD piles from three different Vietnamese music stores in Philly, I found Doan Khuc Mua Thu Ha Noi, Hong Nhung’s debut album featuring 10 songs written about Ha Noi. As I had predicted, Hong Nhung performances were exceptional and I was hooked on the album.

Although I was not borned and raised in Ha Noi, I could imagine its attractiveness qualities through Hong Nhung’s emotional vocals and the writers’ descriptive lyrics. Her natural delivery is the key success in these performances. Her voice sounds simple on the outer surface but packs with deep emotionalism down inside. From Hoang Hiep’s “Nho Ve Ha Noi (Remember Ha Noi)” to Hoang Duong’s “Huong Ve Ha Noi (Toward Ha Noi)” to Duong Thu’s “Mong Ve Ha Noi (Desire Ha Noi),” she takes listeners on a tour of Ha Noi along the gorgeous Ho Tay river, passing the green tree-lined streets, breathing the fresh scent of the buddings’ cream (Hoa Sua), and feeling the gentle breezes of Ha Noi’s autumn.

Elsewhere she blows new vibes into Trong Dai’s “Ha Noi Dem Tro Gio (A Windy Night in Ha Noi),” Truong Quy Hai’s “Ha Noi Mua Nhung Con Mua (Missing Rains of Ha Noi),” Tran Thu’s “Chieu Ho Guom (Evening of Ho Guom),” Phu Quang’s “Em Oi Ha Noi Pho (My Dear! Ha Noi City),” and Trinh Cong Son’s “Doan Khuc Thu Ha Noi (The Symphony of Ha Noi’s Fall).” She has done a fantastic job of expressing and renewing the writers’ poetic lyrics. Even with Doan Chuan and Tu Linh’s “Gui Nguoi Em Gai (To the Girl Going South), Hong Nhung comes close to Tuan Ngoc’s untouchable performance with her unique style.

Doan Khuc Thu Ha Noi is perfect in every aspect. The theme, the lyrics, the performances, and the musical productions are flawless. It’s rare to see such a cohesive collection where every track carries its own weight and the scale would tip if a song were left out. Much love and respect to Hong Nhung for this precious work of art.

I saw great potential in Nguyen Khang when I first spotted him on various Asia and Van Son videos. His thicken texture timbres caught my attention. While I was impressed by his mature handling of Trinh’s materials on 10 Tuyet Khuc Trinh Cong Son, I was disappointed with the boxset Trai Tim Ben Le, where he performed mostly radio-friendly and Chinese-translated songs. I didn’t hold anything against him since the boxset released under Bien Tinh Music. I assumed that he did not have much control over the production as a young artist who tried to break into the industry. Beside, the credit on the back of the boxset stated that Hoang Ha Thu was responsible for the selection of the songs. Now that he got his foot in the door, made a strong stand for himself in the Vietnamese entertainment industry, and even launched his own record label, is he successful in crafting his own works?

Cung La Tram Nam is his debut album under Nguyen Khang Production. Although it is a decent work, not every song fits his vocals. Only Anh Tai’s “Tinh Mai Ngu Ngo” and Phu Quang’s “Ha Noi Ngay Tro Ve” allow his powerful voice to excel. The invigorating musical arrangement combines with his warm tones provide “Bien Can” a refreshing flavor.

Let’s skip all the translated songs but I would like to briefly mention, “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word,” a track that could have been a fantastic experiment if he performs solo. Tuan Dung and Nguyen Khuong (his brother?) could not hold up to his authoritative vocals, which ends up ruined the track. Otherwise, the way he deepened his voice produced an enticing tune. The thick, heavy, and rich qualities make up for his imperfect English. Unfortunately, when his voice doesn’t reach its peak, he sounds dull even with the duet with Diem Lien on Quoc Vuong’s “Hay Noi Voi Em.”

His follow up album, Coi Mua, is much improved from the previous. He is wiser on choosing tracks that he could fully express. With the help from Duy Cuong, Nguyen Khang reaches deep into the desperation of Trinh Cong Son’s “Toi Oi, Dung Tuyet Vong.” He flows gorgeously into the title track “Coi Mua” written by Le Tran Hoang. Furthermore, Cat Tien’s sexiness reading and Cadillac’s soulful background vocals enhances the experience significantly. He rises and falls with full of passion on Nguyen Anh 9’s “Co Don.” Elsewhere, his deliveries are unblemished on Vinh Phuoc’s “Le Tinh Roi,” Vu Tuan Duc’s “Toi Khong Con Yeu Em,” Pham Duy’s “Duong Em Di,” and of course Trinh Cong Son’s “Tuoi Da Buon.”

While Dong Son gives a beautiful composition on Duc Huy’s “Nhu Da Dau Yeu,” Nguyen Khang could not bypassed Don Ho’s performance. Though his version is not bad, Don Ho injects so much soul into the work that it is hard for other singers to even come close to. “Lac Mat Mua Xuan” (a translated song by Lu Lien) is overrated. Too many singers covered it including Dam Vinh Hung. Though I must give credit to Duc Trinh for the nice beats.

Just from listening to these two albums, Nguyen Khang has definitely progressed himself. Within a short period, he has paved his own path for his singing career. Though he has made substantial accomplishments, there are still plenty of rooms for advancement. Let’s hope that he will continue to expand his artistic vision and push himself to a higher ground.

Since I have been banging these two albums constantly while designing, I want to share with those who have not experienced them. Like Quentin Tarantino, music plays an important part of my work, especially when I need visual inspirations. These two soundtracks are responsible for fueling much creativity into my design.

When I need to produce something hip, edgy, and playful, Kill Bill Vol.1 is a perfect choice because the album fills with adrenaline rushes. Whether you jam it from start to finish or in any random order, the wonderful mix of tunes will guarantee to color your mind with bright and beautiful images. With a diverse range from Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” to Tomoyasu Hotei’s “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” to Luis Bacalov’s “The Grand Duel – (Parte Prima)” to Rza’s “Ode to Oren Ishii” to Meiko Kaji’s “The Flower of Carnage,” make sure you fastened up your seatbelt for a psychological ride.

Unlike Vol.1, Kill Bill Vol.2 is much more subtle which is great when I need to create something calm and elegant. Shivaree’s “Goodnight Moon” kicks off the album with a beautiful lightweight melody. Ennio Morricone contributed some mesmerizing musical scores such as “L’Arena,” “A Silhouette of Doom,” and “Il Tramonto.” Johnny Cash’s vocals are so convincing on the lyrical inspiration of Rhodes and Hayes’s “A Satisfied Mind.” A verse like this, “Money can’t buy back your youth when you’re old / Or a friend when you’re lonely, or a love that’s grown cold / The wealthiest person is a pauper at times / Compared to the man with a satisfied mind,” reminds me how important it is to live a simple and happy life instead of chasing and dreaming for fortune and fame. The last hidden track by The RZA featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard is a nice little bonus. Speaking of ODB, his death is a great lost for the Wu Tang Clan as well as the Hip Hop community. His eccentric rhyming skills and his wild persona will always be remembered.

Even if you don’t like Tarantino’s films, the soundtracks are exquisite. He is among a few filmmakers who have great taste in music. I dig his films and love his soundtracks. I usually don’t spend money on soundtracks but Kill Bill and The Matrix are the only exceptions. I have used countless loops from The Matrix in the past for my motion projects, and I recently applied a few scores from Kill Bill Vol.1 to my works including the Vassar’s slideshow. I have nothing to loose and much to gain from these albums.

Thang Bay Chua Mua is another savory album from the “Vietnamese Frank Sinatra” Tuan Ngoc. Of course, one of the advantages of owning his record label (Bich Thu Van) is the total control of the production. He crafts his album to live up to his selected audience’s expectations. Each song has been carefully chosen to suit his captivating performances. Along with Duy Cuong’s gorgeous musical arrangement, Tuan Ngoc and his special guests (Quynh Giao, Thai Hien, and Le Thu) sway the listeners into an intimate atmosphere.

Unlike popular albums, where they get stale after several run through, Thang Bay Chua Mua increases the aesthetic experience each time I listen to it, especially the remarkable “Goi Nguoi Em Gai” by Doan Chuan and Tu Linh where his vocals ride marvelously with the melody. His polished technique is most effective on the immaculately smooth “Hung Ho” and the sensual composition of Pham Duy’s “Mong Du.”

From the title track of Pham Anh Dung’s “Thang Bay Chua Mua” to Pham Duy’s “Ky Niem” to Dao Duy’s “Dieu Buon” to Hoang Trong Thuy’s “Nguoi Nhu Co Quen,” Tuan Ngoc never leaves his listeners in doubt with his exceptional executions whether from the way he holds a note or drops a word.

While Quynh Giao, Thai Hien, and Le Thu added some elegant voices to the work, their solo performances seem out of place. Their special appearances would leave a deeper impact if each did a duet with Tuan Ngoc.

Thang Bay Chua Mua is consistently good. It meets my expectation even though I do expect high quality works. A fan of Tuan Ngoc should not allow this album to slip by.

Eminem’s forth album Encore fails me. What happen to the dramatic descriptive rhymes and the powerful wordplays?

Encore is not what I have expected from a lyricist Eminem even though the first quarter of the album from “Evil Deeds” to “Mosh,” he sounds sharpened, refined, and matured. “Never Enough” is a beautiful collaboration with 50 and Nate Dogg. His delivery on “Yellow Brick Road” is both persuasive and apologetic as he recites his side of story about disrespecting Black women on a tape he did back in 89. He proves to have grown-up by handling the beef with Ja Rule and Benzino with a mellowness tone on “Like Toys Soldiers.” Of course, the infamous “Mosh,” where Em takes his political stand against Bush, is both motivating and inspiring despite the outcome of the election.

Unfortunately, as soon as he throws up and flushes the toilet on “Puke,” the rest of the album goes down the same path as well. On “My 1st Single,” the beat is hot and his flow is tight but his singing, burping, and shitting just ruins it. Although “Mockingbird” is lyrically inspiring as he tries to explain to Hailie about her mother’s situation, Em’s premature vocals damage the chorus. He needs to stop singing because his voice is infuriating.

Eminem should have crafted his album better by taking out some of the ridiculous tracks. It’s hard to make every song counts with 20 tracks (including 3 skits). It seems as if his materials have run dry from living in a mansion instead of a trailer for the past few years. His topics have become staled with dissing his ex-wife (“Puke”) and women (“Spend Some Time”).

Ngoc Lan is among a few singers who blew cool breezes into Trinh Cong Son’s music with her fine elegance. On Hat Cho Que Huong Viet Nam, she interlaced remarkable soul and sensitivity in the work. As a result, her performances on Trinh’s materials were as natural as breathing, especially on “Ben Doi Hiu Quanh” where she effortlessly grasped sad air into the melody.

As for “Xin Mat Troi Ngu Yen,” Ngoc Lan’s perfectionist delivery remains unmatchable til this day. The seamless integration between keyboard and sax, along with her vocals, they had created everlasting memories of “Diem Xua.” On “Ru Ta Ngam Ngui,” her vocals gradually increased from deep whisper “khi tinh da voi quen” to rattling high “con chim dung lang cam” within four lines. All I can say is “wow!”

Again on “Tinh Nho,” Ngoc Lan did not have to scream on top of her lung to convey “Tinh ngo da quen di…” yet her flow was still spellbind. “Nang Thuy Tinh” marked another beautiful and highly successful collaboration between singer Ngoc Lan and sax player Thanh Lam. It was a perfect chemistry.

Hat Cho Que Huong Viet Nam is yet another priceless album Ngoc Lan had left for her fans. Released in 1994, ten years later this album is still capturing millions of Vietnamese hearts both at home and abroad. I am sure this timeless album continues to be appreciated many years to come.

Though I am attracted to Ha Tran‘s sweet voice, I never found her style to be innovative until I come across Nhat Thuc (Solar Eclipse). Uniting jazz and pop styles into traditional folk music, Ngoc Dai created some of the most unusual and exotic compositions ever. With Ha Tran’s elegance vocals weaving into Do Bao‘s aesthetic arrangements, Nhat Thuc leaves me breathless.

The album opens with “Nam mo a di da Phat” along with a child’s laughter that reminded me of my childhood period where I spent most of my time in the temple. Those where the happiest times in my life, may I add? The only different is that Ha Tran’s voice is too syrupy compared to those sister monks who loved me dearly. The moment the instruments began to play, “Nghi Ngai (Shadow of Doubt)” takes listeners on a journey to a new horizon. “Det Tam Gai (Weaving Tam Gai)” is one of the cutest folk melodies I’ve heard. I just admire the hook, “Det tam gai den bao gio / det tam gai u den bao gio / em yeu anh cuong dai / yeu anh den tan ca em ra.” I also am inspired by the psychological phenomenon behind “Ao Anh (Illusion)” where Ha Tran’s vocal becomes thicker and warmer.

Although Nhat Thuc released three years ago, the music is still as fresh as ever. If you get a chance, pick up this album for a rare experience. I am sure you’ll find it eccentrically enjoyable. Lastly, proper credit must be given to poet Vi Thuy Linh who works inspired Ngoc Dai to compose this album. Too bad the copyright issue was interfered with this album because of lacking of respect on the credits. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to set my ears on Nhat Thuc 2.

Beside Thanh Lam, I could not imagine any other singers in Vietnam would have the confidence to release a Trinh Cong Son album with only 6 tracks. Since Trinh had more than 600 works and at least a hundred of them are extraordinary, I wonder why only 6 at first but once I listen to Thanh Lam’s Ru Mai Ngan Nam, the answer is in every track. Each piece is carefully crafted in an intimate atmosphere (thinh phong) to offer listeners a pure appreciation for Trinh’s work.

From “Nhin Nhung Mua Thu Di” to “Ru Em Tung Ngon Xuan Nong,” Thanh Lam and her musicians lull Trinh’s magnum opuses to an exquisite level with her exotic voice, mellowing piano, soothing violin, and grooving guitar. Together they breathe everlasting life into Trinh’s work of art. On “Uot Mi,” Trinh’s lyric is wet (uoc); Lam’s flow is pouring rain. Her vocals ride intricately into the brilliant piano composition to generate an aesthetic experience. On “Ru Ta Ngam Ngui,” her delivery is more refined, focused, and sharpened than her previous performance on Ru Doi Di Nhe. She also shows her innovative stylishness with Opera experimentation on “Rung Xua Da Khep.” She sounds as mature, fresh, and full of passion as ever on “Tinh Xa.”

If Trinh Cong Son were still alive, he would be enchanted to witness his works have finally flourished into their full potential. It’s a joy to see an artist like Thanh Lam to constantly elevating her crafts and pushing herself. She takes Trinh’s music to a place where no other artists have taken us before. Thanks Lam for bringing us “real” music we’re all thirsting for.

Many thanks to Thao Suong for the album.

I am not a rocker fella but I am feeling these guys. Buc Tuong impressed with their creative aesthetic visions. They have truly embraced the ascendance of rock through their latest release Nam Cham. They sound secure, confident, and ready to roar. Their deliveries are natural and their musical instruments drop harder than tons of magnet. As a result, Nam Cham is a hard knock rock LP.

“Gio len roi can buom cho khoai / Gac cheo len ta nuong kho khoai.” These were my favorite lines from “Ra Khoi” that I used to sing when I was a kid in Vietnam and Buc Tuong rock the hell out of the Vietnamese Southern folk (Dan Ca Nam Bo) style. I am not a die hard rock fan but when I first heard their version of “Ra Khoi,” they not only take me back to my childhood memory but also sweep me off my feet. The wicked fuse between rock and folk produced an unbelievable outcome. Actually, the opening track “Ra Khoi” grabbed my attention, which prompted to cop the album and I am glad I did because the rest of the album rocks hard as hell the whole way through.

Similar to the rock and folk exploration, Buc Tuong recreate the magnificent stories of Trong Thuy and My Chau through “Dau Vet Nghiet Nga” and Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh through “Chuyen Tinh Cua Thuy Than.” Though I wouldn’t use these songs to tell my kids these legendary stories, I do enjoy the two tracks greatly.

Clearly the title track “Nam Cham,” is influenced heavily by Marilyn Mansion’s extreme hardcore style. It’s rug, raw, and intense. Speaking of hardcore, the instrumental solos on “Bat Tu” are ruthless and explosive which demonstrate the band musical talent. The drum and bass ride smoother than a Ferrari on crack.

On the softer ride, “Cha Va Con” is a special dedication to Tran Lap’s (band’s leader) first unborn child telling him to live his life to the fullest, “Va con hay song hon cha da song mot thoi gia.” On the bonus track “Tro Ve,” Buc Tuong are experimenting with rock and country. I have to say, the result is radiance and striking as well.

Glad to see a band in Vietnam who not only focused on rock but also expend it into the Vietnamese culture by combining with the traditional folk music. The best part about Buc Tuong is that the group has been together for almost 10 years without breaking up like those young pop groups today. Buc Tuong have definitely found themselves a distinctive spot in Vietnam. Wish them the best of luck and continue to rock on.

“Yeah! I am Chinese and what?” Let’s me clarify upfront that I won’t critique Jin’s The Rest is History based on his ethnicity but on the work itself. Furthermore, I won’t classify him as the “First Asian Rapper” but just a rapper period. He is skillful enough to be qualified as an MC. He has the charisma, his flow is tight, and his lyrical content is good even though he still needs improvement.

While his debut is not all that bad, the sugar-sweet coating diminishes Jin’s lyrical content. It’s probably Ruff Riders that responsible for the production instead of Jin. Even so, once you can get pass the “Club Song,” the radio friendly “I Got a Love” with Kanye, the ghetto fabulous “The Come Through” with Twista (though I like the way Jin speeds up his flow), and the booty shaking “Senorita,” you will find Jin’s finest pieces from his heart on the second half of the album.

“The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” demonstrates his skillful storytelling while “Cold Outside” shows his sentimental side as he recalls the night his man took a bullet for him, “What if he would have die? / What am I suppose to say to his fam?”

Although it’s extremely rare to see an Asian boy with a Black girl, Jin’s interracial “Love Story” is still convincing. Then again if he’s into Hip Hop, I can see how a Black girl can be interested in him. “Same Cry” is another beautiful work where Jin gives an eloquently delivery on behalf of Asian American, “Think we open restaurants because we cook good? / Hell no! We ain’t got no choice. / I gotta speak up / Without me, my people have no voice.”

“C’mon” is one of the most focused and refined lyricism tracks on the album; however, the structure and the flow are too similar to Eminem’s “Sing For The Moment.” By the way, what’s wrong with computer design? It’s a form of art too. While rappers use words to express themselves, designers use visual art to articulate their creativities. So don’t get it twisted it, brother.

As a freshman in Hip Hop, Jin has created a huge leap forward. However, he still needs to push his craft and improve his lyrics. Hopefully, he’ll be able to have full control on the production of the next album. He definitely has potential and room to climb higher. The future looks bright and shines so keep come thru, Jin.