While the look from his eye on the cover suggests attitude and the title Hung indicates persona, only a few songs on Dam Vinh Hung’s Volume 6 have those two characteristics. Over the years, he has developed a vigorous style that sets him apart from other singers yet that forcefulness is not missing but lacking on his latest work. Although Hung is not flopped, it’s not a groundbreaking work comparing to his previous ones either. When you use the same formula for the 6th time, you don’t get the same effectiveness anymore.

If Dam Vinh Hung depends on this album to retain his status, tracks such as “Xin Loi Tinh Yeu,” “Chen Dang,” “Khong Phai Em,” and “Ve Day Thoi Em” will keep him from dropping from the top. Although his energetic style radiates on these 4 songs, I would like to feel the thunderstorms coming from his vocals for a more powerful experience. Nevertheless, he does sound sincere with his thousand apologies, “Xin loi em ngan lan, xin loi em” on Minh Nhien’s “Xin Loi Tinh Yeu.” I am sure his lady fans would be more than glad to forgive him. Not only that but they would also believe him when he reveals “Yeu mot nguoi du long em chang co anh” on Truong Le Son’s “Chen Dang” and they would feel his broken heart when he confesses “Toi tinh gi ma sao nuoc mat tuong roi?” on Thai Thinh’s “Khong Phai Em.” When he breaks down and begs “Em hay quay ve di,” how could they resist that? The lyrics on “Ve Day Thoi Em” is inspiring as well. Nice job! Duy Manh.

As I mentioned earlier, Dam Vinh Hung uses a familiar formula on his albums and this one is no exception. He usually throws in a couple popular songs but makes them sound fresh and unique. Unfortunately, he could not create any innovative results on this album. His duet with Hong Ngoc on Duc Huy’s “Duong Xa Uot Mua” has nothing special to offer yet the Hip Hop beat just kills it. His remaking of “Ngan Nam Van Doi” is not so bad but it does not catches you like “Tan Tro” did. “Le Da” would have worked beautifully if he didn’t excessively stress on the consonant syllables. Although the upbeat remixes of Duy Manh’s “Tinh Yeu Con Dau” sounds nice, I prefer the slower version.

“Ha Noi Cafe Oi!” (poem by Nguyen Dinh and music by Dinh Van) and Bao Truong’s “Sao Doi Ngoi” are soft and pleasant but are clearly not Dam Vinh Hung’s mode. There would not be a horrible track if an English song did not make it on the album. Dam Vinh Hung’s take on Marc Anthony’s “My Baby You” is worse than William Hung’s take on Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs.” He mispronounces almost every word. He should not waste his skills on this kind of song. If he wants to give his fans something different, sings Cai Luong (Vietnamese Opera). He gave a distinctive taste on Cai Luong during his live performance.

Although Volume 6 does not advance Dam Vinh Hung to the next level, it does not take him a step backward either. He’s still able to maintain his spot as one of the hottest pop stars in Vietnam. The album has its share of good, average, and bad but it is still enjoyable. Hopefully, he will surprise us with something fresh on the next album. The jazz experimentation on “Nu Hon Xa Voi” on Volume 5 was a huge success. He should have explored more into that era.

Before delving into the musical portion of Asia’s Mua He Ruc Ro 2004, allow me this opportunity to thank those activists who have been working hard to bring us freedom. I want to congratulate the successful individuals who featured on the show. I also would like to extend my recognition to any of you out there who stay in school and pursue your dreams. You are the future of Vietnamese American and we are very proud of you. Lastly, to our young boys, please stay away from Michael. Yeah! Bad joke, I know. Let’s get to the fun part, shall we?

It’s a pleasant surprise to see the appearance of Tuan Vu and Son Tuyen. They both look good (much better than years ago). Tuan Vu looks like he is off cracks for good. Unfortunately, his vocals seem to be weakening without cracks. Thanks to plastic surgery, Son Tuyen looks much better than before although her nose reminds me of Michael. Hopefully, they didn’t go to the same doctor. I am just playing, Michael. You know I am feeling your pain. Anyway, glad to see both Tuan Vu and Son Tuyen back.

Da Nhat Yen impressed me once again with her creativities. Unlike her best friend Trish, Da Nhat Yen always brings something new to the audience. This time, her traditional northern vocals on “Con Rong Chau Tien” are hypnotizing. Of course, her stage charisma is perfect for an opening; however, Gia Huy simply ruined it. What were Asia thinking? Pairing up a skillful performer with a guy who has no rhythm is a big mistake. The opening would have exceededly better with Da Nhat Yen alone.

Nguyen Khang delivered an exquisitely beautiful performance on “Nhung Dieu That La.” Although this is a Truc Ho’s song, he made the right decision by choosing Nguyen Khang instead of Lam Nhat Tien. Nguyen Khang’s cracked-voice mantra fits gorgeously with the jazz-fueled musical arrangement. Truc Ho is a fantastic producer and he knows what works best for Nguyen Khang; therefore, Truc Ho ought to produce a CD for Nguyen Khang. With Truc Ho’s musical talent and Nguyen Khang’s marvelous vocals, together they will create an indelible album (hint… hint…).

More hightlights from Mua He Ruc Ro 2004 includes: “Dau Chan Cua Bien” which is nicely done by Lam Nhat Tien and Y Phuong (a new face with potential); Thanh Truc, Diem Lien, and Phillip Huy were incredible on “Lien Khuc Hanh Trinh Tim Tu Do;” and the mesmerizing “Lien Khuc Ao Dai” with Asia’s male artists.

Of course, there is the flip side of the show as well. Trish stated in one of her interviews that she wants to sing for the kids yet her performance filled with half naked dancers. I am sure many parents will appreciate that. As for her music and dance, there are nothing new. Manh Dinh and Doanh Doanh is another horrible miss match. Manh Dinh cannot sing anything that is not “sen” and “Canh Hong Trung Quoc” sounded like switching between a Chinese and Vietnamese radio dial. Cardin has the groove but “Nang Sieu Nhan” is a lyrical nightmare. While Asia 4 need to “Shake” themselves offstage, Hong Dao and Quang Minh need to reinvent themselves. Their jokes have been pathetic lately.

Overall, Asia did a much better job than their competitor (Thuy Nga) and they seem to take the viewers’ comments seriously (unlike Nguyen Ngoc Ngan and Thuy Nga). For instance, the digital background improved tremendously from the previous show. They also did a great job of editing the video down two DVDs instead of three. They give you just enough so you’ll want more instead of bored you to death with all the senseless talking with an extra DVD. Hopefully, Asia will keep up the good work by listening to their viewers and continue to find innovative ideas.

The media needs to back off My Tam. She deserves all the praises for her hard work because she rocked her concert. Ngay Ay & Bay Gio was beautifully executed so I don’t know what the negative criticisms were about. She is young, talented, beautiful, and creative.

Even though she performed almost all of her signature songs such as “Toc Nau Moi Tram,” “Hoa Mi Toc Nau,” “Cay Dan Sinh Vien,” “Hat Cho Nguoi O Lai,” “Uoc Gi,” “Mai Yeu” and many more, the music are newly arranged to give viewers some fresh vibes. In addition, the live orchestra added an exquisite experience to the show. The only song I wish she would perform was “Hat Voi Dong Song.” No one can express that song better than she can.

Vocally, My Tam did a fantastic job and she was able to perform 18 plus songs without a short of breath. In “Trai Tim Em Con Yeu,” she impressed me with her English pronunciations. Although there were flaws in some of the words, her English improved tremendously. Her acapella version of Trinh Cong Son’s “Dem Thay Ta La Thac Do” was still mesmerizing. Her own materials, “Nu Hon Bat Ngo” and “Vi Dau,” obviously can’t match up with other songwriters’ works but they were lively and well written. I highly encourage My Tam to keep on writing. She has potential.

Choreographically, My Tam has a great stage charisma. From rock inspired “Bang Bang” to Spanish passion “Tinh Thoi Xot Xa,” she knew how to work the crowd, especially the way she swang her hair in “Xich Lo” and a little rump shakers in “Hoa Mi Toc Nau.” The ballerina/break-dance in “Yeu Dai Kho” is highly innovative. It’s jaw dropping to see My Tam leaped high, rolled on the floor, and did a split at the end. The best part was that she was being herself out there and trying to have fun. She got hype and wild as she pleased and the crowd loved it and I surely adored it.

My Tam definitely has a fine taste in style. She looked elegant whether in a sophisticated evening gown or simple jeans and shirt. Unlike the hoochies on Paris By Night, she still appeared hot and sexy without bearing her skins. She proved talent has way more class than sex and I respect her for that.

Although Ngay Ay & Bay Gio was a huge investment for My Tam, it was worthwhile. She did everything she could and gave one of the best live concerts ever made in Vietnam. She should not allow the media to influence her works. She should spend her energy on pushing herself to the limit and expanding her artistic vision. My Tam’s live show is an alternative to the tiresome Paris By Night and their lip-synching. Beside the slightly poor quality on the DVD because of technicallity, the live show is pure entertainment.

First of all, I would like to thank Hoang, a Visualgui.com reader, for providing me an album that I enjoy greatly. Tu Su is a showcase of both Thanh Lam’s artistic vision and her father’s (Thuan Yen) innovative composition. Thuan Yen must be exceedingly proud to have a daughter who can express his music gorgeously. I presume it runs in the family.

Tu Su is an aesthetically beautiful work of art that can be experienced from start to end without skips and many replays are necessary because of the brilliant collaboration between refined vocals, sharpened music, and tranquility poetries. The album kicks off with the sentimental “Em Toi” (poem by Xuan Truong) with the soothing traditional instruments. Together they have created an emotional and beautiful song. On “DangVi Tinh Yeu” (poem by Khanh Nguyen) demonstrates her skillful wordplay. The way she adorably recites, “Em dau co nho” shows her fearless attitude when it comes to push the limit.

On “Tu Su,” “Tinh Ca Mua Thu,” “Tim Anh,” and Thanh Pho Vang Anh,” she delivers breathless performances. “Tinh Yeu Khong Loi” could have been flawless if they didn’t include those nonsense remarks. Thanh Lam definitely exceeds Dam Vinh Hung vocally on this track but what is up with “Uh Yeah! Shake it like a white girl” (Not from Thanh Lam)? That kind of intro degrades the value of the song greatly. Fortunately, “Khac Vong” beautifully wraps up the album with a smooth beat and meticulous flow.

Similar to Tuan Ngoc, Thanh Lam has an incredible style of her own and she is an artist to be reckoned with. Tu Su presents both her passion for making music and her seriousness concerning her craft. Once again, my appreciate goes to Hoang for sharing with me this invaluable piece of music.

Tuan Ngoc’s Huong Toc Em is a rare collection distributed by Tektronic Music, a production I have never heard of. I have no clue when the album released but the musical arrangements are nicely engineered. The album features ten original hits from songwriters/composers such as Bao Truong, Nguyen Tat Vinh, Hoang Viet, and Truong Phu Hau, who works are unfamiliar to me.

An album like Huong Toc Em certifies that Tuan Ngoc is still one of the best Vietnamese singers. He takes on dissimilar and unpopular songs that are not too many artists have the confidence to perform. Yet, he’s still able to captivate the listeners with his robust, suave, and smooth styles. His expert treatments on Bao Truong’s romantic despairs “Tren Nhanh Rong Tinh” and “Mach Suoi Nguon” alone demonstrated his astonishing talents. “Huong Toc Em,” “Toi Yeu Em Nghiet Nga,” “Doan Tinh” and the rest of the tracks are what you would expect from Tuan Ngoc.

Unlike other albums where you can tell whether it is good or best after listening to it for the first time, Huong Toc May, as well as other albums by Tuan Ngoc, doesn’t hit you right away. You might need to give it at least five times to sink in. It takes me at least ten listens to feel its vibe. If you’re not used to Tuan Ngoc’s style, chances are you won’t like this album. If you appreciate his signature songs, you’ll be grateful for possessing it.

When putting Jay-Z and R. Kelly together, you get the best of both worlds but I am not talking about Hip-Hop and R&B here. Featuring on Cu Tuong Con Trong Tay / Bac Tinh are two of the most famous Vietnamese singers with two completely different styles. While Tuan Ngoc is popular for ballads, Che Linh is well known for music on war and “Nhac Tru Tinh.” Van Son production probably try to kill two birds with one stone on this album but the outcome isn’t what they have expected.

I must admit, Van Son production are clever when they set the “Lien Khuc” with Che Linh and Tuan Ngoc switch styles. Both do a convincing performance but to go as far as creating an album together is a big mistake. Che Linh style doesn’t fit Ngo Thuy Mien’s “Rieng Mot Goc Troi,” “Ban Tinh Cuoi,” and “Dau Tinh Sau.” He couldn’t even pull off Truong Sa’s “Xin Con Goi Ten Nhau.” These songs suit more for Tuan Ngoc’s techniques. “Cu Tuong Con Trong Tay” is the only song Che Linh gives a flawless performance because it fits him perfectly.

Fortunately, Tuan Ngoc does not switch styles on his part. Once again his amazing vocals have applied on Huynh Nhat Tan’s “Bac Tinh,” “Hon Doi,” and “Ngo Ngang.” I just love the way he starts off “Bac Tinh” with confident and power. The band also does a fantastic job of captivating the beauty of the song. On “Hon Doi,” he goes sentimental and his skillful manipulation on “Hon doi, thoi em dung hon doi…” is soothing and mesmerizing. “Ngo Ngang” is equally enchanting as well. Although “Linh Hon Tuong Da” is well done by Tuan Ngoc, the song is more suitable for Che Linh. I guess Tuan Ngoc is switching his style on this one.

Van Son production should have produced two separate albums for Tuan Ngoc and Che Linh instead of grouping them together. They would have made more sells that way. Before even purchasing the album, I was debating whether to get it or not since I could predict it is an uneven album. Not that I am disrespecting Che Linh but these songs aren’t his strongest effort. Even though I expect far more, I still glad I copped the album. Tuan Ngoc’s part alone is worth the price of the CD.

“Co nhieu quy vi khang da cho minh cai quyen qua lon khi viet thu cho chung toi… Chung toi thay quy vi di qua xa roi day.” -Nguyen Ngoc Ngan.

Basically, what Nguyen Ngoc Ngan and Thuy Nga production said is that who do you [consumers] think you are? If you don’t like what we put out, go watch Asia, Van Son, Tinh or other productions. We don’t need you to tell us what to do.

What an insult. Are they forgetting the phrase, “customers always right?” Even if the audiences’ suggestions are invalid, they are still suggestions. They can just toss them out and not take them into consideration. They don’t have to publicly humiliating the viewers like that. It’s just inappropriate. What even worse is that Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen just stands there with the smirk on her fake face and notting her head to everything Nguyen Ngoc Ngan said. What would you feel if you were the one wrote the comment?

What is up with the double standards? Thuy Nga production kick you in your nuts with statements similar to above than turn around kiss your ass with the begging of buying their original products. As much as I respect Huynh Anh, Nguyen Hien, and Song Ngoc, I will not support their work through Thuy Nga. So if you haven’t seen Paris by Night 74, save your money for other productions who respect and value their viewers.

Out of all her solo albums Ngọc Lan recorded for Mây productions—from Ngọc Lan 4: Tình Xanh to Ngọc Lan 10: Hạnh Phúc Nơi Nào—Ngọc Lan 5: Tình Gần remains my personal favorite to this day. With 12 exceptional recordings, Ngọc Lan perfected the art of creating a cohesive experience from start to finish. Just pop in the album and let Ngọc Lan lead the way.

When she flowed, “Em như một nụ hồng / Cầu mong chẳng lạnh lùng,” you felt the sad beauty in Ngô Thụy Miên’s “Tình Khúc Buồn.” When she declared, “Với em, anh mãi là người tình trăm năm,” you wished you were her lover in Đức Huy’s “Người Tình Trăm Năm.” When she confessed, “Buồn vương màu áo hồng / Nước mắt theo em đi về với chồng,” you tasted her tears in Nguyễn Ngọc Trọng’s “Buồn Vương Màu Áo.” When she confronted, “Anh bên người xa lạ / Anh quên lời hẹn thề / Cho em xót xa,” you felt her pain in Đỗ Cung La’s “Dù Tình Yêu Đã Mất.”

From “Chiều Một Mình Qua Phố” to “Rồi Như Đá Ngây Ngô” to “Hạ Trắng,” Ngọc Lan got us hanging on Trịnh Công Sơn’s every word. In “Để Quên Con Tim” and “Tiếng Mưa Đêm,” Ngọc Lan’s soft, sweet vocals brought the cool, breezy vibes to Đức Huy’s easy-listening lyrics. She gave a touching rendition of Trầm Tử Thiêng’s “Mười Năm Yêu Em” as well as Vũ Thành An’s “Bài Không Tên số 2 & 3” and “Bài Không Tên số 7.”

Ngọc Lan’s vocals were mesmerizing and her song choices were excellent, but “Tình Gần” wouldn’t be complete without the outstanding productions, and saxophonist Thanh Lâm played the key role in the album success. From his orchestrations, particularly the staccato strings in “Người Tình Trăm Năm,” to his arrangements, noticeably the rhythm section in “Mười Năm Yêu Em”, to his sax solos, which appeared on almost every track, his contributions to the album were remarkable. His music direction shaped the cohesiveness of the album.

There were intriguing debates in iLoveNgocLan.com on how Ngọc Lan came up with Tình Gần for the album title. Someone said that, the title derived from a line in Ngô Thụy Miên’s “Tình Khúc Buồn,” which was, “Sao chưa gặp một lần mà nghe tình thật gần.” The theory seemed convincing, but I have a different take. “Tình Gần” can be translated as “Close Love” or “Intimate Love” (my preference). If you look at all of the albums she released under Mây Productions, Tình Gần was the only one that she covered songs written by Vietnamese songwriters. In other albums, she covered a mix of Vietnamese, French, and American ballads; therefore, Tình Gần hit closest to home.

Updated June 30, 2022

My Le‘s vocals have improved tremendously, noticeably her breathless skills, on My Nhan Ngu; however, I am disappointed with her songs selections on this album. Her voice is powerful and beautiful, but most of the songs on the album do not bring out her charismas or vice versa.

Nevertheless, My Le and her musicians have successfully restyled Duc Huy’s “Va Con Tim Da Vui Tro Lai” by giving it a fresh new vibe. The song is brilliantly produced with the combination of My Le’s energetic vocals and the band’s vivacious harmonies. Although I have heard so many versions of Trinh Cong Son’s “Ru Em Tung Ngon Xuan Nong,” My Le’s version stands on its own because of her liveliness and forcefulness performance.

My Le’s version of “Ngay Xua Tieng Vi Cam” is nice and soothing with a gorgeous touch from the violin. I am not too crazy about “Tieng Song” but it has a nice upbeat to it. “Mot Ngay Mua Dong” also has the smooth up-tempo but Ha Okyo kills it with his Vietnamese rapping, especially with his Northern accent and his Wycleff imitation, “One time… two time.”

Even though My Nhan Ngu is not a perfect album, it is still enjoyable. I wish My Le had chosen her music more wisely like she did on the first two volumes. In any case, she is making progress with each new album. She is an imaginative artist who deserves some recognition.

Johnny Dung has been in the Vietnamese entertainment business for years; therefore, there is no reason for him to put out such a hopeless debute music video. You can’t just go to Hawaii, slap the singers on the scenes, and call it music video. Furthermore, the cinematography is poorly produced and the digital imaging behind Ha Vy and Cat Ly performances are way too amateur.

What is Johnny Dung thinking? He tries to follow Tinh production’s footsteps, but fails miserably. Each of Tinh’s song is well produced with some sort of plot behind it to keep viewers tuned in. With JD’s video, I just get tired of looking at the singer and the scenes after less than a minute into the song. There is no innovative or creative input into the work.

The musical arrangements aren’t so bad because of the talented musicians such as Dong Son, Nhat Trung, Huynh Nhat Tan, DJ Slim and others who put on some creative mix behind the scene. Since this is there strong point, JD production should focus on producing CDs first. After gathering enough cash flow then invest in producing high quality video. Because there are so many productions out there right now and the viewers’ demands are extremely high, only inventive and groundbreaking works will survive in this game. For example, Asia entertainment constantly seek out new ideas for their videos.