I wasn’t planning on writing about Trish’s DVD until she opens her mouth during the interview with SBTN. Her comment was, “I think a lot of kids would appreciate [my music] more than the [adults] that I perform for now. Cause a lot of them are … [dummy face]. They don’t get it.” Call me deaf and dumb all you want but what is there to get? Trish’s vocals haven’t improved since the first time she steps on Asia’s stage, still exasperating and annoying.

What about her lyrics? Let’s just pick out a song she has written. The lyrics of “Stay a While” go something like this, “Please don’t walk away, / I just want to be. / Here right by your side. / Say you’ll stay with me. / Just a little while. / Only you and me. / Please don’t walk away. / Say you’ll stay with.” Come on Trish! The same material recycles over and over again and nothing new.

Trish is a cute girl but she needs some drama in her life to spice up her music and lyrics. She needs to reinvent herself and grow out of that tiresome style if she wants to be appreciated by the older listeners. Until then, don’t insult the audience.

Need some inspiration while designing? Pop in Luis Mejia’s Alegria, a beautiful instrumental album that guarantee to sprawl up creativities to your work. Luis’s golden fingers will strum you into a fantasy world and juice up your mind. Although Luis’s guitar is the key ingredient, the album wouldn’t be complete without the help of other elegant instruments.

Luis’s Alegria is the album that you can enjoy from begin to end without any interruption. Even when the album ended, you just feel so empty and yearning for more. With 12 mesmerizing tracks, Luis and his music will give you a little bit of Flamenco, Spanish, Contemporary, Pop and various rhythms to feed your mind. Although I love all 12 songs on the album, the ones stand out for me include: “Selva,” “Romance,” “To The Night,” “Rumba” and especially “Mediterraneo” (not sure how he does it but it sounds like he strokes with 20 fingers at once).

What more do I need to say? This album is an aesthetically beautiful work of art so I’ll let the music speaks for itself. Go ahead and buy it from his own website, LuisMusic.com, to support the independent artist for giving us such an incredible work.

On the cover, the combination of Thanh Lam and Trinh Con Son just doesn’t seem quite right; I must admit, however, Thanh Lam’s Ru Doi Di Nhe is one of the most innovative Trinh’s albums I have enjoyed. On this album, Thanh Lam is giving us her own interpretation of Trinh’s music. It’s quite a daring move but the result is unbelievable. For example, Thanh Lam turns “Mot Coi Di Ve” into a compelling Jazz flavor. I wonder where Dam Vinh Hung gets his inspiration.

On “Toi Ru Em Ngu,” Thanh Lam gives a groundbreaking a capella performance with her exotic vocals and she has done a beautiful job of holding off her breath. Her version of “Ru Ta Ngam Ngui” is bold, confidence, and creative. She has brought the liveliness out of the song with her strong and clear expressions. Thanh Lam is a great artist with a creative mind and her ingenuity has proven through the performance of “Em Hay Ngu Di,” “Ru Doi Ta Nhe,” “Nhu Canh Vac Bay,” “Mua Hong,” and “Goi Ten Bon Mua.”

Other than “Tinh Sau” which is way too “buon ngu” (sadly sleepy), Thanh Lam’s Ru Doi Di Nhe is a solid Trinh’s album. It’s perfect for my Trinh’s collection. Two thumbs up for Thanh Lam who has made it to my favorite Vietnamese artists list for her rule-breaking attitude and skillful musical interpretation.

Although I have Hong Nhung’s Thuo Bong La Nguoi for a while, it takes me some time to absorb Trinh Cong Son’s poetic lyrics. In every song, he paints beautiful descriptions with his simple yet influential words. In this album, Hong Nhung has chosen 11 delightful songs to celebrate the splendor of life and to appreciate the beauty of nature.

With her sweet, clear, and effortless vocals, Hong Nhung has created an aesthetic experience on this album with Trinh’s music. Furthermore, she has done a wonderful job of focusing on his expressions. For example, in “Moi Ngay Toi Chon Niem Vui” (Everyday I Choose a Happiness), she keeps it simple as everyday’s life and the result is artistically inspired.

In “Co Xot Xa Dua,” the language is filled with imaginative words, “Tren doi nguoi tro nhanh hoang vu/Tren ngay di moc canh la mu.” I have no idea how to translate that. I even have trouble understanding it but once I closed my eyes and listened to Hong Nhung’s crystal clear vocals, the images emerged. You just have experience it.

Again, “Ra Dong Truoc Ngo” paints a gorgeous scene of a little kid flying his kite among the big and beautiful sky. “Ru Em” creates a sweet lullaby, “Ru em cung nhung u me/Ru em, ru em du da chia xa.” In “De Gio Cuon Di” he touches on moral of life, “Song trong cuoc doi/Can co mot tam long/De lam gi em biet khong?”

Unlike other Trinh’s album where you get the same popular songs from Trinh Cong Son, Thuo Bong La Nguoi contains 10 songs I haven’t heard before and one bonus “Ben Doi Hiu Quanh.” This is a Trinh’s album that stands apart from the rest because of the songs selection. The musical arrangement is admirable and the traditional instruments (Dan Nguyet, Tieu) enhanced the experience greatly. If you haven’t heard of Hong Nhung, this is the album to get a taste of that fine and lovely voice.

When it comes to Trinh Cong Son’s music, I have extremely high expectations. Although Trinh is no longer with us, his everlasting music lives on; therefore, I am sure Dam Vinh Hung is awared of the danger of singing Trinh’s music. He has to position himself against not only singers of his age (Nguyen Khang, Quang Dung and Hong Nhung) but the older generation (Tuan Ngoc, Ngoc Lan, Khanh Ly, Khanh Ha, Elvis Phuong and many others) as well. Of course, he won’t be able to top them all but he can take advantage of his strong and unique styles to set himself apart from the rest. Was he able to pull them off? Not all of them, I am afraid.

His interpretation of “Ben Doi Hiu Quanh” is powerful, energetic and definitely “Dam Vinh Hung.” His performance stands out from the rest on this one because of its uniqueness and liveliness. With a shot of Jazz flavor and Dam Vinh Hung’s dominating vocals, “Mot Coi Di Ve” is instantly recognizable as Dam Vinh Hung and no one else. Whether you like it or not, his technique is truly astounding. Unfortunately, his flairs couldn’t spark through every Trinh’s song. On the contrary, he has ruined a few with the “sen” (dragging and delaying like traditional music) mode including “Em Di Bo Mac Con Duong,” “Got Ten Bon Mua,” “Nang Thuy Tinh,” and even “Bien Nho.” The maturity of his timbre is proven through tracks such as “Dem Thay Ta La Thac Do,” “Phoi Pha,” “Ha Trang” and “Tinh Nho.” Although his performances are respectable, these songs do not burst out his characteristics.

As a fan of Dam Vinh Hung, I am praising him for taking on the challenge of performing Trinh’s work. However, as a Trinh’s music fanatic, Dam Vinh Hung is not convincing me. He has not articulated Trinh’s music to the fullest. In any rate, I am sure Phoi Pha will bring many young listeners closer to Trinh Cong Son.

Distributed by Asia Entertainment, The Best of Tuan Ngoc is the second most invaluable special collection next to Ngoc Lan 1982-1991. With his flamboyant vocals and his mastery skills of holding on to a note as long as he pleases, Tuan Ngoc proves to be the most influential singer of his time as well as the younger generation. Tuan Ngoc has been singing for twenty-some-odd years and why does he last so long? Unlike many other Vietnamese artists, Tuan Ngoc takes his craft seriously. He only chooses songs that he can fully express, particularly, Tuong Niem, Huong Ve Ha Noi, Giu Nhau Trong Doi, Ai Ve Song Tuong, Tinh Yeu Nhu Mui Ten, Bai Khong Ten So 4, and Khong Ten Tiep Noi 28 (Anh Cam On Em). As a result, almost every song from Tuan Ngoc is elegant, romantic and priceless.

Beside the precious hits, Tuan Ngoc and Asia also offer some ballads for your enjoyment. So put down your glass of champagne and lead your lady to the floor for a graceful Waltz in Tinh Han (Delilah), a passionate Rumba in Va Toi Mai Yeu Em, a funky Twist in Ghen, and a stylish Bebop in Hay Song Cho Tuoi Tre (Say You Will). Actually, I prefer Don Ho version of Hay Song Cho Tuoi Tre because Tuan Ngoc seems to be a bit too slow with fast beat while Don Ho gives a perfect performance. Other then that, this special collection is an excellence work of art. Even his English pronounciation in Papa (Cha Yeu Dau) and Delilah (Tinh Han) is quite good.

With Tuan Ngoc untouchable vocals and Asia impervious musicals, The Best of Tuan Ngoc is an indispensable collection for Tuan Ngoc fans. The best part of being Tuan Ngoc fan is that you don’t have to put a hole in your pocket since his music is quite limited but valuable. Unlike Nguyen Khang and Quang Dung who only became popular recently yet they had come out with tons of CDs. As a result, most of them are junkies. I appreciate artists who take their time to produce timeless works and Tuan Ngoc is definitely one of them.

Thuy Nga’s The Best of Duets seduces me and I mean sexually not musically. The video kicks off with a strip tease by Bao Han and Ho Le Thu. Two hot Asian chicks in pink and yellow bras grinding on the male dancers. “Hallelujah” is the only word I can make out from their song, especially the ass-spanking part. Even though Ho Le Thu is a fresh new face, she is already exploiting her image in her Giot Tinh performance. The “back ripped-off” dresses look so nice. They make me want to do something tonight because shorties look mad tight, especially the dancer on the right (viewers left). The temptation gets stronger when Loan Chau rips off her traditional dress (Ao Dai) into short skirt and bra. She makes Don Ho looks like a geek next to her in shirt and tie. The climax part of the video is near the end where Nhu Loan grabs her crotch while she is being lifted up in the air. Damn! It’s getting hot in herrre. Let’s take off all your clothes.

Sorry if that is too much information for you but sex sells and Thuy Nga don’t give a damn so why should I? Hey! It’s all good. If the music sucks and the topic blows, they have to find something to attract the viewers. What is better than sex, right? I love it and I am sure many men would love it. Noticeable, the crowd goes crazy after the chicks performances. On the contrary, female audiences might be disappointed with the male singers. You might have to rely on the male dancers for some sex appeal because male singers will give you nothing. For those who loves Luong Tung Quang, I am sorry to say but he looks mad gay in a glittered turtleneck with a leather skirt. The new dude, Vuong Tieu Vu, looks like a lady as well and his voice is not so good either. It’s alright with me as long as the female singers are blazin’.

Musically, there are some nice performances. Nhat Trung and La Suong Suong give a beautiful execution on Trai Tim Buoc Gia. Tran Thai Hoa and Ngoc Ha’s vocals are magnetizing in Tro Ve Nha Xua. Khanh Ha and Luu Bich give a touching tribute to their mother in Long Me. The mother and daughter (Thai Thanh and Y Lan) dual is quite cute. Of course, Loan Chau, Nhu Loan and Minh Tuyet are sexy as hell in Lien Khuc Tinh, Hon Gen, and Binh Minh Se Mang Em Di.

In term of set design, thankfully Thuy Nga uses the big screen more effective than Asia. I like they way they use the three piece large screens combining with props in the foreground. The result is aesthetically beautiful. Thuy Nga’s set design is still topnotch comparing to other productions.

Although Video 73 is definitely way better than video 72, Thuy Nga still need to improve their music and topic. Nguyen Ngoc Ngan and Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen aren’t too bad on this one and I am glad Nguyen Ngoc Ngan stated his political statement regarding to issue of singers from Viet Nam performing in the US. He has a good point there. Lastly, what do you think of Bang Kieu? I can’t stand his bitch ass vocals.

Nguyen Khang is the male version of Khanh Ly on Trinh Cong Son’s music. His transformation of Ru Doi Ta Nhe, Ha Trang, Bien Nho and Chieu Mot Minh Qua Pho are quite impressive. Although Nguyen Khang is a newcomer, he performs Trinh’s songs with confident and power, especially Ru Doi Ta Nhe. His duet with Diem Lien on Lien Khuc Diem Xua is simply beautiful. Even though Diem Lien gives a fantastic performance, she couldn’t hold up with his superb vocals. I would love to hear him performs with Khanh Ly on Trinh’s music. Together they would create a spectacular experience. As far as Quang Dung, he is nowhere near Nguyen Khang in term of vocals. Nguyen Khang edition of Ru Em Tung Ngon Xuan Nong is way more superior than Quang Dung’s version.

Nguyen Khang’s 10 Tuyet Khuc Trinh Cong Son definitely sets itself apart from other Trinh’s album. Dam Vinh Hung is going to have a hard time topping both Tuan Ngoc and Nguyen Khang. Actually the album only contains 8 tracks performs by Nguyen Khang. Moi Coi Di Ve performs by Trinh Cong Son himself and Lien Khuc Uoc Mi performs by Thanh Ha. I want more of Nguyen Khang on Trinh Cong Son.

Tuan Ngoc sings for singers. That’s his reputation and he has been able maintained his classy style for many years; therefore, he is still well recognized by the Vietnamese entertainment in both the United States and Viet Nam. Tuau Ngoc gentle vocals and indomitable flairs have inspired many young artists including Quang Dung, Nguyen Khang, Quach Thanh Danh, Tran Thai Hoa, and many more. Even though these young artists have been quite successful in Tuan Ngoc’s style, none has been able to come close to his refined vocals. When listening to these young artists, I can feel the hover of Tuan Ngoc. On the contrary, there is no lingers of others when listening to Tuan Ngoc.

Tuan Ngoc’s Dem Thay Ta La Thac Do showcases 10 of Trinh Cong Son hits. Highlights include compelling versions of Nhu Mot Loi Chia Tay, Dem Thay Ta La Thac Do, Em Con Nho Hay Em Da Quen, Ru Em, Vang Phai Truoc Ngo, Ru Doi Di Nhe, and Xin Tra No Nguoi, where he unwinds the melodies and flows the emotions out of the songs. The results are rather touching and inspiring. His vocals on Em Con Nho Hay Em Da Quen are hipnotizing with the way he ebbs and flows the words. His version of Nhu Mot Loi Chia Tay is the best I’ve heard so far. He accentuates his caressing vocals to create an exquisite experience.

Dem Thay Ta La Thac Do is an even album with 10 mellifluous vocalizing and elegant musical engineering. It’s an enjoyable album for Trinh Cong Son lovers and an essential collection for Tuan Ngoc fans.

While we’re on Trinh’s music, Dam Vinh Hung is coming out with his Trinh’s album. It is going to be an interesting album. I am not sure if he can pull it off. With his uniqueness, I have high hopes on it. It is now the most anticiapated album for me.

Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen seems to have a competitor. Leyna Nguyen, who co-hosted Asia 43’s Voice of the Heart, has those outgoing and talkative characteristics similar to Ky Duyen. Although Leyna’s Vietnamese is not as fluent as Ky Duyen, she is capable of capturing the younger crowds with her half English and half Vietnamese dialogues. It’s quite cute actually. Obviously her English is perfect and I have to give her tons of credits for trying her best to spit out Vietnamese. Unlike Trish, who doesn’t even try at all and I am not going to bring up Trish’s issue again.

With the previous two videos, Asia has raised the bar for themselves in term of creative and innovative. Unfortunately, Voice of the Heart could not live up to the previous two. The biggest mistake Asia always make is repetition. Once they have created something great and unique, they make a follow up and the sequel has never been as good as the first one. For instance, the first Da Vu Quoc Te was fantastic but the second one failed miserably. Voice of the Heart is a repetition of Mua He Ruc Ro. Not only that, they will reiterate Mua He Ruc Ro once again this summer. The theme is way over exposed. In fact, I am positively sure, there will be a revisit of Music Around the World. Asia needs to find new inspirations.

I didn’t feel much from the performances. Most are not bad but they aren’t outstanding either. In fact, Da Nhat Yen is the only performer who pushes the envelope. You might not agree with me but she has done a creative job of giving a Broadway style to “Dem Buon Nhu Thanh Ca.” I am sure the music producer has invented the music but Da Nhat Yen has carried it out with her mesmerizing vocals and sexy steps. Beside her, I have to give it to Cardin for his dance. That kid can jam even though the song is not that great. I am still wondering if he wrote the Vietnamese lyrics for “Trai Tim Dai Kho.” I am also diggin’ Nguyen Khang. His voice is exceptional and his singing on “Bien Vang Em Chieu Nay” is beautiful. This guy has high potential and I am sure he will succeed soon. Asia has definitely cut out a whole lot from this video. Where are Lam Thuy Van, Tuan Ngoc, Diep Thanh Thanh, and Kenny Thai? I am not going to name the ones should be cut but you know who they are.

In term of set design, Asia did a lazy-ass job on this video. Most of the backgrounds are simply full screen of boring sceneries that add nothing to the video. Noticeably, the background in Truong Vu’s “Doi Thong Hai Mo,” the photo is not even high quality. You can see the pixels clearly. They can get away with the ordinary eyes but they can’t fool the Visualgui. With fast beat performances, all you see is looping stock motion graphics or flashing lights in the background. They are way too sloppy.

Asia 43’s Voice of the Heart is a disappointment. I am sure you can bypass this one without missing much. Hopefully Asia will break out their repetition and come up with innovative and creative ideas. It’s a challenge but take the time to do it right. They don’t have to come out with 4 or 5 videos a year. Think through carefully to produce delicious products instead of these “instant noodles” junks. Speaking of taking time, Tinh productions have definitely taking their time. It is almost a year ever since the fantastic Tinh 11 released. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for Tinh 12 since they are taking this long to produce.