The best part of Thanh Lam and Tùng Dương’s new release, Yêu, is the spellbinding orchestral work. Lê Phi Phi’s elegant, captivating arrangements, which lift the vocalists to a higher level, stand out by themselves. In fact, I hope they would release an instrumental version of this album for pure classical pleasure. In particular the magnificent orchestration of Phạm Duy’s “Kiếp Nào Có Yêu Nhau.”

Vocal wise, Tùng Dương has done an exceptional job of delivering Nguyễn Văn Túy’s “Dư Âm” and Phạm Duy’s “Ngậm Ngùi.” His phrasing is at the borderline between technical and emotional, noticeably the use of vibrato in “Dư Âm.” Although the technique is an obvious influence from Thanh Lam, he knows not to abuse it. As a result, he is still listenable.

On the other hand, Thanh Lam’s overuse of vibrato is irritating. In Cung Tiến’s “Hoài Cảm,” she applies the technique in every bar. I must admit that I have this issue with her for the past few years already and can’t seem to get past it. I am starting to wonder it might just be me being an asshole about it; therefore, I revisited some of her earlier works to see if I am just hearing things. Re-listening to both Tự Sự and Ru Mãi Ngàn Năm confirmed that she treated vibrato with subtlety and her phrasings were clean. She ended each bar without extra emphatic. The precision in her delivery not only made her a strong vocalist, but also a woman with authority. She didn’t fuck around.

Now the excessive sentimentalisms in her delivery make her sound whinny, uncertain and fabricated. Nguyễn Ánh 9 was spot on when he criticized her performance of “Cô Đơn” as a theatrical act more than conveying the lyrics. Even though she pulls herself back on this version, she didn’t go not far enough, especially on the high notes. I wish she could strip all that out and refocus on the emotional core once again.

Aside from the technical annoyances, Yêu is a solid record. Their duets on Phạm Duy’s “Kiếp Nào Có Yêu Nhau,” Cung Tiến’s “Hương Xưa” and Văn Phụng’s “Yêu” are compelling. Tùng Dương turns out to be a much better musical partner for Thanh Lam than Trọng Tấn and Đàm Vĩnh Hưng.

Phương Vy’s youthful new release, Khi Ta 20, gives a grown-ass man like me nostalgia. She brings back the era of Don Hồ, Dalena, Thái Tài, Thúy Vi, Kenny Thái and Ý Nhi. What makes Khi Ta 20 sound modern, however, is that Phương Vy and her tasteful, talented musicians reinvigorated the old pop collection by returning to the basics.

The album kicks off with a refreshing rendition of “Tình Có Như Không” (Trần Thiện Thanh). In the past, this tune is usually arranged in a bright chachacha rhythm. In Phương Vy’s version, the song is stripped down to acoustic picking guitar and savory keyboard licks. Phương Vy’s vocal is also cut down to the emotional core, which gives the tune a deeper, thoughtful feel. The follow-up “Em Đẹp Nhất Đêm Nay,” a ballad from Charles Aznavour and Georges Garvarentz with the infamous Vietnamese lyrics penned by Phạm Duy, gets even simpler. The song begins with an electric bass accompanying her vocals and the killing-me-softly-with-his-finger strumming guitar picks up at the bridge.

With “Mây Lang Thang,” which is a translated piece from Sonny Bono’s “A Cowboys Work is Never Done” that most Vietnamese listeners had been mistaken as a Nam Lộc’s original, the producer brings back the hillbilly vibe with the soaring harmonica and a light swing rhythm. Speaking of jazz, “Gặp Nhau Làm Ngơ” gets a hypnotizing bossa-nova makeover. It’s one of the most elegant renditions of Trần Thiện Thanh’s song up to date.

“Khi Xưa Ta Bé” (Vietnamese lyrics by Phạm Duy) is another excellent rework of Sonny Bono’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).” The tune is reduced to just sensuous piano and guitar in the beginning, but progresses into mid-tempo swing rhythm. The crisp percussion, thumbing bass and sharp guitar are outstanding and they never overpowered the vocals. Glad to see Phương Vy flirts with some scatting. She should explore more into that territory.

With the title track, the producer takes us to Jamaican for a grooving reggae vibe. The acoustic version is also included as a bonus track, but the reggae joint feels more suitable for twenty-something. Khi Ta 20 goes out with “Biết Ra Sao Ngày Sau,” a cover of Jay Livingston’s “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” with Vietnamese lyrics by Phạm Duy). The song starts out with keyboard imitating the wind-up music box sound, particularly the ones with the ballerina goes round and around, then Phương Vy sings with doubts about her future. Although I concur with her mother’s response, “Whatever will be, will be / The future’s not ours to see / Que sera, sera,” Phương Vy has a glorious future ahead of her. Khi Ta 20 is one of the most re-imaginative albums coming out of the Vietnamese pop scene in a while.

For those of us celebrating Vietnamese New Year in the ass-freezing weather, Hồ Trung Dũng’s new release, Xuân Thênh Thang, is a pleasant treat to warm up our soul for the holiday spirit. Unlike most xuân music, which has to have an upbeat vibe, Hồ Trung Dũng’s goes for mellow xuân selection.

Standout is his sensational, charming rendition of “Cảm Ơn Một Đóa Xuân Ngời.” His amiable baritone brings out Quốc Bảo’s romantic lyricism, especially on the low stanza: “Em qua cho tình ta dâng lên / Tình ơi hết thơ ngây rồi / Em qua tha thướt lụa là / Rào đón cơn mơ nguy nga.”

Production wise, most arrangements are elegant and straightforward with the exception of “Hãy Mang Đến Những Mùa Xuân” (Nguyễn Đức Trung). By incorporating some Arabic rhythm, Minh Hoàng, a producer to keep on ear on, gives the standard a brand new flavor.

With Ngọc Tuyền’s operatic support, Hồ Trung Dũng closes out the album with his own song. He wrote “Thênh Thang” for himself as well as the lonesome hearts. He reminds us that this is the time of the year to leave all the worries behind and let our spirit shine.

Female singers dominated my list this year. Only Tùng Dương made it to the 10th spot and not even with his newest Đọc Đạo, which I thought would be on my number one spot. It didn’t turn out that way. Congratulations to the ladies.

1. Tân Nhàn – Yếm Đào Xuống Phố: With the support of Trần Mạnh Hùng and talented musicians, Tân Nhàn reinvigorates chèo with jazz.
2. Đỗ Bảo – Cánh Cung 3: Trần Thu Hà managed to bring together Đỗ Bảo’s colorful compositions into a cohesive listening experience. It’s a daunting task that only she can accomplish.
3. Hiền Thục – Tằm Tháng Năm: Hiền Thục did nothing but brought good taste and elegant to traditional folk songs. It works like a charm.
4. Hồng Mơ – Khi Tình 30: Hồng Mơ moves beyond the pop bubbles and explores jazz territory. The result is refreshing.
5. Phương Linh – Tiếng Hót Từ Bụi Mận Gai: Seven years after winning “Sao Mai Điểm Hẹn 2006,” Phương Linh releases her sophomore album with intricacy, maturity and confidence.
6. Ánh Tuyết – Duyên Kiếp: Duyên Kiếp breathes new air into over-sentimental ballads such as “Tình Bơ Vơ” and “Mưa Chiều Kỷ Niệm.”
7. Y Phương – Tình Vẫn Thiết Tha: In many ways, this album could be a tribute to the late great Ngọc Lan, but she also held her own.
8. Thu Phương – Biển, Nỗi Nhớ và… Em: Thu Phương is apparently very conceptual. This album weaves together eleven songs about the sea to create a storytelling experience.
9. 5 Dòng Kẻ – Yêu: Even though Yêu is not as successful and coherent as the group’s previous works, it is still an impressive record that’s filled with original compositions.
10. Tùng Dương Hát Tình Ca: This album showcases the soother side of Tùng Dương.

Thu Phương is apparently very conceptual. Her latest release, Biển, Nỗi Nhớ và… Em, weaves together eleven songs about the sea to create a storytelling experience.

The lead-off track is a breezy cover of Đức Huy’s “Bay Đi Cánh Chim Biển,” thanks to Minh Hoàng’s lust, electrified orchestration. Then Thu Phương delivers a nostalgia rendition of Phú Quang’s “Biển, Nỗi Nhớ và Em” through acoustic picking guitar and sensational soaring strings. Along with the title track, some standout covers include “Biển Nghìn Thu Trở Lại” (Trịnh Công Sơn), a duet with Hà Anh Tuấn in “Thuyền và Biển” (Phan Huỳnh Điểu) and the album-closer “Nha Trang Ngày Về” (Phạm Duy).

Her version of Kim Tuấn’s “Biển Cạn” isn’t bad. The first minute and a half is gorgeous with just string-laden orchestration. Once the bossa-nova rhythm kicks in, it becomes like one of many “Biển Cạn” arrangements. “Bên Em Là Biển Rộng” (Bảo Chấn) and “Biển Tình” (Lam Phương) feel like they were filled in simply because both tunes are about the sea. With “Biển Nhớ,” her breath is all over the track.

Despite a few missed opportunities, Biển, Nỗi Nhớ và… Em is still a solid album that demonstrates not only Thu Phương’s vocal skills, but also her ear for arrangements and her creative concept.

This year I have the fortunate of listening to many great albums. While vacationing in Dominican Republic, I had a chance to revisit those records and pick out my top 10.

1. Wynton Marsalis – The Spiritual Side of Wynton Marsalis: This is one of the religious albums I have listened to the most beside John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and it shows the spiritual side of the well-known trumpeter.
2. Dave Holland – Prism: This is a breathtaking journey of fusion from an all-star quartet led by Dave Holland.
3. Lorde – Pure Heroine: A young pop star who beats the pop game with its own whip.
4. Cécile McLorin Salvant – WomanChild: Salvant has all the chops to be a jazz singer at such a young age.
5. Youn Sun Nah – Lento: I was hypnotized by Nah’s style: expressive, eclectic and quite eccentric.
6. Jay Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail: This album creeps on me the more I listened to it. Jay is still one of the best lyricists in the game. I was torn between this and Kanye’s album. Yeezus is on every music critic’s list, so I rooted for Jay.
7. Bun B – Trill OG: The Epilogue: This album offers 12 concise tracks filled with a handful of compelling productions, some excellent guest spots and a whole lot of aggressiveness from the king of the trill himself.
8. M.I.A. – Matangi: This album a hot mess. It’s incoherent, contradicting and frustrating, and yet it is also so compelling, fascinating and engaging at the same time. And that’s what make M.I.A. unique.
9. Madeleine Peyroux – The Blue Room: Peyroux gave Ray Charles’ songs new soul.
10. Carla Bruni – Little French Songs: It’s simply a beautiful French album.

Wynton Marsalis expresses his spiritual side through soulful singing, instrumental chanting and New Orleans swinging. Though not as monumental as John Coltrane’s Love Supreme, it has uplifting moments like the exhilarating of “In the Sweet Embrace if Life.”

Lần đầu nghe Y Phương song ca cùng Nguyên Khang qua một liên khúc Trịnh Công Sơn trong video Asia 53: Bốn Mùa thu hình vào năm 2007, tôi có ấn tượng ngay. Tuy kỹ thuật nén hơi còn kém nhưng cô bắt những nốt cao dể dàng. Còn khi hát thấp, giọng Y Phương có nét dịu dàng tựa Ngọc Lan.

Từ đó tôi thường chú ý những hoạt động của cô. Trong vài video của trung tâm Asia, sự xuất hiện của Y Phương có phảng phất hình bóng Ngọc Lan. Nhưng đến nay Y Phương mới cho ra mắt một sản phẩm đầu tiên do chính cô thu âm chứa đựng nhiều ảnh hưởng và màu sắc của Ngọc Lan.

Với nét hòa âm đơn giản, nhẹ nhàng và sang trọng, Y Phương gợi lại những hình ảnh thời vàng son của Ngọc Lan qua Tình Vẫn Thiết Tha. Album mở đầu với “Chuyện Tình Yêu,” một trong những nhạc phẩm được ưa chuộng của Ngọc Lan. Tiếp theo “Chờ Phone Của Anh” là một bài đã gắn liền với tiếng hát Ngọc Lan. Cả hai Y Phương đều thể hiện rất tốt.

Riêng “Bài Ngợi Ca Tình Yêu” là một trong những nhạc phẩm đã khiến tôi đam mê giọng hát Ngọc Lan. Cho đến bây giờ tôi mới nghe được bản tương đương như vậy. Y Phương đã bỏ ra rất nhiều thời gian để nghe kỹ cách hát của Ngọc Lan trong nhạc phẩm này. Vì cô đã chuyên chở lời ca nhẹ nhàng và điêu luyện. Tuy hình bóng của Ngọc Lan hiện ra rất rỏ nhưng Y Phương có đặc điểm riêng của mình trong đó. Khác với giọng trong trẻo của Ngọc Lan, Y Phương có một chút khàn. Nhà sản xuất cũng nhận ra được điều này nên đã soạn cho Y Phương một lối hòa âm theo nhiệp điệu bossa nova rất nồng nàn và trang nhã.

Từ bài tựa đề, “Yêu Nhau Đi,” “Ngàn Đời Chờ Mong” cho đến “Người Yêu Ơi Giã Từ,” bài nào cũng có sự xuất hiện của Ngọc Lan. Riêng “Người Yêu Nếu Ra Đi” Y Phương muốn tỏ lòng kính trọng đến với thần tượng của mình: “Người yêu nếu ra đi, một hôm nắng lên cao / Xin hãy mang đi theo, cả mây trắng trong veo.” Đến đoạn cuối cô chuyển sang lời Anh, “Please don’t go away.” Như hàng triệu trái tim đã yêu mến Ngọc Lan, Y Phương cũng tiếc thương và không muốn Ngọc Lan ra đi. Cám ơn Y Phương đã đem lại cho những ai hâm mộ Ngọc Lan những kỷ niệm khó quên.

Viết cho iLoveNgocLan.com

The collaboration between fusion guitarist/composer Nguyên Lê and avant-garde pop singer Tùng Dương should have been a groundbreaking one. Unfortunately, the recording of Độc Đạo turns out to be a missed opportunity.

Even though the title track is striking, especially with the arrangement switches from organic vibe with electric guitar to bowed string to uptempo Afrobeat, Tùng Dương’s heavy, roaring delivery doesn’t blend in seamlessly with Nguyên Lê’s fusion orchestrations. Most of the time, Tùng Dương’s voice is overpowering and he only has one set of flow throughout the album. What even worse is when Dhafer Youssef joined him on “Bài Ca Trên Núi.” Their roaring and snarling make the track hair-raising loud. In addition to Vietnamese tracks, Tùng Dương butchers Björk’s “All is Full of Love” as well as Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” His phrasing on “Your phone is off the hook / Your doors are all shut” sounds trite. Placing a Björk’s futuristic vibe in Vietnamese traditional sound is quite capricious. As for “Redemption Song,” Tùng Dương lacks the Jamaican’s nuances to pull off lines like, “Old pirates, yes, they rob I / Sold I to the merchant ships / Minutes after they took I.”

As for Nguyên Lê, his guitar chop is very distinctive, but it has the same aching sound in most of his playing not only on this album. Unlike many raved reviews coming from the media in Vietnam, Độc Đạo is a big disappointment.

Dave Holland’s Prism is made up of the leader’s propulsive, melodic bass lines, Kevin Eubanks’ soul-stirring rock guitar, Craig Taborn’s virtuosic jazz keyboard and Eric Harland’s snazzy big beats. From the chaotic opener, “The Watcher,” to the calm closer, “Breathe,” the all-star quartet takes listeners on a breathless journey through its spellbinding, spontaneous sounds of fusion. While the album draws a few hints from Holland’s jazz-rock work with Miles Davis, the strongest influence, however, is that Holland has learned one of the important leadership styles from Miles: how to get the best out of your musicians.