Another day, an additional age. Ain’t nothin’ move but the number.

Tran Thu Ha is perhaps the most under-appreciated singer in the Vietnamese-American community, even though she is a pop phenomenon with a style of her own. Ha has always been a boundary breaker, and her work on Nhat Thuc (Eclipse) proves it. Unfortunately, most listeners have a hard time assimilating Ngoc Dai’s eccentric vision. When I rocked that CD at my family’s dinner party, everyone looked at me and asked, “What the heck are you listening to?” Not too many people cherished that rare form of art.

About a month ago, I went to a Vietnamese concert at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, and Ha’s performance was the least applauded one. When the host, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, announced the coming of Tran Thu Ha’s first album in the United States, I was excited. This would be the chance for her to re-establish her fame with the Vietnamese-American audience. Regrettably, Sac Mau, which is a remaking of her popular hits from 1998 to 2003, is not a groundbreaking work.

The problem is that Ha tries to please her listeners instead of following her heart. She gives them what they want to hear, and she takes no risks. As a result, even a colorful arrangement could not give Tran Tien’s “Sac Mau” a new image. With Le Minh Son’s “Chay Tron,” she barely pushes her voice over the fusion of jazz and bossa nova tune, and she hardly transports her passion into the lyrics. Could it be that Ha is deeply in love, and music is no longer her priority? Unlike Thu Phuong, Ha has no drama in her life, and her naked (without instrument) version of Trinh Cong Son’s “Tien Thoai Luong Nan” shows it. She doesn’t bring the thirst into the work the way that Phuong does.

Even though the album doesn’t offer much elevation to Ha’s position, Sac Mau is still a solid work. The lead-off track “Mua Xuan Goi” and “Dong Song Mua Thu,” both composed by Tran Tien, have reviving and refreshing productions. Assisted by Thanh Thuy’s sixteen-stringed zither, Ha gives Viet Hung’s “Mua Thang Gieng” a contemporary folk flavor. Although the rest of the recordings provide casual satisfaction, Ha has wasted an opportunity to epitomize her distinctive talent by playing safe.

Hurra Torpedo’s version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is heavy, hard, and hectic. Beating up kitchen’s appliances, the drummer created some of the deftest sounds for the song. The video is mad cool, but that backup dude needs to pull up his pants.

That vivid scene I still remember,
How can I forget, very heart-rending, my friend!
Under the fresh yellow light of a morning sun,
I stole the life of a little bird.

A parrot on a branch finds fruits,
Looks happy, slips, dances, and slides around,
Targeted by my gun, blows up “pop,”
Bird tumbles and falls down to the ground.
Blood streaming, bird looks at me wanting to ask:
“Who are you? Why do you come here?
All your life, I never come to disturb,
But you have the heart to rob my youthful life.

Sky, river, mountain, grass, flower may
Belong to nature for all living creatures to enjoy.
Blissful life, I live in the fresh air.
You still have the whole earth to take pleasure.

Now I die, my heart won’t resent,
Only pity for the cruel humanity;
Only cry in silence for those savages,
Taking away the lives of those innocent.”

Translated from Tran Gia Thoai’s “Con Ket Bi Thuong”

Does anyone have any info on Ngoc Dai’s Nhat Thuc (Eclipse 2) album? I had two people in Viet Nam looking for it and neither of them could find it. I came across “Co Trang” (White Stork) performed by Khanh Linh and Tung Duong, and I can’t wait to listen to the whole joint. The unusual fusion of rock and folk sounded so beautifully weird and exciting.

When it comes to Bun Bo Hue, I like mine to be hot, the spicier the better. A good bowl of Bun Bo Hue is easy to spot. You know you have cooked up a delicious pot when the exquisite aroma of your broth makes people hungry. As for me, a great bowl is when I start to talk with Hue’s accent after eating it.

Thanks to uncle and aunt #2 for the savory Bun Bo Hue.

In order to present Trinh Cong Son’s music to its full potential, a singer must live and breathe his lyrics. While dealing with personal dramas in her life, Thu Phuong found consolation in his words. When she performs his songs, they comfort her heart and bring peace to her mind. As a result, she was able to tap into his emotional consciousness on her newest album Nhu Mot Loi Chia Tay, which translates as Like the Word Goodbye.

In the introduction, Phuong shares with listeners why she chose Trinh’s music and the reason she selected “Nhu Mot Loi Chia Tay” for her album title. She would like to show her appreciation to those who have supported her throughout her career, especially her family members and fans she left behind in Viet Nam. So when she pours her heart into the title track, she means every word she sings: “Muon mot lan ta on voi doi / chut man nong cho toi / co nhung lan nam nghe tieng cuoi / nhu chi la mo thoi” (Want a time to thank life / for giving me passion / several times I lie down, hear laughter / but it’s just a dream). She devoted so much soul into the work that by the time Luan Vu’s violin break saws through our hearts, we are completely shattered. In addition, Peter Pfiefer’s light brushwork is a wonderful enrichment for her singing.

Phuong’s enthusiasm continues to excel on “Mot Coi Di Ve.” Her big, deep, and raspy voice is the heart and soul of the melancholy ballad. The lyrics emulate her life and she holds nothing back. She keeps on streaming her emotional vocals into the notes until they overflow. Again on “Tien Thoai Luong Nan,” the words mirror her hopeless state of mind, and her sincerity is evident. She has not only found her way inside the music, but also allowed her spirit to transcend the lyrics. As a consequence, her singing is calm but filled with fervor.

Phuong and her musical producer give “Dau Chan Dia Dang” a rebirth. They have demonstrated how jazz can reinvigorate Trinh’s work. Despite the age of the song, the feverish jazz spins along with Phuong’s elegant phrases, making the tune sounds as contemporary as ever. Her slightly raucous voice, which coarsens or strains when the word required, is essential for coloring the jazz aesthetics.

Phuong can be as quiet as the underworld, or as huge as the earth itself. While her calm, almost meditative, version of “Nhu Canh Vat Bay,” “Nhin Nhung Mua Thu Di,” “Uot Mi,” and “Cat Bui Tinh Xa” are urging to soothe, her soul-stirring interpretation of “Song Ve Dau” is waiting to explode. The major revelation of all is her voice, big but never brassy, even when the notes are high and long. “Chiec La Thu Phai” is another unforgettable track where she flows passionately in and out of the rumba ballad.

Nhu Mot Loi Chia Tay is what a Trinh album should be: expressive in vocal performance and exquisite in musical production. Not too many of Trinh’s music recordings meet my expectation, but this one fulfilled it. With this album, Phuong has raised the bar for those who would seek to record his work. They cannot just study the lyrics and the phrasings, but they must experience them in order to bring out the true feelings. What could be more devastating for a woman than her inability to return to her homeland and to be with her children? Even as tough as Phuong is, she needs an outlet, and Trinh’s music provided that emotional grip. Phuong, keep your head up. I feel your pain, but if you can make it through the night, there will be a brighter day. The sun won’t rain forever.

A Visualgui.com reader – who is also an aspiring singer – introduced me to Eva Cassidy and I’ve been hooked. Cassidy’s style variation was boundless. Whether she sang jazz, blues, folk, pop, rock, gospel or country, her clear and powerful vocals felt right at home. From Marlena Shaw’s “Wade in the Water” to Paul McCartney “Yesterday,” she sang with tremendous attention the lyrics. Her skillful phrasing and intricate interpretation made her performances sound fresh and distinctive.

Some of my favorite songs she covered include “Wayfaring Stranger,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” “What a Wonderful World,” “Songbird,” and “Penny to My Name.” Although she is no longer living on this earth, her music is still alive. I am still absorbing five of her albums back to back, and loving her jazzy tracks. If you have a chance, give Songbird a spin.

Thanks Thu Hoai for getting me sucked into Cassidy’s soul.

Spring Fever: A flowerful artwork complementing a picturesque poem, and both dedicated to Ngoc Lan. Thanks sister Ngoc and AngelNgocLan!

While we’re at it, Joshua Ink has a pretty fresh garden too.

Gotta love the girls and the nature on Huidi Lauhoff. Very elegant style indeed!

Great type treatment at Mario da Antonio Franck’s Book Online. Nice transition and beautiful artworks.

Vietnamese proverb: ep dau ep mo ai no ep duyen: Oil and fat may be forced out (of seeds and greaves), but no one has the heart to force a marriage (on a girl). Source: Vietnamese Dictionary.

Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City is pretty ugly. What do I mean by that oxymoron? Just imagine watching a dog eats your flesh, but in a black and white silhouette comical style. Sin City is disgustingly violence, yet aesthetically elegance at the same time. Watching this film is like pumping doses of adrenaline rush into my system, and my eyes are nailed to the screen for two hours straight.

Even before the first scene appears, the title sequence is striking. While the typography travels stylistically in and out of the screen, the fusion of techno and jazz added both hip and elegancy into the motion. The film then opens with a gorgeous black and white shot where a woman is standing on the balcony. The back of her dress is the only element lid in red. The soothing jazz groove in the background enhances the noir atmosphere. But the calming scene does not last for long before the film takes viewers on a much more chaotic ride where heroes, whores, blood, breasts, guns, thongs, bondages, classic cars, and much more to be discovered in Sin City.

The structure of Sin City reminds me of Aimee Phan’s book, We Should Never Meet. The three mesmerizing tales unfolded on their own, but with a clever and subtle connection between the three. They all work together beautifully. Although the casts have short screen time, they hold up the pace well. Devon Aoki is a lovely addition to the bunch. She is cute, and she kicks ass. Quentin Tarantino is credited as a special guest director. It isn’t hard to tell which part he has contributed since he is obsessed with martial arts. Beside the stories and the casts, the special effects and the cinematography are exceptional. From a designer point of view, the level of details and the juxtaposition angles are invigorating.

Aside from the misogyny – I don’t take joy in beating up women, especially from the hero and the cop – Sin City is an amazing work of art. Unless you have no taste in computer-generated motion graphics, don’t miss the aesthetic experience. It is a fantastic escapism.