Hey folks Valkor here. This next CD review should have been done
by the time the new site was up, but other articles came ahead
of it and we were pressed for time. But good things come to those
who wait and, believe me, this is a very good thing, especially
if you are into Asian tunes or have always wanted to try something
new. This CD is by three women from Taiwan, I first picked up
their CD in Hong Kong, and finally leading me to Singapore to
grab a hold of their latest. (I am a traveler, yes I am). They
have great singing voices and definitely deserve mention here
at TOV. The group: S.H.E. The album: Encore.
S.H.E. = Selina, Hebe, Ella (Get it? Got it? Good?).
I got my first taste of S.H.E. when I was vacationing in Hong Kong. I woke up one morning, turned on the TV to the video channel and there they were singing "Only Lonely". I was blown away not just by the music or the words, but by the girls themselves, their voices, and the way the moved and interacted on screen. The trio stood behind DJ stations, spinning records and by the looks of things having a great time. The song was fluid, hip, and upbeat, definitely very catchy. So catchy in fact that I was humming the tune all that day until I just had to find a CD shop and see what else they had to offer. Thankfully in HK, there is a music shop on every other block, so there was no way I could NOT find any of their tunes. This lead me to the "6th album" and I immediately fell in love with what I was hearing; it was total pop with a taste of rock and a hint of R&B, all coming together in a rich and savory CD. I definitely recommend it.
Be it fate or just plain luck, but I was in Singapore a few days ahead of the release of their 7th album, "Encore", was to be released. This made me nervous for these reasons: For me, they are a new group, yes their 6th album rocked but I hadn't heard anything before that, and all good things must come to an end, so I kept my expectations low. I was glad I did or else I wouldn't have enjoyed "Encore" as much as I did. I thought the 6th album had a nice blend but with Encore you mix dance, pop, rock, R&B and even Latin beats. No kidding. I was even surprised to find Britney Spears "Every time" on track 3. Track 2 is a personal fav of mine with its thumping dance/rock blend. I have to say that I am not all that familiar with their music but if I were to measure how well they are from the 6th to the 7th album, I would say that the 7th is more "mature". The 6th was bouncy, very playful with some nice soft tunes tossed in. The 7th seems a bit more edgy, not so playful, but still a lot of fun.
OK, I'll admit, I don't speak the language, but I know what I like. And music isn't about understanding; it's about feeling. You don't simply hear the words or the music, in order for you to truly enjoy a song you must feel it - it has to affect something inside and that is exactly what "Encore" has done for me. And I feel that if you give it a chance it will do the same for most everyone else. And out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving S.H.E. Encore a solid 4.