|
|
Album
name: free{love} Denise, or more commonly known to her fans as HOCC, doesn't disappoint at all with her latest offering. A full album this time round, free{love} is much, much 'softer' and acoustical compared to her second outing, HOCC2. I've always been a sucker for guitar music. I love the sound of the strums, the plucking, the screech of the strings when changing chords. So needless to say, I love this album. It kicks off with the very catchy and funky Love you so much in which Denise shares the limelight with boyband, Shine. This song is simply so carefree and crazy in nature that you'll fall in love with it the moment you hear it. One of my favourite pieces here and I think the best track in this album would be the second track, Shampoo. It is just amazing. The lyrics and melody are totally enchanting. Happiness is a shampoo bottle. How simple. How beautiful. And Denise delivers it with enough feeling that you can almost see her smile as she sings this song. Tracks 8/11, Goodbye...Rosemary/Rosemary...Goodbye, sound exactly the same. In fact I think they are the same song, with just the titles shifted around. I don't know why she included two of the same pieces here. Compared to her previous effort, Rosemary, from HOCC2, these two songs are rather pale follow-ups. Nevertheless, their delivery was still very haunting and the lyrics and melody, touchingly melancholic. Another favourite of mine is track 10. Ah, rock. Loud. Noisy. I like. And the lyrics are quirky enough to make this a really fun and enjoyable song. Also, Denise has a certain boldness and edginess in her voice and delivery which is reminiscent of her sifu, Anita Mui. This is especially evident in the fast numbers and that's why she manages to deliver them with so much energy. She fares equally well in the slow numbers, switching with ease as the level drops a few notches. free{love} is without a doubt a very good effort. But in terms of brilliance, I still think HOCC2 is her best album to date. If you're only going to buy one Denise Ho album in your entire life, then HOCC2 would be the one to get. But then, imagine the rest of the work you'd be missing out on from this gem of a singer. Hong Kong music needs more singers like her: bold enough to try new styles, bold enough to tread the path they choose and bold enough to make good music. Recommended
tracks: Agree/disagree with my review? Drop a note in the guestbook. |
 |
| | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
