A-Mei (
PHOTOS: JULES QUARTLY, TAIPEI TIMES
Maybe Tomorrow (
A-Mei (
Jay Chou (
Common Jasmine Orange(
Even before its release Jay Chou's (
A Moving Sound (
Pacu's Trip
The first full-length CD from popular multimedia performance troupe, A Moving Sound, Pacu's Trip was a blend of instrumental ethnic harmonies, atmospheric ambiance and highly distinctive vocal techniques. Be it the African drumming, Gypsy/Middle Eastern tinged vibes, Aboriginal-styled sounds or off-center and Tom Waits-like cabaret, Pacu's Trip exposed listeners to an eclectic collection of sounds that aroused, amused and bemused.
Stanley Huang (
Shades of My Mind (
Formerly a member of the LA Boyz, Stanley Huang's (
Zayin
Zayin
Zayin's self-titled debut might not have set local pop charts ablaze, but it was one of the most memorable albums to be released by a genuine "band" in 2004. The combo's ability to blend fiery rock riffs with pop and mainstream hooks gave the album both plenty of clout and staying power. Comparable to material by US rockers Third Eye Blind in many respects, Zayin's debut should pave the way for bigger and better things and this in turn could set the combo up for at least a nomination in the "Best Band" category at this year's Goldden Melody Awards.
The Daymakers
Here Comes Happiness ... (
Fronted by Texan twins, JT and JD Long and with Canadian national Jason Copps on drums, Ilan based expat combo, The Daymakers, made a splash last year with its debut mini-album, Here Comes Happiness ... (興奮來了 ...). For a while you couldn't even turn on the television without seeing the trio performing a song or aping it up in front the camera. With musical inspiration ranging from early Weezer to Elvis Costello and Green Day-like rudimentary four-chord power-punk, the trio's jerky sound and cutesy and comedic lyrics proved addictive. The pulsating surf punk instrumental number Secret Agent (間諜), however, was highlight of the fantastic self produced debut.
Chang Fei (
When I Fall in Love.
Love him or loath him, you have to hand it to TV host and master of the natty one-liner, Chang Fei (張菲) for having the chutzpah to attempt to pass himself off as Taiwan's answer to Vic Damone last year. And although When I Fall in Love shouldn't be taken too seriously it does warrant a round of applause. Chang's somewhat dubious command of the English language meant that at times he sounded like an inebriated bloke at a Karaoke bar rather than a respected and talented all-round entertainer, but this didn't spoil the fun. The backing musicians were spot-on and Chang's renditions of Percy Faith's Theme from A Summer Place and the Frankie Valli hit, Can't Take My Eyes off You were possibly two of the greatest sing-a-longs from a Taiwanese artist ever to go on
record.
Won Fu (
Won Fu (
The maestros of comedic jangle pop, Won Fu (
Monkey Insane (
Our Generation (
Monkey Insane successfully merged trappings of old-school hip-hop with nu-metal and electronica and become Taiwan's answer to Linkin Park-cum-Limp Bizkit overnight on the release of its debut longplayer last year. Gnarly guitar, thumping bass lines and electronics-tinged vibes meant that Our Generation (
Tripoets (
Mixtape (
Local rap trio the Tripoets (
Last week Joseph Nye, the well-known China scholar, wrote on the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s website about how war over Taiwan might be averted. He noted that years ago he was on a team that met with then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), “whose previous ‘unofficial’ visit to the US had caused a crisis in which China fired missiles into the sea and the US deployed carriers off the coast of Taiwan.” Yes, that’s right, mighty Chen caused that crisis all by himself. Neither the US nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) exercised any agency. Nye then nostalgically invoked the comical specter
Over the course of former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) 11-day trip to China that included a meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping (習近平) a surprising number of people commented that the former president was now “irrelevant.” Upon reflection, it became apparent that these comments were coming from pro-Taiwan, pan-green supporters and they were expressing what they hoped was the case, rather than the reality. Ma’s ideology is so pro-China (read: deep blue) and controversial that many in his own Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) hope he retires quickly, or at least refrains from speaking on some subjects. Regardless
Approaching her mid-30s, Xiong Yidan reckons that most of her friends are on to their second or even third babies. But Xiong has more than a dozen. There is Lucky, the street dog from Bangkok who jumped into a taxi with her and never left. There is Sophie and Ben, sibling geese, who honk from morning to night. Boop and Pan, both goats, are romantically involved. Dumpling the hedgehog enjoys a belly rub from time to time. The list goes on. Xiong nurtures her brood from her 8,000 square meter farm in Chiang Dao, a mountainous district in northern Thailand’s
Peter Brighton was amazed when he found the giant jackfruit. He had been watching it grow on his farm in far north Queensland, and when it came time to pick it from the tree, it was so heavy it needed two people to do the job. “I was surprised when we cut it off and felt how heavy it was,” he says. “I grabbed it and my wife cut it — couldn’t do it by myself, it took two of us.” Weighing in at 45 kilograms, it is the heaviest jackfruit that Brighton has ever grown on his tropical fruit farm, located