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 (
A few weeks ago I found myself at a Family Mart talking with the morning shift worker there, who has become my coffee guy. Both of us were in a funk over the “unseasonable” warm weather, a state of mind known as “solastalgia” — distress produced by environmental change. In fact, the weather was not that out of the ordinary in boiling Central Taiwan, and likely cooler than the temperatures we will experience in the near-future. According to the Taiwan Adaptation Platform, between 1957 and 2006, summer lengthened by 27.8 days, while winter shrunk by 29.7 days. Winter is not
Taiwan’s post-World War II architecture, “practical, cheap and temporary,” not to mention “rather forgettable.” This was a characterization recently given by Taiwan-based historian John Ross on his Formosa Files podcast. Yet the 1960s and 1970s were, in fact, the period of Taiwan’s foundational building boom, which, to a great extent, defined the look of Taiwan’s cities, determining the way denizens live today. During this period, functionalist concrete blocks and Chinese nostalgia gave way to new interpretations of modernism, large planned communities and high-rise skyscrapers. It is currently the subject of a new exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Modern
March 25 to March 31 A 56-year-old Wu Li Yu-ke (吳李玉哥) was straightening out her artist son’s piles of drawings when she inadvertently flipped one over, revealing the blank backside of the paper. Absent-mindedly, she picked up a pencil and recalled how she used to sketch embroidery designs for her clothing business. Without clients and budget or labor constraints to worry about, Wu Li drew freely whatever image came to her mind. With much more free time now that her son had found a job, she found herself missing her home village in China, where she
In recent years, Slovakia has been seen as a highly democratic and Western-oriented Central European country. This image was reinforced by the election of the country’s first female president in 2019, efforts to provide extensive assistance to Ukraine and the strengthening of relations with Taiwan, all of which strengthened Slovakia’s position within the European Union. However, the latest developments in the country suggest that the situation is changing rapidly. As such, the presidential elections to be held on March 23 will be an indicator of whether Slovakia remains in the Western sphere of influence or moves eastward, notably towards Russia and