[CD REVIEW] 許懷欣 (Ryan Hui) – Transformer (2009)

Like Sean Lennon or Ziggy Marley, how does one even approach or attempt to live up to the public expectation on being the son or daughter of a revolutionary musician?  I bet this question runs through the head of 許懷欣 (Ryan Hui) every day, being the son of undisputed Hong Kong Pop King 許冠傑 (Sam Hui), the weight of the world probably stands on his shoulders when he is ready to unveil new music.  Ryan’s last album, 開竅 (Ryan EP) was released back in 2006, so it has been around 3 years since we have last heard from him.  His new album, Transformer which is produced and assisted by local music veterans ranging from Eric Kwok to newcomers RubberBand should come off as a safe bet.

Opening track “天下不亂” (“No Chaos”) is a solid pop punk opener that functions similarly to “嚇大” (“Scare”) from his previous album; the song is immediate and sets the mood right away.  The next two tracks “天生一對” (“Perfect Match”) and “變形金剛” (“Transformer”) mostly follow the same pop punk pattern, and keeps the energy up.  Probably the biggest surprise on Transformer is the next track “Seat 12A”, which has an indie songwriter vibe that is not too far away from the intimate and personal ballads written by indie greats such as Elliot Smith.  The song, which is basically Ryan’s vocals over acoustic guitar weighs in on a atmosphere that becomes the highlight of the album, and opens up another side of the singer that I would definitely like to hear more of.

There is not much in terms of musical reinvention on Transformer, but it is most definitely a solid release; the tracks are tuneful and catchy without much filler, and with the dwindling of the Hong Kong rock soloist, the album comes as a breath of fresh air from the often tiresome Canto pop ballad formula of most singers.  But refreshing aside, if Ryan wants to become a musician that stands on his own, he will need to push the envelope further than what can be found on Transformer, as the over-bearing shadow of his father legacy is not an easy one to cast off.

天下不亂 | 許懷欣

Recommended tracks: 01, 03, 04

Track Listing:
01. 天下不亂 (No Chaos)
02. 天生一對 (Perfect Match)
03. 變形金剛 (Transformer)
04. Seat 12A
05. People Of The World

Bonus Tracks:
06. Right Now (English Version of 天下不亂)
07. Underwater (English Version of 天生一對)

administrator

lojun

I like to spend my time on the internet searching for the meaning of life. When I am not doing this you can find me listening to music or playing the bass…or stuffing myself silly on Burritos.

read more from lojun