Posted by
Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin
Friday, 9 October 2009
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comments
乐队(band): 水晶蝶 Shui Jing Die Crystal Butterfly 国家(country): China
Crystal Butterfly (水晶蝶) are a Shanghai based band that have only released one album (Magical Mystery Tour - 2005). They have a name in 'space rock' in Shanghai emulating sounds they hear in U2 and contempory soulful indie rock. Crystal Butterfly recorded material for a second album, entitled Forest of Illusions, named after one the band's first songs 梦幻森林. However, the band's contract with New Bees ended in December 2005. The record company is trying to sell the material to a third party, and the recordings will probably never come out.
Crystal Butterfly - The Neon Bible (not an 'Arcade Fire' cover)
This first song by Crystal Butterfly (above) sounds quite like a band I really liked in 2004-2006 called Fields(youtube vid link), an Anglo/Icelandic band that also only had one album released. Very similiar and also a very good album 'Everything Last Winter' (amazon link).
Here is a video of Crystal Butterfly performing live in Shanghai. The video isn't so good, but the sound quality is actually really good. Crystal Butterfly - Party Girl
I would love to hear what you think of Crystal Butterfly below in the comments.
Posted by
Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin
Monday, 5 October 2009
8
comments
乐队(band): 五月天 Wǔ Yuè Tiān Mayday
国家(country): Taiwan
Mayday (五月天) have sold over 1 million records and in 2007 Mayday released Jump! (Leaving the surface of the Earth) and toured the world with their fast paced anthemic rock appealing to both Western and Eastern listeners.
Mayday's songs are mostly sung in Mandarin. Mayday through their hard work have become one of the biggest rock bands in Taiwanese pop culture. They have also received a range of accolades as well as selling records all over the world.
They cite their influences from The Beatles, U2 and Taiwan’s own Wu Bai. They have released 15 albums and dvds in the last ten years proving themselves to be extremely hard working and are known to perform gigs that are upto 5 hours long bringing in the new year.
Lead singer of Mayday 阿信 Ashin also writes most of the material with references to many cultural icons from around th world.Mayday are an energetic band and this song seems to be one of the more popular. It is a fast paced catchy song.
五月天 - 離開地球表面 Mayday - 'Leaving the Surface of the Earth'
This is a more of a ballad than the grungier distorted rock song above.
五月天 - 我又初恋啦 Mayday - I am in love again
This next song reminds me of Maroon 5, funky indie rock with catchy choruses.
五月天 - 香水 Mayday - Perfume
Let me know what you think of Mayday below in the comments. Also please recommend your favourite Mayday songs, they have written a lot of songs and I haven’t heard them all.
Posted by
Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin
Thursday, 10 September 2009
4
comments
乐队(band): 伍佰 Wǔ Bǎi Wu Bai
国家(country): Taiwan
Wu Bai is a Taiwanese rock singer and songwriter. He formed the band Wu Bai & China Blue. Wu Bai has also appeared in films such as 'The Personals' (徵婚啟事), 'A Beautiful New World' (美麗新世界) and 'Time and Tide' (順流逆流) Making him a huge, huge star. Despite being one of the biggest rockstars in East and Southeast Asia this song is probably the cheesy equivalent of our Macarena. This song is horribly catchy, and I desperatley want to dislike the song, but am drawn to it like a moth to a lightbulb. The ensuing dance and catchy melody will stick in your head. I stop short of learning the dance though, I don’t think it would go down well at my local night club.
伍佰 - 你是我的花朵 Wu Bai - You are my flower
So that seems to be, a one of cheesy infectious dance hit, that has become a symbol of Taiwan. Now to give you a real show of what Wu Bai’s rock band sounds like. He grew up listening to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and other classic rock bands. This quite clearly shows in how different this song is to the one above. It is astonishing to me that a rockstar can indulge in cheesy pop. In the West there is a problem with the integrity and authenticity of an artist should they indulge in such activities. He seems to have reinvented himself any times, at times looking as wild s David Bowie in the glam rock era.
伍佰 - 挪威的森林 Wu Bai - My Lonely Life
Let me know what you think of Wu Bai below in the comments.
PunkHoo (literal translation as far as I can tell works out more like : 'Fat Tiger Orchestra') have a pop punk sound heavily influenced I assume by SUM 41. The band from Taipei has been carving a name for itself on the walls of the city's music scene. Singing mainly in Chinese with the odd line shouted out in English. The melodic offerings of "Life & Live" work towards the sound of pop-punkers like new Green Day, Blink 182. Though the album was released in 2006, the song was reccomended to me by a friend. (@GraceLee0806) Below are a couple of videos.
Posted by
Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
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comments
乐队(band): 八三夭 831 专辑(album): 拯救世界 Save the World 国家(country): Taiwan 发行时间(release date): March 2009
I just came across this striking band, not usually the music I would listen to, but caught my attention with a cool video and a catchy hook. Taiwanese emo-punk band 831 generated a lot of local buzz after producing the opening theme for the third season of popular Channel V program Circus Action. 831 sing mainly in Madarin, with odd parts of the chorus in English. Signed to Universal in Taiwan, they released their debut in March this year.
(Video Above) Translated Lyrics: 831 - Save the World
是誰 你的主題曲我的夏天 shì shéi nǐ de zhǔ tí qū wǒ de xiàtiān Who is it? Your theme song. My summer
你的臉 你的眼 讓我融化毀滅 nǐ de liǎn nǐ de yǎn ràng wǒ rónghuà huǐmiè Your face, your eyes, they make me melt and dissolve.
She says Will you be my boyfriend?
我看不見 卻能感覺 這血流不止的危險 wǒ kànbùjiàn què néng gǎnjué zhè xiě liú bùzhǐ de wēixiǎn I can't see, but I can feel my blood bleeding nonstop- its dangerous
My god!
如何才能夠分辨 不停墜落的世界 rúhé cáinéng gòu fēnbiàn bùtíng zhuìluò de shìjiè My god how can I differentiate in this never ending world
懦弱的臉 卻想改變 無法去承認的一切 nuòruò de liǎn què xiǎng gǎibiàn wúfǎ qù chéngrèn de yīqiè (this) expressionless face actually wants to change, but can't admit to it all
My god!
註定失敗的諾言 我們卻不停的給 nuòruò de liǎn què xiǎng gǎibiàn wúfǎ qù chéngrèn de yīqiè My god! A promise that's doomed to fail. But we can't stop giving it.
你是我是誰?我頭暈目眩! nǐ shì wǒ shì shéi ?wǒ tóuyūn mù xuàn ! You are, I am who? My head's dizzy from it all.
是誰 你的主題曲我的夏天 shì shéi nǐ de zhǔ tí qū wǒ de xiàtiān Who is it? Your theme song. My summer.
你的臉 你的眼 讓我溶化毀滅 nǐ de liǎn nǐ de yǎn ràng wǒ rónghuà huǐmiè Your face, your eyes, they make me melt and dissolve.
She says Will you be my boyfriend?
你拯救了世界 nǐ zhěngjiù le shìjiè You've saved the world
我看不見 卻能感覺 這血流不止的危險 wǒ kànbùjiàn què néng gǎnjué zhè xiě liú bùzhǐ de wēixiǎn I can't see, but I can feel my blood flowing nonstop- its dangerous
My god!
如何才能夠分辨 不停墜落的世界 rúhé cáinéng gòu fēnbiàn bùtíng zhuìluò de shìjiè My god! How can I differentiate in this never ending world/
懦弱的臉 卻想改變 無法去承認的一切 nuòruò de liǎn què xiǎng gǎibiàn wúfǎ qù chéngrèn de yīqiè (this) expressionless face actually wants to change, but can't admit to it all.
My god!
註定失敗的諾言 我們卻不停的給 nuòruò de liǎn què xiǎng gǎibiàn wúfǎ qù chéngrèn de yīqiè My god! A promise that's doomed to fail. But we can't stop giving it.
你是我是誰?我頭暈目眩! nǐ shì wǒ shì shéi ?wǒ tóuyūn mù xuàn ! You are, I am who? My head's dizzy from it all.
是誰 你的主題曲我的夏天 shì shéi nǐ de zhǔ tí qū wǒ de xiàtiān Who is it? Your theme song. My summer.
你的臉 你的眼 讓我溶化毀滅 nǐ de liǎn nǐ de yǎn ràng wǒ rónghuà huǐmiè Your face, your eyes, they make me melt and dissolve.
She says Will you be my boyfriend?
不要再後退 bùyào zài hòutuì Please don't back away anymore.
是誰 我失去了自己的直接 shì shéi wǒ shīqù le zìjǐ de zhíjiē Who is it? I've lost my straightforwardness
你的臉 我閉上了眼卻看得見 nǐ de liǎn wǒ bì shàng le yǎn què kàndéjiàn Your face- I blink my eyes but I can still see it.
I say will you be my girlfriend?
你拯救了世界 nǐ zhěngjiù le shìjiè You've saved the world
是誰 你的主題曲我的夏天 shì shéi nǐ de zhǔ tí qū wǒ de xiàtiān Who is it? Your theme song. My summer
你的臉 你的眼 讓我溶化毀滅 nǐ de liǎn nǐ de yǎn ràng wǒ rónghuà huǐmiè Your face. Your eyes. They make me melt and dissolve.
She says Will you be my boyfriend?
不要再後退 bùyào zài hòutuì Please don't back away anymore.
是誰 我失去了自己的直接 shì shéi wǒ shīqù le zìjǐ de zhíjiē Who is it? I've lost my straightforwardness.
你的臉 我閉上了眼卻看得見 nǐ de liǎn wǒ bì shàng le yǎn què kàndéjiàn Your face- I blink but I can still see it.
I say will you be my girlfriend?
你拯救了世界 nǐ zhěngjiù le shìjiè You've saved the world.
我看不見 卻能感覺 這血流不止的危險 wǒ kànbùjiàn què néng gǎnjué zhè xiě liú bùzhǐ de wēixiǎn I cant see, but I can still feel my blood flowing nonstop- its dangerous.
My god!
註定失敗的諾言 我們卻不停的給 zhùdìng shībài de nuòyán wǒmen quèbù tíng de gěi My god! A promise that's doomed to fail. But we can't stop giving it.