Capricorn - Jay Chou's New Album

Despite the large number of Mandopop artists releasing albums at this time of the year, despite leaks and illegal downloads, and despite delays, Jay Chou’s new album has sold over a million copies. Why? People probably recall the young singer-songwriter who amazed us all with his fresh music, whether with his debut in 2000 or “Fantasy” in 2001. My question is what happened to him?

It isn’t that I’m not crazy about Jay. In fact, I immediately liked his music as soon as I first heard it. His clean hip-hop astonished me, his R&B left me dying for more, and his Zhongguo Feng was some of the best music I’d ever heard! Even though I only first heard the name “Jay Chou” a little over a year ago, I am most definitely a fan. However, if this album were the first I had heard, I would not feel the same way about him. It wasn’t horrible, certainly better than many of the other albums that will be released this Fall, but I expect much more from Jay! This album was disappointing for me.

1. 龙战骑士/Long Zhan Qi Shi/Dragon-Riding Warrior

2. 给我一首歌的时间/Gei Wo Yi Shou Ge De Shi Jian/Give Me Time to Sing This Song

3. 蛇舞/She Wu/Snake Dance

4. 花海/Hua Hai/Flower SeaHearing

5. 摩术先生/Mo Shu Xian Sheng/Master Magician

6. 说好的幸福呢/Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne/What About the Happiness We Promised Each Other?

7. 兰亭序/Lan Ting Xu/Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion

8. 流浪诗人/Liu Lang Shi Ren/Homeless Poet

9. 时光机/Shi Guang Ji/Time Machine

10. 乔克叔叔/Qiao Ke Shu Shu/Uncle Joker

11. 稻香/Dao Xiang/Fragrant Rice

So, should you buy the album? That depends on how much you love Jay. This year, I think you’re better off buying one of his older albums (eg. “Jay Album,” “Fantasy,” “Eight Dimesions,” or “Ye Hui Mei”) if you don’t already have them all. I’m still hopeful that next year, Jay Chou will remember how to write fantastic songs, but in order for him to come out with another solid album, he will have to cut down on the love ballads. He will also have to stop acting cute. He is wonderful enough without pretending, so it’s not right for him to try to be someone he isn’t.