Special Review: Faye Wong's "Restless"
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This page contains pics, reviews, and opinions of Faye Wong's Mandarin album "Restless".
Faye Wong "Impatience / Fau Cho"
- Album type: Mandarin
- Record company: Cinepoly
- Release date: June 1996
- Running time: 35:17
- Number of tracks: 10 (6 with lyrics, 3 with "sounds" by Faye, and 1 instrumental)
- Song list:
- Sporadic / Mo Seung
- Restless / Fau Cho
- Imagine / Sern Jeung (Faye "sounds")
- Fracture / Fun Leet
- Uneasy / But Ngon (Instrumental)
- Where / Na Yee (Faye "sounds")
- Decadence / Daw Lok
- Repressing Happiness / So Hing
- Doomsday / Moot Yut
- Wild Three Hills / Yeah Sahm Baw (Faye "sounds")
- Number of songs composed by Faye: 7
- Number of songs written by Faye: 4
- Number of songs composed by the Cocteau Twins: 2
- Number of covers: none
- My opinions: This album can be considered to be Faye's most
artistic and perhaps "risky" album ever. Because of that, I'm worried that Faye has alienated even more of her listeners. But hey, that's too bad because they are ones who are losing out. I really like this album a lot. Even though, I must admit, my initial reaction was of disappointment during my first listen through. I knew that there was going to be a Cocteau Twins feel to the album but I never expected the entire album (all 10 tracks) to be like the way it is. But now, I'm a changed man. First off, I really like the title track (#2) "Restless". It contains only 22 characters of lyrics and has the fastest tempo of any song on the album, during those "la ja bors". It's
such a fun song and easily my Fayevourite of the album. I also like track #1 "Sporadic" (especially the intro of the song with its slow, rhythmic pace of vocals and guitars) and track #3 "Imagine" (the first "lyricless" song of the album with cute Faye vocals) as well as the 2 songs composed by the Cocteau Twins: track #4 "Fracture" (a slower tempo song with a soothing, calming overall feel) and track #8 "Repressing Happiness" (the "delibrate" slowed down rhythmic tempo and Faye's vocals are a perfect match). If I have to nitpick, I'd have to say that I wish the album was longer than its 35 minutes, not all the songs were so "Cocteau Twin-ish", and they shouldn't have wasted those picture opportunities in the CD booklet with those "countdown" numbers.
But hey, those are minor details. So give this album a try and I'll bet that after the fifth listen through, you'll fall in love with "Restless" like I did. (By Joshua Cheung)
- Will's opinions: This album, overall, has a highly alternative, ethereal feel. The tracks on this CD on the whole are on the "short" side, but one must remember that it is the quality of the tracks that is most important. It is quite obvious that Faye has spent countless hours in preparation for "Restless", particularly in the areas of composing and finding which nonsense-sounds (eg. lar, bor, far, shar) "fit" into
wherever best. The concept of lyricless songs, although hard-to-grasp, is very fresh and Faye deserves a lot of respect for such a creative idea. I enjoyed "Sporadic" and "Restless", the two opening tracks very much. The two are rather similar in the way that they are composed, a very alternative acoustic-drums sound with Faye's beautiful, delicate voice over top. "Fracture", composed by the Cocteau Twins is very Enya-esque, with dreamy overlapping Faye vocals. "Decadence", composed by Faye, is worth noting, as are the "fun" tracks of the album:
"Imagine" and "Where". The packaging of "Restless" is highly
imaginative, with retro 1970's looking photography. Faye is looking luscious as usual in the pictures within the booklet, full of smiles, and rightfully so because she did such a great job with the album! There is an attractive mauve tinge to this CD (box, booklet and CD itself) as well. "Restless" brings Chinese pop into a new era of creativity. I am extremely happy that this CD was priced at only $15.99, a bonus for this die-hard Faye fan! I will be honest and say that this is not a "love at first listen" CD. In fact, you may even be disappointed at first listen. I can hear myself thinking: "What??? Three songs without lyrics? What a ripoff! It's only 35 minutes! However, over the course of a few listens, you will surely love this CD
to "death" like me! (by William Wong)
- Tom's opinions: Well, like Will, I must say I was a tad
disappointed when I first heard the CD. After previous mandarin CDs like "Sky" and "Mystery", it's kinda hard to get use to Faye singing songs with no lyrics or only "sounds". However, I must give Faye a lot of respect for her creativity, cuz HK pop has probably never heard of this type of music before. After listening to it several times, I've grown to like it, especially the first 4 tracks. The others are also quite artistic and enjoyable in their own ways. In the end, it would be nice to see Faye return to her style in "Di-Dar" or other past albums, maybe
while incorporating her taste for alternative music. (by Thomas Lo)
- Interpretation of "Imagine" by Junkfood Jenny Koon Yew:
jee key mao eh owl messing mao, ah mao jee i'm.
it see kalbe dull be null null
he be dull be dull dull owl owl owl
it see can't be dull be e e dull be i'm dull dull
it see can't be dull be owl null
owl me owl me yeah... owl owl owl owl
owl me owl me yeah... owl owl owl owl owl owl
it see kalmbe (fast, sounds like 'scum be') dull be null null
he be dull be dull dull owl owl owl
it see owl me elbi e d i'll be i'm bare dull
it zee kalmbe dull be i'm bare dull i'm bare dull i'm bare dull
gyo bei gourmet, owl wah (yi yah... lar...)
gyo bei gourmet, some some
it's a owl me owl me e d i'll be i'm bare dull
it zee kalmbe dull be owl null
owl me owl me yeah (owl me owl me yeah)... see kalbe dull
owl me owl me yeah (owl me owl me yeah)... see kalbe foul foe...
Pics From "Restless":
- Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Faye can't be talking about the HK media. The pics from the back and front covers of the booklet.
- (left) Faye digging into a slice of cake
- (right) Mmm, mmm, yummy!
- Faye wearing a 60's/70's style shirt
- Faye chillin'
Go back to Josh's Fayevourite Faye Wong Page.
- last modified April 27, 2000
- this page is maintained by Joshua Cheung.
joshcheung@hotmail.com Please email me with Faye Wong news,
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