Reviews China Dolls Albums
Review of the album
"Tan Yiem Pin Ni Cheng":
Thailand duo China Dolls'
third release "Tan Yiem Pin Ni Cheng" (Girls With
Slanting Eyes) is an almost exact copy of their first album,
"China Dolls," except that most of the lyrics have been
rearranged in Mandarin, and a few musical passages have been
amended to accommodate the lyrics, so that the album will appeal
to the Chinese market. And indeed, the album's appearance on
music store shelves in Taiwan has triggered a buying frenzy
amongst the nation's teenagers, with an incredible 300,000 copies
sold within three months, making it one of the Top 3 albums in
the country.
Almost all the tracks on "Tan Yiem Pin Ni Cheng" feature heavily on the hip hop side, bringing it in touch with current music trends. The cute looks of best buds Hwa Hwa and Belle is probably another reason why the album has garnered such enormous success in Taiwan. The first track, also the title track, is a fast-paced hip hop piece incorporating some "cha cha cha" percussion elements, which blend nicely into the composition without overwhelming it. It is a very danceable track, and it should have conquered Taiwan's clubs by now.
The third track -- the romantic "Wo Ai Ni" (I Love You) -- falls out of the framework of the album's main musical theme but is pleasant enough. Remember that electronically reverberating vocal effect so popular during the '70s and rediscovered by Cher in the '90s? Well, China Dolls have jumped on that bandwagon, and the album treats us to two tracks showcasing Hwa Hwa's and Belle's lyrics vibrating away with gusto.
China Dolls continue on the '70s music highway with a true "Saturday Night Fever" disco song aptly titled "Party." A smashing piece that ought to be the highlight of any sophomore rave, and is best appreciated at max volume. "Tan Yiem Pin Ni Cheng" will probably not make it into the pop music hall of fame, but the professionalism with which it has been produced certainly justifies its place in my collection. Just think, even Taiwan's new president was impressed enough by China Dolls to invite them to perform at his recent inauguration ceremony! (Thomas Schmid)
Review of the album "China More" ("Oh Oh Oh")
The Thai phenomenon
known as China Dolls is back. You must have been living in
another planet if you haven’t heard their catchy-as-hell
Chinese New Year song. Recently, their hook-a-minute “Don’t
Wanna Miss You” have been hitting the airwaves in a huge
fashion. The tune is an absolute hit. The sound is typical cheeky
Thai-pop, with a dash of naughtiness in the playful Mandarin
lyrics written by pop guru Xu Chang De.
The song speaks of a girl’s fascination with all the features of her ex-boyfriend – including his eyes, ears and legs. Only the China Dolls can pull off such willful lyrics without being nauseating. Although there are only two Mandarin tracks in this release, the rest of the Thai songs are equally delightful. Songs such as “Dong Song” and “You’re Too Small” are the kind of tunes you want to listen to when you are in a sunny mood.
It doesn’t matter that the 2 girls don’t sing as well as groups such as ‘2 Girls’ or “JinXiu”. What is important is that their charisma comes through clearly in their songs. Their image and singing style tie up very nicely for the Asian market which hasn’t seen such a cute act in years. They are like a Asian version of Aqua - both in terms of sales and popularity. This album includes a spectacular 18 track concert VCD featuring the dolls and their counterpart Tae. Definitely worth the money! (Ming Kang)