H O O K E D - Ado - Ado Release

Ado - Ado Release

Written by Janice Tai

"Ado Release" is the latest album released by Ado (or A-Du), our local Chinese singer. He was formerly a foreman, but has since taken huge strides in the music industry.

Characteristically known for his hoarse and husky voice, he unleashes his manly side in the visuals of this album. Too much testosterone and hair for me, but the latest look he adopts is bound to catch the fancy of some fans.

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        This album comprises of the usual ten songs, but somewhat ambitious in its musical diversity. Here's my two cents' worth on some of the songs that this album offers:

"Sa Ye" (Title track "Release")

        This song has rock and electric guitar riffs. His voice is a good match for the song with his slight rasp, adding an edge to his singing. The energy level reaches a climax here too. However, it's surely not for people who look out for clear melodic lines as it can be rather repetitive.

"Cha Yi Dian" ("A Bit More")

        There's quiet guitar accompaniment throughout, complemented by quite a strong vocal accompaniment. His entrance into the song is quite jarring but perhaps, seeks to convey desperation and anguish. The soft percussion and bass parts also jive the song up significantly.

"Ai Shang Ta" ("In Love With Her")

        The swinging, playful feel of the song doesn't really suit his voice, with the humming doobidooah(s) in the background. Strange techno tune in the middle of the song also spoils the experience for me.

"Xin Jia" ("New Home")

This song comes with flute accompaniment and solos. There's a rustic feel in the beginning, and the child-like voices of the background singers bring a refreshing take to the song, but when combined with his husky vocals, it's a mixture too incongruous to appeal.

"Chen Mo" ("Silence")

The very long start, with prolonged reverberations, creates a peculiar atmosphere. It picks up later with a rock interlude, but the climax isn't there in the ending. It's a pity that he has been outshone by the electric guitar.

"Tao Li" ("Escape")

His voice manages to hit the impressive high notes. However, the falsetto sounds are very unnatural and his voice lacks the powerhouse strength to avoid being drowned by the music. There's a nice contrast between the rock chorus and the quieter verses - pretty good break from the rest of the album.

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        The strain in his voice, which manifested through the higher notes, does work sometimes, but fails at others. Depending on your interpretation, he either sounds very sincere or very constipated.

        However, this is a good album for those who prefer quieter and more emotional songs. Personally though, I find the songs too flat, with barely a climax and the note range limits itself unnecessarily. The songs mostly move to a rather slow beat, so they might be good fodders to listen to when mugging.

        I love the accompaniment but his singing fails to impress; though his voice suits those emotional and melancholic songs, I am sure you wouldn't want to have a whole album of angst. You probably already have plenty right now. hooked

hooked's rating: 2.5/5

Comments
Written by Guest on 2008-02-28 05:28:11
Well... what I will say here is that music is very subjective.

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