Loud releases: Seungri and Van Fan

Loud releases: Seungri and Van Fan

LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE

Seungri

Seungri is one lucky dude.

As part of K-pop super boy band Big Bang, the 22-year-old maknae (Korean colloquial term for youngest member) is the least impressive - be it in the vocals or charm department.

His second mini-album, Let's Talk About Love, however, is a winner. And much of the credit has to go to his production and songwriting team for penning fun, melodic tunes.

Lead single Gotta Talk To You and the title track, featuring guest vocals by Seungri's Big Bang mate G-Dragon, are slick, urban numbers that would make Justin Timberlake proud.

My personal favourites are the slower songs, namely Come To My and Love Box. Both feature punchy, groovy choruses.

Seungri's singing leaves a lot to be desired, but kudos to him for showing improvement on Let's Talk About Love.

Hopefully, this will be a great start for his burgeoning solo career.

ROCK FOR LOVE

Van Fan

More than a decade ago, Taiwanese singer Van Fan Yi- Chen catapulted to fame after singing the Mandarin version of I Believe, the theme song for the popular Korean film My Sassy Girl.

While that mega hit sealed his reputation as a balladeer, Fan saw his music career stagnating. He moved into acting and starred in Taiwan's 2008 boxoffice hit Cape No. 7.

But the 34-year-old is returning to the Mandopop scene as a scruffy, guitar-slinging rocker and his latest studio effort, Rock For Love, a collection of originals and covers, is easy on the ears.

What Brings You Here, a bouncy pop rock number, is accompanied by a music video shot during one of Fan's sky-diving trips. The daredevil star mouthed the lyrics as he fell through the air.

Other stand-out tracks are his covers, including that of Hong Kong veteran band Beyond's Wide Sea, Open Skies. Fan's version is groovier and more upbeat.


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