Review Summary: Strangers' territory.
Listening to music in a foreign language often yields one of two results: a sense of being blocked out due to the present language barrier, or a sense of mystery and allure because of the music’s foreign nature. Yet this sensation can still vary, be it from language to language or artist to artist; similar to when we end up liking a band from a genre we normally dislike, and vice versa. Furthermore, the enjoyment we derive from a foreign artist will ultimately boil down to the sonic qualities of their music, which is simply par for the course when listening to any and all forms of music. I emphasize this realm of possibility because Faye Wong’s sixteenth studio album,
Only Love Strangers (aka
Lovers & Strangers) elicited both ends of the spectrum during my many contemplative listens.
Wong hails from Beijing, China and has a rather daunting discography to her name, spanning 20 studio albums over the course of 30 years. Her music is a mix of Mandarin and Cantonese pop, with the former taking precedence here. Final Fantasy VIII fans will undoubtedly recognize her voice from “Eyes On Me,” a voice that more or less carries
Only Love Strangers through its collection of surprisingly varied tracks. The album opens on an uninvitingly distorted note, as if to throw our expectations off. Curiously, every subsequent song is way gentler on the ears, making the opener feel out of place. Perhaps this is Wong’s way of exemplifying the album’s name (which is roughly translated), by feeling strange in the opening moments before unfolding in a more familiar and pleasing manner. Track 2, for instance, slips in like a clean and distinct ballad, complete with violins and acoustic guitars to further enhance Wong’s lush voice. On the other hand, track 5 is distinctly alternative in nature, climaxing with an orchestral segment and an electronic touch buried in the mix. Things even get downright melancholic on track 7, with a tragic piano setting the stage while Wong sings with a touch of elevation, only to let her notes sustain during the chorus. Needless to say, the template is more than adequately colored.
Despite this level of tonal variety,
Only Love Strangers is a decidedly concise affair. Wong runs the gamut between whimsical melodies and sorrowed contemplations, yet the album feels both relaxed and elevated--sometimes dreamlike. Paramount to this is something I’ve only briefly touched upon: Wong’s voice. As with many pop albums, the singer is focal here, with the aforementioned elements being complementary to whatever approach she seeks. Wong sings in a way that, though commercial and easygoing, feels earnest when it counts. Once again, track 7 springs to mind from a purely emotional standpoint, the kind that’s palpable but far from overreaching. Yet the nature of this song hardly represents
Only Love Strangers as a whole, since the entire album is on the fun and straightforward side of things. This is pop music, after all; which is fine, since music simply needs to be enjoyable to work, and
Only Love Strangers clearly achieves what it sets out to do.
Like a friendly stranger, Faye Wong is an open book ready to be approached and listened to. She may seem odd at first, but that feeling soon fades as she reveals little thoughts and details that either amuse or intrigue us. Much of it is familiar, but there’s still something nice about how she tells us what she thinks, feels and knows. And there’s always this lingering sense, a suspicion that there’s something more happening beneath the surface. This is something we’ll only see a brief glimpse of, leading us to wonder and ponder the possibilities. Our brief encounter may have been one by chance, yet we can still look back upon the encounter with a sense of fondness and a distinct, if slight, smile.
