Duc Tuan – Ngam Ngui… Chiec La Thu Phai & Yeu Trong Anh Sang
These days, many Vietnamese male singers, including Bang Kieu and Tran Thai Hoa, attempt to give their performances a smooth-out flavor by rounding up their vocals. Most of them end up in the sissy instead of sexy territory, which irritates my ears. Duc Tuan is one of a few young singers that could pull it off and still maintain his masculinity. In fact, his cocksure technique makes other cats sound like pussies. He has a fervent, handsome, and strong voice with a wide range of emotions, which allows him to bend and glide easily between rough and gloss phrasings.
His interpretation of Pham Duy’s and Trinh Cong Son’s music in Ngam Ngui… Chiec La Thu Phai is fabulously fresh. The album has only six tracks (three from each songwriter), but the quality of the arrangement and performance makes up for the quantity. His rendition of “Toi Ru Em Ngu” starts off with a strumming guitar, and then builds into a full-blown orchestration. The acoustic drumbeat in between gives the tune a contemporary aroma. In contrast to Nguyen Khang’s wry version of Pham Duy’s “Thuyen Vien Xu,” Duc Tuan’s gorgeous legato provides a warm, comforting vibe to the composition. Despite the opposite approach each singer takes, one quality remains in common is the testosterone in their delivery.
After proved his success with classic ballads, Duc Tuan takes on a different direction in Tinh Yeu Trong Sang with brand new songs written and composed by Quoc Bao. I support his bravado in breaking away from his comfort space, but Quoc Bao’s music isn’t suitable for his style. The title track is passable, but the rest is unenergetic. Even in “Dua Em” (a track that Tran Thai Hoa would slaughter), his soothing, relaxing flow isn’t bringing out its liveliness. Worse track on the whole joint is the corny, tacky “Hold On, Baby.” Duc Tuan’s English accent is barely understandable, and Quoc Bao’s lyric is just straight elementary. I could hardly distinguish what he sings, but the words go something like this: “All of the nights that I miss you / All of the stuffs that I gave you / … / Change the right to the wrong / when you leave my love.” I speculate that Quoc Bao tried to write within his limited vocabulary.
Two albums demonstrate where Duc Tuan’s strength is in. Experimentation is excellent, and I don’t expect him to recover old tunes again and again like many do, but he needs to choose his repertoire wisely. He definitely has the right voice and remarkable skills for intimate-atmospheric music.
He still sounds very amateur to me. Especially in Ao Anh Sut Chi Duong Ta in Pham Duy’s new cd ! Good voice, but still very amateur. Masculine ? I dont think so !
Duc Tuan trong “Tinh Ca Pho^’” (by QB) rat co ho^`n va` dep lam! Toi quy va danh gia cao album Pham Dinh Chuong “Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay” hon ca CD Ngam Ngui…Chiec La Thu Phai. Hoi Trung Duong & Mong Duoi Hoa tu*` giong hat Duc Tuan cho toi cam giac khac that nhieu so voi nhung lo^’i mo`n cu~ ma nhung ca si khac da trinh bay. Review cua Donny rat chinh xac va deep!
Bee, I heard about Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay too, but haven’t have a chance to listen to it yet. I am intereseting in his version of “Mong Duoi Hoa” because many singers have put me to sleep with it.
By the way, thanks to a Visualgui.com reader who pitched me Tinh Yeu Trong Sang. Sorry, I can’t remember your name since it has been a while ago, but hope you’ll read this.
Donny,
Have you listened to Vu Khanh’s performance on Mong Duoi Hoa? His dilivery on this song is definitely not sleepy at all.
Hi donny
“Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay” is by far the best CD out of the 3, if you like “Ngam Ngui… Chiec La Thu Phai”, you’ll love this one
I’m glad you finally write a review for Duc Tuan’s CD, I love his voice and his style of music.
thanks muchly =)
Excuse me…Bang Kieu has a lot of technique that people who are, like you, have very little knowledge of music. Even if his voice sounds high, it’s because it’s a gifted voice. Don’t use vulgar words because if you critique someone using words that you posted, it just shows how ignorant and illiterate you are.
Duc Tuan’s rendition in Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay album is awsome. It gives a new feeling to old songs. His sweet, yet strong voice rises above the orchestra, specially in Nua Hon Thuong Dau. I have listened to this album over and over and still love it. In Ngam Ngui – Chiec La Thu Phai album, the way he sings Chiec La Thu Phai of TCS is awsome, very different and gets to your soul. His voice and technique are for sure cannot be compared to Thai Thanh’s; however, in term of the whole package – his voice and the new music arrangement (hoa am, phoi khi), I have to say I prefer listening to some of his songs (Nua hon thuong dau, Doi mat nguoi Son Tay, Sang rung, Hoi Trung Duong…) over the old ones sang by Thai Thanh eventhough she is still the indisputable best singer of all times from Vietnam. Duc Tuan’s voice rocks.
are you serious, how could you diss tran thai hoa and praise duc tuan?? if you hadn’t dissed tth, i’d have probably given you more credibility. first of all, duc tuan’s technique isn’t quite comparable to tth. he isn’t fully in control of his vocal yet, and he tries too hard. in some songs, it sounds rather forced and too frilly. only amateur singers would try so hard like that.
but what ultimately gives tth an edge over duc tuan, that’s more objectable, is that his song selections are a lot more diverse. comparing duc tuan’s new cd, “ao anh”, to tth’s “tinh khuc le uyen phuong” or his new compilation “nhung tinh khuc chon loc”, it’s a weak effort. songs like “thuong hoai ngan nam, “lanh tron dem mua”, “ao anh”, etc. have been sung to death already by many other better singers. he has made anything of his own yet except recycling all too familiar classics and relying too heavy on frilly arrangments. he’ll be blown away with y lan and khanh ha’s “nghin trung xa cach” in pbn 84.
if you have listened to tth’s “tinh khuc le uyen phuong” cd and still think duc tuan is a better singer, i’m done.
‘Duc Tuan’s English accent is barely understandable’ I agree with this. I think the lyrics are actually ‘all of the thoughts that I gave you’. It does sound like ‘stuffs’ though.
Anh Duc Tuan hat hay ma!Chang hieu sao em lai thich nghe Duc Tuan trong khi gioi tre bay gio thi lai do xo di tim kiem loai nhac thi truong!Moi lan nghe Duc Tuan hat, deu khien cho tam hon con nguoi ta tinh lai, dung yen de lang nghe, de thuong thuc, de dam minh trong nhung dong cam xuc bat tan.Khi nghe toi cu ngo nhu la nhung giot cam xuc ay dang roi, roi rat khe len trai tim minh va nga^’m dan vao tam hon, lan toa, va lang dong mai khong thoi……..
The first time I heard Duc Tuan performed at Duyen Dang Viet Nam 16th in Nha Trang, he sang the song “Memory” which captured my attention right away. His voice and performance when he singing this song had given me a nice impression about him. Nice voice and attitude that he has!
-Nina
khi Duc Tuan phat hanh cd dau tien (Anh Yeu Em) toi da cham ngay bai Bo Lai Phia Sau cua nhac si Vu Quoc Viet,toi biet chac tieng hat con bay xa hon nua voi loi hat vua sang vua am cua mot ca si moi bat dau .Toi rat cam on trong lang van nghe chung ta da co mot tieng hat ma toi cho do la hoan hao nhat,tu cach hat ,cach phat am ,cach luyen lai va nhat la giong ca Duc Tuan rat am va sang ma it co ca si nao hien nay co duoc,di nhien moi nguoi moi quan nien ve ca si trinh bay rieng toi chi bai to cam tuong ca nhan minh ve tieng hat ay. cam on
Have you all listened to Duc Tuan sing live “ao em sut chi duong ta?” It is WAY BETTER than Tran Thai Hoa.. One word: amazing!!! I saw older listeners in the audience on that day actually cried at hte end of the song. It was incredible
cac ban da nghe Duc Tuan hat bai “Xanh Bac Mai Dau” cua nhac si Duc tri chua? Cam doan khong cho che,tu loi ca den giong nhac ban co dien duoc trau chuot qua giong hat that dieu luyen,day ma luc cua duc tuan thi bao dam vo tien khoang hau ve nguoi ca si co tieng hat troi cho ay.
Cam on da cho biet mot bai that that hay khac cua Duc Tuan hat :) Bai “Xanh Bac Mai Dau” is really excellent !!!
Mới nghe một CD (Tình Ca Phạm Duy) của Đức Tuấn tôi có cảm tưởng anh chàng này cố bắt chước cách hát của bà Thái Thanh. Phải công nhận là Đưc Tuấn có âm vực rất rộng, và kỷ thuật vửng. Dù sao thì nghe độ 2, bài là thấy chán vì không thấy cái gì đặc trưng của anh ta
theo su nhan xet cua chi duc tuan co mot giong hat that tuyet voi chi cung rat lay lam la mot loai nhac co tam co vay ma lai la mot giong ca con rat tre tuoi sau khi nghe em hat qua chi rat la phuc boi vi chi cung la loai nguoi ken chon ca si cung co tam co theo chi duoc biet neu nhu em quyet tam chon nhung dong nhac nay voi em la em da di dung huong roi co mot o hai va khong dung hang voi bat ky mot ca si nao chi da tung nghe qua thoi chuc mung em
toi cong nhan giong hat cua duc tuan tuyet voi toi o biet phai noi nhu the nao khi that vo ly la giong ca troi phu nhu the nay ma o the noi bat truoc cac nhung nguoi nghuong mo thinh gia tu hai ngoai va ca trong nuoc that tiec toi muon la duc tuan phai noi bat han len de xung dang voi ban nang troi phu cua minh