Semaine du 2 décembre 2008 / Week of December 2nd, 2008
1. 寶貝 (baobei / baby)
2. My Life Will
3. Outro
Deserts Chang, who I knew by the Chinese name of Zhang Xuan, is one of the first “indie” musicians I listened to, back in ’06 I think. Her style is in fact standard alternative rock (standard coffeehouse style, says Wikipedia).
In fact, the funny thing is that I assumed her name to be “Desserts” until I payed attention when I visited Taiwan to actually see her perform live at Spring Scream 2008. If you listen to 寶貝 “Baobei”, her hit song, you can definitely believe that she definitely has well chosen her English name.
I said on air that the songs tend to be tougher, rougher, but I think it actually depends on the pieces that you listen to. The ones that I personally like are those tougher, rougher ones, more alternative than pop. “Outro” for instance, is one of them.
After her first album in 2005, independently-produced, she made two more in 2006 and 2007 with Sony BMG. That’s probably when a lot of people think she sold out… as if selling out was a choice to be successful in the Chinese-speaking music universe.
Nonetheless, she came to the “small” Spring Scream in Kenting, and I had no idea that she was performing until seeing the festival booklets (the website had originally listed her under her Chinese name, obviously, and as “DESERTS AND BAND” in English). The show was fine, but it was nothing really memorable like some other performers that night (notably the 88 Guava Seeds). It was still pretty enjoyable to hear that obscure indie music that you had been hearing for two years and finally got to listen live… (The Taiwanese however never have to come to Montreal to see Stars, becoz they go to them!)