Live review from FWD Mellow Yellow Music Festival
1. 別說如果
2. 呷醋
3. 認罪
4. 逆流造化
5. 花落誰家
6. 假使世界原來不像你預期 – 方皓文 (cover)
If you looked up ‘singer/ songwriter’ on Google, you might see Mark Tai’s image featured amongst the greats of Dylan, Lennon, McCartney, and Elton John. I honestly thought his songwriting was that good.
He started his 30 minute set by admitting that he usually does ‘Canto-pop.’ And although I admit with chagrin that I am not a Cantonese speaker, it was easy for me to see why his music has such universal appeal. His first song 別說如果, showed off his catchy melodies and great vocal range as he moved from chest to head voice with ease. He blended verses nicely into each chorus, with short and catchy pre- choruses that got the audience swaying their heads from side to side. 呷醋 gave Mark a chance to show off even greater vocal range as he broke into little falsetto licks, with a slight grin as if to say, ‘this is easy for me.’ Mark started his fourth song with a kazoo that hummed out the melody. Had he continued with the kazoo, it might have felt like a circus, but given Mark’s professionalism, he transitioned from kazoo into a peaceful, lightly strummed guitar. 認罪 had a funky Bossa Nova feel that was groovy enough to be different, yet just mellow enough to be warm and inviting.
What struck me most about Mark Tai was his ability to write catchy songs without sounding trite. He sang with passion and sincerity and left just enough lingering in songs like 逆流造化 to keep the audience guessing as to what would come next. His final original 花落誰家, featured on local tv, could be the soundtrack for a number of sitcoms, as it speaks to universal themes of love, longing, heartache, and reimagining.
Mark’s songwriting is confident and connected, and leaves you feeling good about life.
– Kyle Wagner
