Customer Reviews

Huang Chung

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not sure how far I want to go with this, but Wang Chung's first record isn't too bad in a sub-Midge Ure Ultravox sort of way. On this release they eschew synthetic rhythms and most keyboards and replace them with tasty saxophone. (A huang chung is a type of Chinese reed or wind instrument but I'll be darned if I can hear any such thing on this record, unless the particular saxophone in question happens to be Chinese-made.) Given their moniker, and the cover (a rather dour-looking bunch with fake names- -Darwin? Hogg?- -and the requisite silly hair that unfortunately renders them hard to take very seriously), and several song titles ('China', 'Chinese Girls', 'Rising In The East') you would think this would be an exotic sort of affair; as it is, it's rather mainstream. There's a lot of fretless bass, but the most 'Oriental' thing about HUANG CHUNG (the album) is that Huang Chung (the band) probably thinks it's Japan (the other band). Besides, they sneak in a love song called 'Ti Na Na' which is really 'Tir Na Nog', the mythic Celtic land of eternal youth or something. Tracks I like: 'Ti Na Na' (a dress-rehearsal for 'Dance Hall Days'); 'Dancing' ('and then your dead'!); 'China' (great drum sound, uh, Darwin). Tracks I don't like: well. . . .you figure it out, I'm busy tracing the band's travel itinerary.

Sporting an unlikely looking (and unheard of)line-up of Jack Hues (lead vocal), Nick De Spig (Bass), Darren Darwin (Drums) & Hogg Robinson (sax), this is an energetic yet thoughtful post-punk offering. Partially inspired by the whole punk movement, the classically trained Hues combines the rocking 'Straight from my heart' & 'Rising in the East'with the likes of 'Ti-na-na' with it's subliminal oriental-sounding opening and the contemplative 'I can't sleep'

For all the raw-energy of this album, you cannot fail to feel the innovation and creativity that shines through. With the occasional dreamy sound of fretless-bass in the background, use of echo, various bell&koto type sounds, you can feel temporarily transcended to some ethereal 'nether-world' only to be brought crashing back down to Earth with the likes of the up-tempo 'China' with it's uplifting tenor-sax.

Produced by Roger Bechirian & Rhett Davies (previously worked with Roxy Music), this is an unusual but ultimately rewarding album combining different styles and techniques with an unmistakable honesty transmitted through Hues' vocals.
The band metamorphised from Huang Chung to Wang Chung following this album and gained considerable commercial success.

I consider this album to be the best debut album ever made. This was a platter that stood out in 1982, among the keyboards and analog synths, because it has a saxophone at the base of the songs. It's not as versatile as a keyboard, but it works. Be sure to listen to "China", "Chinese Girls", and "Why Do You Laugh".

However, this has to be the shoddiest re-release I have ever seen in my life. The back of the CD looks like it was put together with Windows Paint, with the picture of the band taken, it looks like, straight off an orginal LP of the album. The sound quality.... well... it sounds... muffled. It sounds like there are pillows (albeit thin ones) in front of the speakers. Oddly, the only track that doesn't sound this way is "Ti Na Na", which is crisp and clear. If you have control over it, crank your treble WAY up on all the other songs. Last, this really seems to have been mastered in a rush, because "I Never Want To Love You In A Half Hearted Way" is cut off too early, with the last half second of the song at the beginning of "Ti Na Na". You don't notice this when you just let the album run, but when you jump to "Ti Na Na" you hear a weird noise before the song starts, which is really the end of "I Never Want To Love You In A Half Hearted Way". Call me picky, but that's just plain sloppy.

In the end, get it. It's dirt cheap nowadays, you should be able to get it for around five bucks. Pick it up to hear the Genesis of Wang Chung, to hear their second best album (behind Points On The Curve).

I saw this band in 1982 on a whim, when passing a local night club in Edinburgh, Scotland and saw a small advert in the window. Never having seen or heard of them before I can honestly say this was turning point in my life at the time (musically), as they were (and probably remain) one of the best bands I have ever seen and heard - in front of what could be no more than 100 people (up close and personal). At the time they had just released their new single 'China' and it blew me away. They played nearly every song from this album and a lot more (probably unreleased material and the like). However, it took me about six months to find a shop that sold the vinyl album at the time - must have been asking the wrong questions or something - but once I got my hands on it I nearly wore the groove through and then could not buy a replacement as it had been deleted from production!!!. CD players and the like meant that it took until 2 years ago before I was able to get a CD version - thanks Amazon and the internet. Like the other reviews on this I was disappointed in the manner of the CD production - very cheap and nasty both in sound and picture quality on the jewel box sleeve. I had expected better but there you go. Notwithstanding - this album is never off my playlist and even after 20 years I never tire of it. Crank up the volume, and if you ignore the analogue recording hiss in the background you will appreciate the forerunner to even greater things when they changed their name to Wang Chung.

When I got this album, I was happy because not only did I get Wang Chung's self-titled debut album, but because they had discontinued production of the same CD, about roughly 10 years earlier. So, when my hands were wrapped around HUANG CHUNG on a frosty January afternoon, I could feel the warmth rush through my body. Immediately upon receiving said CD, I uploaded the entire album onto iTunes and began to listen to the magic that Wang Chung produces in their songs and albums. "Hold Back The Tears" is somewhat of a sad, slow tempo song, but yet still manages to encase a good message (look at the lyrics and you'll see what I mean). "I Never Want To Love You In A Half Hearted Way" is the perfect song that every couple should listen to because the lyrics speak the truth. "Ti Na Na" is wierd because if you play it before "I Never Want To Love You In A Half Hearted Way", the first half of a second is a continuation of the second song. Apparently, someone rushed while making the final cut of the album. Despite this goof, "Ti Na Na" is pretty decent. "Straight From My Heart", I feel is a weak track, because the chorus doesn't "line up" with the rest of the song. In other words, it seems like Jack Hues tossed in some random ideas just so the song wouldn't be a few stanzas long. "Dancing" seems to be a theme song for lifelong dancers (..."you danced your life away"...). "China" seems to be like a dedication to the country because Jack Hues/Nick De Spig sing about how they've been around the world, but that (..."China, there's no finer place on Earth"...). "Rising In The East" sounds like Jack Hues, Nick De Spig, Darren "Darwin" Costin and David "Hogg" Burnand at one point, make America seem like it's a terrible place & that Europe is the dominant continent (.."I've seen America, America. Where they're so tired of living"..."Europeans, just do what they're told to do"..."That's why we're rising in the East"...). I don't know if that's true or not, but that's how I see it. "Chinese Girls" creates a bit of mystery that Chinese girls seem to possess, as noted in the song. "Why Do You Laugh" is the perfect song for people who have a tendency to laugh, when they are in the presnce of sadness. It's bitter-sweet when you think about it. Finally, "I Can't Sleep" makes it sound like someone got dumped: hard (..."From my window I can see the skylight"..."I can't sleep"..."a clock shows half past four"..."And I just think of those things you said to me"...). Overall, I give this CD four stars because of it's continuous audio problems, plus it's "continuation goof" between songs 2 & 3. With that being said though, I would recommend this CD to anyone because of it's musical magic it creates. Don't believe me? Just listen, and you won't be disappointed... GUARANTEED.

-RoMo37
--JANUARY 6, 2007

Other reviews have panned this for it's apparant lack of any remastering at all. True, it's not a terrific sounding cd, it's a little low volume wise and it doesn't have a tremendous dynamic range. But I believe it is because the original recordings were probably done "low budget". I've got the LP and the LP was the same way, not a lot of dynamic range on it either. So it sounds like they just transferred the original mixdown tapes to cd "as is".

That being said, BUY THIS DISC! The songs on this are FABULOUS!

One of the best albums of the 20th Century!
This underated UK band produced this fine work and toured the UK - went to see them a few times - fantastic! This is more than 15 years ago though! Get a listen and you'll agree!