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I heard this song on the way home from work one night. Been addicted to it ever since. It’s got a good hook, fly beat, and sweet lyrics. What’s not to love.

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but American music is kicking Vietnamese music’s ass. I’m getting pretty tired of the same old shit being regurgitated over and over again by Asia and Thuy Nga. As a music junkie, I need my quick fix. I need something new, something lasting to hum to at work.

It’s been so long that I haven’t seen your face
I’m tryna be strong but the strength I have is washing away
It won’t be long before I get you by my side
And just hold you, tease you, squeeze you
Tell you what’s been on my mind

I wanna make up right now na na
I wanna make up right now na na
Wish we never broke up right now na na
We need to link up right now na na

Girl I know, mistakes were made between us two
And we show ourselves that night even said somethings weren’t true
Why’d you go and haven’t seen my girl since then
Why can’t it be the way it was
Cause you were my homie, lover and friend

I can’t lie
I miss you much
Watching everyday that goes by
I miss you much
Till I get you back I’m gonna try
Yes I miss you much
You are the apple of my eyes
Girl I miss you much
I miss you much

I want you to fly with me
want you to fly
I miss how you lie with me
miss how you lie
Just wish you could dine with me
wish you could dine with me
One that would grind with me
One that would grind with me

Trying to escape the autumn doldrums? Then stay away from Asia’s latest release Bốn Mùa 2 – Một Thời Để Nhớ. The amort production contains some bad performances, some really bad performances, and some WTF performances. Trish, singing in French? WTF. Cardin, maimed dance moves with a mohawk/mullet hairdo? WTF. Paolo? Quang Minh’s and Hong Dao’s comedy? WTF.

The only thing that gives this insentient video any life at all is Doanh Doanh’s performance, barring her prosaic vocals. Don’t you just dig that mincingly adorable face?

Music & Lyrics: Nhat Ngan
Vocals: Nhu Quynh & The Son
English Translation: To Amend Your Heart

Alas, we have parted
From the eve of scintillating fireworks and crimson champagne.
You have gone your way, and I have mine.
Our faded love is but remnants of nothingness.

Have you forgotten so quickly?
Our memories were like the vast ocean.
Our passions were the grandeur of mountains high.
But still could not withstand adversaries.

I will gather all your love letters
Of thousands of pages still inked in hopes and dreams.
Along with your old sweater,
I will set them afire into ashes.

That way you won’t have to reminisce
When you watch the raindrops on the lonely pane.
And when winter’s chills arrive,
You won’t miss the days of us together.

Sweetheart, there’s nothing, nothing left to feel.
Our love is like water under the bridge.
Like a string attuned to a chord of melancholy.
There’s nothing left to feel.

I solemnly vow I will love none others.
Because that very person will forsake me.
Now I have lost all hopes
of finding in this world the one true love.

I regret that I was too naive
to take all my love and offer everything to you.
So that now I have nothing
When you turn and walk away.

Just when I thought Paris by Night couldn’t suck any more, it sucks even more with Nhac Yeu Cau. Minh Tuyet and Bang Kieu slaughtered “Di Vang.” Cam Ly’s debut was unimpressive. Y Lan castrated Quang Le with her vocal in “Tinh Hoai Huong.” The production is still kissing Mai Thien Van’s ugly ass. Even Quang Dung and Khanh Ha failed to emote Dieu Huong’s ballads. Damn glad I didn’t waste 25 bucks on this piece of crap.

Nguyen Khang wins big at the 2008 LogicGui Music Awards. The soulful vocalist walked away with the “Best Male Artist” and “Album of the Year” awards. Ngoc Ha was named “Best Female Artist” of 2008. See the complete list of nominees and winners.

The History

Back in June of 2004, I noticed that there isn’t a music award for Vietnamese artists both mainland and overseas. So I decided to establish one of my own. Thus, the LogicGui Music Awards was born.

The Rules

A calendar year spans from June of last year to June of this year. Nominees for “Song of the Year” are selected from popular singles both old and new. To be eligible for “Best Artist,” an artist must release at least one album, either a solo or collaboration, within the calendar year. “Best Artist” nominees are selected solely on vocal quality. “Album of the Year” must be an original release and not “Best of” compilation.

The Selection

All nominees and winners are selected primarily from my personal favorites, perceived popularity, and opinions of an elite panel of musicians, reviewers, music collectors, karaoke singers, shower singers, and Vietnamese music listeners alike.

Winners are in Bold.

Music Video of the Year

• Paris by Night 88 – Duong Ve Que Huong – Lam Phuong 3 (Thuy Nga)
• Pham Duy Live Show – Ngay Tro Ve (Phuong Nam)
• Tuan Ngoc Live Show – Rieng Mot Goc Troi (Thuy Nga)
• No nominee

Best Video Performance by a Solo Artist, Vocal Collaboration, or Comedian

• Như Quỳnh & Thế Sơn – Nhạc Kịch Chuyện Tình Thời Chinh Chiến (PBN 88)
• Thế Sơn – Nhạc Kịch Bà Mẹ Quê, Lòng Mẹ VN, Lời Dặn Dò Của Mẹ (PBN 90)
• Đoàn Phi – Sầu Đông (Asia 55)
• Hương Thủy & Bé Ti – Hài Kịch Chung Một Mái Nhà (PBN 91)

Best Female Artist

• Cam Ly
• My Tam
• Minh Tuyet
• Ngoc Ha

Best Male Artist

• Quang Dung
• Bang Kieu
• Nguyen Khang
• Dam Vinh Hung

Song of the Year

• Yêu Mãi Ngàn Năm (Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện) – Minh Tuyết & Lâm Nhật Tiến
• Con Tim Tan Vỡ (Kim Tuấn) – Thanh Thảo & Lê Hiếu
• Khi (Lê Quang) – Quang Dũng
• Niệm Khúc Cuối (Ngô Thụy Miên) – Ngọc Hạ & Nguyên Khang
• Tóc Mai Sợi Vắn Sợi Dài – Ngọc Hạ & Trần Thái Hoà
• Trả Lại Anh Tình Đầu (Lê Quang) – Phương Thanh
• Về Miền Tây (Minh Vy) – Quốc Đại
• Tiếng Cuốc Gọi Đêm (Hồng Xương Long) – Đan Trường & Phi Nhung
• Phố Vắng Em (Lê Quang) – Đàm Vĩnh Hưng
• Giã Từ (Tô Thanh Tùng) – Đàm Vĩnh Hưng

Album of the Year

• Nguyen Khang – Ta Muon Cung Em Say (Asia)
• Phuong Thanh – Vol. 7 – Sang Mua (Viet Tan)
• My Tam – Vol. 6 – Tro Lai (Viet Tan)
• Dam Vinh Hung – Hanh Phuc Cuoi (Tieng Hat Viet)

Quang Dung has lost his mojo. His latest release Va contains all the right ingredients, a great song list and a collaboration with Le Quang. But it lacks the essential component, an aesthetic vocal.

Each track is arranged in the intimate style of “nhac thinh phong” to allow his vocal to take center stage. So was the intention. Instead, his voice becomes expressively weak, especially when he implores us to notice his skills on the high notes. Through his exaggerated effort to prove himself, he sounds almost incompetent and inauthentic in his own genre. The only track worth a spin is “Da Khuc Cho Tinh Nhan.” Even then, Nguyen Khang’s rendition is way more hypnotic.

Quang Dung’s first US release fails miserably to distinguish itself. The album turns out to be as tasteless as its title.

Minh Hang not only has the looks but she can also act. Her role in Goi Giac Mo Ve has earned her HTV Award’s “Best Female Actress in a Leading Role.” But when it comes to singing, she’s no award-winning material.

Her debut album Mot Vong Trai Dat is a total failure. She gravely lacks vocal expressiveness, bears no vibrato or breath control, and has absolutely no range. On the title track, her amateurish delivery sounds karaoke at best. Nevermind the incredibly shallow lyrics, most tracks contain either blatant dialogs or lame rapping, which makes the stagnant production sound even deader. Even her chemistry with Tim couldn’t save the album.

So she’s hard on the ears, but at least she’s easy on the eyes.

The last time I listened to Hikaru Utada was in 2001, when my ex blasted her album Distance at ear-damaging decibel on a $20 Wal-mart boom box. I was instantly blown away by her vocals and alluring melodies.

Seven years later, the pop star is still going strong. Her single Beautiful World picked up the “Best Video From a Film” award at the 2008 MTV Japan Video Music Awards.

Her latest release Heart Station is a sensational pop album. The stellar production is notorious in that it includes a rock track written for children as well as a track about death. The Enya-inflicted “Teiku 5,” like death itself, ends abruptly without any warning. Yes, I mean abruptly, in the middle of the song, like a corrupted MP3 download. Only Hikki is innovative enough to incorporate such spiritual depth into her album. Another personal favorite is “Prisoner of Love,” where her raw emotion is felt almost the instant her vocals kick off.

Hikaru Utada is perhaps the greatest female artist of the J-Pop movement. She’s best on my list over Ayumi Hamasaki any day. I’m just ecstatic that this brilliant vocalist and song writer is still cutting records and remain at the top of her game.

If you haven’t the slightest idea who she is, perhaps you’re familiar with her breakthrough album and single “First Love.”

I don’t care much for his rumored sexual orientation (evident in the DVD cover) or his cocksure personality, but the dude sure can sing. His live show DVD Thuong Hoai Ngan Nam contains many of the “nhac sen” ballads that normally would bore me to death. However, Dam Vinh Hung kept things interesting by pouring his emotions on every song and making them his. Granted, he sounded a little too gay at times, especially in “Dem Lang Thang.” Still, the DVD is definitely worth checking out, particularly for the reunion of Huong Lan and Thai Chau in “Lau Dai Tinh Ai,” a feat I didn’t think was possible after their rendezvous back in the days. Moreover, it’s refreshing to see live performances after all the lip-syncing crap on Thuy Nga and Asia videos.