Varsity's Choice

Cry ouy for music

by Bebe Leung

Bands that fail to sign with well-known record companies always face difficulties in making their names heard or their songs popular.

To give new performers a chance to present their music to the public, independent art and cultural group 89268 has released CDs of songs written and performed by fledgling bands.

One of its latest albums is Boo Boo, a collection of the works by four local bands: Malfunction, Innisfallen, A Company and Downer. The bands have different styles of music. The compilation record of their pieces shows the diversity of the local independent music scene.

Malfunction is well-known for having its members wearing cardboard boxes on their heads when they perform. One of their songs, “Partyhell”, has a pop introduction and then gradually shifts to a more groove style, bringing a surprise to the audience. Innisfallen puts much effort in producing a variation of melodies and themes of lyrics to tug the heartstrings of its fans.

The lyrics of “Butterfly Effect” in the CD were inspired by Sliding Door, a 1998 romance movie starring Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Eric Cheung Lok-ming, the group’s vocal and guitarist, says the song tries to express the idea of how a person changes when she finds something missing in her life and is at the crossroads.

A Company, meanwhile, is characterized by its performance with a number of musical instruments, including flute, percussion instruments, guitars, drums and keyboards. The band sets a relaxing mood for its pieces, “Auntie Miller” and “Petit Princes”. “Petit Princes”, inspired by the famous French book Le Petit Prince, is performed in French.

Downer strikes a stark contrast with A Company. Downer shows power and strength. In the song “People”, the band’s deep voices rise in a crescendo, adding energy and force to the lyrics: “I’m ready to fly/ I’m ready to get high/ come on, let’s get high.”

The styles of music presented in Boo Boo are unique. Although the songs may not suit everyone’s taste, the package of the CD is special and is likely to attract fans who support local independent music production to take home.

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