Woman in Love is the third album released by Coco Lee. It was her last album under the Fancy Pie label and was released just a few months after her first English cover album, Brave Enough to Love. It fared better than her previous ones and helped heighten her popularity as a relative newcomer.
Released: September 16, 1995
1. My Love is Yours (我愛的是你)
2. Woman in Love (Strings Version) (被愛的女人 (弦樂版))
3. You are in My Heart (你在我心上)
4. Immortal (不朽)
5. Can’t Learn to Love You More (學不會更愛你)
6. Forget It (忘了吧)
7. Turn a Blind Eye (視若無睹)
8. Woman in Love (被愛的女人)
9. Pearl in My Hand (掌上明珠)
10. Thankful (感謝)
Opening things with My Love is Yours, we get a pretty dramatic ballad. Coco’s voice sounds really beautiful here and although she focuses on her head voice a lot, she is still able to bring the right punch to fit the percussion. The song itself starts off quite slow and gently, but it soon gains energy and power during the chorus. I actually like the melody here because there is an intensity to it. The song is a bit too outdated sounding, but it is nice.
The title track is yet another ballad. It doesn’t quite have the same intensity as the last song, but there is an almost sad quality to the melody that really helps Coco’s voice to soar. The strings version is pretty beautiful and Coco demonstrates her vocal control here. The song feels a bit more traditional in its delivery, especially considering the use of the strings help to make it more haunting. The original version of Woman in Love that comes up later on doesn’t have as many differences but the added percussion and guitar actually help it sound fuller. The final chorus is also much stronger and really pushes things.
I’m not sure what to think as You are in My Heart is the third ballad in a row. I mean, this one seems to have an almost 90’s ballad feel to it and feels like something you would hear from a movie around this time. This especially evident in the music with its classic strings, light R&B beat and sparkling synths. It’s a pretty song, although a bit generic.
Immortal continues the ballad spree, but it has a more dramatic sound to it. I like how it uses some really dramatic instruments to create this overwhelmingly intense feeling that is only pushed forward by Coco’s passionate performance. My only gripe is that it feels like it is continually building to something, but the final chorus doesn’t quite hit the mark.
I’m excited to finally get an upbeat song with Can’t Learn to Love You More. This one has a funky guitar riff and brings a bit of rock into it. I like that it has a brighter sound to it, but it isn’t particularly catchy. I feel like one of the biggest problems is that Coco is singing in her head voice throughout the whole song so it just lacks any punch in its vocal delivery. It would’ve been more interesting had it been in chest or mixed voice.
Forget It brings us a heavier pop tune that depends on a pumping bassline and light rock influence. I feel like the melody to this song is something very similar to what would be heard in the 90’s. It’s a pretty cool song and even though I wish it had a bit more power to it, it is still a catchy tune.
Returning to the ballad route, Turn a Blind Eye is a classic pop ballad. I feel as though this one comes off as your standard Mandopop ballad, but that’s not a bad thing. The melody is pretty catchy and it feels like the type that would be easy to sing along to. I don’t think it is particularly impressive, but I like its lighter and more straightforward appeal.
Pearl in My Hand is a reggae song, which initially made me worried due to Coco’s last attempt at reggae on her first album…Luckily, this song is better than that one. I don’t think it’s that interesting and Coco tries to sing in a higher pitch, which is odd. It’s easily the weakest song on the album as the chorus is pretty flat and quite forgettable. Not terrible, just lackluster.
Of course things end on a slower note. Thankful is a pretty ballad and while it doesn’t sound particularly interesting at first, the melody has some really nice quirks to it. It takes a bit of time to really get moving, but I really like how calm and laid back it sounds. I feel like this is a good way to end things.
Overall: This is easily Coco’s strongest of her Fancy Pie albums. There were still a few weaker tunes, but the general delivery was much stronger. The ballads were pretty decent overall and it’s easy to see why Coco would excel at them since she has such a good voice. The upbeat songs were hit or miss though. My biggest gripe would probably be the over-reliance on her head voice, which just felt too weak on certain songs that called for some power.
B
Kuuki to Hoshi 