1. Up to the Brambles: Kai Dao Tu Ling
I love albums that start out like this one. Kai Dao Tu Ling begins with some wonderful alternative sounding drums and guitar, and then adds a layer of strings. When Faye beings singing, her voice is muted and sounds almost like you're hearing it through a loudspeaker. I really enjoy the way the quietness of the verses gradually builds into the chorus. This song crescendoes and then softens in waves. Then end of the song has a great orchestra section, which finally vanishes to leave Faye singing alone. Then, even her voice drops out and we are left with the string sections and some sparse guitar. This is a very impressive opening track and one of my all time favourite Faye songs. Rating: 10 out of 10

2. Moon at That Moment: Dang Shi De Yue Liang
Faye Wong is a very versatile artist, and it shows in this next track. Whereas "Up to the Brambles" was definitely alternative, "Moon at That Moment" is a more traditional sounding ballad. The thing I love most about this song is Faye's beautiful, tender singing and the light harmony in the background. The arrangement features mostly acoustic guitar and a few strings, which create a relaxing atmosphere. One can almost imagine the moonlight streaming past the blossoms of a cherry tree. (Sorry, getting all poetic here.) Seriously, this song is so romantic and gentle, and Faye's voice is incomparable in its beauty. I can't find a single flaw in this song, which is saying a lot coming from me. Rating: 10 out of 10

3. Hypnotize: Cui Mian
Turning back to the alternative side of things, "Hypnotize" is yet another style of song from Faye. This one isn't as hard as the first track, but at the same time is far from being a ballad. It makes me think of the Cranberries, but with Faye's unique touch. I particularly like some of the synthed-in sounds in the background, which you sometimes need to really pay attention to hear. The chorus is quite memorable and will get stuck in your head if you're anything like me. As always, Faye's voice is perfect, able to go from powerful to quiet almost instantly. This is a great song, and yes, it is rather hypnotizing. Rating: 9 out of 10

4. Only Love Strangers: Zhi Ai Mo Sheng Ren
Ah, the title track, and it's my least favorite on the entire album. This is a very strange style of song from Faye. It features some almost Spanish-style guitar, and some lounge synths. It also has some very disturbing children laughing in the background. The vocals are light and kind of bounce along, but they really don't help this song. Even the chorus is unremarkable, and Faye keeps repeating, "zhi ai mo sheng ren" over and over. This song annoys me, but more than that, it is BORING. If you've heard it once, you can hit the skip button on your stereo every other time it comes on. Rating: 5 out of 10

5. Century of Loneliness: Bai Nian Gu Ji
Moving right along, we come to a Faye Wong classic. This is the first alternative song by Faye I ever heard, and I have a special fondness for it. However, that aside, this is a KICK ASS song! The verses are restrained, but have kind of a dark edge. The chorus, well, it just rocks. Lots of percussion and guitar here, all pulled together with Faye's soaring vocals. There is some great harmonizing in this song that also gives it a strange, ethereal feel. The last third also features an orchestra section that really builds up to the finale. This is perhaps the most addictive song on the album, and one you should give several listens to. Highly recommended! Rating: 10 out of 10

6. Butterfly: Hu Die
The next track, "Butterfly," is yet another shift in mood. This one is also a ballad, but seems lighter and happier than "Moon at That Moment." It's very happy and breezy, which is appropriate considering the title. This song is very relaxing and features the usual arrangement of orchestra and percussion, but I can't really hear any guitar. I can't think of much else to say, except that this is a lovely piece. It's the kind of song that brings a smile to your face everytime you hear it. Rating: 9 out of 10

7. Evanescence: Guo Yan Yun Yan
This song opens mysteriously, with a single piano and some chimes. Faye's voice, when she begins adds to this feeling, as does the choral "Ah's" in the background. After the first chorus, the arrangement adds a harp and orchestra strings, but the subtle mood continues. This is the kind of song that feels like its leading you somewhere, but you're never sure where. It brings to mind images of a dark, medieval forest inhabited by faeries and the like. This is a very artistic track and one of the most interesting on the album. Wonderful to put on in the background when you're relaxing. Rating: 10 out of 10

8. After the Beep: Di Yi Sheng Zhi Hou
This is an odd track to review. The percussion in the beginning sounds rather R & B-ish, but the guitar and Faye's singing are cleary not. The orchestration is very traditional Chinese. Then there's some backup vocals that are...well, they just don't fit, especially the weird robot voice. I'm not really sure what kind of mood the writers were trying to create, which is probably a sign they failed. After all the interesting tracks on the album, this one feels a little stagnant, even though Faye's singing is very pretty. Worth a few listens, but not too many. Rating: 7 out of 10

9. Overthrown: Tui Fan
Another rather slow track, but this one returns to the much more enjoyable style one expects from Faye. She really does ballads better than anyone else. This one is accompanied solely with acoustic guitar, and has much more natural feel than any of the other tracks. The chorus has a nice, memorable melody. This song is so simple that there's really not too much I can say about it. Rating: 10 out of 10

10. Spectacular: Jing Cai
This song was one of the singles from the album and was used in a Pepsi commercial. You can tell it's a single right away; it's very upbeat and catchy. It has more of a pop feel than any other track on the album. Most of the arrangement is done with synth and electric guitar, creating kind of a futuristic feel. This is a good sing-along song and one that you can dance to pretty easily. In fact, Faye does a good bit of bopping around in the video, which you can get with the Special Edition of this album. I really like this song, mostly because it's just plain fun. Rating: 10 out of 10

11. Guarding the Wheat Fields: Shou Wang Mai Tian
This is actually the alternate version of "Century of Loneliness." One is in Cantonese, and the other is in Mandarin, but I can't think which is which off the top of my head. Other than the difference in lyrics, it's exactly the same as the previous version. Therefore, it gets the same rating. Rating: 10 out of 10

12. Postman: You Chai
Most albums either end on a loud note or with a ballad. "Only Love Strangers" is one of the latter kind. This is another very lovely song, but is different in that it has a lot more synths and sound effects. I like the percussion in this song, it really pushes the melody along. This song is also fast enough that it ends the album without being boring or letting the listener down. A good finish to an excellent album. Rating: 9 out of 10

Overall Rating: 9 out of 10