The Birth of May Productions and "Tinh Xanh"

Ngoc Lan began her long collaboration with May Productions in 1989 with the release of her 4th solo studio album, "Tinh Xanh" (Young Love).  Of all of Ngoc Lan's solo studio albums, this would be the one I have found to be most mundane and if anything, predictable.  Although this album would serve as the introduction of May Productions to the Vietnamese pop music market and sold fairly well, it lacked the excitement that Ngoc Lan's previous solo studio albums had.  Being the very first product released by May Productions, then a newly developed record label, the production of "Tinh Xanh" was done using too much caution which resulted in the album being pretty much a lifeless affair. 

At the time of the release of this album, Ngoc Lan was riding high from the massive successes from the pair of solo albums she had recorded for Giang Ngoc in the last two years.  Therefore, the profitable outcome in sales really came at no surprise.  But the lackluster in originality, being too polished of a production prevented this album from eventually becoming an all time favorite among Ngoc Lan's albums from her loyal fans.  From beginning to end, all of the tracks were competently put together, much like Ngoc Lan's vocals on this album.  The arrangements were so carefully crafted that there really was no room left for any flaws, but also no room left for spontaneity as well.  "Tinh Xanh", the title track which had been performed in the translated Vietnamese lyrics to the classic, "Love Is Blue", really represented the theme of well-crafted mediocrity of the entire album.  Only die hard fans would embrace this album, although it wasn't bad, just rather boring.  Among the more noteworthy tracks besides the title track were "Khong Bao Gio Quen", a cover of Lobo's "I'd Love You to Want Me", and "Dem Hoa Dang", a cover of Leon Russell's "This Masquerade", both of which Ngoc Lan  recorded in translated Vietnamese lyrics.  This fourth solo studio album by Ngoc Lan was by far not her best work, but perhaps the most carefully produced which if anything effectively exploited her sheer competence as a vocalist, but at the same time also proved to be pretty much uneventful in all other aspects.  A debut release by May Productions, thank goodness this album was not representative for all future releases to come from the music production label.