Say the Words, the second long-player from powerhouse Harbin, China-born, Vancouver, Canada-based singer/songwriter Wanting Qu, makes good on the promise of her eclectic 2012 debut, the stellar Everything in the World, offering up another earworm-heavy set of soulful, radio-ready, electro-pop anthems and hook-filled confessionals that alternate effortlessly between English and her native Mandarin.
Wanting spent the ensuing year taking over her Asian homeland, outselling marquee acts like
Justin Bieber,
Lady Gaga,
One Direction, and
Carley Rae Jepsen, and the 12 tracks on Say the Words reflect the arc of her ascending star in both production and quality, especially on standout cuts like the bluesy, coyote howl-laden opener "Time, My Friend," the ballsy "STHU," the infectious and kaleidoscopic "Us Under the Sunshine," and the evocative ballad "The Ocean," all of which are delivered with both warmth and precision, dutifully capturing
Qu's unique, cosmopolitan appeal. ~ James Christopher Monger