Sodagreen

Sodagreen

sodagreen performing at The Wall in Taipei.
Chinese name 蘇打綠 (traditional)
Pinyin Sūdǎ Lǜ (Mandarin)
Origin Republic of China Taiwan
Genre(s) Indie pop, indie rock, Mandopop
Label(s) Willlin Music (2004present)
Years active 2004present
Current Members Wu Tsing-Fong
Liou Jia-Kai
Ho Jing-Yang
Gong Yu-Chi
Shie Shin-Yi
Shih Jyun-Wei
Official Website www.sodagreen.com.tw

Sodagreen (Chinese: 蘇打綠; pinyin: Sūdá lǜ; stylized as sodagreen) is a Taiwanese indie band formed in 2001. Its members has been unchanged since 2003. Sodagreen emerged in the Taiwanese indie music scene after receiving the Grand Jury Award in the Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival in 2004, after which it signed a contract with Willlin Music. The band is the first indie band to hold a concert in the Taipei Arena. The band is well known for its main vocalist and songwriter Wu Tsing-Fong, who is prominent for his poetic lyrics, unique performing style and wide vocal range.

Members

History

Sodagreen was named by Shih, the band's leader at the time, and Wu, the lead vocalist. The band was originally named Soda (蘇打). Shih felt that having a band name with three Chinese characters would be easier to pronounce. Wu then suggested to add the word green (綠), his favourite colour, at the end of the name, and formed the name Sodagreen.

In May 2001, Sodagreen competed in the Golden Melody Cup held by National Chengchi University and won Best Popularity by the composition "Peeping". Earning the appreciation of Shiao-Ying, one of the judges, they recorded "Peeping" for the compilation Taiwan independent compilation 2001, released by TCM. In April the next year, after several changes in the line-up of the band (guitarists), Sodagreen participated in Golden Melody Cup once again, this time winning the Best Band, Best Composition, Best Lyrics, and Best Music awards.

In March 2003, A-Fu and Jia-Kai, also from National Chengchi University, and A-Gong from Taipei National University of the Arts joined Sodagreen. The band's members have remained unchanged since. In July the same year, since most of the members were going to graduate and go separate ways after graduation, the band decided to have their last performance tour. In the first stop f they tour, they performed at the Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival's Hot Wave Rock section and caught the attention of the famous indie producerWill Lin.

In August 2004, Sodagreen were awarded the Grand Jury Award of Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival, after which the band signed an official contract with indie producer Will Lin's Willlin Music. In September 2005, they released their self-titled debut album, sodagreen, after a series of singles and EPs. The band garnered a few nominations in the Golden Melody awards of 2006 for this album. In October 2006, they released their second album, Little Universe. That December, they released a single- My Future Is Not a Dream, a collaboration with A-pay, a band under the same label.

In June 2007, Sodagreen were awarded the Best Band Award at the 18th Golden Melody Awards. Wu Tsing-Fong also received the highly coveted Best Melody Award for the song "Little Love Song", which was also nominated for the award for the best lyrics. Little Universe itself was nominated for the award for the best album. In November, Sodagreen released their third album, Incomparable Beauty. Shortly after, they held their first concert at a major venue, the Absolutely Beautiful Concert, which was held at the Taipei Arena. They were the first indie band to hold a concert there. The concert holds the record for being the longest concert ever held at the venue, with Sodagreen playing for five hours, incurring a large fine for playing too late into the night.

In May 2008, the band released the live album Sing With Me, which included live tracks from the Absolutely Beautiful Concert as well as three new studio tracks. Lover Animal was the official Chinese language theme song for the movie Juno. That year at the 19th Golden Melody Awards, they were awarded the Best Band Award for the second time in a row.

In 2009, Sodagreen began their Vivaldi Project, planning to record and release four concept albums based on the four seasons within two years. The band recorded Daylight of Spring in Taidung and released it in May. They then travelled to London to record Summer/Fever, releasing it in September. Late that year, the band performed a solo concert at the Taipei Arena for the second time, playing for two nights at the Daylight Fever Concert. However, their plans to record albums based on the next two seasons were cut short by keyboardist A-gong's call-up to the Taiwanese army to fulfil his national service.

In 2010, Sodagreen's two albums led to a double nomination for the Best Band Award. The music video for the song Daylight won its directors the award for the best music video. That year, the band released their second live album, Once in a Lifetime, comprising live recordings from the Daylight Fever Concerts and three studio-recorded songs. The tracks Once in a Lifetime and No Sleep were listed at number 29[1] and 84 respectively on Hit Fm Taiwan's Hit Fm Annual Top 100 Singles Chart (Hit-Fm年度百首單曲) for 2010.[2] Guitarist A-fu was called up for national service shortly after.

After A-gong's return from the army in 2011, the band released their eighth album, What is Troubling You in November, on the same day as the album releases of Mandopop heavyweights Jay Chou and Eason Chan. The song Enjoy Loneliness shot to fame online after Wu sang it on the talk show Kangxi Lai Le. The music video for the titular song What is Troubling You also trended worldwide on video-sharing website YouTube for a few days after its release. Shortly before A-fu's return from the army in January 2012, the band announced that their third Taipei Arena concert, Walk Together would be held in March that year. The Walk Together World Tour was kicked off at the Taipei Arena over two nights, 3 March and 4 March 2012.[3] Two more sold-out concerts followed at the Kaohsiung K-Arena on 18 August and 19 August 2012.[4] The band also toured Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and various cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Nanjing and others.

The band's first performance of 2013 was at the Cotai Arena of The Venetian Macao Casino/Resort/Hotel in Macao on 5 January 2013.[5] Shortly after ending the Walk Together World Tour in Shanghai on 3 August 2013, Sodagreen announced that Autumn: Stories, the third instalment in the band's Vivaldi Project, would be released on 18 September 2013. The release of the album in September was accompanied by a series of six live house performances in Beijing, with the tickets to these mini-concerts selling out within ten minutes of the opening of online booking services.

In 2014, the band held their 10 years anniversary tour "Aerial visions, Sounds And Illusions". As a remembrance, the name of the band's first single was used as the name of their concert. The concert kicked start at Hong Kong Coliseum on 11 April 2014.

They will hold two concerts in each of the following places including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai,Wuhan, Taibei,Guangzhou,Singapore,Shenzhen,Cheungdu and Gaoshung. The tour starts in April 2014 and ends in November 2014. Souvenirs such as toot bags, T-shirts, coin banks, card holders and EPs will be sold . [6]

Sodagreen is currently planning their last album in their Vivaldi Project. Like the previous three albums, the last one will be related to the winter and Sodagreen will choose Berlin to be the background of the album.

Discography

Albums

Album Album information Track
1st sodagreen (蘇打綠)
  • Released: September 2, 2005
  1. Too Late for Regrets (後悔莫及)
  2. Flying Fish (飛魚)
  3. Oh oh oh oh...
  4. That Moment Is Over
  5. It's My Sea (是我的海)
  6. Floating (漂浮)
  7. Frequency (頻率)
  8. You (你喔)
  9. Twin Genes In A Landing Practice (降落練習存在攣生基因)
  10. Theory of Relativity IV (相對論IV)
  11. Peeking (窺) (Bonus track)
2nd Little Universe (小宇宙)
  • Released: October 20, 2006
  1. You Are, You Will
  2. Little Universe (小宇宙)
  3. Little Love Song (小情歌)
  4. Signs & Symbols (符號)
  5. Temporarily Out of Control (暫時失控)
  6. City Caught in Rain (被雨困住的城市)
  7. Already (已經)
  8. Noisy (吵)
  9. Behind (Without) You (背著你)
  10. Falling (墜落)
  11. Wordless Hymn (無言歌)
3rd Incomparable Beauty (無與倫比的美麗)
  • Released: November 2, 2007
  1. Amusement (遊樂)
  2. Floral Tea (花茶)
  3. Seasonal Rhapsody (四季狂想)
  4. Left Side (左邊)
  5. Incomparable Beauty (無與倫比的美麗)
  6. Daylight Moonshine (白日出沒的月球)
  7. This Day (這天)
  8. Simple Life (簡單生活)
  9. City (城市)
  10. Believe (相信)
4th Sing with Me (陪我歌唱)
  • Released: May 2, 2008

CD1 Live

  1. Little Universe (小宇宙)
  2. Temporarily Out of Control (暫時失控)
  3. Theory of Relativity IV (相對論IV)
  4. City Trapped in the Rain (被雨困住的城市)
  5. Memory (記念)
  6. Floating (漂浮)
  7. Creep
  8. Spider's Sky (蜘蛛天空)
  9. It's My Sea (是我的海)
  10. Oh oh oh oh...
  11. Blue Eyes (藍眼睛)
  12. The Only Thing I Care About Is You (我只在乎你)
  13. Frequency (頻率)

CD2 Studio

  1. Murmur (呢喃)
  2. Sing with Me (陪我歌唱)
  3. Lover-Animal (愛人動物)
5th Daylight of Spring (春·日光)
  • Released: May 8, 2009
  1. Before The Snow Melts (融雪之前)
  2. The Faun Boards the Train Of Scenic Spring, and (牧神搭上春色的火車,而)
  3. Daylight (日光)
  4. Is Between Us (在我們之間)
  5. Accompaniment (配樂)
  6. Stopping At Each Station: (各站停靠︰)
  7. A Thousand Fountains (一千座噴泉)
  8. Symphonic Dream (交響夢)
  9. The Rose From Another Dimension (異次元的玫瑰 )
  10. Interlude (插曲)  
  11. After the Fun (嬉戲之後)
  12. Come Home Soon (早點回家)
6th Summer/Fever (夏/狂熱)
  • Released: September 11, 2009
  1. Claps (掌聲落下)
  2. Summer Summer(他夏了夏天)
  3. Narration- English Poetry (口白 - 英文詩) 
  4. The Sound That Remains (蟬想)
  5. Surrounding (包圍)
  6. King's Garden (御花園)
  7. Narration- English Poetry (口白 - 英文詩) 
  8. Peter and the Wolf (彼得與狼)
  9. Together We Dance (共舞)
  10. No Sleep (無眠)
  11. Narration- English Poetry (口白 - 英文詩) 
  12. Fever (狂熱)
  13. Tempted (煽動)
  14. Near Future (近未來)
7th Once In A Lifetime (十年一刻)
  • Released: August 27, 2010
  1. The Sound That Remains (蟬想)
  2. Flying Fish (飛魚)
  3. Daylight (日光)
  4. The Girl with Red Shoes (紅鞋女孩)
  5. A Lovely Rose (可愛的玫瑰花)
  6. Hold My Hand (牽阮的手)
  7. Chasing, Chasing, Chasing (追追追)
  8. Summer Summer(他夏了夏天)
  9. Little Love Song (小情歌)
  10. Fever (狂熱)
  11. The Playground in Rain(雨中的操場)
  12. Once In A Lifetime (十年一刻)
  13. Having Fun in Life (笑鬧人間)
  14. No Sleep - Mandarin Version (無眠 - 國語版)
8th What Is Troubling You (你在煩惱什麼)
  • Released: November 11, 2011
  1. This Moment Is Forever (片刻永恆)
  2. The Limit of Happiness (幸福額度)
  3. I Wrote Of You In My Song (你被寫在我的歌里) ft. Ella Chen (S.H.E)
  4. If Love Is Like Condensation (如果凝結就是愛)
  5. Enjoy Loneliness (喜歡寂寞)
  6. Bird's Nest (燕窩)
  7. Cocoon (繭)
  8. As We Walk Together(當我們一起走)
  9. The Romantic Clique (浪漫派)
  10. Control Freak (控制狂)
  11. What Is Troubling You(你在煩惱什麼) ft. Suming
9th Autumn: Stories (秋:故事)
  • Released: September 18, 2013
  1. The Story (故事)
  2. Starts With a Fallen Leaf (從一片落葉開始) ft. Priscilla Ahn
  3. Musical Interlude
  4. When I'm Alone (獨處的時候)
  5. I Miss You So (我好想你)
  6. Narration
  7. Idle Wings (偷閒的翅膀)
  8. Are Sunny Everyday (天天晴朗)
  9. Narration
  10. After Saying Goodbye (說了再見以後)
  11. We Walked a Light Year (我們走了一光年)
  12. And Met Again (再遇見)
  13. Musical Interlude
  14. The Gleaners (拾穗)
  15. The Last One Who Lives in Your Heart (你心裡最後一個)
  16. A Little Star (小星星)

Singles

Single Single information Tracklist
1st Aerial visions, Sounds And Illusions (空氣中的視聽與幻覺)
  • Released: May 30, 2004
  1. Aerial Visions, Sounds And Illusions
  2. Air
2nd Flying Fish (飛魚)
  • Released: November 1, 2004
  1. Flying Fish (String Quartet)
  2. Flying Fish
  3. Flying Fish (Remix)
  4. Flying Fish (Quartet version)
3rd Believe in music (Live at the stage)
  • Released: November 17, 2004
  1. Computer Data, Not Playable
  2. Believe in music MV
  3. Air MV
  4. Believe in music
  5. Spider's Sky (蜘蛛天空)
  6. I don't care
4th Thousand Years Late (遲到千年)
  • Released: September 18, 2006
  1. Thousand Years Late (Demo)
  2. Falling (墜落) (Demo)
  3. Thousand Years Late
5th My Future Is Not A Dream (我的未來不是夢) - sodagreen X apay
  • Released: December 15, 2006
  • Limited copies
  1. My Future Is Not A Dream - sodagreen X apay
  2. My Future Is Not A Dream - sodagreen
  3. My Future Is Not A Dream - apay

References

External links