*- Even if you're the most loyal fan, you don't deserve this album
**-If you've got money to burn, buy this CD or else,...just copy the songs
***-Need something to add in your CD collection?
****-Fans from this artist's music genre would enjoy this
*****- Contemporary CLASSIC.

In 1998, an R&B group proved that they are not just "another Asian male group trying to be the next Dru Hill or Boyz II Men". Filipino descents Andrey Silva, Andrew Gapuz, Errol Viray, AC Lorenzo with fellow Chinese member Leo Chan released their self-titled record which sneaked quietly in the record shops five years ago. Maybe you've heard of male Asian-Filipino acts trying to make in the charts like Rozwell, Devotion, C-Quence and Drop N' Harmony. Among them, Kai stands out the rest. Kai (which was tagged from the Tagalog word, Kaibigan, meaning Friend/ Friendship/ Brotherhood) features great lyrics, musical quality and awesome harmonizing in their first CD. Their music is a combination of modern r&b, soul and pop. And yes, their love songs are different from the typical aww-ish corny tunes you constantly hear. They offer emotional vocal potentials that would make their work a classic. Once they sing in their baggy and boyish outfit, you would be surprised how can these Asian guys sing a grand soulful melody. As young as they are, they realize that they don't need expenisve music videos to prove their talents.

The first song off the album is "Something Inside of Me", which was pretty much influenced by mainstream pop. I'm not into these boyband-pop music but I had to say that this is a good cut. "Heart to Heart" and "Will You Still Love Me?" are two of the memorable melancholic slow jams in the CD. You could earnestly hear their natural harmonies even if they are not singing in a cappella. "I Got It" is a neat danceable funky tempo while they did a very good cover on "Suddenly". The winner of the album may only run in three and a half minutes but this piano-accompanied song, "Say You'll Stay" is a guaranteed hit. Andrey delivers beautifully and his buddies contribute as well. A weak song in the album is the remix of "Say You'll Stay". Geez, they shouldn't have put that, I think eleven songs will do.

The CD may seem a bit premature, but these young vocalists from San Francisco proved that even with their busy schedules, they were able to find time to showcase their craft in music. I give credit to Producer Tristan Bishop who obviously did very well in this album. I hope that Kai would be able to crack their "underground music" plague and market their works to various r&b fans.

Kai would surely `stay' if their album will improve the formula they've put in here.


Great Vocal talent and tight harmony...   May 13, 2003
mypetconcubine (Waianae, Hawaii U.S.A.)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I have no idea why these guys didn't get the respect they deserve they are vocally way better than backstreet or nsync... it's a shame that they had only one hit...these guys have tight harmony and beautiful vocals...truly if you have never seen what these guys look like you would not believe they are an asian group....amazing...my favorite track and one of my favorite songs of all time is "Say you'll Stay" it's an a amazing song...this song shot to the top #1 here in Hawaii when it first came out...


mad love   July 7, 2000
Olivia Chung (Silver Spring, Maryland)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

the members of kai are talented, funny, friendly, charismatic guys who just jam.... and highly entertain the audience at the same time. AND they're asian american! their tunes are catchy and lyrics are real, just like the group.


KAI is da Bomb!   May 31, 2000
Thomas Yan Ong (Azusa, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

What a group, like an Asian Boyz II Men. It's refreshing to see Asians making cool R&B music. All the songs are great especially the first half of the CD. I've even danced to one of their songs in a Korean night club in K-Town. I hope they make more albums in the future and pave the way for more Asian groups.