Wilber Pan Wei Bo is 007. Or at least that’s how he’d like to appear to be.

Armed with a spiffy new haircut and a tuxedo from Japan worth at least NT$15, 000 (S$663.41), Pan, better known to fans as Will or Pan Shuai (meaning “handsome Pan”), ditches his usual Sunshine-boy cum Hip-Hop persona and attempts to slide right back into the music scene with his newest creation, 007.

Almost unsurprisingly, the American-born Taiwanese calls himself Agent W for his James Bond-inspired outing. At the Asia press conference held at The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, Pan revealed that the numbers zero to seven in “007” signify his achievements from his debut till his current 7^th album. The 29-year-old singer’s previous release was Will’s Future, a compilation album, in last July, following an earlier one launched in 2006.

A more mature and sleek-looking Pan featured on the album cover of 007, which was done by Grammy-nominated designer Xiao Qing Yang, and a touted collaboration with Akon, look all set to grab some attention, with 11 songs on the album as opposed to the usual 10. In addition, Pan was involved in the production work for all of the songs.

That being said, with an expensive, new image by top stylist Fong Yee-Lun, and a novel concept that revolves around a secret agent, the very songs, however, do not do justice to the album. Most of the tracks sound like they were either recycled from Pan’s previous ones, or inspired by the works of other artistes such as Khalil Fong and Danson Tang.

From the first track, “双人舞” (translated as Dance For Two), an easy-to-follow song with repetitive and slightly catchy lines, to dance tracks filled with synthesised tunes like “限量发行” (translated as Limited Edition), and to the last track, a sentimental ballad titled “Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye”, it’s hard not to notice the lack of freshness in most song choices.

For one, “无重力” (translated as Zero Gravity) would probably bring “路太弯” (translated as Very Winding Road) to mind, as both songs put you into similar moods, with a tone common in songs that talk about losing a lover.

“Everytime’s Goodtime” is comparable to “夏日疯” (translated as Summer Craze) as both are light-hearted songs with a mix of English and Mandarin, and suggest having fun and bonding with friends. Their tunes are also pretty catchy, although they may become irritating after a few repeats. Still, “Everytime’s Goodtime” sounds slightly better, and would been better if it had been sung entirely in English or Mandarin, though surprisingly, Pan sounds better in Mandarin here.

Track 5, “爱的歌” (translated as Song of Love), may be one of the two ‘songs of inspiration’ because it sounds like a mash up between Khalil Fong’s “Singalongsong” and Danson Tang’s “新歌” (translated as New Song). However, it has a forgettable tune and weak lyrics such as “有了你我就觉得快乐, 失去你我就觉得不快乐” (translated as “When I have you I feel happiness, when I lose you I don’t feel happiness”), which Pan had probably wanted to make up for by giving the song an overdose of R&B treatment.

On the brighter side, if there’s just one song that’s worth listening to, it should be the catchy “怎么着” (translated as Whatever) that is about Pan himself, his attitude towards music, and his self-esteem. Nearing the end of the song, Pan thanked those who have been supporting him and also takes a stand for himself by taking a dig at those who had looked down on him. Lyrics like “Sorry bro 这张第七张喽” (translated as “Sorry brother, but this is already my 7^th album”), are directed to those critics who had said unkind words to him during a singing competition in his earlier days. Also, the soundbites on Pan by his parents that were placed at the beginning and middle parts of the song are a refreshing and interesting arrangement that is sure to please fans.

“Be With You” stands out only because it’s a rap song featuring Akon, a multi-platinum American star, who came up with the original version of “Be With You” for his third studio album that was released in 2008. However, while Pan had written the Chinese and English lyrics for his parts of the song, “Be With You” would likely sound much better if the duo had shown more interaction and rapport. Nevertheless, this song is one of the 3 hit singles of the album.

Lastly, a Wilber Pan fan who also supports Jay Chou might enjoy the cheery “亲爱的” (translated as Dearest), as its tune is very similar to that of  “早操” (translated as Morning Workout) that was played in Jay Chou’s 2007 movie, Secret.

All in all, Pan seems to sound the same in here as in his previous albums, and R&B, Hip-Hop and Rap tunes still make up the majority of his record.

Though 007 shows a more mature side of him, Agent W should probably return to his Sunshine-boy cum Hip-Hop persona for a while more and go with catchy and upbeat songs like “不得不爱” (translated as Unable to Not Love) and “Tell Me”. The sentimental ballads are probably better be left to when he learns how to not sound so muffled and when he’s more ready with his vocals and pronunciation.

007 is one of Pan’s weaker albums and the songs should be caught over the radio.

Title: 零零七007
Artiste: Wilber Pan Wei Bo
Language: Mandarin and English
Release Date: 22 May 2009
Rating: 2/5 stars

Tracklist
1   双人舞
2   限量发行
3   无重力
4   Be With You
5   爱的歌
6   寂屋出租
7   自我意识
8   亲爱的
9   Everytime’s Goodtime
10 怎么着
11 Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye