#小四 Candace Hsu

[fyeahcindie]

This gentle tune came up in my recs just now, what a beauty from 四枝筆 Four Pens! =D

This is the title track from their 2021 album, so we may have posted it before. (possibly an audio-only version?)

Candace Hsu 徐千雅 aka 小四 (little 4)-Voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-Gtr/Voc/Songwriter, 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu-Keys/Voc, etc.

Links:  YouTube,  Instagram,  Spotify,  Bandcamp,  iNDIEVOX Door Cat Records,  Official site,  Sunny Wu YouTube

The band are touring Japan in September w/ Kimpomme (김뽐므). Let's check out one of her songs, this is a single from last year:

They should make a lovely double bill in Japan. =)

And here's a peppy 2021 single from the combination of Four Pens & TV Host/Singer/Actress Lulu黃路梓茵 (Lulu IG, Lulu YT)

Full credits and lyrics for the 2 Four Pens songs back at YT.

[fyeahcindie]

Sweet new single from 四枝筆 Four Pens!  And a tasteful arrangement in this collaboration with Yuchain Wang 王昱辰.   =D

小四 Candace Hsu, Bibo Kang 康秉豐, 吳映咨 Sunny Wu

Music by Bibo & Yuchain.  Lyrics by Bibo

Arranged by Four Pens & Yuchain Wang (GreenEyes)

Vocals: Candace.   Chorus: Candace & Bibo Acoustic Guitars: Bibo Piano, Synthesizers: Sunny & Yuchain Electric Bass: Yuchain.   Drums: Josh Edbrooke Percussion: Candace & Sunny

Produced, Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by 王昱辰 Yuchain Wang @Morisound Studio, Taipei

More links: Official site,  Instagram

[fyeahcindie]

Here’s a nice surprise - 四枝筆 Four Pens with a new version of *離開你的森林 Leaving the Forest, a song from their debut 2012 ep AM 6:57.   =D

Music/Lyrics by Bibo Kang 康秉豐

Arranged by Four Pens & Conehead 錐頭 

Vocals : Candace Hsu 徐千雅.  Chorus: Candace & Bibo

Acoustic Guitars: Bibo Kang.  Electric Piano: 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu 

Synthesizer: Sunny & Bibo.  Electric Bass: 謝俊彥 GYM (from Deca joins) 

Beats: Conehead 錐頭 

More about Conehead 錐頭 / 昱升曾 (Conehead): “Sample-based/Hip Hop//Electronic/Ambient/Mellow/Lo-Fi/Experimental/Moods” 

Conehead links: SoundCloud,  Bandcamp,  Instagram,  beats and friends (fb group),  beats and friends (YT)

Four Pens links: YouTube,  Instagram,  Spotify,  Bandcamp,  Door Cat Records,  Official site

The EP version is so pure and charming, my goodness:

This has been a nice Four Pens stretch; I hope you enjoyed the live stream from yesterday, and the interview (w/ English subtitles) from several days ago!

[fyeahcindie]

Get to know 四枝筆 Four Pens in this new interview (w/English subtitles) conducted by Josh Edbrooke.   =D

Topics include first influences, and they recommended one of their songs for Chinese-learners (明天的自己 New Day and New Me from their 2013 ep, PM 11:59).  Bibo also shared that he sometimes writes his lyrics in English first, then re-writes in Chinese.   Wow, I wish they would release some English versions of their songs!  =D

Josh is in the Taipei-based band Transition 前進樂團. He played drums on Four Pens’ 2 recent singles, which we featured HERE and ALSO HERE.

小四 (little 4) Candace Hsu 徐千雅-voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-gtr/voc, 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu

YouTube,  Instagram,  Spotify,  Bandcamp  iNDIEVOX Door Cat Records  New Official site, Community page 四枝筆迷 | Four Pens Fans

Let’s have a listen to that song they recommended, it is so sweet:

[fyeahcindie]

I’m sure they had bigger plans for this career milestone, but here we are,  another band making the best of a bad situation with a relaxing and informal live stream. Congratulations to Four Pens!  =D

四枝筆 Four Pens streamed earlier on Saturday: 9週年生日 直播演唱會 9th Anniversary Live Show.  A few minutes of chit chat and getting ready, then the songs begin.   

UPDATE:  at around 45 minutes in, they cover Cheer Chen’s Travel Is Meaningful.  Nice!  =)

小四 (little 4) Candace Hsu 徐千雅-voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-gtr/voc, 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu-keys/percussion

I’m really noticing how more and more, TW bands are communicating in Japanese for their fans abroad; especially on Twitter, sometimes they only post in Japanese. (Maybe fans in Japan find it easier to follow bands on that social platform?)

I’ll include the Four Pens message from YouTube:

“四枝筆 9週年特別直播節目！ 四枝筆 成立於2011年的春天，由主唱小四、鍵盤手咨咨、吉他手Bibo三人所組成，以一把木吉他為基底，結合鍵盤時而輕跳、時而溫軟的聲響，加上主唱如耳語般唱出纏繞在日常生活上的省思。 已發行 2 張時光系列宅錄EP《AM 6:57》與《PM 11:59》、1 張錄音室單曲《夏季悲歌》、1 張同步錄音EP《柔軟的海》，樂團主要活躍於台灣、日本，目前正在錄製首張錄音室專輯。 Four Pens is a three piece band from Taiwan formed in 2011. Their name derived from a combination of the three members names, which in Taiwanese means “Four Pens”. Members include vocalist Candace, vocalist-guitarist-song writer Bibo and melodica - metallophone player, Sunny. Four Pens is best known for their dual vocals and vast variety of accompanying instruments. Their songs feature lyrics about life in the hopes that their music can be a companion for the listener.”

Sound Man: 劉又熊.  Special Thanks: 哈哈、Lafee、凱文 、dato

More links:  YouTube,  Instagram,  Spotify,  Bandcamp,  iNDIEVOX Door Cat Records  Official site,   (Sunny Wu YouTube),  Community page 四枝筆迷 | Four Pens Fans

[fyeahcindie]

TOKYO ACOUSTIC SESSION again did some episodes in Taiwan, this time with Four Pens 四枝筆樂團, and the result is sweet indie folk.  =D

小四 Candace Hsu-voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-gtr/voc, 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu-toy piano/glockenspiel/perc.

Actually, the team from Tokyo probably just did sessions with several bands over one trip to Taiwan.  (We posted 2 songs from their visit with I Mean Us a few months back, HERE and also HERE.)  The Four Pens session took place in July, but just posted last week.

They also filmed a 2-song session in July with 洪安妮 Anni Hung, it’s so nice:

Anni Hung & Four Pens Japan Tour 2019

http://fastcut.jp/feature/anni-hung-four-pens-japan-tour-2019/

11/23 名古屋, 11/24 兵庫 加古川, 11/25 東京 下北沢, 11/26 東京 渋谷

(All of the details at that fastcut link, including some promo photos and MVs)

[fyeahcindie]

Listen/purchase: Romance After the Doomsday by Four Pens

Charming new single from 四枝筆 Four Pens.  =D

No credits at bandcamp, but I imagine it was written by Bibo and arranged by the band. Hopefully there will be an MV and I’ll share that when I see it.

Candace Hsu 徐千雅 aka 小四 (little 4)-Voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-Gtr/Voc, 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu-Keys/Voc, etc.   

Links:  YouTube,  Instagram,  Spotify,  Bandcamp,  iNDIEVOX Door Cat Records,  Official site,  Sunny Wu YouTube.

[fyeahcindie]

Let’s hear some covers!  =D

First up, indietronic duo TWO PILLs AFTER MEAL (new fb address) from Thailand with a radical rearrangement of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ By The Way.  Keys/female voc-Kampirada Kaewmesaeng (aka Little)-Voc/Keys, Tassanai Sumbutteera (aka Ohm)-Drums/Voc

Next, we have 四枝筆樂團 Four Pens covering the Japanese band Mongol800:

4 pens, 3 members: 小四 Candace Hsu-voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-gtr/voc, 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu

Finally, this is 表情銀行 Mimik Banka (from China, formerly known as 16mins 16分鐘) very casually covering The Queen Suitcase 皇后皮箱 (from TW)

Members of both bands in the video still above.  =D

[fyeahcindie]

New clip from Four Pens 四枝筆樂團!  =D

I think this was recorded last year on a trip to Kobe, Japan.  The band (Candace Hsu 小四-voc, Bibo Kang 康秉豐-gtr/voc, and 吳映咨 咨咨 Sunny Wu-keys/melodica) have help from ShuShu 舒舒 on guitar, 森本アリ Morimoto Ali-trumpet, 清造理英子 Seizo Rieko-trombone.

Recording Engineer / Yuchain Wang 王昱辰 (RooftopAudio studio, GreenEyes band)

Equipment Support / 和田真也 Wada Shinya 

Video Photography / 西脇エミ Nishiwaki Emi 

Video Editor / Lafee

Recording at 旧グッゲンハイム邸 http://www.nedogu.com