2012년 10월 28일 일요일

Jeong Tae-Chun / Ah, Dear the Republic of Korea… (1990)

Jeong Tae-Chun 정태춘
Ah, Dear the Republic of Korea… 아, 대한민국…
1990. 10




Side A
1. 아, 대한민국… / Ah, Dear the Republic of Korea
2. 떠나는 자들의 서울 / Seoul of Leaving Men
3. 우리들의 죽음 / Our Death
4. 일어나라, 열사여 / Stand Up, Martyr
5. 황토강으로 / To a Loess River

 Side B
1. 한여름밤 / Midsummer Night
2. 인사동 / Insa-dong
3. 버섯구름의 노래 / The Song of Mushroom Cloud
4. 형제에게 / To My Brother
5. 그대, 행복한가 / Are Thee Happy
6. 우리들 세상 / Our World



Jeong Tae-Chun is a folk music singer-songwriter who tremendously contributed the freedom of art in the Republic of Korea. Born in 1954, Jeong Tae-Chung started to play music as his brother, who worked in the U.S Forces Korea brought his guitar when he was in elementary school. We actually have introduced his another album here already.

One of the most interesting features of this album is the distribution of the album. Until 1996, all the songs in Korea had been pre-censored by the government committee called "Performance Ethics Commission" (공연윤리위원회) before publishing. Most songs in this album have covered numerous topics related to social issues, which made the council force Jeong Tae-Chun to revise or stop publishing his songs. However, he decided to ignore the instructions from the government, and distributed the album illegally. 

 This album has created a huge cultural phenomenon, urging other artists to act against the pre-censorship by the government. He has published his subsequent album without permission from the council as well, and other rock artists such as Kang San Ae and Seo Tai Ji participated in similar movements. Consequently, Korea has abolished presensorship on albums in 1996.

Not only in terms of his political affairs with the government, this album has also created a huge influence in terms of the reportage-like style of the songs featured in this album.  Especially, one of his most renowned songs, "Our Death" starts with the recital of Jeong Tae-Chun on the news article about a poor brother and sister who died of fire. Then, the song closes with the imaginative narration of them.



(Jeong Tae-Chun - 우리들의 죽음 / Our Death)


Album Cover
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/album.asp?a=125613)

References
Naver Music (http://music.naver.com/todayMusic/index.nhn?startDate=20080607)
Weiv (http://weiv.cafe24.com/review_view.html?code=album&num=1463)

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2012년 8월 14일 화요일

Kim, Doo Soo / Bohemian (1991)

Kim, Doo Soo 김두수
Bohemian 보헤미안
1991. 04




Disc A
1. 보헤미안 / Bohemian
2. 강변마을 사람들 / People in the Riverside Village
3. 자유로운 마음 / Free Minds
4. 햇빛이 물에 비쳐 반짝일 때 (명상을 위한 소리 Ad-lib)/ When the Sun Shines on the Water (Ad-lib for  meditation)

 Disc B
1. The River / 강
2. At the Distance / 멀리서
3. The Secret of Green Barley Field / 청보리밭의 비밀
4. The Shade of a Tree / 나무그늘



Kim Doo Soo is a Korean singer-songwriter who is often referred as Bob Dylan in Korean. In contrast to Hahn Dae-Soo (we have talked about his first album here), Kim Doo Soo has been living in Korea for his lifetime. Even though he has started his career as a folk musician in 80s, when Korean people started to cry out for democracy, his songs do not seem political unlike other folk musicians. Rather, Kim Doo Soo is wandering around in his songs.

 It is interesting to see the difference of styles in lyric writing between Hahn Dae-Soo and Kim Doo Soo. As we have talked about, Hahn Dae-Soo has used a variety of metaphors to express yearning for liberty and freedom from the oppression. For instance, in his song "Give Me Water!" (물 좀 주소!), Hahn Dae-Soo repeated says "gimme water" to imply that he wants freedom. On the other hand, Kim Doo Soo does not shout against the paradoxical reality. Rather, Kim Doo Soo contemplates himself and the utopia in his songs, which gives rises to emotional convincement that we need to yearn for peace.

 Kim Doo Soo does not shout, nor stands still in this album. Rather, he describes the utopia that our mankind used to be feel ordinary. And that's why Kim Doo Soo's songs are powerful.




(Kim, Doo Soo - 보헤미안 / Bohemian)


Album Cover
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/album.asp?a=100421)

References
Naver Music (http://music.naver.com/todayMusic/index.nhn?startDate=20080607)
Weiv (http://weiv.cafe24.com/review_view.html?code=album&num=1495, http://www.maniadb.com/album.asp?a=100421)
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/album.asp?a=100421)
Korean Psych (http://www.psychemusic.org/KimDooSoo.html)

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2012년 7월 31일 화요일

Kim, Min-ki / Kim, Min-ki (1971)


Kim, Min-ki 김민기
Kim, Min-ki 김민기
1971



Side A
1. 친구 / Friend
2. 아하! 누가 그렇게... / A-ha! Who did so...
3. 바람과 나 / Wind and Me
4. 저 부는 바람 / The Wind There
5. 꽃피우는 아이 / The Child Who Blooms Flowers

 Side B
1. 길 / The Road
2. 아침이슬 / Dew in the Morning

3. 그날 / That Day
4. 종이연 / Paper Kite
5. 눈길 / Snowy Road






The 70s in Korea was the age of confusion. In 1972, President Park Chung-hee announced October Yushin, which allowed him to control over the legislative branch of Korea. People started to rise against the dictatorship, but often failed due to the martial law the president declared. Until when the president was assassinated in 1979 (called as 10.26 incident), democracy movements become underground activities. 

 On the other hand, youth culture represented by blue jeans, guitar, and long hair started to broom in this period as well. The government tried to oppress this rapid changes in youth culture by cracking down mini skirts, but as the history all around the world has proven it, it was not enough to oppress the passion of youths.

 Kim Min-ki's debut album was probably the first bridge to connect these two worlds. His songs represent the youth culture in 1970s, but on the other hand, he has yearned for freedom throughout his songs in an emotional way. That's why his songs were significantly influential in thehistory of democracy movement of Korea, since one of his songs "Dew in the Morning" (아침 이슬) has become the symbol of peace and protest. In fact, in 2008, when about a million of people gathered to protest against the US beef export, people have sung this song together.
   
(Kim, Min-ki - 아침 이슬 / Dew in the Morning)

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2012년 7월 3일 화요일

Hwang Cine Band / Panacea (1997)

Hwang Cine Band 황신혜밴드
Panacea 만병통치
1997


1. Pain Killer 
2. 짬뽕 / Jjambbong
3. 닭대가리 / Chicken Head
4. 맛 좀 볼래 / You Wanna Try This
5. 문전박대 / Repudiation
6. 님과 함께 (Remake) / With Thee
7. 무너진다 / Falling
8. 뒹굴뒹굴 (초대가수: 백현일) / Rattlin'
9. 짬뽕 (Disco Version) / Jjambbong (Disco Version)

















What is "funny music?" 
Some might think of Christmas songs with funny Southern accents, while others might mention a few songs featuring comedians like Danny Kaye.


As their name implies, Hwang Cine Band's debut album, which is the album that we are introducing now, is full of kitsches and humours. Even though Lynyrd Skynyrd was named after the name of the PE teacher of band members, no one choose the name of a random actress as their band name. Well, Hwang Cine Band did itㅡHwang Cine is the name of a famous Korean actress. 


When we think of the term "punk," we usually draw pictures of violence, resistance, and rebellious kids. Sex Pistols makes good illustration for these features. However, this album, Panacea, has drawn a line against that classical punk by de-constructing sublimity that were usually held in classical rock music. This style actually goes directly against the mainstream of Korean rock music regarding that romanticism was considered as the best beauty in rock music during the late 80s-mid 90s Korea (this was partly due to the rise of rock band Buhwal). 


After listening to the childish lyrics such as "Let's go, Hwang Cine Band!" "I Love Jjambbong!" the first impression that listeners might have would be somewhat strange. There is even the Charter of National Education written on the album package, which is nothing to do with this album. However, all together, these features reveal that kitschiness of Hwang Cine Band was actually intended one. In other words, by mocking the seriousness that was commonplace in Korean pop music, Hwang Cine Band directly makes listeners ask themselves on what the norms of music should be.


(Hwang Cine Band - 짬뽕 / Jjambbong)


Album Cover
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/)

References
Weiv (http://weiv.cafe24.com/review_view.html?code=album&num=652)
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/artist.asp?p=113463)
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2011년 10월 29일 토요일

Songolmae / Songolmae II (1982)


Songolmae 송골매
Songolmae II

1982. 01. 15



Side A 
1. 어쩌다 마주친 그대 / Happened to Meet You
2. 우리들 / Us
3. 그대는 나는 / You, I4. 다시한번 / Once Again
5. 세상만사 / All the Things Around the World


Side B
1. 하다 못해 이 가슴을 / At Last to This Heart
2. 모두 다 사랑하리 / Love All Together
3. 빨리 빨리 / Quickly Quickly
4. 내 마음의 꽃 / 길지 않는 시간이었네 / The Flower in My Hear / It was not long time
5. 바람 / Wind



We have talked about one of the most famous hard rock bands in Korea, Sinawe here. From that review, one might ask a question : then is Sinawe the first band that introduced hard rock music in Korea? The answer is of course, it's not. In fact, there was a huge boom in the early 80s music industry in Korea. There might be various factors, such as better standards of living, but probably the most prime reason is that the new president of Korea, Chun Doo-hwan tried to justify dictatorship by cultural policy as he rose in power from the coup detat in 1980.


Songolmae, the band we are going to talk about in this post, was also one of the bands that lead the music boom in early 1980s. Especially, the reason why Songolmae lead the rock music industry at that time was probably their members had a lot of talents. Chul-Soo Bae, who is the leader of Songolmae, made a debut from the TBC beach music contest and the MBC university music contest in 1978 with his band Hwaljuro (Airstrip in English), and formed Songolmae after a few members of Hwaljuro quit. After the publication of the first album, Songolmae introduced a few members from Black Tetra, another famous rock band at that time which also performed and was awarded at the MBC university music contest. As a result, Songolmae was able to have the rock stars in the band altogether.


As their history shows, this album presents highly-polished hard rock music. One of the most interesting features in this album is that the two styles of Hwaljuro and Songolmae create distinctive harmony throughout the album. Especially, 어쩌다 마주친 그대(Happened to Meet You) and 모두 다 사랑하리 (Love All Together) are still regarded as best 80s rock songs in Korea.


Still, the legacy that Songolmae left is present in the modern Korean rock music. Chul-Soo Bae, who is the leader of Songolmae, has been continuing his music career as a musician and pop columnist, who has been a DJ of one of the most famous music radio program, Chul-Soo Bae's Music Camp for over twenty years.




  
(Songolmae - 어쩌다 마주친 그대 / Happened to Meet You)

Album Cover
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/)

References
Maniadb (http://www.maniadb.com/album.asp?a=121522)
Songolmae Official Website (http://www.songolmae.co.kr/)

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2011년 9월 26일 월요일

Sinawe / Heavy Metal Sinawe (1986)


Sinawe 시나위
Heavy Metal Sinawe
1986. 03. 01


Side A
1. 크게 라디오를 켜고 / Turn on the Radio Aloud
2. 그대 앞에 난 촛불이여라 / I Would Be a Candle in Front of You
3. 남사당패 / Namsadang
4. 젊음의 록큰롤 / Rock'n Roll of outh
5. 아! 대한민국 / Ah! The Republic of Korea


Side B
1. 잃어버린 환상 / Lost Dream
2. 아틸란티스의 꿈 / Dream of Atlantis
3. 1월 (January) / January
4. 하루해 마냥 떠가고 / Sun Goes Down All the Way 




Some might have heard of Sinawe before, as it is a form of traditional Korean music based on improvisation. Indeed, the leader of Sinawe, Shin Dae-cheol said that he came up with the band name from his music textbook when he was in middle school. Regarding that there is a lot of similarities between metal music and the traditional Korean music, this name probably explains their music style very well.

Actually, we have talked about the albums related to Sinawe a few times before. The second album that we introduced was the first debut album of Add 4, which was lead by the "godfather" of the Korean rock music, Shin Jung-hyeon here. Also, we have mentioned his another legendary album, Shin Jung-hyeon & Yeopjeons 1st Album here. Probably, Shin Jung-hyeon is the most closest person to Sinawe, and that's because he is in fact, the father of Shin Dae-cheol, who is the leader of Sinawe. Not only that, in the review for Seo Taiji's first debut album here, we actually mentioned that Seo Taiji was the former bassist of Sinawe but soon quit and founded the group Seo Taiji and Boys.



In fact, hard rock genre was not the odd one in late 1980s, as various hard rock bands were active in 80s such as Song Gol Mae, which is another important figure in the Korean pop music history that we are going to talk about later. That's why this album wouldn't be called the first heavy metal album in Korea. However, nobody would argue about the fact that this album became the milestone of heavy metal genre in Korea, blooming metal boom in late 80s. As the phrase "heavy metal" is shown on their first album cover, Sinawe introduced themselves as "heavy metal" band showing that they are going to be renowned as "heavy metal band".

The songs featured in this album, despite that they were recorded in poor quality, show that they deserve their fame as a heavy metal band. Especially, the unique vocal sound of Yim Jae-beom and the alternative solo of Shin Dae-cheol make this album especially distinctive. That's why this album is regarded as one of the best heavy metal albums in Korea with the album Too Fast! Too Loud! Too Heavy! from Baekdusan, which is the band we are going to talk about later again.

  
(Sinawe - 크게 라디오를 켜고 / Turn on the Radio Aloud)

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