o. “RomanTopia” by Lee Sang Eun [이상은]

This is her twelfth album. I got the impression that the music has lighten up a bit. She’s still marching to her own beat, but following the current trend a bit (electronica) in orchestration. Still collaborating with Hajimu Takeda.

I thought it was okay.

o. “Color Your Soul” by Clazziquai Project

This is their second album. Clazziquai Project is a one-man project work by Kim Sunghoon [김성훈] with many guest (some recurring) musicians. Not sure why their full names aren’t listed.

Anyway, he is continuing his electronica-based R&B (+ some Latin beats). I think I am getting a bit more comfortable with his approach.

o. “CheongChunYeChan” [청춘예찬] by Jaurim [자우림]

This is a cover/tribute album (I really should be more careful about researching these things). Jaurim are Kim YunA [김윤아] (vocals, keyboard, piano), Lee SeonGyu [이선규] (guitars, programming, vocals), Kim JinMan [김진만] (bass, programming, vocals) and Gu TaeHun [구태훈] (drums, percussions, vocals).

Not recommended.

o. “Nah Youn Sun with Refractory” by Refractory with Nah Youn Sun [나윤선]

To me, this is actually an album by Refractory featuring Nah Youn Sun. Refractory are Jean François Blanco (programming, keyboards, guitar, base) and Louis Beaudoin (sax, arrangements).

Interesting, but I am still unsure whether this type of acid jazz (?) / electronica isn’t really my thing.

o. “Ma Non Tanto” by Lee Eun Mee [이은미]

This is her sixth album and the title translates to “but not so much”, usually a tempo notation in a musical score.

The album is a collection of mostly sentimental numbers. Too sentimental for me, actually. A change of pace for her, I am sure, but I don’t think I am into it much.

o. “Love Record” by Windy City [윈디시티]

This is their first album. Windy City are Kim BanJang [김반장] (drums, lead vocal, timbale), Yun GabYeol [윤갑열] (guitar, vocal), Kim TaeGuk [김태국] (bass, vocal), Cho MyeongJin [조명진] (keyboards, vocal) and Jeong SangGwon [정상권] (gonga, bongo, vocal, percussions).

Kim BanJang used to lead Asoto Union, but it seems this now became his main interests. The band plays, I guess, reggae / groovy / funk (or “world music”).

An interesting try. Maybe, I am getting old and I’ve been away from Korea too long, but to me, it sounds too alienated from Korea, temporarily and spatially. As much as I like having diversity in the Korean music scene, I don’t know how much his effort will connect with the Korean crowd compared to Asoto Union.

o. “ginagram” by Gina [지나]

This is her first album. Gina is also known as Seo HyeonA [서현아].

I think this could have been a collection of her graduation works at Berklee, mostly funk / light jazz, I think. Pretty solid, I thought.

o. “Old Fashioned” by Common Ground [커먼 그라운드]

This is their second album. Common Ground are G-Jey (vocal), Cho DaeYeon [조대연] (vocal), RBS (rap), Choi HuiCheol [최희철] (bass), JANE (guitar), Park SeungMin [박승민] (guitar), Hwang JeongGwan [황정관] (drums), Park MinU [박민우] (keyboards), Cho JaeBeom [조재범] (percussions), Eo YongSu [어용수] (trombone), Kim SeongMin [김성민] (trumpet), Kim JongU [김종우] (sax) and Seo DaeGwang [서대광] (trumpet).

I always found them interesting because this type of big funk band is quite unusual. The only thing is I really hate their faker English rappers. Overall, not a bad concept, but their albums are just okay. I am sure their live performance is much more enjoyable.

o. “everyday trouble” by HaePaRiSoNyeon [해파리소년]

This is his first album. Just a one-man electronica pop/rock “band”. A bit rough sounding (noise, I guess), but I kind of like most of his non-vocal numbers. I am not sure about his vocal, though. Even his female guest vocal doesn’t seem to be that appealing.

o. “Noomas” by Yoonchan Kwak [곽윤찬] with John Patitucci and Nasheet Waits

This is his third album. Pretty standard Jazz trio album. Solid, but nothing exceptional, I thought.

They are as usual, KIM YunA (vocals, keyboards, programming), LEE SeonGyu (guitars, programming, vocals), KIM JinMan (bass, vocals) and GU TaeHun (drums, percussions, vocals).

This is their fifth album. Unlike some of the members’ solo projects, this group effort seems to try to be a lighter (or “popular”) collection.

Not that the music is bad, and I am sure their live acts must be fun, but I am not sure what the purpose of them staying together as far as their artistic ambitions are concerned.

Or maybe I have grown out of their styles and directions.

o. “Sound Renovates a Structure” by Asoto Union

It’s a bit old (released in 2003), but I was “recently” referred to them by “Russell”.

They are KimBanJang (drums), KIM MunHeui (bass), YUN GabYeol (guitars) and IM JiHun (keyboards).

This seems to be their first album. They are playing, I think, groove/funk, a bit retro. However, it seems it’s coming through the elements of hip-hop (e.g., looking at featured artists).

Not bad, I’d say. I wished it was more funk than hip-hop, though.

o. “Romantic English Woman” by Jeppet

Jeppet is YUN SeokJung.

This type of solo at-home studio work based on MIDI and computers seems to carry its own limitation. On one side, you think that the creator has such talent and tenacity. On the other hand, you think after all it does not amount to anything more than an “ear candy”.

I wish it was more of a pure electronica. I think his work would be better suited for that.

o. “Invisible Things” by loveholic

They are KANG Hyun Min (guitars), LEE Jae Hak (bass) and Jisun (vocals).

This is their second album.

As usual, their music isn’t bad. However, I am not sure what distinguishes them from the rest of the modern rock bands du jour.

Another thing is Mr. Kang who wrote most of the music may be trying a bit too much. Maybe he’s trying to alter something to make them sound distinct, but often it seems to break the natural flows of the music. I don’t know… I just felt that there were too many discontinuity.

o. “YeopJip AJumMa” by SuPeoTeukGongDae

They are Miro (vocals), Tazz (drums), RickyP (guitars) and June Lee (bass).

This is their first album, but I did recognize RickyP‘s voice and music style. He was one (the creative part) of Street Poet (or GeoRiEui SiInDeul).

Their rock music is much more straight-forward and upbeat and usually carries lighter messages. I like it. However, I don’t necessary care for some of the “social commentary” stuff. It just does not seem to go along with their image, but at least they keep it light.

I just can’t help, but think they (more like Ricky, actually) is a DJ D.O.C evolved.

o. “So I am…” by Youn Sun Nah Quintet

They are Youn Sun Nah (vocals), David Neerman (vibraphone), Benjamin Moussay (piano), Joni Zelnik (double bass), and David Georgelet (drums).

All the music seems to be original (by the quintet) for this album.

I think I’ll keep an eye on her, not because I dig her style (her voice is “too clean”, and not her vibrato) but she’s a rarity (and I may come around some day, who knows :p).

o. “SoGyuMo Acacia Band” by SoGyuMo Acacia Band

They are KIM Min-Hong (programming, guitars, vocals) and SONG EunJie (vocals, chorus, eggshake). Yes, they are “small scale” (that’s what “so-gyu-mo” means).

Most of the songs are “dreamy” (or drearily) slow. I actually was expecting something (quite) different. Their “orchestra”-tion is actually quite simple. I was expecting the name to be sarcastic, but…

Anyway, everything about this album says “home-recording” (not necessarily a bad thing, though).

o. “A Kiss at the End of Rainbow” by Modern Juice

They are Minuki (programming, keyboards), Down (guitars, bass) and Zio (vocals).

Even though the name seems to suggest otherwise, I think they are just a pop band. Not bad. Nothing special. I think Ms. Zio’s voice is just too soft and plain. I think her voice is suited more for a solo work. It would not have been any stranger if this album was a solo album.

o. “Nouveau Deux” by Nouveau Deux

They are SUNG Kimoon (piano, organ, e. piano), PARK Guenhyuk (drums), SEO Youngdo (a. and e. bass), CHANG Keeho (e. bass), MURAYAMA Yoshimitsu (guitars) and SUZUKI Hisatsugu (tenor sax).

It is basically a jazz orchestration album for some of the well-known Korean pop songs from the 80s and 90s.

I understand this is an interesting exercise. But I am not sure if the English lyrics ever make much sense. Usually with translations, it’s hard to keep the rhythm of the words and the music the same, and this is no exception. I think if anything, they could have just done it without words.

Even some of the tracks without words, the orchestration is just / damn / plain. I think the musicians involved are talented. I wish they did their original works instead of this type of “what can sell” stuff.

o. “NunSseop Dal” by LEE Sora

Her sixth album (the budgets for the album jackets are continuing to go up!). Somehow I wonder if she’ll ever get over her broken-heart.

However, this time her sorrow (or is it an anger) seems to be more restrained (maybe she’s moved into the acceptance stage from the anger stage). I still love her voice (even though she ditched jazz). And the music is good.

Sometimes, I am curious what her music would sound like if she became happy again.

o. “Every Single Day” by Every Single Day

They are MUN SeongNam (vocals, bass), JEONG JaeWu (guitars, programming) and CHOE SeungWon (drums).

The intro was very misleading. I thought it was another electronica album. However, it is more of a straight-forward rock album.

Sonically very rich, but I am not sure if the lead vocal’s voice quality matches with the rest of the instrumental orchestration. I felt that something was a bit off because of it.

Other than that, not a bad album for a rock album. Still, I don’t know what’s up with the album jacket design and the intro.

This is her 5th solo album. I think she wanted to write down and sing about what she felt for the past couple of years. All the tracks are slow-paced and moody. Ms. Lee hasn’t been known for her bright personality and voices, but it seems her recent emotional paths have taken that route.

I liked the songs on it although my recent preference seems to be leaning toward lighter pop/rock. Most of the tracks were arranged with “acoustic” feel with unison strings in the background.

I still adore her deep and coarse voice, but her breathing still bothers me. Some seems to still think of her as starting as a “Jazz” singer, but she never was. From an interview she did some time ago, it seems Jazz was never her “thing.”

o. “Funk” by Bulldog Mansion

They had a CD out before, but they call that a “debut EP.” And they are calling this the first album. This is a 4-piece band led by Lee, Hanchul (used to lead a lot of other bands including Zipper which I quite liked) on vocal and some guitar. The other members include Seo, Chang Seok on guitars, Lee, Hanju on bass, and Jo, Jungbum on drums.

I’ve always thought of Lee, Hanchul as a guy with plenty of musical sense and talent that doesn’t seem to get it quite right (just like Jinu whose solo albums I thought came quite short of his musical potentials, until he met Cho, Won Sun to form Roller Coaster). His band ventures quite rather successful (did I mentioned that I really liked Zipper? :p), but for some reason, he can’t keep them together for long.

Anyway, this album, backed by a home-grown (that is, “not imported”) brass section (this seems to be a trend among independent bands, which I welcome wholeheartedly), seems to work well. Some tracks can make you move to the music.

Some gripes. The arrangement for the brass section seems a bit weak although it sounds pretty good, and they were trying to promote “Funk” as their headline, but I think only a handful of them were “funk”-y. And I sometimes liked the idea of several 30-second aural interludes, but I am beginning to get annoyed by them.

o. “Ride on Live” by Roller Coaster

Well, actually, I was quite disappointed by this “Live” album by one of my favorite songwriter, Cho, Won Sun. This album does not convey the “live” concert feel at all. Although the songs are familiar, the whole thing is quite dull. I mean, you can’t avoid being less than perfect acoustically in a live concert, but I could not detect the crowd presence nor much enthusiasm.

o. The 4th Album by Jaurim

This is a bit of a disappointment as well. I am not sure I like the direction they are taking. I mean, I do understand that they would want to try “new” things as artists, but I think they have lost most of their charms from their first album. They seem to be going toward the direction that Kim, Yun-A took with her solo efforts.

I don’t know… I really liked this band. I am just hoping that this is just an experimental stage where they are trying to find something to settle into.

o. “Sae, Byeok” by Boo Hwal

This is their 8th album, I think. The interesting thing is they took Lee, Seung Chul back as the vocal, who used to sing for their first couple of albums. The songs themselves are nothing special, a very typical collection of their ballad rock. I just thought having Mr. Lee back (although it seems he didn’t sing too much on the CD) was quite amusing.

o. “The Portrait of Your Funeral” by Vassline

Thrash-metal? I guess I am out of this type of music these days.

o. “gemini” by t (Tasha)

Baby T is back! Well, I think this album does much better justice to her than her first junk. I thought she (and whoever is managing her) would know better after all that with Uptown to know that you just have to do your thing and worry about “marketing” later.

Tasha (aka. Yun, Mirae) is at her best when she’s showing off her “lyrical prowess”. She might have some difficulty in delivering the stories that the U.S. audience can related to, but given her rhyming skill itself, I think she’s there with just about any other female rappers in the U.S. When I first heard her rap in the Uptown‘s debut album, I knew she was born to rap.

But then, the amazing marketing machine was trying to turn her into an “R&B” singer. I mean, she can sing, but that’s not what she was born to. The effort to market her as such fell short big time, I think.

Anyway, I wish she continues in this path and maybe get some more “meaningful” stories and messages into her rhymes.