o. “Another world…” by Happyband Well

They are Lee ChangHyeon (vocal), Neo (guitar), Kim SangJin (bass), and Lee YunMan (drums). A soft rock band (reminds a bit of BuHwal). Not too keen about the vocal. Well-made, but NMCoT.

o. “Prana” by NaeGwiE DoCheongJangChi

They are Lee Hyeok (vocal), Lee JuWon (guitar), Hwang UiJun (bass), and Jeong JaeHun (drums). A rock/hard-rock band (with some electronica thrown in sometimes). Well-made, but NMCoT.

o. “Mozosonyon” by Dalpalan & Byungjun

Both former members of Pipiband. Electronica/pop, I think. I think their musical sensibility and ability are top quality, but I am not sure about their “pop” sensibility (or I am not getting it).

o. “YuRiGaMyeon” by Kim YunA

Not too sure about her solo projects. This time, her musical focus was on Tango, but I am not sure it suits her voice overall. I just can’t get “excited” about her moodiness (I think it’s worse than that of Lee Sora).

o. “Songs in Air” by Sweater

They are Im YeJin (keyboards), Lee ARip (vocal), Shin JiHyeon (bass), and Shin SeCheol (drums). Made up of songs they wrote to the words that their fans sent in for some radio shows. I think their second album is still their best.

o. “Sunsick” by Roller Coaster

They are Cho WonSeon (vocal, keyboards), Lee SangSun (guitar), Jinu (bass, programming), and Son GyeongHo (drums). I think the group might be on their last life. They may need some other infusion of ideas and/or energy (especially energy), or split up do something else on their own.

o. “Dorothy in Wonderland” by Dorothy

They are Dorothy (vocal, guitar), Andi (guitar), Jonathan (guitar), and Isaac (drums). An interesting pop/rock work. Their single, “SoPung”, surely has very good feel. I don’t think there is enough marketing “push”, though. Maybe, this was just a project work.

o. First Album by Daylight

They are Kang YeonGyeong (vocal), Im SeongO (guitar, bass), and Shin DongWu (acoustic guitar, keyboards). I think this is also one of many bands that formed around a female vocal (is this a trend in Korean pop bands?). Not bad overall, but I thought the second track, “Angel Song”, sounded familiar and it turns out this seems to be a remake of a The Brilliant Green song. And why do they still put “instrument version” tracks (just without the vocal track) on the CDs? Having nine tracks aren’t that bad.

o. “Infield Fly” by DalBitYoJeongYeokJeonManLuHomReon (or just DalBitYoJeong)

One man project. I’d say folk/rock. Not bad, but really, he is too obsessed with baseball.

o. “HaNeulE PiNeun Ggot” and “DalESeoUi 9 Nyeon” by Sweetpea

They are solo project albums by Kim MinGyu from DeliSpice. Although it is a re-issue, I liked the songs on “Nine Years on Moon” better. More raw, lively and energetic.

o. Self-titled by Rockstone

They are Park GyeongHun (vocal, bass, programming) and Seok WonYong (vocal, guitar). I guess, it’s rock/hard-rock stuff. Musically, it sounds a bit passé, although recording seems to be done fairly well. NMCoT.

o. “Speed Graphic” and “Sunny 16″ by Ben Folds

These are two of the three EPs that Ben Folds are planning (actually the last one, “Super D” is almost out and on order). The only complaint is that each only has 5 tracks. Each ends too soon. Maybe, I should burn all of them in a single CD…

o. Self-titled by The Bens (Ben Folds, Ben Lee, and Ben Kweller)

Three singers with the first name “Ben”. I don’t know about Ben Lee or Ben Kweller. And it didn’t turn out the way I imagined. Wasn’t too impressed.

o. “Stare Toward Sunset” by Jacob’s Ladder

They are LEE DongWuk (electric, acoustic, slide guitars), KIM JuIl (lead vocal), KIM YeongSu (drums), JEONG SeongHun (bass), and PARK Il (slide guitar).

Some sites said they play “Southern Rock”. I am not sure what that mean. They somehow reminded me of John Cougar… Maybe it means slower rock numbers with organs. I can’t say that they are bad, but not my cup of tea.

o. “staccato green” by sweater

This is their first album. I got the second one before and wanted to see what they were like the first time.

The members were a bit different, the core people were there. They are LEE ARip (lead vocals), SONG JunWu (guitars), JEONG Hyeon (bass), IM YeJin (keyboards), and SHIN SeCheol (drums, percussion & vocals).

I find it interesting that the album was produced by LEE HanCheol. I guess he has some good tastes. However, I liked the second one better. Ms. Lee’s vocal seems more overworked in this (she indeed sounds a lot like KIM YunA of JAURIM). I hope they continue evolve their style that they showed in the second album.

o. “Map of the Human Soul” by epik high

They got some Korean public media coverage because one of the members happened to received his B.S. and M.A. in English from Stanford in 3 years or something. Not that it guarantees the musical talent. Anyway, they are Tablo, Mithra Jin, and DJ Tu:kutz.

Maybe I should stop buying hip-hop albums. I am curious, but at the end of the day, there aren’t that many hip-hop albums that I like…

o. “Jr 1st” by EOM YeongIn

Some sites claimed this was a young genius who played guitar like God (okay, maybe I exaggerate a bit). However, when I actually looked inside the information sheet in the CD, this was totally false.

The album was produced by HAM ChunHo, who also played almost all guitars. I really like Mr. Ham’s guitar playing ever since I first heard him in one of KIM HyeonCheol‘s project album more than a decade ago. I think Mr. Eom was someone he knew, or he tried to start a management company or something.

I think this is a total waste.

o. “as leeds” by LEEDS

She has a very nice voice and sings mostly ballads in somewhat shaky Korean. This is her second album, and she seems to have participated in a lot of other people’s projects. I think she could compete with Lena PARK JeongHyeon.

o. “new nature of sounds” by Pudding

This is another rare Korean issue, I guess. It’s purely instrumental Jazz album. They are KIM JeongBeom (piano and keyboards), YEOM SeungJe (acoustic and electric guitars), LEE DongGeun (bass), KIM JinHwan (percussions), and YUN JaeHyeon (drums).

KIM JeongBeom seems to be the musical leader and they mostly plays light melodic latin Jazz pieces that somehow reminds me of French stuff or some European movies…

I hope in time, I’ll actually get to see a Korean bebop/post-bebop album…

o. “StonySkunk 1st Best seller” by StonySkunk

They are Skul1 and SoRaeNun Boy. They play “Jamaican” hip-hop. Their Jamaican accent seems fake (what a surprise). However, the effort was interesting, but as I said above, I should stop buying hip-hop albums.

I got this awhile ago, but I have been busy. Anyway, this is one of the three EP albums he is releasing this year (?). All the album titles are related to photography (apparently, Ben recently got into it).

This has five new tracks, although I’ve heard that one or two were from his old demo tapes. I still love his music and piano playing. I still want to play like him and hope to, one day, play my own music on the piano, just like him. :p

His arrangements seem to have softened a bit. I listen to BFF‘s earlier albums quite often, and you can definitely tell the difference. Maybe it’s the time, or maybe it’s the make-ups (or the identities) of the collection of musicians participating (I miss Darren Jessee). But still it’s fun to listen to.

o. 1st album by Yukgaksu Band

I was looking for a rock “band” album, and this one caught my eyes. The name sounded familiar. It turns out that this is a band led by CHO Sung Hwan (BTW, whose name is the same as my father) who used to belong to a duet called Yukgaksu (they won some contest long time ago, I think).

Overall, their music is not too bad. Their music is based on rock (classic?), but their lyrics and attitude are light-hearted. Their title track, AJeoSsi 1st ver., is rather pretty good.

The only thing is that the most of the music was not written by the band members, but by JEONG HongCheol who produced the album (and the old duet’s only hit number which is also re-recorded on this one). I wonder why he is not in the band…

Anyway, they are CHO Sung Hwan (vocal), KWON Jun Taek (guitars), YUN Jin Young (drums), and PARK Jong Bae (bass).

o. “3rd PHASE” by PiA

Well, my memory is getting weak… I am sure I’ve heard many times, but I forgot that this is a band produced by Seotaiji. And they are continuing the genre that he was last seen.

The style, arrangement, and everything else seem to be done by the executive producer, as if nothing in this world has changed for the past 8 years or so… I am not saying they are bad musicians. It’s just that… futile (?)…

Anyway, they are YoHan (vocal), HeolLaeng (guitars), GiBeom (bass), SimJi (FX), and HyeSeung (drums).

o. “humming street” by sweater

This is their second album, although I completely missed their first. This is the closest I have seen to Roller Coaster as far as the music style. Compared to Roller Coaster, sweater seems a bit lacking in funk, though.

They are SHIN SeCheol (drums, percussions, programming, background vocals), YI ARip (vocals, background vocals), IM YeJin (synth, piano, programming, background vocals), and SHIN JiHyeon (bass, background vocals).

As you can see they are made up mostly with females. The only male in the group, Mr. Shin, has a name that reminds me of a certain Korean rock family. Maybe, he’s related…

I liked them quite a bit. They are not Roller Coaster. (BTW, is the lousy live performance on the live album the reason they don’t seem to be, mildly put, active these days?) I wouldn’t say one would fall for the whole album, but there seem to be enough tracks that will keep one entertained.

o. “Indie Power 2003″ by various artists

I believe this is the fifth volume. From the way the information sheet was designed, I’d say the budget for this project has been more limited than before. This series is a set of compilation albums that presents Korean underground musicians (mostly in the band form) with their re-interpretation of famous Korean pops.

I thought this project has been quite a success, but this year, I was a bit disappointed and is worried if this would be the last. One interesting thing about this year’s volume is a total lack of hip-hop. For the past two years, I found that there were a lot more hip-hop style bands included in the series. However, this year, it’s mostly hard-/thresh-metal or somewhat off-beat pop. No, rap at all.

I don’t know whether this was the goal of this project or whether hiphoppers weren’t interested in this project, but I just find it odd. Maybe hiphop (not “pop hiphop”) in Korea is no longer an underground genre. I don’t particularly care for hiphop all that much, but I do like the element of the genre infused to others…

1. Get Up by Electronic Gypsy
2. IReumEopNeun Sae by Down in a Hole
3. WoenSonJabI by Kyrie Eleison
4. BiWa DangSinEui IYaGi by Gaia
5. Tears by Holymarsh
6. BaBoBeoSeu by Hooky Club
7. SaRamDeulEun MoDu ByeonHaNa Bwa by Hazy
8. Yet ChinGuEGye by Biuret
9. Suddenly by Xman Club
10. Neon NamI ANiYa by Rock Zetz
11. ICheungESeo Bon GeoRi by Oathean
12. GeuDdaen GeuRaetJi by Ghettobombs
13. Nae MaEumE JuDanEul GgalGo by YiJeongWu Band

o. “sunny 16″ by Ben Folds

This is the second EP. It also has five new tracks with one short extra track, which made me wonder if both were supposed to be combined as one full album. BTW, I am eagerly waiting his next full album.

Most of the people on this album seem to be from the other one as well. Another pretty good album by BF and friends.