Album ReviewsKasabian `West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum' (SonyBMG) A couple of months ago, British rockers Kasabian gave away free downloads of its single ``Vlad the Impaler'' on the Internet, a good marketing ploy to get more fans. Apparently it worked since Kasabian's third album debuted on top of the U.K. charts. However, the album doesn't quite meet the high expectations from fans who embraced their early hits ``Club Foot'' and ``Shoot the Runner.'' Kasabian does come up its trademark electro-infused rock songs like ``Where Did All the Love Go?'' and ``Fast Fuse,'' but falters with acoustic tracks such as ``Thick as Thieves.'' -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Flo Rida `R.O.O.T.S' (Warner Music) American rapper Flo Rida's sophomore effort is a good mix of pop, electro, dance, and hip-hop tunes. His first single ``Right Round,'' featuring Ke$ha, topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts for good reason. It's one of the catchiest tracks on the album, thanks to the sampling of 80's New Wave group Dead or Alive's ``You Spin Me Round.'' Flo Rida also gets a boost from some of the hJun 23, 2009
Sojung Lee’s Love Letter to ChopinBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter They say that Frederic Chopin’s piano works sing _ and singer-songwriter Sojung Lee actually sings them to life in her new album ``Chopin and the Girl’’ (Sony BMG). ``When I was listening to Chopin I could hear lyrics, picture a story,’’ said the singer in a recent interview with The Korea Times. Of course, storytelling through music is nothing new for Lee, who is famous, among others, as the voice of Mulan in the namesake Disney animation. ``Musicals are more than just song and dance, but are about delivering a story,’’ said the first Korean to play the lead in Broadway’s ``Miss Saigon.’’ Her glamorous style and radiant energy shined in person as much as they do onstage, but it was her warm, down-to-earth personality and palpable passion for Chopin that invited one’s full attention. Lee took out her iPod, on which a sizeable fraction of the 3,000 songs are those of Chopin. She handed over one of the earphones and sang along, ``chords are setting the mood where the story occurs’’ to Etude No. 9 in F minor, Op. 10. ``Every Melody Bears a StoJun 21, 2009
Trace Bundy to Perform in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American guitarist and YouTube sensation Trace Bundy will be performing at Urban, Itaewon, Wednesday. Referred to by fans as the ``acoustic ninja,'' Bundy has captivated audiences around the world with his amazing guitar playing skills. Go on YouTube or his Web site www.tracebundy.com, and you'll find videos of Bundy playing tunes like Pachelbel's Canon to Guns N Roses' ``Sweet Child O Mine'' or Eminem's ``Lose Yourself.'' It's no wonder that Acoustic Guitar Magazine named him the Most Promising Guitarist of the year and 3rd Best Fingerstyle Guitarist of the Year for 2008. In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, Bundy said he started playing the guitar when he was 11 or 12 because of his older brother Greg. ``My older brother wanted to learn guitar, so he and I bought a $10 guitar from a guy named Herbie. We started buying guitar magazines at the local store and learning my brother's favorite heavy metal songs,'' he said. Bundy fell in love with the guitar, taking it everywhere, and playing all the time. Music has alwayJun 21, 2009
Girls’ Generation Shows Teaser VideoGirls’ Generation, one of South Korea’s top pop groups, has unveiled a teaser video ahead of its comeback next week with its new album. The video, which was seen on the girl group’s Web site (girlsgeneration.smtown.com), showed its nine members attired in navy uniforms with part of their new song, ``Genie'' or ``Tell Me Your Wish,'' made public. Girls’ Generation, often called ``SNSD,’’ will first introduce the song during ``Music Bank’’ on KBS-TV scheduled for June 26. The group will also resume its full-blown activities by appearing in other music programs on SBS, MBC and other cable broadcasters. Girls’ Generation shook the local music world with its spectacular success in the first half of this year with ``Gee.'' ``Gee'' ranked first for the ninth consecutive week at ``Music Bank'' while sweeping album sales, downloads and mobiles in the first half. SM Entertainment, the group’s agent, said the new album will display refined and accomplished songs peculiar to the girl band. Girls' Generation has been shining in the local music market since its debut in 20Jun 20, 2009
Lady Gaga Visits Seoul for First TimeBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Pop star Lady Gaga lived up to her reputation as a fearless fashion icon when she wore a black see-through catsuit with an exaggerated clown collar to a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday. "Gaga style does not equal kooky. I have a natural inclination for haute couture and avant-garde fashion. To me, this is not shocking,'' Lady Gaga said, referring to the skintight outfit by Tokyo-based designer Dress Camp. ``It's vogue and beautiful.'' Lady Gaga was in Seoul for a three-day promotional trip, which included a showcase at Club Answer, Cheongdam-dong Wednesday evening. The petite blonde singer has topped the charts with catchy dance songs like ``Just Dance,'' ``Poker Face,'' and ``Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).'' However, it was her eclectic style that elicited more questions during the press conference than her music. "It's exciting for me (to be considered a fashion icon). A year and a half ago, when I first came out, people said I looked funny. … It's great that now it's so mainstream,'' Lady Gaga said. Born StefaJun 17, 2009
Ensemble Ditto Opens Third SeasonBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Ensemble Ditto greets its third season with a festival featuring four concerts June 27-28 at Seoul Arts Center. The chamber group comprised of up-and-coming artists has been something of a phenomenon in Korea, performing to sold-out audiences across the country. ``We're really excited about this festival and the response has been more than enthusiastic. I heard two of the concerts are already sold out and we are really fortunate,'' violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, who doubles as the event's artistic director, told reporters in Seoul, Tuesday. The core members _ O'Neill, violinists Johnny Lee and Stefan Jackiw and cellist Patrick Jee _ are back, and are joined by cellist Michael Nicolas and pianist Ji-Yong, who replaces last year's Lim Dong-hyek. Guest artists, including violist Michael Chang, will also appear. The festival opens at 2:30 p.m. on June 27 at Seoul Arts Center. The concert, titled ``Ditto Carnival,'' showcases works from the group's new album (``Ditto Carnival,'' Universal Music Korea) including Saint-Saens' ``Carnival of AnJun 16, 2009
Classical Concerts at Affordable PriceBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Maestro Chung Myung-whun, offers fans timeless classics at an affordable price this week through an opera concertante and a charity concert. The ensemble will perform Verdi's opera ``La Traviata'' in concertante form at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Friday. Singers and the orchestra will present the essential music and story but forgo the fancy stage sets, giving fans thus an opportunity to enjoy the opera live but more within your means (tickets cost from 10,000 to 70,000 won). The focus is naturally on the music. Chung, a former music director of Paris' famed Bastille Opera, will exhibit his interpretation of the melodrama, while top singers will showcase their talent. Particularly notable is the appearance of soprano Marina Poplavskaya in the lead role as Violetta. A Los Angeles Times critic praised the Russian singer in the role, saying ``It won't be long before her fees hit the ceiling; she is a major sensation.'' Fans can also look forward to performances by two rising male singers, Jun 16, 2009
Pianist Joyce Yang Talks About Her Golden Silver MedalBy Lee Hyo-won Korea Times Correspondent FORT WORTH, Texas _ Koreans are obsessed with first prizes. During the Olympics, for example, Korea ranks its performance in terms of gold medals rather than the total number of medals. People often console silver or bronze medallists by saying that their achievement was ``just as precious as winning the gold.'' This year, Son Yeol-eum, 23, won the silver medal at the recently held 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. At the previous quadrennial event in 2005, Joyce Yang became the first ever Korean to win a top prize at only 19 years of age. But considering the nature of the Cliburn, Koreans can forget their fixation with being number one. ``(Yang) is sailing now; she won second prize but in her way she's won first,'' said Maestro James Conlon, who has been coming to the event to conduct the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra opposite young pianists in the competition's concerto round. ``The ultimate prize is the prearranged concerts and management for the next three years. We are choosing someone most capable of fulfJun 16, 2009
Album ReviewsJeff Buckley `Grace Around the World' (SonyBMG) When Jeff Buckley released his debut album ``Grace'' in August 1994, he quickly became known for his haunting voice. More than a decade after his death, Buckley remains in the spotlight. To commemorate the 15th anniversary of his debut album, ``Grace Around the World'' DVD-CD has been released. It features previously unreleased live performances given by Buckley between 1994-95 around the U.S., U.K., Germany, France and Japan. Buckley gives charismatic and passionate performances of ``Hallelujah'' at MTV Japan, and ``Grace'' at BBC's Late Show in London. There are also interviews and behind-the-scenes segments with Buckley. - Cathy Rose A. Garcia Lily Allen `It's Not Me, It's You' (Warner Music Korea) British pop singer-songwriter Lily Allen has come up with an immensely enjoyable and fun sophomore album. She mixes up pop, jazz and electronica music, with witty lyrics in songs like ``Who'd Have Known,'' and ``Him.'' In her first single ``The Fear,'' which incidentally shot to number one in the British Jun 16, 2009
Rapper-DJ Kero One Makes Waves in USBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter With his infectious tunes, wicked rhymes and a positive message, web-designer-turned-rapper Kero One is making waves in the United States. In an email interview with The Korea Times, Kero One talked about how he started as an indie artist and his own style of hip-hop music. Born to Korean parents, Kero One grew up in San Francisco, Calif. Like many Korean children, his parents made him take piano and violin lessons, something he didn't exactly enjoy. ``I hated it (piano and violin), I dreaded practicing, but I did it. I also dreaded performing at piano recitals because I would get really nervous. At that time, I didn't think that I was good at making music. It wasn't until I started rapping and producing at age 15 that I realized I really liked making music,'' Kero One said. After graduating from college, he worked as a web designer but music beckoned. A fan of hip-hop music, Kero One grew frustrated with the bad hip-hop music at that time, so he decided to make his own. Using home recording equipment and own credit cards, heJun 15, 2009