Album ReviewsChemical Brothers `We Are the Night’ EMI It is hard to expect something significantly new from these iconic initiators of the mid-90s electronic music breakthrough. But chances are also slim that their latest offering will turn out entirely disappointing. Indeed, featuring the voices of rising British and American stars from the band Klaxons to Ali Love and Willy Mason, the tracks offer masterly diversity of dance-floor beats as well as atmospheric psychedelia. The first single-cut ``Do It Again’’ is amusing, fantasy-invoking ``Saturate’’ and almost lyrical ``The Pills Won’t Help You Now’’ are especially impressive. The album is a perfect warm-up for fans awaiting the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, the first day of which will be headlined by the Chems. -Seo Dong-shin Jul 10, 2007
Festival in Mountains Beckons Classical Music LoversBy Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter PyeongChang lost its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics to Russia's Sochi, but all is not lost for the county's ambitions to step out of the cultural backwater and grow into an international arena. The Fourth Great Mountains International Music Festival, which combines classical music performances of top-notch musicians from around the world with classes and competition programs for international young talent, will take place from Aug. 3-26. Largely based in YongPyong Resort, nestled in the scenic resort area of Gangwon Province, the three-week annual festival will include about 50 performance programs, some scores of which will be performed for the first time in Korea or even in the world. This year's festival, held under the title ``Visionary,'' promises expansion in both scope and quality in comparison to last year, which was downsized due to flood damage in the mountainous area. World-class musicians to perform this year include cellists Aldo Parisot, Jian Wang and Chung Myung-wha, violinist Kyoko Takezawa and violist Richard YongjaJul 10, 2007
Summer’s Big Four Concerts in TownBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Top K-pop and hip-hop stars will gather for the ``Summer Big 4 Concerts,'' on July 21 and 22. Promising to be one of the biggest musical events this summer, ``Summer Big 4 Concerts'' will be held at the Olympic Gymnasium, Olympic Park. On July 21, the Exciting Star concert will feature performances by four of the most exciting hip-hop performers namely, Drunken Tiger, T Yoon Mi-rae, Dynamic Duo and Epik High. Drunken Tiger, also known as Tiger JK, is one of the leading members of the Korean hip-hop scene. T, who released her solo album earlier this year, is considered a brilliant female rapper and R&B artist. Dynamic Duo has just released their new album ``Enlightened.'' Epik High is one of the popular groups in Korea, with recent hits like ``Fan'' and ``Love Love Love.'' The Fantastic Star concert features SG Wannabe, Seeya, Yangpa and new group FT Island on July 22. These four artists are known for their powerful ballads and forceful voices. Jul 3, 2007
Album ReviewsBeastie Boys `The Mix-Up' EMI If you're looking for the Beastie Boys' irreverent rap and punk music, you won't find it in their new album. ``The Mix-Up'' is an all-instrumental album, the group's latest since 2004's ``To the 5 Boroughs.'' The Beastie Boys seemed to have deliberately stayed away from their punk roots, and opted to showcase their diverse musical influences. The songs have a distinctive funk-rock beat, starting with the laid-back ``B for My Name'' and ``Suco De Tangerina.'' The album shows just how far the Beastie Boys have come from their first album ``Licensed to Ill'' in 1986. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Jul 3, 2007
Clazziquai Redefines Korean Electronica MusicBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter In the world of K-pop dominated by sappy ballads and bland pop songs, Clazziquai Project stands out for their unique brand of chill-out electronica music. Clazziquai's name describes what its music is all about: a soothing combination of classical, jazz and groove. Clazziquai Project, comprised of producer and mixer Kim Sung-hoon, also known as DJ Clazzi and vocalists Alex Chu and Choi Ho-ran, sat down with The Korea Times for an interview at a coffee shop in Yeoido last week. Clazziquai members eagerly talked about their third album ``Love Child of the Century,'' which once again brings a new kind of music surprising even their fans. ``In our first album, many people said the songs sounded Japanese. But no artist wants to be told that their work sounds similar to other artists. The second album had an acoustic sound, while the third album has a new wave and European sound. We are constantly searching for originality in our music,'' Kim said. Clazziquai has come a long way from its start as a ``project group" formed by Kim, aJul 3, 2007
Maestro, Son to Hold Charity ConcertBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter With a group of energetic boy musicians, maestro Chung Myung-whun will wield the baton for the Boystown Symphony Orchestra in a charity concert in August. The fundraising concert is expected to strike an emotional chord with the audience as Chung's youngest son Min, 23, will accompany his father and also conduct the orchestra while the 54-year-old pianist/conductor appears on stage as a soloist. Internationally acclaimed as a virtuoso of our time, Chung has conducted the world's most prestigious orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. He will now guide a group of children from Boystown, a welfare center in Busan run by the Sisters of Mary who provide a loving home, education and medical care for boys aged between three and 18 years. Concert to Strike an Emotional Cord The Boystown Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1979 under poor conditions -- lacking a proper rehearsal space and even decent instruments. But propelled by the determination of the Sisters of Mary, the orchestra has since gone on to perfoJun 29, 2007
Album ReviewsBon Jovi `Lost Highway' Universal This is Bon Jovi's 10th album, two years after ``Have A Nice Day.'' Fronted by lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi, the group presents 12 tracks of its musical legacy spanning 25 years. The album is a hybrid of rock and country, which is seen as the band's future course. Bon Jovi and country music fit together smoothly on this album. ``Lost Highway,'' ``Summertime,'' ``We Got It Going On'' and ``Any Other Day,'' all in the band's signature style, invoke the spirit of country music. The album includes duets with Big & Rich and LeAnn Rimes, while retaining producer/songwriter John Shanks from the band's previous album, ``Have A Nice Day.'' -Chung Ah-young Jun 26, 2007
Pentaport Fans Ready to Rock in JulyBy Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter It is now exactly one month before rock music fans' most anticipated summer delight kicks off: the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. The annual festival usually takes place in Songdo Daewoo Motors Field in Incheon. The venue is not usually accommodating to nature's sway; last year, it turned into mud puddles because of a heavy downpour. Nevertheless, the two-year-old festival brings big foreign names and local favorites together in the three-day outdoor fest, running day and night. Those eagerly waiting for the chance to scream their hearts out along with their favorite tunes have been frequently checking the updates of the festival's line-up, which so far has been announced three times. The last update will likely be announced within two weeks. The list of participating bands somewhat overlaps with that of Japan's Fuji Rock Festival as it did last year. Yellow Nine, the company in charge of the line-up for the Pentaport, has worked it that way, as both festivals take place on the same dates, from July 27-29. Overseas bands _ mostly AmericJun 26, 2007
Pianist Michel Dalberto to Perform BeethovenBy Bae Keun-min Staff Reporter Prominent pianist Michel Dalberto will present his artistry that he has built for nearly five decades to Korean fans at the Kumho Art Hall in Seoul on June 29. The French virtuoso will present a program of Beethoven's two sonatas _ No. 31 in A-flat (Op. 110) and No. 32 in C-minor (Op. 111) _ and ``Children's Corner'' and ``Images'' by Debussy. Dalbarto, born in Paris in 1955, began studying the piano at the age of three and a half, and went to the Paris Conservatoire in 1968. For nine years at the school he was initiated into musical techniques by Vlado Perlemuter, a favorite pupil of the late Alfred Cortot. Dalbato first came to prominence after winning the 1975 Clara Haskil Prize and the first prize at the 1978 Leeds International Piano Competition. He was also awarded the Knight of the Ordre National du Merite by the French Government in 1996. Since 1991, he has been serving as Chairman of the Jury of the Clara Haskil Competition. He is also Artistic Director of the Academy-Festival des Arcs in Savoie, France. His interpretationJun 24, 2007
Heavenly Vocal Harmonies in SeoulBy Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Wonderful voices can be ``the best instrument,'' more expressive, powerful and versatile than any type of instrument. Four vocal groups will gather to showcase the harmony of their vocals without instruments at the first World Vocal Music Festival titled ``Amazing Voice 2007.'' The festival will be held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 10-11. The line-up features Swedish five-member a cappella group Real Group, American six-member M-Pact, Australian foursome The Idea Of North and Finnish six-member Rajaton. Real Group is a household name in Korea as one of the world's top a cappella groups frequently featured in TV commercials. Comprising soprano Johanna Nystrom, alto Katarina Henryson, tenor Anders Edenroth, baritone Peder Karlsson and bass Anders Jalkeus, the group composes or arranges most of their songs for their performances and albums. Most of the group's recorded songs are sung in English with the remainder sung almost entirely in Swedish. M-Pact is an LA-based vocal group, which was designated as ``artisJun 24, 2007