music stories in June 2009

Lady Gaga Visits Seoul for First Time

American pop star Lady Gaga holds a press conference at the Grand Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap By 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 Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, Lady Gaga grew up in Manhattan and studied at a private Catholic school where she has said she was an ``outcast.'' Now that she's a star, Lady Gaga still feels like a ``outcast.'' "In some ways I'm still a pop cultural misfit. I don't think I've changed. I'm still myself,'' she laughed. Beneath the outrageous outfits, it was obvious that Lady Gaga takes her music, fashion and performances very seriously. "You can say the philosophy of Gaga is fashion-music-technology-performance art. It's an interactive experience for the audience," she said. "I design everything together and New York is the nexus of my inspiration. I was born and raised in New York City. I am inspired by street fashion and the attitude. Andy Warhol is a huge inspiration of mine and I have a lot of Pop Art elements in the show. I am so passionate about my music." Lady Gaga is planning to release a new version of her debut album, tentatively titled ``The Fame Monster,'' later this year. ``I'm obsessed with 1950s science fiction monster movies. The inspiration from the album comes from the sort of dark infatuation with monsters and apocalypse and darkness and theater. So you will see in this album, a more scary Lady Gaga, if I wasn't already freaking you out enough,'' she said, wryly. Lady Gaga is currently planning a fall tour with hip-hop star Kanye West in the U.S., but Korean fans just might have a chance to see her againthis summer. "Nothing's been decided on a international tour with Kanye, but I'm tentatively coming to Korea this summer on my own for some summer festival,'' she said. During the press conference, Lady Gaga, who loves collecting wigs, was given a traditional Korean wig. She also revealed that one of her best friends while growing up in New York was a Korean adoptee. "We used to go out for Korean food together. She's never been here before so I sent her photos and told her about what I've seen here. It's personally very exciting for me,'' she said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Daniel Merriweather `Love & War' (SonyBMG) Australian singer Daniel Merriweather first became known when he was featured in Mark Ronson's hit song ``Stop Me.'' Now, he has finally released his debut album, ``Love & War,'' produced by Ronson, who was also responsible for Amy Winehouse's acclaimed ``Back to Black.'' With his husky voice, Merriweather croons his way to listeners' hearts with R&B and new soul tunes like ``Impossible,'' ``Red,'' and ``Could You.'' ``Change'' gets a bit of a hip-hop flavor courtesy of rapper Wale, while ``Water and a Flame,'' his duet with soul diva Adele, is another standout track. Judging from this album, Merriweather has a bright future ahead in music. _Cathy Rose A. Garcia The Veronicas `Hook Me Up' (Warner Korea) The Veronicas are one of the most popular acts in Australia right now. Composed of twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, the Veronicas originally released their second album, ``Hook Me Up,'' in Australia in November 2007, but it is only now being released in Korea. The Veronicas were originally known for their pop-punk sound, but their second album offers more electronic-pop-influenced dance tracks like ``This Love'' and ``Untouched.'' Fun and upbeat, the single ``Hook Me Up'' became the girls' first No. 1 hit in Australia. _ Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Album Reviews

Kasabian `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 hottest artists around. Ne-Yo added a smooth R&B flavor on the mid-tempo ``Be On You,'' while Nelly Furtado helps out on another sure-fire hit ``Jump.'' He also collaborated with Akon (``Available'') and Wyclef Jean (``Rewind''). -Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Trace Bundy to Perform in Seoul

American guitarist Trace Bundy will perform at Urban in Itaewon, June 24. / Courtesy of Dean Zulich Photography By 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 always been his passion, but after college, Bundy taught engineering courses at the University of Colorado. At weekends, he would still play concerts, but in the spring of 2005, he decided to concentrate on music. `` My fanbase slowly grew to the point where I could no longer teach and play all of the concerts that I was invited to play. So I made a big decision to do music full time. It has been a great adventure ever since,'' he said. Bundy uses the two-handed finger tapping style, something that he discovered by accident. ``I was experimenting with a new guitar riff one day and I started using just my left hand. In that moment I realized that my right hand wasn't doing anything and I thought perhaps I could use this hand to play another part. That's when I started using the finger tapping style, as well as experimenting with all kinds of new techniques, partial capos, percussion, looping. Playing guitar is so much fun _ there are endless ways to play and after over 20 years of playing, I am still learning new things,'' he said. With the help of YouTube and the Internet, Bundy's talent for music became known around the world. ``It has been amazing to connect with fans all over the world. YouTube is a great venue for videos, and because my playing style is so visual, people appreciate seeing it. I currently have over 4 million views (on YouTube). I'm not sure my music career would have been possible before the Internet,'' he admitted. Asked if he has any advice for aspiring guitarists, Bundy says, ``have fun, practice hard, learn music theory and break the rules of music.'' Fans at his show in Seoul can expect not just music, but a lot of stories. ``I'll be telling a lot of stories between my songs. … I hope everyone leaves with a smile on their face. After the concert I like to meet the audience, so be sure to stick around and say hello,'' he said. Young guitar prodigy and also a YouTube star Jung Sung-ha will also be performing at the show. Tickets are 15,000 won. Urban is located behind Hamilton Hotel, Itaewon. Call (02) 797-0918. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Jeff 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 charts, Allen sings about the pitfalls of being a celebrity. The politically charged song ``F*** You'' has such a cheerful melody, it's hard to take offense. The track was originally titled ``Guess Who Batman,'' or GWB, leading to speculation it was about U.S. President George W. Bush. _ Cathy Rose A. Garcia Craig David `Greatest Hits' (Warner Music Korea) British R&B singer Craig David released his first greatest hits album, which he described as ``the history of my work so far and the catalyst to my future.'' David has had a good career making likeable R&B and dance tracks like ``Fill Me In,'' the song that made him famous; ``Hidden Agenda,'' and ``Rise & Fall,'' featuring Sting. David included a new single ``Insomnia,'' produced by Jim Beanz from Timbaland Productions, which is not bad for a dance track but some parts are reminiscent of Ne-Yo's ``Closer.'' _Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Rapper-DJ Kero One Makes Waves in US

San Francisco-based rapper-DJ Kero One talks to The Korea Times about his second album ``Early Believers.'' / Courtesy of artist By 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, he came out with his first single in 2003. ``I just kept pushing myself and was inspired by all the encouragement I received from fans and friends. Starting out was tough. As many people know, I funded my projects on credit cards and did everything from personally passing out flyers, promos, and putting up posters to get my name out. There was no glamour in being an artist back then. I hustled hard, day and night, to get things started,'' he said. By a stroke of luck, one of the 50 copies of Kero One's first single found its way in a record shop in Tokyo. A Japanese DJ played it at a club, and it elicited many inquiries, including a Japanese label executive who wanted 3,000 copies. It became a hit, and a few months later, Kero One was invited to perform in cities throughout Japan. In 2005, Kero One self-produced his first full-length album ``Windmills of the Soul.'' The album was well received by critics and fans, and was even named Best Hip-hop album of 2006 by Reemix magazine. Buoyed by this success, Kero One decided to make the leap of fate and quit his job as a web designer in 2006. ``I felt like pursuing music full time was my calling,'' he said. By 2007, Kero One opened the office and recording studio for his own Plug Label in downtown San Francisco. This year, he released his sophomore album ``Early Believers,'' featuring collaborations with British singer Ben Westbeech, Finnish singer Tuomo, and Portland's Ohmega Watts. ``I made sure that every track on my album was a track that I love. The way I test songs to make it to my album is if I can listen to it over 50 times straight and I don't get sick of it, then it will make it to my album,'' he said. His style has been compared to Common, Q-tip, and Kanye West, but Kero One's music is very positive and upbeat, something that people can appreciate in these difficult times. ``My sound can be labeled as uplifting but soulful. My catalogue of music includes a lot of messages about hope and encouragement, which is something that a lot of people, such as myself, need in these economic difficulties and trying times. I like to entertain people but I always want to convey some sort of message that people can find hope in. In every dark situation there is light, as long as you care to find it right? I want to share that hope,'' he said. Kero One shared the stage with top Korean hip-hop group Epik High at their concerts in Seoul and U.S. last May, and worked with them on their book album ``Map the Soul.'' ``They're all great guys. One thing I noticed immediately was that despite the fact they are stars in Korea, they are level headed and real people. I knew about Epik for a while because I always liked what they were doing musically, especially being that they are fellow Koreans. They've also asked me to do some production work for them so you can expect more collaborations in the future,'' he said. As for the future, Kero One hopes to continue making music and blogging on kero1.com. ``I will also work on perfecting my Korean grammar skills so that one day I may be able to rap in Korean,'' he said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Bob Dylan `Together Through Life' (SonyBMG) Music legend Bob Dylan has released his 46th album ``Together Through Life.'' Produced by Jack Frost, Dylan began creating the album after composing a new song, ``Life is Hard,'' for an upcoming film by French director Oliver Dahan (``La Vie En Rose''). Dylan seems to have been getting better and better in the last few years, with all the critical acclaim and awards. The album offers more of the same haunting tunes and poetic lyrics sung with a raspy voice. Top picks include ``Jolene,'' ``I Feel a Change Comin' On,'' and ``My Wife's Home Town'' (where Dylan laughs as he sings ``hell is my wife's home town''). -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Various Artists `Bae Cheol-soo's Music Camp' (SonyBMG, Warner, Universal) To commemorate 7,000 shows of ``Bae Cheol-soo's Music Camp'' on MBC FM, the influential radio host has released three compilation albums filled with his picks for the best songs of all-time. Bae gathered more than a 100 songs from the 1970s to present from different genres, and from the top three record labels. There are well-loved classics by Queen, Elton John, Aretha Franklin and Abba, as well as more recent songs by Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Oasis, 50 Cent, and Lady Gaga. Some of Bae's choices (Michael Bolton and Spice Girls) might raise eyebrows, one thing is for sure: every song is a hit. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Album Reviews

Eminem `Relapse' (Universal Music) Eminem once again brings out the skeletons from his obviously overcrowded closet in ``Relapse,'' his first album in five years. He comes clean about his struggles with drug addiction and other personal problems, and listening to his self-lacerating lyrics and rants, it's almost too much to handle. As always, he gets a kick out of skewering fellow celebrities Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian in ``We Made You'' (the music video is hilarious, too). Eminem proves he still has the rap skills and killer rhymes to put newcomers to shame, but somehow it feels like we've heard it all before. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Manic Street Preachers `Journal for Plague Lovers' (SonyBMG) British rock group Manic Street Preachers makes a strong comeback with their ninth album ``Journal For Plague Lovers.'' With the help of star producer Steve Albini, the album was based on lyrics written by member Richey Edwards before he mysteriously disappeared in 1995. James Dean Bradfield's voice is crisp and clear, while bassist Nicky Wire and drummer Sean Moore do solid work on the album. Songs ``Jackie Collins Existential Question Time,'' ``This Joke Sport Severed'' and ``Peeled Apples'' (which starts off with actor Christian Bale's lines from ``The Machinist'') show a very much-revitalized band. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Kelly Clarkson Talks About New Album

Kelly Clarkson By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It's been nearly seven years since Kelly Clarkson won American Idol in 2002 and her music career has had its share of ups and downs. But with her latest album ``All I Ever Wanted,'' she's proven she still has that something special that made America fall in love with her and made her the Idol. Her fourth album spawned the hit songs ``My Life will Suck Without You'' and ``I Do Not Hook Up,'' and overall has a more diverse sound, with pop, rock and dance songs. The new sound is perhaps due to Clarkson working closely with new producers and songwriters including One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Howard Benson. ``On each record, you kind of grow, you meet more people, and you hear more music. Like One Republic came out and I had never heard Ryan's stuff before, I couldn't wait to work with them. Clive Davis actually introduced us in a label meeting we were having, and we hit it off. We wrote like five or six songs together and some of them made it on the album. It was just fun to work with him. You meet new people and you vibe together and we came up with a lot of different sounds. My management and I were laughing at how different the album is; all the different sounds, but they are all very me,'' Clarkson said, in an email interview with The Korea Times. The album title ``All I Ever Wanted,'' is also Clarkson's favorite song on the album. She describes it as a ``very 70s, soulful, rock song'' that's fun to sing at concerts. ``All I ever wanted is just to do music; I love playing, singing live, recording and writing and this song just encompasses that,'' she said. Producers Dr. Luke and Martin initially brought her a different version of ``My Life Would Suck Without You,'' which was the first single from the album. ``I thought it was cool and everything, but I kind of wanted to make it my own idea, like with every song on the record. I want to make sure it's me, obviously, because it's my face, my voice. They were really cool with it. I sent back, `maybe if we could change it make it a little more different, a little more tough.' They love it. We did that with `Since You've Been Gone,' as well. I love the hard drums and the heavy guitars," she said. Clarkson writes her own songs and draws inspiration from her personal experiences. ``It's kind of therapy for me. I go home and just sit and write what's in my head at the time. Well, I guess if it's called `Cry' it's a sad song, but it wasn't sad, it was just a sad kind of track. It sort of had a melodramatic feel to it. It's always fun to write about real things that are going on. It would be hard to put myself in shoes that I haven't walked," she said. The Grammy Award-winning Clarkson is extremely excited about going on tour with all the songs from the new album. ``That's my big thing, like with "Cry" and "I Do Not Hook Up," I cannot wait to perform these songs. When I'm putting an album together, I'm thinking about what am I going to want to perform on tour because I love touring. I'm always thinking, what songs will be fun to sing? It's going to be a fun record to tour,'' she said. Despite her album topping the U.S. charts, Clarkson still remains unfazed by success. ``In this business, everyone wants to be successful. And I'm very different from most artists I know. I don't care about being famous, or being at the top of the charts. What matters is that fans like the music, that they come to the concerts and that they just have a good time. When you start focusing too much on your own level of fame, that's when you start losing yourself,'' she said. As the first American Idol, Clarkson offers some advice for Idol hopefuls: ``No matter how many doors slam in your face, there's one that's waiting for just you.'' The 27-year-old singer-songwriter doesn't quite know what the future holds, but she's sure about one thing: she'll still be singing. ``I'll be singing, because that's all I do and all I love. I don't really know where I'll be in 10 years and I don't really want to know. I think if you know it's a very boring life. Who knows, I could be crazy in 10 years'' Clarkson said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr