CheongBaJi

청바지 : Jean (1997 - ) RELATED :

LINK : KPDB:1011279

1 Simple (1998)

 

★★★★☆(Bugs Project; Myong Eum) GaYo, Alternative, Funky

==== HongCho, 1998-06-02 ====

This is also a band influenced by Nirvana, which is apparent in their first track. But I think their similarity to Nirvana ends there.

The members are AnJunHeui (guitars) and HyeonUCheol (bass). Hmm... This is too few... Well, the credits noted that there was an assistance from JangTaeJun, but I don't know what kind. Their sound is pretty modern and interesting. Very dance-able rock. Also, they are experimenting a little by incorporating some of traditional Korean music. Not a serious integration, but including some of the sequence and effects and stuffs. I thought it was pretty effective.

This twelve track CD is a something. It's really too bad that the public is not appreciating this kind of rock/pop efforts. I think they might want to strengthen their live performance by recruiting some other players, but they have a very good sense of what makes "good" sounds. This also gets my recommendation.

I don't know where, but I saw thier name somewhere on the net. Some article on the indie bands, probably. They might be obscure, but their music is really cooking. Their style is based on rock. However, they are trying to enhance their sounds by incorporating some "licks" from the Korean traditional music.

I can't pin-point exactly what I like about their first album. There are a lot of small bands doing alternative rocks. There were numerous attempts (both successful and absurd) at trying to bringing in the Korean traditional musical elements.

Only thing I can say is that what they produced is fun to listen to. Although the words are very vague, often cynical and mostly simple (unlike most of the works by other small bands), the music and the sound contain that certain something that drew me in.

Since there seems to be only two "regular" members, I am curious about how they have been performing live on stage.

==== DisTort, 2000 ====

CheongBaJi is one of modern rock/alternative rock bands on indie scene. I don't have many infos about them. Clearly their sound is like Nirvana. Members are also simple, official members are only two. But their straight sound and funky sound[voice, most of all] makes me smile. Nirvana makes me serious. They uses humourous Korean common words the nuance is very friendly sometimes cynical. It's sad these good bands are gone under people's ignorance.

• [Play:CheongBaJi1EoDdeonHuBo.mp3 EoDdeonHuBo; A Kind of Candidate] about the irresponsible congressman
• [Play:CheongBaJi1DGyoDoSo.mp3 D GyoDoSo; Prison D] about the freedom of mind

BuHwal	Resurrection
EoDdeon HuBo	A Certain Candidate
SaengIl ChukHaHae	Happy Birthday
DeByu	Debut
OBaITeu	Vomit
SaRamDeul	People
HaeJwo	Let Me
SoEum	Noise
GukAk	Korean Traditional Music
AMuGeotDo EopSeo	Nothing
SaRang	Love
D GyoDoSo	D Prison

2 SaGye(1999); Four Seasons; 四季

CD:2082148

(Bugs; Indie) GaYo, Alternative, Funky

I had to pick it up to listen to what the second album was like. It was a bit of a letdown. :( The members seem to have changed, too. It's either a one-man band with AnJunHeui, or two-men band with him and KimByeongMin. But Mr. An did pretty much everything, so I am not so sure where this group is heading...

Some tracks have a similar feel to the previous album, but overall, the music sounds weak. Also a better sound and recording engineering might have helped.

Bottom line: Don't expect too much. I don't know what their live acts are like, but this album is just an average work. --HongCho, 1999-01-22

3 Discography

	Year	Album Title
	1998	Simple (Hong's other review)
	1999	SaGye
		4 Seasons