korean punk
If you're looking for something other than k-pop, why not try a little punk? There's not much chance that a punk single will be picked up for SBS Inki Gayo or Lee Sora Propose. However, I notice that the distributor from which I get all my Korean pop CDs also stocks Crying Nut, so obviously punk is starting to receive more attention. It used to be you had to stay up late, wander down to Drug (right next to Hongik University), and pay your 5000 won cover charge to hear some k-punk. These days all you need is the internet and a credit card. In a matter of hours, you can be spinning your own punk CDs.
Crying Nut--along with groups like Hwang Sin Hye Band and Spooky Banana--is often seen as the seminal band of the Korean punk movement. Crying Nut evolved out a band made up of four school boys: Park Yun Sik (vocals and guitar), Han Gyeong Rok (bass and vocals), and twin brothers, Lee Sang Myeon (guitar and vocals), and Lee Sang Hyeok (drums). There is a funny story about the band's name: allegedly, the boys spent all their pocket money on walnut cookies when they were out one day and had to walk all the way home for wont of bus fare. This misfortune inspired the name "Crying Nut."
The story might be cute, but the group's music is anti-cute. Particularly in the early days of the group, their songs were pure and uncomplicated. For instance, Pink [RealAudio], recorded in 1996 for the Our Nation album (a combined effort with the alternative group Yellow Kitchen), has a sound that could be recognized as punk throughout the world. The recording has a rough, unfinished quality to it that really emphasizes the "home grown" aspect of the music. Punk Girl [RealAudio] from that same compilation album has fewer rough edges, and you can even dance to it. I think my favorite track from the Our Nation album is Maldallija (Ride A Horse) [MP3]. This song was a big hit for Crying Nut, or at least as big a hit as a punk band with a limited following can have. It's really quite melodic in places and the tempo changes remind me a little of REM's practice of switching speeds mid-way through a song.
You can imagine that songs like Yut Jang Su Mamdero [RealAudio] and Do dae chae non monya? [MP3] (also off Our Nation) aren't going to win over record executives any time soon. Four years after its recording, the music seems rather tame, but if JoPD is getting his music banned right and left today, Crying Nut really doesn't have a chance.
In 1998, Crying Nut released a full-length album on the Drug Independent Label. Quite frankly, the cover art creeped me out, but I guess that's what punk is all about. The first track off that album, Myobimyung (Epitaph) [RealAudio], sounds as if the musicians were standing forty feet from the microphones. The whole CD retains that "I'm on stage in a rock club so screw you" feeling, mostly because the recording system just seems bad. Anutkyo (You're Not Funny) [RealAudio] is virtually indistinguishable in style from Epitaph. The frenetic pace of Ssanahee [RealAudio] is appealing even if the vocals are more than a little muddy. Part 2 of the song reminds me of some of the marijuana-induced rock music of the 1970s.
It's actually hard to get hold of Crying Nut 2, Traveling Magic Circus. The distributor from whom I purchase my Korean music is sold out. I think the album has a sharper sound than Crying Nut 1. The title track, Traveling Magic Circus [MP3 Sample] is fun, and is more rock than punk. In fact, the entire album is like that, taking me back to my Rock and Roll High School days. Gangbyuneh Shadah (Standing By the River) [MP3 Sample] and Behjanggi (Grasshopper) [MP3 Sample] are neat retro-rock pieces as is one of the major hits off the CD, Dajokja [RealAudio].
You recently might have come across an album called JoSeun Punk. This compilation album (it also contains music from groups like Supermarket and Lazy Bone) has three Crying Nut songs on it. Hwangwhaui [RealAudio], the second track on the CD, just cracks me up, it's so classic. Track 10, Jungyuhleh Booltahneun - Taewanggwah Hatbaduh [RealAudio] is more like early Crying Nut (with a better quality recording). Track 18 is a re-do of Dajoka [RealAudio].
One last place you can find Crying Nut is on Cherry Filter's debut album, Head-Up 001. Sadly, this punk-ish group didn't get much attention for their musical efforts. Crying Nut chimes on track 11, Pari [MP3], a very cool, high-energy song.
By Denise Ahn
Title: #01-03, Korean Punk
Author: Susan Johnson-Roehr
Word Count: 787 pays $62.96
Submitted 1/25/01
Would you like to Comment on this article, or send it to a friend? You can do either one just below where you see:
Submit Comments on this Article: or
Mail this article to a friend?
If you would like to read more articles from this author begin by entering their last name in the "Site Search" box (located at top right of this screen), then press your "enter" key. Next, click on an article from those displayed.
|
|
