Folkie Jin : "Musical performance by Golden Grapes with Shin Jung Hyun Lead guitar.
Normal price over 850$ Guest female singer are Kim Jung Mi, Ju Hyun, Min A, Bonnie Girls.
Kim Jung Mi debut record! Musical performance of this record by Golden Grapes, the group also debuted with supports of shin Jung Hyun. All Group members were mixed blood and orphan guys. so Shin Jung Hyun want to help them. He often played with them and also he gave to play stages for them, too, and he played at this record with Golden Grapes. In this record also he worked with some guest female singers. These are Kim Jung Mi, Ju Hyun, Bonnie Girls, Min A. All Side A songs by Kim Jung-Mi and four songs are same to Kim Jung Mi second album but one song is a different. Side B songs are three songs by Ju Hyun, one song by Min A and Bonnie girls. Side B songs also included to Shin Jung-Hyun sound vol. 1 album, but the musical performance is different. The reason is that Musical performance of this record is by Golden Grapes, while on Shin Jung-Hyun sound vol. 1 album it was by Shin Jung-Hyun and his cambo band. All songs are nice Koreanized psychedelic sounds and you can understand that his great musical composition ability at this album."
KLS-44 1972 Kim Jung-Mi
Folkie Jin : "Her recently songs collection (Shin Jung-Hyun songs collection) Universal record. Musical performance by The men. This record is an actually her debut album. Her early voice was a little bluesy and soulful. Features of music are normal Psychedelic pop sound with much brass arrange and a little string arrangements. Especially Son Hak-Rae of The men played Saxophone and Oboe at this album. Side B 4 has a little fuzz guitar sound touches with brass arrangements. Mostly songs are soft pop Psychedelic numbers. I think that this album has a psychedelic pop sound."
Folkie Jin : "Personally I think that Korea best folk rock album is a Kim Jung-Mi's "Now" as a total album while Korea best folk rock song is a Seo Yu-Seok's "Seonnea(Fairy)" "The fairy" is a more progressive and acid folk song. Especially you can hear great harp, violin, cello session, string session, Shin Jung Hyun's wawa guitar sounds, oboe, Bass guitar at this song. A real Korean acid folk masterpiece song!!"
"Musical performance by Yupjeons. Korean psychedelic folk Masterpiece and Her best record!! This record reissued LP and CD format in 2003. She was made into a psychedelic singer by Shin Jung Hyun. Her vocal resemble the Grace slick of Jefferson Airplane so was erotic that is a very sexy ? It is a mega rare Korean psychedelic folk or beat rock album. Its price is over 1000$ mint condition L.P but nearly don't find out it because Korea president's "purge measure of Korean pop music" at 1970th her record was fired by government employees. You'll see her record at the book which is a RECORD COLLECTOR DREAMS by Hans Pokora (PS right LP : single taken from LP)."
Folkie Jin introduction to Korean folk/pop:/rock:
Korea had a Folk scene in the 70's too. But it only had few folk rock albums then. Mostly Korean folk singers were influenced by American folk singers (Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter Paul and Mary, Joan Baez etc.). So almost folk singers belong to modern folk. Only a few singers tried add western folk music (mostly American folk) to traditional standards.
Only occasionally folk rock was made by a rock musician. This musician was Shin Jung-Hyun. I think there was no another musician like him in Korea. He made three psychedelic folk rock albums with folk singers.
First is Kim Jung-Mi's "Now"(1973) and Seo Yoo-Seok's "Shin Jung-Hyun Jakpeangok jip" (Shin Jun-Hyun songs collection, 1973) and Yang Hee-Eun's "Shin Jung-Hyun Jakpeangok jip"(1973). I think that he was interested about adding psychedelic music to folk music by the year 1973. Both albums (Seo Yu-seok and Yang Hee-Eun) were made only sides A by Shin Jung-Hyun. Sides B were composed by other composers. These records were a new experiment for the Korean Folk history..
JiguKim Jung Mi : It's Too Much Unfair (KO,1974,re.2000)****/**°°
selected for airplay Tr.7, 4 min, Tr.8, 4 min, Tr.11, 3 min 11
(PS.in the radio show I accidentilly chose track 9 instead of 8, 3 min ;
track 8 was more eastern/Korean in style)
The rockier side of pop, again thanks to Shin Yung-Hyun's participation and defined psych-rock sound. I might have airplayed the first track before, but I didn't pay attention to the reissue before yet. There exist 2 reissues. This is the korea-only edition. There exist another reissue on World psychedelia.
The first couple of tracks are sung with a soulful voice with an exotic timbre. These songs are rockier, with a psychrock band. In fact it is as if Shin Yung Hyun with the Yup Yuns arranged a few simple and effective tracks, with an additional singer. Contrary to what I say, it is the singer who gets all the attention in the mix. You can even hear the background echo of the voice better than the band accompanying. With a different mix, you might have heard better, this very fine cooperation, with clearly Shin Jung-Hyun's mark. There is a great swing or groove in these tracks. Tiny brass arrangements occur. All songs are in Korean. Only tiny electric fuzz guitar solos are present, mixed a bit further in the background compared to the voice, respecting the singer which gets most of the attention, the band coming secondary. Some organ occurs later too. After 5 rockers a few slower songs appear with a darker song edge, the first one with some additional flute. The next three tracks, also with a bit darker or melancholic temperament are orchestrated and this fits very well with these songs which are a bit more Korean. The first one, with some additional strings imitating or fitting keyboards even reminds me of some Persian songs or way of songwriting or singing. The second orchestrated track has some additional clarinet and wah-wah guitar, the third one clarinet with flute and some brass as well. The last track is more up tempo with a chachacha rhythm, is between happy and sad with more electric guitar. It is a well balanced and well compiled album.
Forced Exposure : "Third reissue on this label of groovy Korean psychedelic pop with slight English folk flavors from Kim Jung Mi -- known throughout as the the "Francois Hardy of Korean pop." "This 1974 album shows a different side of the delectable Korean singer's personality, as she is called upon to front slinky mid-tempo rockers instead of the folk-inflected tracks of both the Nowand Wind records; this makes for some interesting music, including a cover version of Janis Joplin's 'Move Over'; the tracks all sound more than a year removed from Now and Wind, in part because of drastically better production values (this album was made for Jigu, unlike Kim Jung Mi's other releases), plus the addition of horns, organ, and even a string section; Shin Jung Hyun is still backing his protégé with characteristic guitar lines, so no loss of musical quality is evident."
Dusty Groove : "Groovy folk funk from mid 70s Korea – mad, pulpy tunes from Kim Jung Mi – possibly her best work ever! This wonderful self-titled set is a pretty deep left turn from her other material that we've been lucky enough to get our hands on – this one really goes deeper into the trippier elements that pepper her work – with deep, thumping bass lines, groovy organ washes and some strings! Groovy, groovy work and more than lives up to the World Psychedelia tag! 11 tracks in all."
PS. This has also bee reissued by World Psychedelia. My copy is a Korean reissue.
Folkie Jin : "Musical performance by The men. This record music style is a soft pop psychedelic music. It has a little string arrangement and psychedelic performances (oboe, saxphone, organ, electric guitar etc.) This record reissued only CD format in 2002."
* PonycanyonKim Jung Mi: Now (KO,1973,re.2002)***°°
Tr.3, "Spring" 5 min,Tr.6, "Your Dream" 6 min (or here),Tr.7, "Beautiful mountains and River" 5 min 27
This singer has a beautiful, only slightly breathy voice, with folk-psych and pop-psych group accompaniment. This is considered as her best work. Her voice style is pretty much like English pop-psych. The accompaniment varies a bit, is made for perfection, and is perfectly fitting for a song oriented record. A very beautiful record. It was a bit more difficult to pick out tracks, because they all sound good. The more I listen to the album, the more I like it even better.
Folkie Jin : "Musical performance by Yupjeons. Korean psychedelic folk Masterpiece and her best record!! This record was reissued LP and CD format in 2003, but it is sold out now. She was made into a psychedelic singer by Shin Jung Hyun. Her vocal resemble the Grace slick of Jefferson Airplane was erotic that is a very sexy ? It is a mega rare Korean psychedelic folk or beat rock album. It also so rare because of Korea's president's "purge measure of Korean pop music" In 1970th her record was fired by government employees. You'll see her record listed at the Record Collector Dreams book by Hans Pokora"
Eclipse Records : "Legendary groovy acid femme psychedelic folk rock masterpiece, finally sees reissue in a deluxe mini-LP sleeve from Korea; super acid rock produced by famous Korean fuzz guitar maven Shin Jung Hyun, with the playing of Hyun and his band The Men evident throughout; sustains a spacey west coast style of psychedelia throughout; one song from this album featured on the ‘Peace, Love and Dreams’ series; if Francoise Hardy is the Marianne Faithful of France, then Kim Jung Mi is, I suppose, the Francoise Hardy of Korea..."
"Something of a first for me is this 1973 folk/pop album from South Korea. Alerted to its existence by a glowing review in Record Collector, it has taken me six months to get around to risking it, but the risk has paid off with an enchanting album. The first track is a heavily orchestrated ballad, making for a lush 60's pop sound, while the second (no titles as they are all in Korean) is just singer and band, and is a faster folk/rock effort. The musicians sound as though they have picked up many Western influences, with the guitarist in particular sounding very West Coast, and it is not until track five that an Oriental influence creeps into the songs. Kim Jung Mi has an expressive voice, and the songs are just Westernised enough to make this a very pleasant listen despite not understanding the words. Fans of 70's folk/rock such as Trees and Mellow Candle should investigate, as if you are constantly searching for something a bit different - as I am these days - then an album like this is worth the investment. " Peter Jolly
Dusty Groove : "A folk funk masterpiece from Korea -- sung with breathy brilliance by female singer Kim Jung Mi, and featuring some great fuzzy backgrounds from guitarist Shin Jung Hyun! Although not in English, the record has a very similar feel to some of the hippest British female work of the same period -- a style that takes older folk styles and gives them a trippier, more psychedelic twist -- largely through the use of echoey production that makes the voice sound all flanged-out next to the guitar, but also through some spacious arrangements that give most of the record a nicely floating sort of feel! Titles are all in Korean, as are the lyrics -- but the record's got an undeniably universal appeal."
Midheaven description : "A reissue of this legendary femme acid folk masterpiece. KIM JUNG MI’s Now album seems to require a couple of listens before its excellence can be fully appreciated. Korean fuzz guitar master SHIN JUNG HYUN and his band THE MEN are the backing band, with their solid presence evident throughout, sustaining a spacey West Coast psychedelia vibe. Though every song has a similar tone, one would never accuse the music of being too much the same neat trick. if Francoise Hardy is the Marianne Faithful of France, then Kim Jung Mi is the Francoise Hardy of Korea. Moody, melancholic, and sexy. "
If anyone knows more about this artist/release or would like to review this item, please e-mail me
KLS-76 1973 Kim Jung-Mi 3rd/The wind
Folkie Jin : "Musical performance by Yupjeons. Mostly songs are same to the Now album except for track A2, B1,B4 This record reissued only in CD format in 2003."
* World PsychedeliaKim Jung Mi : The Wind (KO,1973,re.2006)****°
airplayed : Tr.1, "The wind" 4 min,Tr.4, "Beautiful nature in Korea" 5 min,Tr.8, "Your dream" 6 min,Tr.10, "Lonely heart" 4 min 19
Radioshow comments : "Good second album by Kim Jung Mi with a couple classic songs on it. Psychpop songs with good poprock arrangements, and great voice. Somewhat similar as the first album, although on first album every tracks is equal strong."
"Recorded in 1973, this LP is the middle release in a trio of collaborative LPs between singer Kim Jung Mi and guitarist/bandleader/songwriter Shin Jung Hyun. Here we have Kim Jung Mi's cool female vocals over a solid bunch of pop/psych songs. This LP and the one directly preceding it ("Now") are both highly rated LPs and listening to "The Wind" you can hear why as the production and overall vibe is extremely accessable and appealing. The story goes, that by the late 70s Kim Jung Mi was fed up of the censorship rampant in Korean pop music and essentially quit, I don't know how accurate this is but after digging through some background on both Kim Jung Mi and Shin Jung Hyun, one definitely gets the idea that things were not easy in those turbulent times. This LP is a fantastic listen throughout and Shin Jung Hyun's guitar playing adds a distinctive and interesting voice to its overall sound."
Folkie Jin : "Musical performance by Yupjeons. This record reissued only CD in 2002. A4-6 and B4-6 songs are not Kim Jung Mi songs and Shin Jung Hyun's songs, but by other singers and writers. At this album Kim Jung Mi's sexy and acidly voice meets Shin Jung Hyun's psychedelic pop feelings again. Some songs have a certain pop feelings but have also Shin Jung Hyun's great musicality with his group Yupjeons's musical performances."
* Prince Rec.Shin Jung Hyun & Golden Grapes: Sound vol 2 (KO,1971)**°
airplayed : Tr.1, "It's not man" 4 min,Tr.4, "Lonely Heart" 5 min,Tr.9, "Oh My Lover" 3 min 12
Radioshow comments : "The psych-pop songs are sung by quiet nice female voice.. This is accompanied with backing vocals on first track, and with organ, electric bass, drums, and here and there some electric guitar. Most songs are quite simple pop songs."
