오기택 - Oh Ki-Taek / Oh Kitaek
For a so-called compilation of 50s/60s songs I never expected such a rather cheap taste of Moog-like arrangements, with over-simplified electronic pum-pum-pum rhythms mixed with a separately recorded voice (in right channel) with artificial reverb.
This bizarre direct modernised interpretation in a Trot style, like a rather circus-café jukebox-alike electronically arranged music still has a certain flair of charm because of the Korean melodies but of course, I cannot recommend it for it except to those people who like a bizarre aspect of music like this, even though it might still not be bizarre enough to really go for it or try it.
Even more odd is that each track has almost exactly a similar approach. In a way I would have liked it better without voice, or with more than just one solo, almost lost voice and contrast in the recording.
Its voice alone has its own qualities. Luckily for me, I found it rather cheap.
It is obvious that this cannot really be a compilation of originals from 50s/60s but rather is a commercial remake of this area and songs. This idea could have been fun if only some real effort had been put into this, making different arrangements with a comparable, but more varied approach for each track. Now, with half of the songs being either 2.58 min or 2.59 exactly, it sounds obvious that deliberate musical cloning had been involved. This thus had become something like an example of artificially modified music.
Chosen track for possible airplay CD1, track 2 or 3; CD2, track 11 or 15. In a way this remains kitsch & crap.
향수의 멜로디 1&2 / Perfume Melody 1 & 2 2006.12.06
CD1 1 고향무정 / Hometown Heartless
2 갈대의순정 / Pure reed
3 비오는남산 / Rainy Namsan
4 미워하지않으리 / I won't hate you
5 나그네설움 / Strangers
6 돌아가는삼각지 / Returning Triangle
7 비내리는경부선 / Raining
8 홍도야울지마라 / Don't be Hongdo
9 불효자는웁니다 / Invalids cry
10 누가울어 / Who's crying
11 이정표없는거리 / Milestone
12 영등포의밤 / Yeongdeungpo Night
13 가지마오 / Don't Go
14 찔레꽃 / Brier
15 꿈에 본 대동강 / Daedong River in Dreams
CD2 1 충청도 아줌마 / Chungcheong-do aunty
2 우중의 여인 / Women of rain
3 꿈에 본 내 고향 / My hometown seen in dreams
4 가거라 삼팔선 / Go to the Three Arms
5 꿈꾸는 백마강 / Dreaming White Horse River
6 번지없는 주막 / Bungee (?)
7 안개낀 장충단공원 / Misty Jangchungdan Park
8 비겁한 맹세 / Cowardly Oath
9 돌아와요 부산항에 / Come back to Busan Port
10 울고싶어 / I want to cry
11 충청도아줌마 / Aunt Chungcheong
12 선창 / Dock
13 갈대의 순정 / Pure reed
14 그 이름 / His name
15 눈물젖은 두만강 / Teardrop Wet Tumen River
16 사랑은 눈물의 씨앗 / Love is the seed of tears
17 애수의 소야곡 / Gospel of Sorrow
Other (original recordings of ) tracks can be found on:
가요(歌謠) 박물관 / Music Museum : 220 Best [Disc 3]
CD3-8 영등포의 밤 / Yeongdeungpo Night (1964)
CD5-7 비나리는 판문점 / Raining in Panmunjom (1967)
CD7-7 우중의 여인 / Woojung Lady (1965)
CD7-11 고향무정 / Heartless Hometown (1966)
* CD7-17 아빠의 청춘 / Dad's youth (1966)
These tracks are soft warm vibrating baritone safe haven based mainstream trot music songs. There's nothing particular unusual about them, except perhaps for its warm tone.
The only exception is perhaps the more jazzy boogie style of the last track.
Born 2nd of april 1939
