정종숙 - Jeong Jong-Suk / Jung Chong-Suk / (Jong-Sook) (1+1 / One plus One)
" When I checked out the double CD compilation, I found out that the singer was the solo career of 1+1 duo.
The songs on the first CD are rather OK to rather enjoyable pop music, with, for me still however far too many, if not preferable, most tracks I preferred to skip before the end.
The only real good track is the track I knew from the ’79 album I have reviewed first below.
In a way it still is a bit disappointing to hear how a person, as a singer in this context still seems to become a product used for mainstream entertainment mostly, a profession used to entertain in the general styles of the time, with more than once tasteful elements, but with lack of more dedicated elements of surprise as another element of balanced expression and contrast. Some if not all songs are covers. I give this the context of TV show and song contest entertainment.
The second CD starts a bit more convincing (-the songs, its rock band elements, the lush strings-) without getting to deep into something entirely original however. The best track with no doubt is the second track, which I assume was taken from One but One period.
The 9th & 13th track shows a somewhat rockier feel, is arranged well with different guitars, a bit more driving energy and string arrangements, still the first one still has a small repetitive element. Also some of the other tracks show a bit more power this way."
정종숙 / Jung Chong Suk - 골든 / Golden 2CD
CD1 1 새끼손가락 / Little Finger
2 달구지 / Moon month
3 강변의 추억 / Riverside memories (Rivers of Babylon)
4 밤비 / Bambi
5 나그네 / Wayfaring man
6 토요일의 커피숍 / Saturday Coffee Shop
7 처음 만난 순간부터 / From the moment we first met
8 세월이 가듯 / As the years go by
9 무교동 이야기 / Ungyodong story
10 그때 그 자리 / The place
11 임의 소리 / Sound
12 우리함께 노래를 / Sing with us
13 가까운 우리는 / We are near
14 왜 그런지 난 몰라
15 비 개인 오후 / I don't know why
16 이거야 정말 / At 16
CD2 1 둘이 걸었네 / Walk by two
* 2 당신의 모든 것을 / Everything of you
3 나하나의 사랑 / Loving
4 아름다웠던 그 날 / This beautiful day
5 영원한 사랑 / Eternal love
6 영원의 꽃 / Eternal Flower
7 비 오는 날 밤에 / On a rainy night
8 태양이 질 때 / When the sun goes down
9 태양 / Sun
10 애니의 노래 / Annie's Song
11 그이 보러 갈 때는 / When he goes to see
12 내 말대로 해 / Do what you say
13 아직 멀었어 / It's far from now
14 약속 / Promise
15 당신에겐 / To you
16 왜 몰랐을까 / Why didn't you know
Unfortunately for Western music lovers, this is a too much a mainstream album that better should be avoided. Just a few tracks however could eventually stil stand a critical listen.
Airplay possible for track 6, 14
For the moment, I am not really sure any more why I really chose this album to check out, simply after having heard one better example, fulfilling quickly with it an expectation. The title track, the cover of the known song, immediately shows how there is much more a straight forward commercial /mainstream approach behind it. The approach of the listed songs and melodies confirms the importance of music based upon the remembrance of an idea based upon what people recognise to have already heard before, like a repeated radio play of a song, more than the reoccurrence of a creative moment behind it to really revive something essential to remember to be inspired by, this is but giving importance to another memory or rhythm or cradle-effect-like melody on record that one does not care how much life it adds to the confirmation, is re-invented or reconsidered, more important it becomes like a product sold by at a grocery store it is like a karaoke product to chat about between two unimportant things or hop its head on it a bit. At a closer listen, after that first disappointment, various tasteful still predictable elements seem to be present to make it enjoyable enough, without anything unexpected.
The 6th track however, (“From the moment we met for the first time”), accompanied by three picking guitars comes like a relief. It is more tastefully, honestly and carefully arranged (also with a second voice) and thus becomes more worth hearing and picking out for foreign ears.
The voice is good enough in the other tracks, but the approach remains to be mainstream pop with a pop/rock band, becoming therefore for foreigners forgettable.
One could expect a better approach on track 11, with a rock band accompaniment, with lead of duo electric guitars, electric piano, drums, bass, and a good intro, but then the rest of the song and approach sounds commercialised.
Track 14 is with the better rock band arrangers. It is a known cover with funny guitar arrangement and therefore results in a more acceptable, and to foreign listeners enjoyable listen. Also track 16, showing the same band with strings and brass, holds the middle between styles, shows a goods voice too. I will not go to deep into the others hanging in between several styles too.
정종숙 골든 디럭스 20 / Jong Jong Sook Golden Deluxe 20
A 1. 강변의 추억 River of Babylon 2. 달구지 / Moonlight 3. 여자의 얼굴 / A Woman's face 4. 새끼 손가락 / Little Finger 5. 세월이 가듯 / As time goes by * 6. 처음 만난 순간부터 / From the first meeting 7. 나 하나의 사랑 / Loving 8. 사랑의 편지 / Letter of Love 9. 아무말 하지 않아도/ Don't say anything 10. 우리는 만났지 / We met 11-B1. 웃으려고 했는데 / I was going to smile 12-B2. 무교동 이야기 / Ungyodong story 13-B3. 나그네 / Wayfarer 14-B4. 좋아하면서 / Liking 15-5. 오직 사랑뿐 / My Only love 16-B6. 밤비 / Bambi 17-B7. 말하지 말라 지난날을 / Don't talk about the past 18-B8. 토요일의 커피숍 / Saturday's Coffee Shop 19-B9. 그때 그자리 / Then B10. 새마을 노래 / Saemaul Song (not on CD)
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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:
70년대 초반 혼성 포크 듀오가 인기를 얻던 시기인 1973년에 박현룡과 정종숙은 '원 플러스 원'으로 데뷔를 한 이후 2장의 앨범을 발표하고 박현룡의 군입대를 계기로 '원 플러스 원'은 1975년에 해체가 되면서 이듬해인 1976년에 솔로 앨범을 발표하게 되는데 이 앨범이 정종숙의 첫번째 솔로 앨범이 됩니다.
In 1973, when the mixed folk duo gained popularity in the early '70s, Park Hyun-ryong and Jung Jong-sook made their debut with' One Plus One 'and released two albums. When it was disbanded, he released a solo album in 1976, which became Jung Jong Sook's first solo album.
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CONCLUSION:
Despited the promising 1+1 album, the solo works in going in the direction of more mainstream pop. So far it seems like the
