무지개퀸텟 / Mujigae Quintet ("Rainbow Quintet")
Beatball Rec. Mujigae Quintet : She’s So Cool (1974, re.2018)***
* 01. 멋쟁이 아가씨/ Handsome lady (She's so cool) 02. 가을은 가고/ Fall is passing * 03. 빗속의 사랑/ Love in the rain * 04. 당신은 몰라/ You don't know 05. 사랑의 마음/ The heart of love 06. 웬일일까 / What happens 07. 이렇게 당신생각에/ I Like this from you 08. 그 얼굴/ That face 09. 나는 어떡하라구/ I don't know what to do
10. 행복을 비는 마음 / Hapiness (무지개사운드, 1976) 11. 말해주오/ Tell me (무지개사운드, 1976) 12. 희망은 언제나 꿈을/ Hope (무지개사운드, 1976) 13. 노래하는 마음/ Singing Heart (무지개사운드, 1976) 14. 흑룡부대가/ Black-and-Blue (bonus track)
Tracks with * I consider essential listens or tracks to check out for sure, mostly as classics, which makes them also very suitable for western radioshow airplay. Tracks that are only underlined can be considered fine tracks you might better check out as well, but I am not sure how essential they are.
The album itself is basically in a soft rock style with a definite psych influence. The first track is sung with a more more raw funk-like voice, while most songs sound more melancholic and otherwise are rather sweet sad/happy styled, and are sung by a rather soft lead voice with harmony vocals and are played with nice arrangements of mostly electric pickings and accompanying sof beat drums (including some congas) and some extra keyboards (organ and piano) which show fine, refined, soft attractive interpretations without immediately revealing any surprises at a first listen, while its attractive charm certainly will reveals itself well after some listens. It is then when the worked out detail of the arrangements is revealed more thoroughly in its all its detail (with a truly nice production and dedication). Worth discovering extras will then for instance also be the flute arrangements in track 9 for instance, or an extra female lead voice on track 3, or simply the rhythmical flows and changes mixed with its late 60s styled harmonies.
As a conclusion I would say that for foreign ears it is an album that might need a few more listens, while this certainly is worth the little effort it might need. Its certain attraction is founded in a warm, charming sort of quality, where for the western music lovers its slightly psychedelic sound and sweet harmonies should still do the trick. In a way, I must admit how the original song album hangs well together.
Most of the bonus tracks (track by track it gets worse) have more commercialized sounds than this. One of these tracks is an up-tempo twist song, which is an ok, but already a not too great example. Further we have a brass & strings crooner and a happy political marching song to end the compilation with, which more technically completes this compilation than they confirm their more creative side much longer.
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반도가요사 미스테리의하나였던무지개퀸텟.
1974년발표한그들의 유일한 앨범<멋쟁이아가씨>가 정식발매됩니다. 파격적인타이틀 곡'멋쟁이 아가씨'의 인지도와 다르게관련정보는 전무한 상황. 팀의 브레인이라 할작편곡가 이경석이 조직한 프로젝트팀이었다는 사실부터 기적적으로 오리지널 마스터 테잎을 찾아내기까지. 온전히 비트볼의 조사와 추적으로 이뤄낸 쾌거라 하겠습니다. 기획으로부터 발매까지 대략7년여의 시간이 소요된 재발매 프로젝트이니만큼 요즘 주머니 사정 섭섭하시겠지만 잘부탁드립니다.
무지개퀸텟<멋쟁이 아가씨
LP SIDE A 1. 멋쟁이 아가씨 2. 가을은 가고 3. 빗속의 사랑 4. 당신은 몰라 5. 행복을 비는 마음(무지개사운드, 1976)
LP SIDE B1. 사랑의 마음 2. 웬일일까 3. 이렇게 당신생각에 4. 그 얼굴 5. 나는 어떡하라구6. 말해주오(무지개사운드, 1976)
Producer: Lee Jung-won, Jin-Jin
Jung Jung-Jung: vocal Lee Ji-won: Keyboard, vocal Kim Gimdeogseong: Drum, vocal Lee Jung-won: Guitar, piano, vocal Kim Jae-Hyun: Keyboard, vocal Kim Hyun-Hyun: Bass, vocal
*1974년 포시즌/신세계음향에서 발매된 음반의 최초재발매 *프로듀서이자 작곡가인 이경석의 인터뷰가 실린 인서트 *오리지널 마스터테잎을 사용한24bit96kHz 리마스터링 *데이브 쿨리(Dave Cooley, Elysian Masters)의 마스터링과 래커 커팅 *무지개퀸텟의 후신, 무지개사운드가 발표한4곡의 싱글추가 수록 -바이닐 버전에서는'흑룡부대가'가 삭제되며 두곡의 보너스트랙으로 대체 -콤팩트디스크 버전에는 흑룡부대가를 포함, 4곡의 보너스트랙 모두 추가
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반도 밴드역사의 마지막 미스테리, 무지개퀸텟의 유일작 드디어 재발매!' 무지개퀸텟은 작곡가 이경석이 포시즌기획에서 편곡자로 활동할 당시 결성했던 프로젝트 그룹이다. 후일 사랑의 샘 멤버로도 활동한 장성환의 신들린 보컬이 인상적인 하드록 ‘멋쟁이 아가씨’를 필두로, ‘가을은 가고’와 ‘빗속의 사랑’ 등 실내악 스타일로 편곡한 수준 높은 포크 넘버들로 구성돼 있다.
클래식 음악을 전공한 동시에 록밴드 멤버이기도 했던 이경석은 자신의 음악적 소양을 이 앨범에 녹여내려 노력했다. 헤비 로큰롤과 포크, 라틴 팝과 가요 멜로디가 절묘하게 녹아든 가요사 초유의 데뷔 음반은 이렇게 탄생했다. 동시에 무지개퀸텟은 같은 포시즌기획 소속 가수 윤항기, 한대수 등의 앨범 녹음에도 참여한다. 타이틀곡인 ‘멋쟁이 아가씨’가 금지곡으로 지정되자 지속적인 활동이 불가능해진 무지개퀸텟은 멤버를 교체하며 보컬 그룹 무지개사운드로 진화한다. 이번 재발매 디지털 릴리즈에는 앨범 발매 직후 무지개사운드의 명의로 발표한 두 곡의 싱글을 추가 수록했다. 팀 해체 이후 이경석은 광고 음악가(롯데 제과), 가요 편곡자(배인숙, 김수희, 이화)로 왕성한 활동을 이어간다.
released December 27, 2018
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Rough translation (with mistakes) :
"Rainbow Quintet is a project group formed by composer Lee Kyung-seok as a arranger at Four Seasons. Jang Sung-hwan's thrilled vocals, who later served as members of the Fountain of Love, accompanied by an impressive hard rock ‘Fancy Girl,’ It consists of high-quality folk numbers arranged in chamber music styles such as 'Autumn Gago' and 'Love in the Rain'. Lee Kyung-suk, who studied classical music and was also a member of a rock band, tried to melt his musical skills in this album. This was the debut album of Gayosa Colostrum, with exquisite blends of heavy rock and roll, folk, Latin pop and song melodies. At the same time, Rainbow Quintet will also participate in recording albums of four season planning singers Yoon Hang-ki and Han Dae-soo. Rainbow Quintet, whose title song “Cool Girl,” was designated as a banned song, became unable to continue its activities. The rereleased digital release included two singles released in the name of Rainbow Sound shortly after the album's release. After the dissolution of the team, Lee continued to be active as an advertising musician (Lotte Confectionery) and a music arranger (Bae In-sook, Kim Soo-hee, and Ewha)."
Audio and order: https://beatballmusic.bandcamp.com/album/shes-so-cool
& https://lightintheattic.net/releases/6195-she-s-so-cool
First reissue of the one of Korean rock obscurity from 1974
Remastered from the original master tapes Including two singles released in 1975 under the name ‘Mujigae Sound’ & ‘As Autumn Ends’ to be featured in an episode of the new Netflix show
"Mujigae Quintet (Rainbow Quintet)’ was a project band formed by composer Lee Kyung-seok while he worked as an arranger at Four Seasons Production(not to confuse with Frankie Valli’s). The album starts off with the funky hard-rock number ‘She’s So Cool’, featuring the soulful vocals of Jang Sung-hwan, who would later become a member of ‘Sarang-eu-Saem (Wellspring of Love)’. It is packed with other well-crafted tunes in the folk rock style, like ‘As Autumn Ends’ and ‘Love in the Rain’. Lee Kyung-seok who was both a classically-trained musician and member of a rock band, was encouraged by the producer at his production company, Eom Jin (who also produced <Lee Pan Geun & Korea Jazz Quintet ‘78>), to begin work on a record by drawing on his musical ideas and network of musicians. The result was a debut album that was unheard of – in that it featured a project group – in gayo history, which deftly brought together heavy rock n’ roll, folk, Latin pop, and gayo melodies. At the same time, Mujigae Quintet were given the opportunity to participate in the recordings of other Four Seasons Production artists, such as singer Yoon Hang-gi and folk singer Han Dae-soo.
However, when the title track ‘She’s So Cool’ was banned shortly after the album’s release, the band was unable to continue its activities. The project group, Mujigae Quintet, transformed into the vocal group, Mujigae Sound, after undergoing some member changes. This reissue LP also includes two singles that were released under the latter moniker immediately following this album. After the group disbanded, Lee Kyung-seok continued a prolific career in music for ads (Lotte Confectionery) and also as a gayo arranger (working with Bae In-sook, Kim Soo-hee, and Lee Hwa)."
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CONCLUSION:
This is a fine re-release that can be collected by western collectors too of early psych/ pop/rock of fine quality with an original creative sound. All songs are fine.
