Amateur Recommendation Hour: Modern Times

Today's recommendation is what I would objectively (as objectively as one can assess a work from a medium as subjectively interpretive as music as) consider to be the best Korean pop album of the decade of the 2010s from one of if not Korea’s most popular as successful female soloists. When considering what the instrumentation of pop music would and has become since 2013 when this record was released some might find a refreshing and organic change from the stylistic and genre overlap of the current Korean popular musical space.

Modern Times by Lee Ji-eun, better known by her stage name IU, is a powerful and brilliant melding of genres. The way in which it is able to synergize bossa nova, folk, jazz, swing, and latin pop as if they were made to exist in such a resonant and triumphant harmony with consistency AND variation of instrumentation and flair is as timeless as it comes. 

It’s ability to feel like an ode to the eras in which these genres were at their peak of popularity while also giving them modern sensibilities is endlessly impressive. Its confident maturity in its composition, both simple genius and complexly weaving its thematic intentions with its overall classiness. Realized sequentially through its tonal pace. Broadly speaking it is as individualistic as any Korean album of music I’ve ever heard.  Pushing back fearlessly against the emerging trend of electronic synths and drums we’re used to now to create a back-to-basics approach that earns it’s boundless appreciation and admiration every time I decide to listen through it.

“Friday” as an album opener starts things off as modestly and unassuming as you could possibly imagine for an album whose spectacle and confidence is unmatched. Much like the singer herself and her rise to stardom. A gentle guitar harmony, silky smooth but gentle dynamic vocals give way to a lackadaisical tone, slow tempo and playful beginning. 

“Crayon” starting the ascent, the crescendo to a bigger ultimatum. Shakers leading into a latin-inspired brass harmony and gentle percussive bell backing. Oh we’re on to something now. The dimly lit jazz club choking with smoke, breathe it in, it's harmless after all it only exists in the mind. That band playing on the stage has a lot more numbers in their wheelhouse, give them a hearty snap after they’re done performing.

As the rest of the band leaves the stage the vocalist and guitarist (Park Ju-won) come up, the lights almost completely dark as to spotlight our main performers. “Love Of B” a staccato and pointed guitar/vocal duet. A display of talent for the respective performers as the crowd once again voices their approval in this increasingly moody and atmospheric space.

The band rejoins as “Everybody Has Secrets” begins with it’s distinctive percussive slaps and the slightly dissonant piano riff takes center stage. IU and Ga-In sing in hushed tones, wouldn’t want anyone to know you’re here instead of where you’re supposed to be. The chorus incorporating a stringed harmony. Hopefully no one sees you here. Being where you shouldn’t be and doing what you shouldn’t do. “Between The Lips” an acknowledgement of the moral depravity of your actions. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you, it is the service we provide, after all. We’ll bring the lackadaisical and slow tempo and piano to pianissimo dynamics for you so you can relax a bit. We won’t tell anyone.

Now it’s time for the seminal number. This is why you were here to begin with right? Get up, maybe dance with them a little bit, the shame isn’t allowed in here. You’ve already shamed yourself enough. “The Red Shoes” the Big Band is coming out, all the instrumentation you could dream of. Saxophones, muted trumpets, string harmonies, low brass harmonies (those bastards), powerful and exciting, blow off that steam, release that stress. You could almost see Lucille Ball and Van Johnson themselves dancing together, center stage in Hollywood under the biggest spotlights the world had to offer.

Phew, that was a great time, but a tiring one all the same. We’ll keep the whole band out but slow it down a bit and bring the volume slightly lower. You like clarinets right? So do I. It’s an underrated instrument and what a well written harmony it’s got above those bastards in the low brass section (I love you guys). One can make out a hearty string bass in between the transition from verse to chorus. You may come for The Red Shoes but the real ones stay for “Modern Times.”

The night is over, they’ve all gone home. But IU has stayed behind to clean up with her bandmates. She needed tonight as much as the patrons did. But they don’t ask about her. Most of them don’t even know her. Not yet. “Bad Day” is the song she recruits a few of the members still around to help her cry with. Exhaustion is something the performers get too. Gentle piano and strings are all we need with driving intensity with each successive chorus.

1:30 AM. She really needs to “Obliviate” yesterday from her mind. Maybe it would help if she listens through that demo tape we recorded yesterday to get her mind off things. The song really fits the night’s numbers well. With similar instrumentation and a latin/swing feeling that we started the evening with. Plus he’s been begging her to let him play the bongos for a song, this one will work really well for next time.

The quiet, nervy walk home in the cold. The streetlights flicker as if trying to stay warm themselves in a job they must do forever. IU's really glad her friend is willing to stay awake to give her the safety call, even at 2:30 in the morning, can’t take these streets for granted. “Walk With Me, Girl” the lethargy is too much for you to take it on your own.

She crashes onto the bed, immediately into the comforting embrace of dreams. “Havana” the glistening beaches, calming waves, sweet fields of sugarcane and gentle sands. A soundtrack of the world she had never gotten to see. If things continue on this trajectory, maybe she’ll get a chance. Rudely awoken out of her paradise by the harsh light sneaking in from the slightly ajar shades “The Gloomy Clock” of life starts to tick.

As she lethargically gets ready for her day job, the unforgiving grind ready to await her she has a “Daydream” remembering her grandmothers passing words to her as she fights to stay awake. Gentle soothing lyrics that are delivered with the kind of fighting spirit along with its weary well-fought string and guitar solos. That better days are to come, this will all be worth it if you can fight long enough to see what is waiting for you. 

I know, but it’s the wait that is killing me.

Ultimately my interpretation of this work is that when entering a new space, a new state of being, it can be hard to remember why you went through all the growth you already did just to find another place where it is required. Expecting happiness and freedom only to end up more self aware and sad as the march of life drones on. Fighting through the expectation of an unknowable future and tempering what we have is a difficult balancing act that is not a science to be perfected or optimized. Life flows in unexplainable ways but it is the moments of excitement, of unexpected triumph and victory is the best way of learning how to survive and what to survive for.