South of the Border

Back in the late '90s, when I had a cable package that included The International Channel, I used to watch the subtitled Korean Top 20 Video Countdown every week. It was fascinating; a window into a faraway land, but I didn't actually like any of the songs. It was usually a mix of soulful singers and wannabe rappers or more often both in one cheesy boy or girl band. Then I saw this video. Jaurim was easily the best artist I ever saw on the Korean Top 20, and one of the most interesting bands of the late '90s anywhere. A Jaurim album easily goes from breezy pop to Evanescence-style alt-rock with folk and reggae thrown in, too. When I'd find myself in San Francisco I'd hit Turbo Records in the little Koreatown near The Fillmore and ask the confused clerk for the new Jaurim album. I have no idea what any of the songs mean, and that's the way I like it. I think "Hey Hey Hey" translates pretty literally, though. The guitarist Lee Sungyu is the master of understatement, the incredible bassist Kim Jinman is the John Entwistle of Korea and the vocalist Kim Yoonah has quite a range, from pop chirruping to belting it out. There's nothing quite like them anywhere.