Beulah Land

shin joong-hyun is a major figure in South Korean music, his early bands were the first uniquely Korean pop bands in a time when Japanese-influenced pop ruled. by the late 60s, shin was getting in trouble with the authorities for his leftist politics and marijuana use, leading him to being banned from the radio until the 80s. this didn't stop shin from being influential, whether he was putting out amazing epic psych rock records under his own name or doing the producing and backing music for some of Korea's best pop and psych folk singers. he recently retired, so i'm going to give you a taste of some of my favorites. "it's a lie" is one of the best psychedelic albums ever, featuring great korean melodies stretching out into massive jams with shin's amazing guitar playing battling organ and electric oboe. "in-a-kadda-da-vida" is a live album, the first half of which is dedicated to mutilating the classic iron butterfly tune beyond recognition, plus the best garbled english this side of krautrock. side two features guest singers and a bizarre version of the wilson pickett classic "funky broadway". yes.

more korean psychedelia coming soon, including some more stuff with shin jung-hyun, probably some san ul lim too.

shin joong-hyun & the men- it's a lie
shin joong-hyun & the questions- in-a-kadda-da-vida