Init_Music: Inbox: Huckleberry Finn

Friday, January 20, 2012

Inbox: Huckleberry Finn - Live

New for me

There's something very tangible from catching a band live that you simply can't get from their studio albums (except in the rare cases where the band simply doesn't have the teeth for live music) and while I have dearly enjoyed Huckleberry Finn's studio album, they are also a live club playing band and prior to the release of this live album, the only way to see their performances live was through streaming clips from their shows online. And while the sound quality of those clips might not be pulse-poundingly good, it was clear from watching them that Huckleberry Finn is powerful and dynamic live.

It's for this reason that I'm grateful for the release of this live album, as it gathers recordings from a number of their concerts dating from 2004 through 2009, including a number of performances featuring some special guests, hinting at just how fantastic the band is live, immensely valuable for all the fans that simply can't get to Korea to catch the band live. What's more is that a several of the songs feature some high profile guests, including Park Jonghyun from Galaxy Express, Ha Hyunwoo from Guckkasten and more! But one of the best parts about this Live album is that it also includes a DVD with a good amount of the band's 2009 Yellow Concert.

It's apparent from the start what you gain from the live album as you have Lee Soyoung break open the first song, "빗소리" with a "rock and roll" scream, instantly amplifying the audible crowd and grabbing your attention. Live is going to be a great rock experience and the band doesn't disappoint from there on. The guest spots are also pretty impressive, with Park Jonghyun providing some classic rock guitar pyrotechnics, Ha Hyunwoo taking over lead vocal duties with his powerful voice, Kingston Rudieska's wind section warming up some songs, members of the Seoul Electric Band giving some instrumental punch, and Cha Seungwoo of the Moonshiners also providing some vocal lead and guitar. Now, some of the guests are a little better matched than others for the parts they play, but it's largely a good time and hard to decry.

But the guests don't usually take the focus off the band, which is raw, muscular, and the live recordings give the music a strong amount of dimension. Especially notable is just how dynamic Lee Soyoung is as a lead vocalist, howling like she's possessed by the music and engaging the audience with frequent shouts and calls to join in. It also acts as a compilation, demonstrating just how strong the rock songwriting of the band is, even though it's firmly entrenched in the harder edge of alternative rock.

The DVD is also a fantastic document of the band because it gives you a great idea of what the band's live shows are like. Even though I was by myself in my living room while watching it, I ended up bouncing up and down and moving with the fantastic music, aided by the visible energy of the crowd and the band. Furthermore, you get to see how capable the band is in engaging the crowd through their music as they rarely play up their show--even the usually wild Park Jonghyun is relatively contained when playing with Huckleberry Finn. Yet, it also shows how strong Lee Soyoung is as a frontwoman as she largely abandons her guitar to engage the audience, dance and throw her body into the performance. And finally, there is a performance of "불안한 영혼" that features a puppeteer, an interpretive dancer, and a poet, which is the kind of visual element you could never get from merely listening to a live album, but that performance itself actually moved me, not because of the visual guests, but the powerful vocal performance by Lee Soyoung.

I'll make this simple: If you like Huckleberry Finn, you have to see one of their shows, because the band is simply stunning live. However, if you're not in a good position to catch one of their shows, or if you just want to bring the band's live performances with you, this album and DVD is essential. It provides a visual and aural document of the band's fantastic rock prowess and was worth every penny. 10/10.

Tracklist:

CD: 6 Years of Live History 2004-2009:

빗소리 ('09 Yellow Concert)
낯선 두형제 (feat. 박종현 from Galaxy Express) ('09 Yellow Concert)
밤이 걸어간다 (feat. 하현우 from Guckkasten) ('09 Yellow Concert)
Em ('08 Good Vibration)
I Know (feat. 박종현 from Galaxy Express) ('09 Yellow Concert)
그들이 온다 (feat. 김정근, 성낙원, 오정석, 최철욱 from Kingston Rudieska) ('09 Yellow Concert)
오나비야 ('08 Yellow Concert)
내달리는 사람들 (feat. 차승우 from The Moonshiners, 김정욱 from 소울전자음악단) ('09 봄의 피로)
A (feat. 차승우 from The Moonshiners) ('09 봄의 피로)
사막 (feat. 신윤철 from 서울 전자음악단) ('09 봄의 피로)
갈가마귀 ('09 봄의 피로)
불안한 영혼 ('04 Yellow Concert)
환상환멸 ('08 Yellow Concert)
죽이다 ('08 Yellow Concert)

DVD: 2009 Yellow Concert DVD:
(Many of the embedded videos are not from the DVD but are fan cams. The official DVD has noticeably better sound and picture.)