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Broccoli, You Too? (브로콜리 너마저)
No calling for encore (앵콜요청금지) (EP)
BGBG Record (붕가붕가 레코드; Bunga Bunga Record), 2007

One routine critics tend to take is to point out a band or a musician which is not likely to break, to promote it by writing, “here is a real new talent,” and to hope to see it make big. The difference between critics and recording company associates is that the former wants honor rather than money (more specifically, honor with money).

Can Broccoli, You Too? (브로콜리 너마저; Brokoli Neomajeo) be that kind of band? Maybe. But they became too famous to be the case. How famous? If you type “Broccoli” in the search window at Naver.com, you can find their name in the second line from the auto-form list (just above “boiling broccoli”). Now it seems too late for an indie webzine writer to make a fuss about them.

The momentum for them was made by “No calling for encore (앵콜요청금지; Aengkol yocheong geumji),” the title track of this EP. Performance is simple; it sounds like a demo recording (even after I read at their blog about their hard work while recording). Yes, exactly what you are thinking about – an unpolished sound. But four minutes of playing feel too short. Indebted to, not despite of, the outdated recording technology. I am tempted to say that this exemplifies the virtue of lo-fi. Reflecting the emotion of lost love with dry tone, this song is the most moving tune that a twenty something in the twenty first century can ever make, or “Sarang bakke nan mola (사랑밖에 난 몰라)” translated into the language in the indie scene.

And the rest? Good or not. The opening “Mal (말)” is impressive with its “irritating” guitar sound and “Kkeut (끝)” is entertaining with its straightforward wriggling. But the fact is, no track is as impressive as “No calling for encore” while pretty melodies and tongue-in-cheek lyrics are found everywhere. As a result, pretty moments are continuous even in mediocre tunes. In conclusion, I hope I can say all these things again with their regular album. Everyone who listened to this band is willing to wait for the day.

Let me finish with a snake’s foot, not necessarily relating their music. Both the band name, Broccoli, You Too? and the song title, “No calling for encore” show their wit as students. The same wit can be found in the records by the bands, such as Nuntteugo Kobein (눈뜨고 코베인), who are working under the label, BGBG Record. How it impresses is up to the listeners. Yet, I hope the impression from this sensibility doesn’t exceed one from their music. It happened exactly when this EP started to sound boring to me. But this matters to all who want to set a new coordinate (which for them is to be a “sustainable entertainer”).

Rating:

Related sites:
Broccoli, You Too Homepage
http://broccoliyoutoo.com
BGBG Record Homepage
http://www.bgbg.co.kr