Mustangs, Acid trip
February 21, 2008, Beatball Record
Can I say “masculine music” exist? If someone asks to me, I would say yes. I know. I should be cautious because dichotomy is not necessary. Still, I think there exists something which could be called ‘masculine music.’ More precisely, there exists some music which could be made distinctively well by boys. For example, it seems that it is easier to explain those kinds of music by using words such as “stamina,” “persistent,” “masculine” and so forth. You are seeing more and more musicians who are making these kinds of “masculine music.” Hollow Jan (할로우 잰) is one; Galaxy Express is another. I am talking about powerful rock music which make you feel their muscle jerking and smell their sweat between notes.
Madness + calculation = ecstasy
Now we have the Mustangs (머스탱스) who are today’s topic (attention please, to their name). It is a psychedelic rock; long, complex and heavy, and infatuating with conjuring magic. Nothing like pretty melodies, recognizable lyrics, exciting rhythms. Like slow wood fire, drums unnoticeably come thumping without regret; guitars fuzzily go between ears; vocals, less singing than spell-like, are undiscriminatingly pulsing – this is what the mustangs’ music is all about. Their music is partly indebted to 1960s’ Korean rock, partly 1970s’ American rock, but the result is decisively about now and here.
From a 4 short minute track to a 12 long minute track, the Mustangs explore music territory we haven’t heard about recently. Half insanity, half calculation – ecstatic territory combining both. Whereas their first album showed something, but left much to be desired, their second album, Acid Trip proves the expatiation toward them at that time is valid. Korean rock these days put a lot of efforts to wisely remember the past and to produce newness now and here at the same time. The Mustangs stand at its front. With their stamina and persistence.
Originally written in Korean and published March 26, 2008 at Magazine T.
The image is by 백가현 beck@t-fac.com and taken from Magazine T.
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