Album Reviews

The Beatles
`Beatles Remastered Albums'
(Warner Music Korea/ EMI)

The excitement over the re-release of the Beatles' 14 albums does not seem to be fading anytime soon. Both old and new fans will enjoy listening to classic Beatles songs that have been remastered. Songs sound fresh and new, but without ruining the integrity of the originals. It may be songs that you've heard hundreds of times before, but the remastered versions make you feel like you're listening to the Beatles for the first time.

Fans will have a hard time trying to fight off the temptation of buying the limited edition box set of all 14 albums in stereo or a box set of mono versions. The individual CDs also come with a short documentary on the making of the albums.

―Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Eldar
`Virtue'
(SonyBMG)

Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Eldar explores new musical boundaries in his fourth album ``Virtue." A musical prodigy who came to the U.S. from Kyrgyzstan when he was 10, Eldar creates compositions with maturity and sophistication that few 22 year old musicians have.

He described the music as a ``fitting soundtrack'' to his life since he moved to New York City in 2007. Together with bassist Armando Gola and drummer Ludwig Afonso, he has created a youthful and energetic rush of jazz music that sounds like nothing you've heard before. ``This is a collection of thoughts, actions, and consequences ― an exposition of art, clarity, integrity and freedom. This is what virtue means to me,'' Eldar wrote on his album's liner notes.

―Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Cocore
`Relax'
(Cub Music)

Cocore, one of Korea's top indie bands, has just released their fifth album. As the album title indicates, ``Relax'' offers laid-back rock music. From the album cover showing a sunset at a beach to the first track's guitar riffs that will conjure up images of white sand and blue waves, you get the feeling that Cocore had a very good summer vacation at the beach.

There's the electronic cool sounds of ``Hawaii'' and ``Listen-Repeat,'' which would be perfect for rave parties at the beach. Cocore, composed of Lee Woo-sung, Hwang Myung-su, Kim Jae-kwon and Jung Zi-wan, was formed in 1997. The album shows how the band continues to evolve its music and gain more fans along the way.

―Cathy Rose A. Garcia

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