Locust: I Told You So (Korean Psyche Rock, 180g) Vinyl LP Locust

Locust is a 5-piece Korean band, which burst onto the scene in 1980 after winning Tongyang Broadcasting Company’s 3rd Youth Gayo Festival with the song “하늘색 꿈,” which translates to “a sky blue-colored dream” (not included on the album). Consisting of 4 males members and a female lead singer, Locust recorded I Told You So in 1981, and the longplayer would be the group’s sole album, as it disbanded shortly after release. Locust belonged to what was categorized as “campus group sound,” aka college bands, whose number saw a huge rise in Korea after Munhwa Broadcasting Company’s inaugural 1977 music contest for college students. This was the media company’s response, with many other entities such as the aforementioned TBC following, to fill the void left in popular music due to government crackdowns: “emergency action #9” of 1975, especially, plus some marijuana scandals. The competitions would prove to be a fertile ground for piping young, undiscovered talent into the mainstream. I Told You So is characterized by the heavy psychedelic & progressive rock influences, with Kim Tae-Min’s colorful vocals and “lyrics that explore an aesthetic darkness beyond a youthful fantasticality” leading the charge. The keyboard and guitar work lays down the foundation for symphonic song structures, and although most of the songwriting/producing was handled by Sanullim’s Kim Chang-hwan, it’s Locust’s expressiveness and musicianship that bring the tracks to life—check out “Shadows,” “Night Path,” and the title cut.

• 24bit 96kHz remastered from og master tapes
• 180g heavy weight vinyl
• gate-folded sleeve w/ 4-page color insert
• music label: Beat Ball Music 1981 / 2018

reviewed by BDL-0023 12/18