Band of the Week: Jaurim
Welcome back to another Band of the Week! This week we’re featuring Jaurim, a band that’s been jamming for over 20 years. Jaurim, which means purple rainforest, consists of lead singer Kim Yoonah, Kim Jinman on bass and guitar, and guitar player and vocalist Lee Sunkyu. With over 13 albums and multiple singles, Jaurim has made their name well known in the Korean indie scene.
One of their interesting concepts is that every other album has either a positive or a more melancholy vibe. The odd-numbered albums such as Purple Heart, The Wonderland, and Conspiracy Theory are the happier, more upbeat albums, and the even-numbered ones such as Lover, Ode to Youth, and Goodbye, Grief have the sadder themes. Depending on your mood, you might like their happier songs like “Hey Hey Hey” or “You and Me.” But if you’re feeling a bit down try “Ode to Youth” or “Shining” to get you through.
Overall, their sound is reminiscent of that funky late ‘90s sound with a more dramatic emotional impact. Yoonah has a husky and clear voice like that of Faye Wong and the late Dolores O’Riordan. She’s considered one of Korea’s greatest singers with a range longer than the Appalachian Trail. Along with her solo career, she was also a part of the production Rebecca.
Jaurim had been active up until 2013 when it seemed that the band had broken up, but they released the self-titled album Jaurim this past June. For their 20th anniversary in 2017 they released “XOXO.” An easy-going slow jam, the music video for “XOXO” showed many of the band’s stages, showing their massive influence on Korean rock. Crowds gathered to hear them play, and you can see the band having fun with each other on stage. The bluesy guitar and upbeat melody gives a perfect contrast to their overall sound.
Most recently they released “영원히 영원히” for the movie Herstory, an emotional movie about five elderly women receiving justice from the Japanese occupation of Korea. The song is emotional and full of tenderness as the music video shows the band singing and having a good time like a family while also showing clips from the film.
Along with the release of Jaurim, the band is also doing shows this year, including the Winter Wonderland concert which will be held both in Seoul and Busan in late December. For information check out their Facebook.