Most Ordinary Existence
| Most Ordinary Existence | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 8, 2008 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 43:41 | |||
| Label | Ssamji Music | |||
| Onnine Ibalgwan chronology | ||||
| ||||
Most Ordinary Existence (Korean: 가장 보통의 존재; RR: Gajang Botongeui Jonjae) is the fifth studio album by South Korean indie rock band Onnine Ibalgwan. The album was released on 8 August 2008.[1] The album is considered one of the best albums in Korean rock music history,[2][3] and won the Album of the Year and Best Modern Rock Album at the 2009 Korean Music Awards.[4]
Background[edit]
The album has been recorded since early 2005, and Lee Seokwon said the reason why it came out in 2008 as "We had to keep doing it until we got the results we wanted, so the work had to be long."[5] The album has undergone numerous rework, and its release date has been postponed five times.[6]
In an interview with Cine21, Lee Seokwon had an interview comparing their fourth album Believe in the Moment and this album, he described as "In Believe in the Moment, the lyrics were written conventionally and popular on purpose, but in this album, there was a goal to write lyrics that were very characteristic, personal, and clear in narrative at the opposite point."[7] Lee said the album as a concept album.[5]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| IZM |   [8] |
| Music Y |  [9] |
| Weiv | 8/10[10] |
Yoon Jihoon of IZM reviewed "Most Ordinary Existence is a small "incident" because it is a feat that has overcome the inherent limitations of an indie band that released a new song in four years amid the recession in the record industry, and moreover, a concept album unfamiliar to Korea."[8] Kim Yongmin of Music Y said "Many indie bands have built their own territory with genres and band references, but the first-generation indie band Onnine Ibalgwan has escaped its previous mark in Most Ordinary Existence."[9] The music critic Kim Jakka said, "I feel like I'm reading a novel, not listening to music. I feel like I'm looking at a painter's collection of paintings arranged chronologically."[11]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Most Ordinary Existence" ("가장 보통의 존재") | 5:21 |
| 2. | "Are You Turning into a Devil?" ("너는 악마가 되어가고 있는가") | 4:53 |
| 3. | "Beautiful Thing" ("아름다운 것") | 4:52 |
| 4. | "Tiny Heart" ("작은 마음") | 3:58 |
| 5. | "Unexpected Truth" ("의외의 사실") | 5:01 |
| 6. | "Alibi" ("알리바이") | 3:36 |
| 7. | "The Truth Over 100 Years" ("100년 동안의 진심") | 2:29 |
| 8. | "Life is a Taboo" ("인생은 금물") | 4:06 |
| 9. | "I am" ("나는") | 4:14 |
| 10. | "Gently, Gently" ("산들산들") | 5:11 |
References[edit]
- ^ Hwang, Heejin (2014-08-21). "[음반 읽어주는 남자] 언니네 이발관 - 5집 가장 보통의 존재". Maeil Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Lee, Jaehoon (2018-06-29). "못 이이언·언니네이발관 이능룡, 시너지 효과 '나이트 오프'". newsis (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Hong, Seokwoo (2016-01-08). "[마감인간의 music] 삼십대의 음반". Cine21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Park, Youngwoon (2009-03-12). "언니네이발관-장기하, 한국대중음악상 3관왕…최다수상 '영예' (종합)". My Daily (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ a b Yoon, Jihoon (September 2008). "언니네 이발관 이석원 인터뷰". My Daily (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Lee, Hyeonwoo (2008-08-01). "언니네 이발관 신보 예약순위 1위 메탈리카 앞질러". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Kim, Yongeon (2009-04-02). "[이석원] "6집은 마지막 앨범이 될 것"". Cine21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ a b Yoon, Jihoon (September 2008). "가장 보통의 존재 - IZM". IZM. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ a b Kim, Yongmin (2017-07-27). "[안녕! 언니네 #12] 그들이 던지는 어려운 질문". Music Y. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ "언니네 이발관 | 가장 보통의 존재 (2008)". Weiv. 2008-08-31. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Kim, Jakka (2017-06-02). "[음악세계] '언니네 이발관' 장렬한 마침표". Maeil Economy. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
