BANKS‘ luxurious vocals propel debutBANKS“Goddess”(Harvest)The debut album “Goddess” from Los Angeles-based singer BANKS spells trouble for a lot of people. Namely, anyone she opens for on tour and anyone who passed on signing her to their label.Jillian Banks sings that good and “Goddess” is easily and suddenly one of the best albums of the year.Her luster-tinged voice is mature beyond her 26 years and it’s soulful and heart-wrenching in all the right places. Her pitch-perfect highs and husky wh

Maestro Chung Myung-whun shares tips with aspiring conductors

Maroon 5 choose ‘V’ for victoriousMaroon 5“V”(Interscope Records)Maroon 5 must have made a pact with the devil to hit this high a ratio of memorable tunes on an album.On the band’s fifth effort, “V,” they pack so many catchy hooks, you’d think they’ve left all pirates in history defenseless. Going through the playlist, it feels like a well thought-out party, mixing the right amount of hip-swaying, eyelash-batting and emotion. Although “Maps” is the lead single, it is the least adventurous and th

Foreign tourists can enjoy up to 50 percent off on a variety of shows in Korea, including concerts, musicals, dance performances and plays during their stay. The Korea In Motion Festival, organized by the Korea Tourism Organization, is offering 20 percent to 50 percent discounts on tickets until Oct. 5.  The dance troupe of “Bibap” performs in front of Myeongdong Theater in Seoul. (Korea In Motion Festival)Popular nonverbal dance performances including “Nanta,” “Jump” and “Bibap” are participati

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Bob Dylan, B.B. King and The Cure have all been covered extensively in their own right, but the artists have come together to interpret a giant ― Paul McCartney.On a new album that is striking for the caliber of performers, McCartney’s longtime back-up band entered the studio with leading acts who covered favorite songs by the former Beatle.“The Art of McCartney,” to be released on Nov. 17, will feature 42 songs from The Beatles or the songwriter’s solo career, an announcement s

Everything about U2’s new album is unexpected. Like it’s very existence, for one, after the Irish rock band dropped it on iTunes users Tuesday in a surprise move. Then there’s its intriguingly narrow and personal scope. And its playful musical adventurousness, which amounts to a smooth shifting of gears over variable terrain on a road course as the group works through songs inspired by things that seemingly have little do with each other. Each, however, is an experience from youth and young manh

Up-and-coming R&B singer-songwriter and producer Jeff Bernat is making his way back to Korea with a special three-day concert series to be held in Seoul next month. Bernat is slated to perform three live shows on Oct. 17-19 at the Lotte Card Art Center. This will be the artist’s second time to Seoul this year after performing a sold-out show at Uniqlo AX Hall earlier in January. The 24-year-old artist from Reno, Nevada, is slowly starting to gain recognition as a soulful R&B artist and has garne

BALTIMORE ― It was important to look your best. After all, The Beatles were in town.For four 15-year-old girls preparing to head into downtown Baltimore for a rock concert, such matters were vital. Who knew what could happen?“In my mind, I thought for sure that Paul’s gonna love me, he’s gonna see me ― in my little-girl fantasies, he’ll know that eventually he’ll marry me,” explains Judy Comotto, now 65 and recently retired from running the continuing education program at Roland Park Country Sch

R&B singer Tank unbalanced on ‘Stronger’Tank“Stronger”(Atlantic Records)Tank made a mark in R&B over the years for earnestly pouring his heart out on ballads such as “Maybe I Deserve” and “Please Don’t Go,” as well as writing songs for Jamie Foxx, Aaliyah and others.Showing passion is Tank’s strong suit, but the singer lacks some of that fervor on his latest release, “Stronger.” He sounds like a different version of himself on the first half of his sixth album, and that’s not a good thing. On th

A mourner carries a picture of EunB of the K-pop girl group Ladies’ Code during her funeral service at Korea University Hospital, Seoul, Friday. EunB, whose real name is Koh Eun-bi, died in a car crash on Wednesday. She was 22. (Yonhap)

Two concerts seek to broaden traditional music’s appeal to Koreans