Publication Date: Friday Mar 6, 1998

Solving the mystery

Thirty minutes before last week's Northern California Bammie Awards ceremony is set to begin at San Francisco's Transmission Theatre, Korea Girl's Tobin Mori and Elizabeth Yi sit with some friends across Eleventh Street in a funky pizzeria. They are assessing their band's chances to win what is arguably the night's biggest award.

"None, really," Yi quips.

"If I was to bet money, I'd say the Orange Peels (will win)," Mori adds.

Mori was wrong on that count. But Mori and Yi turned out to be right that Korea Girl's self-titled debut wouldn't take the top prize in last week's competition for Outstanding Independent Album. The award would go to the longtime East Bay punks, The Mr. T. Experience, for the album, "Revenge Is Sweet and So Are You."

The Mr. T. Experience is a much more established band than Korea Girl, having been around for roughly a decade, and few would question their selection. Certainly not Korea Girl. Don't get the impression that they wouldn't have liked to take home that shiny, gold-painted trophy, still the band seems content just to have been included in the festivities.

In fact, Mori is a bit befuddled about how his quiet indie-pop band wound up being nominated in the first place. It's not that he doesn't think the album is good; it just befuddles him that the 90 or so music critics on the nominating panel decided that it should be one of the five selected.

"That's a mystery," said Mori, who works for a Palo Alto computer company when he's not leading the band. "I'm totally amazed when anyone has heard of us. When Joe Blo emails me and says he wants to get a CD, it just boggles my mind. To think that critics know us is even more amazing."

The critics pick the nominees, and then the readers of BAM magazine vote to decide who wins in such categories as Outstanding Rock/Pop Artist, Outstanding Hard Rock Artist and, even, Outstanding Lounge/Swing/Cabaret Artist. The Bammies, a.k.a. the California Music Awards, have been divided into three evenings this year. The first two have already taken place, one that focuses on the Southern California scene and one that deals with bands from Northern California. The third, a statewide competition between such major players as the Wallflowers and Third Eye Blind, takes places this Saturday, March 7, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Korea Girl is obviously a favorite with local critics, as well as being a solid club draw throughout the Bay Area and a regular on college radio stations like Stanford's KZSU. But, Mori is taking the bits and pieces of success in stride, letting things wash over him, instead of chasing the rock 'n' roll dream with the kind of manic energy found in many leaders of promising, unsigned bands. He's been there, done that.

Korea Girl got its start roughly two years ago with Mori and Yi (who share vocal and guitar duties), bassist Summer (just Summer, thank you very much) and then-drummer Marc Duarte. In the early days, Mori says he was "totally obsessed with the band" and driven to make it a success immediately--if not sooner.

"I was like 'My life is this band,'" Mori remembered.

What he's learned--after unsuccessfully pursuing major record companies, trying to get the CD reviewed by various music publications, endless practicing and lots of gigging--is that these things take time.

Korea Girl gigs happen much less frequently now and the occasional appearances, at venues such as at The Edge in Palo Alto or the Agenda in San Jose, are heavily-anticipated by fans. These musicians aren't trying to make it happen all at once, an approach that translates to a loose, easy-flowing good time for audiences.

"I like that they don't take themselves too seriously, in the sense that they are out there having fun," said Michael Sullivan, who has booked Korea Girl at The Edge and Agenda. "Especially Tobin, he's having a blast."

One-on-one, Mori smiles frequently and seems quite content with his lot in life. Yi is quiet, somewhat shy and grins widely. On stage, the band members come across like they truly enjoy playing together. And it's a good sign that Mori feels comfortable enough to lightly jest about the strengths and weaknesses of individual members of Korea Girl.

"Elizabeth tries to play guitar while Tobin tries to sing," he jokes. "It's a trade-off."

"Hmmm, I think I've just indirectly been insulted," Yi counters with a smile. "No. That's true. I'm not the greatest guitarist. But I think Tobin sings fine."

The vocal/guitar trade-off between the duo is not as large as Mori would have us believe. Yi handles her supporting duties admirably with her Gibson, allowing Mori to lead the way and work the more flashy grinds on his Fenders. As far as the vocals go, sure Yi is the natural, but Mori is certainly no slouch.

"Elizabeth was born to sing," Mori comments. "I wasn't really born to sing."

If we take Mori's word on that, then why does the band split the vocal duties so evenly between the two singers? Well, Mori explains, it's a personal preference toward bands with dual vocal attacks. He believes that it helps keep things interesting for the audience.

"I also like balance, so that's what I like about having two vocalists," Mori said.

The benefit of this balance is clearly evident on the band's Bammie-nominated CD. The low-key alt rock offering is definitely vocals oriented, backed by guitar-driven music that is melodious and soaked with sweet hooks. The musical mix is seldom overpowering and nothing interferes with the voices taking their proper place at center stage.

However, the two vocalists couldn't be much more different. Yi's soft and gentle approach, occasionally lifting one notch to a more powerful level, could thrive in the new folk world of Jewel and Suzanne Vega. But her voice has a definite edge to it, much sharper than traditional folkies could handle, that is not unlike the alternately cutting and precious musings of Carol van Dijk from the Dutch pop band Bettie Serveert.

There is nothing particularly pretty about Mori's voice, but it does have a naked, conversational sound that allows the band to tackle material that is simply out of Yi's proper range. Listen to the simple and abrupt noises that Mori emits, as if he's busting out a slowed-down jazz scat, on the rocking "Serpetine" and try to picture Yi's sugary voice tackling those seemingly random syllables and words. It isn't easy to picture.

Often Korea Girl's best moments come when the two sing together, whether blending their diverse styles equally on the soft chorus of "Atomic Skies" or lending backup to one another, as Yi does so sweetly for Mori on the lightly rocking "B-Side."

"When Tobin sings it's fun, but when Elizabeth sings it's moody," Sullivan said of the vocalists' individual styles.

It seems somewhat fitting that Korea Girl was nominated for a Bammie. About two years ago, Mori answered a BAM magazine classified advertisement placed by Yi and Duarte, who were hoping to find fellow musicians influenced by bands like Pavement and Seam. Summer, whom Mori knew from an earlier band, the Dizzy Sunz, also signed on. Duarte would later leave the band and be replaced by current Korea Girl drummer Scott Landuccen.

The band has various Mid-peninsula ties. Mori has been at the Palo Alto company Metagraphics for just under two years, working as a web programmer (or, as he calls it, a "web dork" or "web nerd"). Yi works in the human resources department at Mitsubishi's Mountain View offices. Summer recently lived on California Avenue in Palo Alto and worked at numerous businesses in this area. Landuccen lives and works in San Jose.

Currently, the band is in the market for a new bassist. Summer has left the band and moved south to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Korea Girl has had to make due, gigging with temporary bassists.

With the attention that a Bammie nomination provides, this is an inopportune time to be three-fourths a band. Still, Mori does not seem worried that Korea Girl's window of opportunity might pass them by. He's just chilling out; holding on to the belief that his little pop band can find a niche in the mighty music industry.

"We are not going to be like Pearl Jam," Mori said. "It could be a popular underground band like Mazzy Star is. I don't have expectations (to be) like Hootie and the Blowfish."

For more information about the band, check out the Korea Girl Website at www.mori.net 

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