MAGGIE KIM: Lesson 1.5

Maggie Kim

Lesson 1.5

© 2004 Maggie Kim (634479917622)

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Pop music that rocks with hip hop/r&b influences by a female singer/songwriter/bassist/producer.

notes

WHO: MAGGIE KIM (aka "Notorious K.I.M." aka "Miss Maggie" aka "ROXX")

WHAT: Rock Star Singer Songwriter Bassist Programmer Producer Exhibitionist (and what the hell, Dominatrix Control Freak)

WHERE: New York City by way of Philly by way of Seoul

SOUNDS LIKE: Listen to the clips, silly

PEOPLE ARE SAYING:

"Sadly, it's easy to apply an unfair brand of math to some pop musicians by suggesting that the amount of clothing worn is directly proportional to talent wielded. In the case of New York's Maggie Kim, that logic couldn't be more inaccurate. Showing off a healthy marriage of nifty production, tight songwriting and a knack for deftly weaving together hip-hop and rock elements, Kim could well be going places.
Lesson 1.5 schools the listener with a smart breed of beat-spattered, rhythm-infested pop music, buoyed by Kim's strong, beautiful voice. You could say it feels like Nelly Furtado meets Mary J. Blige, but in truth, Kim is her own woman. "Coo" sets that stage as a smartly sexy opener, neatly sprinkling hip-hop inflections over a dance-infused rock base.

Kim's overall message is a positive one. "Perfect" is just that, an uptempo complement to Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" that asserts, "You don't have to change yourself / Become somebody else / So they think you're worth it." The song is so concise and catchy, it's sick. Describing it as radio-ready is a compliment, not a condemnation -- this song actually deserves to be in heavy rotation. Most compellingly, Kim makes a statement about her place as both an aspiring pop star and an Asian-American on "White Girl", an entreaty to Kim's hip-hop idols Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige and Dr. Dre, in which she asks, "Will you give me a place in your world?" These artists' influence is most apparent in Kim's homage to them, which drips with beats and scratches. She isn't afraid to confront her place in the scene head on, boldly declaring "Color's just a way to slow me / From where I want to go."

Don't think this is an afterschool special; Kim has plenty of sexiness and sass as well. On the sweet, groovy "Just Stay", she offers a tender plea to a lover. However, the album's most musically intriguing track may be "2 Drinks In", a pensively percussed seduction that blends a synthy sampling of "Carol of the Bells" with hot lines like "I want to drown in your skin."

The EP concludes with a slick cover of Prince's "Raspberry Beret". As the Artist Formerly Known As The Artist once said in another of his hits, "Baby, you're much too fast!" And he must have been talking to Kim, who appears ready to take off. Hopefully Kim is wrong, and color won't slow her one bit.
-- Georgiana Cohen, Splendid Magazine

"Maggie Kim is a one-girl version of the Spice Girls, but without the obvious "manufactured" aura of that group. And I don't mean that as an insult - hell, I secretly liked the Spice Girls. Maggie wrote 5 of the 6 songs on this disc and she has a firm grasp of catchy, often seductive songs and I can't wait to hear what she can do with a full-length CD. The last track is a version of Prince's "Raspberry Beret" which is even more sensuous than Prince ever envisioned the song! Maggie Kim is what Britney Spears would sound like if she made a real attempt at a serious album."
-- Ear Candy Magazine

"This woman has it all going for her, looks, a great voice, and the right music to back her exciting and soulful vocal range. Sprinkles of pop, rock, and rhythm and blues find its way into the six tracks offered up on this EP. This serves as a taster, a quick fix of the variety she can offer the easily bored listener. I imagine once a full length CD hits the airwaves that something will happen for her rather quickly. I enjoyed the music and her voice, and that is the whole ball of wax for this listener. This young lady has a goal; she wants to change the way pop music looks and sounds. If she stays the course she is on, reaching the highest mountain could become a reality."
-- Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck (www.muzikreviews.com)

"With influences as diverse as Madonna, Missy Elliott, Beck, Radiohead, PJ Harvey and The Cure, it's easy to expect great and off-the-beaten-path things from Maggie Kim. That is exactly what she delivers on Lesson 1.5. Based in New York City Maggie's music is just as much a melting pot as the city itself."
-- Dennis Halsey (BFM.com)

"With a rhythmic female vocalist sound, Maggie Kim has a very bright future. "Perfect" has a Toby Lightman/Bonnie McKee edge to it, and Kim's got the sultry vocals to allure listeners. "Coo" is a fun industrial sort of track. Did I mention she's got a rock version of Prince's "Raspberry Beret"? It's a great pop version with rock undertones, all professionally mixed. The great thing about Kim's music is that it's hard to define. Is she power girl rock? Female indie? Pop? Have fun figuring it out while listening to this album."
-- DiscoveringArtists.com

"Maggie Kim is a young woman who seems primed for pop stardom. Blending pop, rock, hip-hop, and a variety of other styles she is already creating some of the most infectious music currently coming out of New York City, and she's just getting started. There aren't many people that can be described by critics and fans alike as sexy, intelligent, edgy, passionate, witty, beautiful, provocative, and independent, but Maggie Kim is one such person."
-- BestFemaleMusicians.com

"As the first song begins, with a high pitched "doo doo doo, doo doo doo," and what sounds like an electronic drum kit, I wonder if this is yet another talent-less hack with a self-produced EP. There's a thin jewel case for one, and a picture of a scantily clad girl on the cover. But then, the song opens up more, and I'm starting to like the "doo doo doos." And then as the second number begins, there's a slightly raspy, ohh-so-sexy voice just oozing out of my speakers. Sheesh, where did she come from? Her bio gives the particulars, how she shifted from dark alt rock to the pop stuff. And while I haven't heard her previous stuff, the six numbers on this disc point to a formidable presence in the pop world. Her songs have strong hooks, are quite melodic, and heck, she even does an interesting cover of Prince's "Raspberry Beret." There is an appealing quality to her voice, as it balances between rasp and emotional desperation. On "Just Stay," a love ballad, she seamlessly shifts between grit and sadness. Sign me up as a fan."
- NY Rock Street Beat

"Lesson 1.5 began as a demo project that grew into a debut release for Penn grad-turned-burgeoning rock star Maggie Kim. Maggie wrote and produced her 6-song EP with Eve's Plum/Ruth Ruth guitarist Michael Kotch, beginning with rough guitar & vocal sketches and ending up with a tightly knit, loop-based disc of radio-friendly alt/pop songs. Her unique sound and style, reflecting both Missy Elliot and Gwen Stefani influences, comes through on the album as clear as it does onstage--seductive and beautiful, yet also at times flashing a Courtney Love/Wendy O. Williams brazenness. Lesson 1.5 's strength is undeniable. Within 6 songs, she has managed to give listeners a thumbnail chronicle of this...this melange of sex, intelligence, beauty, wit, attitude and independence that manifests itself in human form as Maggie Kim."
- Coyote Music

reviews

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  • Lesson 1.5
    author: Michelle Bonnett

    I loved this cd. It's great to hear fresh new music. Her voice is soothing and I enjoy listening to it wherever and whenever! M

  • Great mix, moves me......would love more!
    author: Hendrix

    Keep up the great music. Love it in the car. I have been playing it in our bromeliad nursery. Customers are always asking where did I find you!!!!!!

  • LOVE IT !!!!!!!!
    author: Tammy

    This is such a great CD. I love to listen to it in my car and also when I am working out it motivates me. :) LOVE IT, Love IT, LOVE IT. Can't wait to hear more.

  • excellent cd.
    author: Jin

    love the songs. listen to them all the time. great voice.

  • Sultry with countercurrent & undertow thrills...
    author: Mi Ran/Miriam

    This is a sexy, sultry, smokey CD, rich in countercurrent and undertow thrills. "White Girl" is this asiaddict's favoray. Looking forward to her upcoming CD, AKA Act II of Maggie's Magic Music Mystery Tour...

  • Wow, as a west coast swing dancer I love this cd!
    author: Catherine Marks

    Lesson 1.5 is perfect for parties, dancing, in the car:essentially everywhere. I love that the album is even all the way through. All the cuts are great. For dancers, this cd is a real find because they are almost all west coast swing or cha cha tunes. I recommend it to anyone and I play it all the time.

  • Lesson 1: Buy this CD...
    author: Brooke Barrett

    Randomly came across Maggie Kim's music after reading an article of her's...I figured if she wrote her music with the same sass as her articles and could carry a tune it would be worth every cent. She can and does. The only disappointment is that she only gives you 6 tracks to enjoy...when's the next album coming out?!

  • So catchy and fun, yet full of depth
    author: Lorelei

    The cd gives you a taste and leaves you wanting more - 6 songs is enough to get you hooked. Immediate reaction is "gosh this is fun, and jesus her voice is just all kinds of hot." But after the second or third go with the cd, you realize that there's such depth to her music - not just in the production, but the lyrics themselves. It's never purely about the cool hooks and rhymes; there's always a deep and sincere meaning behind each song. Everyone needs a copy of this cd, and here's hoping there will be another one soon.

  • It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
    author: Mark (A List Comedy)

    I was fortunate enough to catch Maggie Kim live at Plaid, NYC and decided to support her music. The CD is incredible and is worthy of having the first slot in my 6 disc changer. Everyone who has sat in my car has asked me about her music. There is no doubt she will be a big hit, and I'm glad I got in on the ground level.

  • Awesome!
    author: Carl, Trish and the GIK Team

    We are all big fans of Maggie and 17 Red and this album really rocks. Looking forward to the next one!

  • liquid refreshment for your ears
    author: Me (Not You, Me)

    Maggie's voice is beautiful, her music is cool and this album will leave you salivating for something more...you'll leave it in your CD player for weeks.

  • Maggie Kim roxx my world! I love this CD.
    author: Marianne

    Maggie Kim's voice has a chameleonic quality; it's sweet and lingering in "juststay," edgy and captivating in "whitegirl," yet sexy and compelling in "2drinksin." She reminds me of Tori Amos in that way. But Maggie's music highlights and transcends a variety of genres and styles with ease. Try it, you'll like it!

  • I enjoyed the electronica/instrumental mix and the song themes.
    author: Ben

    I liked this CD. The mix of punchy beats, sultry vocals, and instrumental electronica really did it for me. Dug the urban club life conjured up on 'Two Drinks In'. Enjoyed the fun 'Coo' and the wistful 'Just Stay'. 'Raspberry Beret' is a money cover. 'White Girl' is a song even a white boy like me can enjoy.

  • that cd is slaming . i wish there was more songs.
    author: Huston

    I could see her getting big! i love it!

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