Just Push Play and Check These New CDs

Several new albums, including Aerosmith's sixth album and rising diva Joy Enriquez's debut album, are scheduled for release soon. Also, for those who would like to relish the cream of the crop of Korean ballad songs, "Platinum Ballad 5" featuring various artists and already on the market, is worth a listen.

Aerosmith "Just Push Play"

This long-awaited new album by Aerosmith, titled "Just Push Play," is to be released next week on the Korean market, after its March 6 release in the United States. This rock band is to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 19. Living legend rock musicians, vocalist Steven Tyler, 53 and guitarist Joe Perry, 51, have survived and flourished for the last 28 years. They had full creative control over this new release, writing the music and lyrics themselves.

The 12 songs including "Just Push Play," the title song, and "Jaded" confirm that regardless of its members' ages, Aerosmith is still alive and kicking with popular appeal and state-of-the-art sound.

Joy Enriquez "Joy Enriquez"

Though the name Joy Enriquez may sound unfamiliar, once you check out her debut album, scheduled to be released next Friday in Korea, you'll find the music strikes a chord in your memory. For one thing, she performed the song "How Can I Not Love You" in the movie "Anna & the King" in 1999. Moreover, her debut album was born at the hands of Babyface, the world-renowned producer and singer, along with other dignitary producers and song writers such as Rodney Jerkins. Enriquez's captivating vocal ability was apparent from her childhood and was first showcased on the TV program "Star Search," when she was 15. She was judged first 11 consecutive weeks on the program.

Her voice is reminiscent of Toni Braxton and Celine Dion interwoven together. The songs, such as "Tell Me How You Feel," with its up-beat rhythmic sound and "Situation" with its sophisticated melody line, present a stylish and unified up-tempo rhythm and blues sound.

Platinum Ballad No. 5

Everyone has probably experienced the frustration at least once of splurging on a CD only to have it turn out to be waste of money . To our collective relief, this compilation album, titled "Platinum Ballad 5" is here to guard us from this kind of discouragement at the affordable price of 14,000 won ($11). At the same time, this collection provides a good chance to get to know Korean ballad music in the most efficient way. Everyone who is anyone in the Korean music industry gets together to present 34 recent hits sung by 30 musicians packed in two CDs. Jo Sung-mo, who is the most popular Korean singer these days, contributes his popular songs "Asinayo" ("Do You Know") and "For Your Soul." Lee So-ra, dubbed as a diva of contemporary Korean ballads, presents "Cheo-eum Neu-kkim Geu-daero" ("Just Like the First Feeling").

Further, the legendary ballad singer Shin Seung-hoon, who has been nicknamed the 'Emperor of Ballad,' is ready to show you the quintessence of Korean ballad songs, with "I-byeol Geu Hu" ("After Farewell"). Various other big-time musicians, such as Park Hyo-shin, Yoon Sang and Lee Hyun-woo, also offer their hits.

by Chun Su-jin