ruangthong thonglanthom: klua lom luang

singer: รวงทอง ทองลั่นทม (ruangthong thonglanthom)
album: กลัวลมลวง (klua lom luang)
tracklist:
01. รักระแวงใจ (rak rawaeng chai)
02. กลัวลมลวง (klua lom luang)
03. ลืม (luem)
04. ชื่นใจ (chuen chai)
featuring ชรินทร์ นันทนาคร (charin nanthanakhon)
05. คงคาพาครวญ (khongkha pha khruan)
06. รักเป็นอย่างนี้ (rak pen yang ni)
07. เคยเป็นของคุณ (khoei pen khong khun)
08. คมสวาท (khom sawat)
09. ฝันลวงดวงใจ (fan luang duang chai)
10. พระจันทร์หลงฟ้า (phra chan long fa)
11. ไฟพิศวาท (fai phit wat)
12. สั่งลมฝากรัก (sang long fak rak)
13. จดหมายรักสลักบนพื้นทราย (chot mai rak salak bon phuen sai)
14. แรมพิศวาท (raem phitsawat)
15. พรุ่งนี้วิวาห์ (phrung ni wiwa)
16. รักเธอเสมอ (rak thoe samoe)
featuring สมศักดิ์ เทพานนท์ (somsak thephanon)
17. กังหันรัก (kanghan rak)
18. รักลาฟ้าเศร้า (rak la fa sao)
19. เชลยรัก (chaloei rak)
20. ลาก่อน (la kon)

it's been a while since we had some nice, old city music.. so here is a wonderful tape i just received, straight from alexandra in bangkok! music from singer, actress & national artist ruangthong thonglanthom! ruangthong is a veteran of the suntaraphon big band since their days as the government public relations department band. growing up an orphan, raised by her grandmother, she did not have the priveledge of advanced schooling, and instead was sent to cultivate her promising voice under the care of suntaraphon founder uea sunthonsanan. she was a big star in his ensemble through the late 50's/early 60's, and had a successful solo career afterwards, frequently to be seen/heard on the radio, television & silver screen. very nice songs on here, a couple instances of thai folk beat & even japanese flourishes alongside the standard luk krung international dance band sound. enjoy!!

sonchai mekwichian: khon ngam luem dam khieow

singer: ศรชัย เมฆวิเชียร (sonchai mekwichian)
album: คนงามลืมด้ามเคียว (khon ngam luem dam khieow)
tracklist:
01. คนงามลืมด้ามเคียว (khon ngam luem dam khieow)
02. เสียงซอสั่งสาว (siang so sang sao)
03. คนงามหน้าเงิน (khon ngam na ngoen)
04. อายจันทร์ (ai chan)
05. ทุยร่ำ (thui ram)
06. บัวตูมบัวบาน (buatum buaban)
07. ลานรักลานเท (lan rak lan the)
08. คืนอำลา (khuen am la)
09. น้ำตาลาไทร (nam ta la sai)
10. ไพรอำพราง (phrai am phrang)
11. กระท่อมพ่อหม้าย (krathom pho mai)
12. พ่อหม้ายตามเมีย (pho mai tam mia)
13. กระท่อมทองกวาว (krathom thongkwao)
14. จำใจจาก (cham chai chak)
15. ปากหวาน (pak wan)
16. มาลี (mali)
17. อนิจจา (anitcha)
18. ลั่นทม (lanthom)
19. ลำดวนใจดำ (lamduan chai dam)

some more luk thung, this week from 70's heart-throb sonchai mekwichian. hailing from khorat, sonchai, like many luk thung stars from the 70's on, got his start singing at local talent competitions. in this manner sonchai gained a good a bit of popularity around isaan, culminating in a few tv appearances & such, though his real break would be one of pure luck. during a tour up-country, luk thung songwriter chalong phusawang happened to require some auto work, and brought his car to the very mechanics' whereat sonchai worked his day-job. with his car in-shop, sonchai managed to perform a tune or so for the songwriter, and though his voice wasn't much to chalong's taste, chalong's wife, who was also in attendance, was so taken with the young singer that the maestro had little choice but to accept him. the tunes on here are quite nice, slow luk thung, featuring a few nods to the music of sonchai's home region, the northeast. hope you enjoy! and be sure to check out another album of his (featuring all the hits!) available over at the selmanaires' sound center.

sonkhiri siprachuap: fon tok fa rong

singer: ศรคีรี ศรีประจวบ (sonkhiri siprachuap)
album: ฝนตกฟ้าร้อง (fon tok fa rong)
tracklist:
01. ฝนตกฟ้าร้อง (fon tok fa rong)
02. น้ำท่วม (nam thuam)
03. แม่ค้าตาคม (mae kha ta khom)
04. ขี้เหล่ก็รัก (khi le ko rak)
05. พอหรือยัง (pho rue yang)
06. บุพเพสันนิวาส (bupphesanniwat)
07. วาสนาพี่น้อย (watsana phi noi)
08. หนุ่มนาบ้ารัก (num na ba rak)
09. บางช้าง (bang chang)
10. ดอกรักบานแล้ว (dok rak ban laeo)

this week, quite a time ravaged cassette, but one featuring a favorite singer of mine, sonkhiri siprachuap. born and raised in samut songkhram province, sonkhiri left school at a young age to work on his family's coconut palm farm, and later a pineapple plantation down in prachuap khiri khan. between shifts, he would always entertain his fellow farmhands by singing the songs of khamron sambunnanon, dreaming of becoming a famous singer. eventually he auditioned for payong mukda's group, but was rejected.. he persisted in his struggle, though, and after many years of performing with a popular local ramwong group, came to the attention of luk thung maestro phaibun butkhan. with the hits of phaibun to propel him, sonkhiri became a huge star throughout the kingdom. sadly, he was killed in a motor accident in 1972, in the middle of a huge country-wide tour. sonkhiri's sweet, sorrowful voice is remembered fondly still.. his songs were featured prominently in pen-ek ratanarueang's 1999 film เรื่องตลก 69 ("6ixtynin9"), wherein his tragic serenades cause the gangsters to break down in tears. enjoy!

a. num phuthai: sing sam thao, vol. 1

artist: อ. หนุ่ม ภูไท (a. num phuthai)
album: ซิ่งซ่ำเฒ่า ชุดที่ 1 (sing sam thao, vol. 1)
tracklist:
01. ซิ่งซ่ำเฒ่า ชุดที่ 1 a (sing sam thao, vol. 1 a)
02. ซิ่งซ่ำเฒ่า ชุดที่ 1 b (sing sam thao, vol. 1 b)

this week we've got some electric isaan grooves from phin maestro a. num phutai! the พิณ (phin), a plucked lute of unknown origin, is in it's electrified form one of the most recognizable and attention-grabbing aspects of modern isaan music. achan num phutai, as well as being a teacher of phin (witness his many how-to vcds!), composes tunes for molam popstars.. but here it's just him, playing a solid 40-minute phin medley. as the approved product of a reputable phin instructor, i imagine this tape is replete with the expected virtuosity (though you'd have to consult someone with more pick-related knowledge than i). this one is another from alexandra; she has all the best! enjoy!!