sangkhit prayuk: thai classical music

artist: สังคีตประยุกต์ (sangkhit prayuk)
album: เพลงไทยเดิม (thai classical music)
tracklist:
01. ลาวเจริญศรี (lao charoen si)
02. ลาวกระแซ (lao krasae)
03. ลาวกระทบไม้ (lao krathop mai)
04. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
05. กระแต (kratae)
06. มโนห์รา (manora)
07. แขกต่อยหม้อ (khaek toi mo)
08. จำปาทอง (champa thong)
09. สายสวาท (sai sawat)
10. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
11. เขมรไทรโยค (khmer sai yok)
12. เขมรเป่าใบไม้ (khmer pao bai mai)
13. เสเลเมา (se le mao)
14. บังใบ (bangbai)
15. มอญดูดาว (mon du dao)
16. ทะเลบ้า (thale ba)
17. ลาวดำเนินทราย (lao damnoen sai)
18. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)

this week, "classic goes modern dance"! pleng thai prayuk is an umbrella term for the many attempts, occurring roughly from the 60's until the 80's, to update thai classical & folk melodies with western instruments and song styles. this movement gave birth to shadow prayuk along with any number of modernized versions of molam, lam tat, isaew, etc. this cassette features what i assume to be one of the earlier attempts at such fusion, probably immediately predating the shadow trend. pieces from the classical canon are re-figured into thai-style latin jazz & lounge music settings. unfortunately, i have very little info to share about the ensemble.. though it wouldn't surprise me to learn that either mr. phayong mukda or the suntharaphon collective were involved. enjoy!!

somprasong phinsayam: phinsayam klom nong

artist: สมประสงค์ พิณสยาม (somprasong phinsayam)
album: พิณสยามกล่อมน้อง (phinsayam klom nong)
tracklist:
01. ลำแคน (lam khaen)
02. ลายสร้อย (lai soi)
03. สุดสะแนน (sut sanaen)
04. ลาวเจริญศรี (lao charoen si)
05. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
06. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
07. สุดสงวนนางครวญ (sut sanguan nang khruan)
08. ทะแยมอญ (tha yae mon)
09. แขกขาว (khaek khao)
10. แขกมอญบางขุนพรหม (khaek mon bang khun phrom)

this week, some great phin work from somprasong phinsayam! the plucked lute is a vital part of isaan's folk music tradition.. to most listeners, the instrument is instantly evocative of the region and its inclusion is unavoidable in any isaan-styled pop music. today's tape features a complete unknown, mr. somprasong, doing runs through the thai/lao classical canon. despite the showmanship implicit in the double-headed phin on the gate-fold photo, this tape is largely without the sort of virtuoso shredding that we've come to associate with the phin. nonetheless, mr. somprasong is a competent instrumentalist, and his acoustic phin work with light organ & click-track backing is quite nice. hope you enjoy!

banyen kaewsiangthong + phensi phongsi

artist: บัญเย็น แก้วเสียงทอง + เพ็ญศรี ผ่องศรี (banyen kaewsiangthong + phensi phongsi)
album: คู่ขวัญ ซอเงินล้าน ชุด 4 (khu khwan so ngoen lan, vol. 4)
tracklist:
01. ผัวก๊ายเมีย (phua kai mia)
02. ฮักอย่าฮู้ก๊าย (hak ya hu kai)
03. คนซึงตึง (khon sueng tueng)
04. นางงามตกรอบ (nang ngam tok rop)
05. บ่าวเฒ่าง๋อมใจ (bao thao ngom chai)
06. เสี่ยงดวง (siang duang)
07. เมียหาย (mia hai)
08. หัวอกแม่ค้า (hua ok mae kha)
09. ยิ่งแก่ยิ่งมัน (ying kae ying man)
10. น้ำตาตกใน (nam ta tok nai)

some great northern songs this week, brought to us by the fantastic duo of banyen kaewsiangthong & phensi phongsi! we have heard from phensi here before.. she and banyen are probably the two biggest names in chiang mai-style thai country song. they sing to a standard early 90's sax & synth-driven molam luk thung with influences from local lanna culture; melodic sensibilities and lyrics evocative of the region, sprinkled with words from the local kham mueang language. very nice and rather unique sound, hope you enjoy!!

phraiwan lukphet: sao ban na thi na rak

artist: ไพรวัลย์ ลูกเพชร (phraiwan lukphet)
album: สาวบ้านนาที่น่ารัก (sao ban na thi na rak)
tracklist:
01. สาวบ้านนาที่น่ารัก (sao ban na thi na rak)
02. กลิ่นธูปควันเทียน (klin thup khwan thian)
03. สุดจาบัลย์ (sut chaban)
04. หน้าฝนอันแสนเศร้า (na fon an saen sao)
05. รักเธอ รักเธอ (rak thoe rak thoe)
06. เหมันต์ครวญ (heman khruan)
07. แผ่นดินไทย (phaen din thai)
08. เพลงรักเพลงคิดถึง (pleng rak pleng khit thueng)
09. ไร้ญาติเมื่อขาดเงิน (rai yat muea khat ngoen)
10. ลูก (luk)
11. เห็นใจแล้ว (hen chai laeo)
12. ห้ามใจรักไม่ได้ (ham chai rak mai dai)
13. บ่รักไผเท่านาง (bo rak phai thao nang)
14. คิดถึงอารีดัง (khit thueng aridang)
15. ข้าวคอยเคียว (khao khoi khieow)
16. เทพีของผม (thephi khong phom)
17. คาถารัก (khatha rak)

this week, another outstanding album from one of my favorite singers, mr. phraiwan lukphet! born in phetchaburi province, phraiwan was sent by his parents at an early age to join a local liké theatre troupe, but it was the world of popular music which called to him, and in time he left to join somphong wongrakthai's "bangkok cha cha cha" band. after this group dissolved, phraiwan was entrusted to suraphon sombatcharoen, in whose company he recorded his earliest hits (collected here). eventually he left suraphon's collective to persue a solo venture and with the aid of songwriter phaibun butkhan won massive reknown. his singing resonated through the film world especially, where he provided themes to many of the biggest motion pictures, two of which (mon rak luk thung and phlae kao) have been featured on this site. please enjoy the slow sweet sounds of phraiwan lukphet!!

khana phet ubon: sai naen na kaen

artist: คณะ เพชรอุบล (khana phet ubon)
abum: สายแนน นาแก่น (sai naen na kaen)
tracklist:
01. สายแนน นาแก่น ตอน 1 (sai naen na kaen, pt. 1)
02. สายแนน นาแก่น ตอน 1 (sai naen na kaen, pt. 2)

this week, a great album featuring the players of khana phet ubon! led by molam chalatnoi songsoem, the group is rounded out by leading lady chomsawai saenthawisuk & the lesser-known duangchannoi chianklon, all capable lam practitioners from ubon ratchathani province. this is an album of lam in strict voice & khaen configuration... the style featured is lam rueang to klon, a traditionally theatrical genre where the emphasis is on storytelling. needless to say, the story itself will be lost on non-isaan speakers (myself included).. but the music & voices should have little trouble holding the fascination of those unable to comprehend the words. enjoy!!

phongsi woranut: khon sut thai

artist: ผ่องศรี วรนุช (phongsi woranut)
album: คนสุดท้าย (khon sut thai)
tracklist:
01. คนสุดท้าย (khon sut thai)
02. บาร์หัวใจ (bar hua chai)
03. ฝากดิน (fak din)
04. ผิดหวังยังคอย (phit wang yang khoi)
05. ชั่วโมงสุดท้าย (chua mong su thai)
06. หญิงขายตัว (ying khai tua)
07. ปัญหาหัวใจ (panha hua chai)
08. น้องเป็นคนรักที่เท่าไหร่ (nong pen khon rak thi thao rai)
09. รักจ๋ารัก (rak cha rak)
10. คนเลวที่ฉันรัก (khon leo thi chan rak)
11. คนสำรอง (khon samrong)
12. น้ำตาหยดสุดท้าย (nam ta yot sut thai)

hope everyone will forgive the length between posts; due to a massive hard drive failure, the blog was out of commission for a little while.. but after a month's absence, all has been recovered and we're ready to go! to make up for time lost, let's get back into things with a real gem from the incomparable phongsi woranut! if you're a regular here, you probably know of phongsi by now; luk thung's first female star and rival to the genre's king, suraphon sombatcharoen. this album is from a bit later in her career (the 1970's, i think), and features one of her most beautiful and enduring singles, "fak din" (track 3). while the brass-laden ballads may be light of atmosphere, the subject matter of these songs is heavy; the lyrics tell tales of death, prostitution and love gone wrong. classic luk thung from an timeless star.. enjoy!

khana kaeotalai: so ham nam thuam wang lung

artist: คณะ แก้วตาไหล (khana kaeotalai)
album: ซอฮ่ำน้ำท่วมวังลุง (so ham nam thuam wang lung)
tracklist:
01. ซอฮ่ำน้ำท่วมวังลุง (so ham nam thuam wang lung)
02. ซอปอยเข้าสังข์ (so poi khao sang)

this week, kaeotalai nonglong & his ensemble bring us some beautiful sounds of lanna! alexandra picked this one up for me on one of her trips to the north, and it's almost certainly my favorite recording of northern thai folk music. the recording is very intimate & raw; alot more engaging than much of the over-produced lanna music on the market. mr. kaeotalai (a.k.a. talai kanthachan) is from lamphun province and leads his ensemble on so fiddle & vocals. he is joined on side two by fellow singer ms. buanchan lintong, and together they are supported by a pi koy (small free-reed flute) and sueng (northern-style lute). a really exceptional recording, hope you enjoy!

sabaithong phaophuri: lam phloen choen mong

 
artist: สะใบทอง เผ่าภูรี (sabaithong phaophuri)
album: ลำเพลินเชิญมอง (lam phloen choen mong)
tracklist:
01. ลำเพลินรำวงสลับเกี้ยว (lam phloen ramwong salap kieow)
02. ลำเพลินพี่อย่าแสนงาน (lam phloen phi ya saen ngan)
03. ลำเพลินคอยอ้าย (lam phloen khoi ai)
04. ลำเพลินเดินนิทาน (lam phloen doen nithan)
05. ลำเพลินอวยพรทาน (lam phloen uai phon than)
06. ลำล่องยาวข่าวทหาร (lam long yao khao thahan)
07. ลำเพลินเชิญมอง (lam phloen choen mong)
08. ลำเพลินเตือนคนขี้เมา (lam phloen tuean khon khi mao)
09. ลำเพลินเชิญชวน (lam phloen choen chuan)
10. ลำเพลินร้องเกี้ยวอาลัยรัก (lam phloen rong kieow alai rak)
11. ลำเพลินเตือนทหารไทย (lam phloen tuean thahan thai)
12. ลำเพลินชวนสามัคคี (lam phloen chuan samakkhi)
13. ลำเพลินฮักอ้ายคนเดียว (lam phloen hak ai khon dieow)
14. ลำเพลินรักไม่สมหวัง (lam phloen rak mai som wang)
15. ลำกลอนเงาะป่ารจนา (lam klon ngo pa rotchana)
16. ลำเพลินเอิ้นอ้าน (lam phloen oen an)
17. ลำเพลินฮักอ้ายแต่ยังเด็ก (lam phloen hak ai tae yang dek)
18. ลำล่องสวรรค์เมืองไทย (lam long sawan mueang thai)

this week, fantastic molam sounds from sabaithong phaophuri! i really haven't been able to find out much at all about ms. sabaithong (although 3 of her songs appear on vol. 1 of sublime frequencies' molam: thai country groove from isan). but what more do you need to know, besides that this tape is full of great, lo-fi, roots-rock molam? long, improvisatory khaen solos, overdriven hand drums & finger cymbals and isan's trademark basslines all come together in a flurry of musical activity beneath sabaithong's capable lam recitations... enjoy! (and if you know anything about our singer, please share!)

chai mueangsing: sing thao khao wongkan

artist: ชาย เมืองสิงห์ (chai mueangsing)
album: สิงห์เฒ่าเข้าวงการ (sing thao khao wongkan)
tracklist:
01. สิงห์เฒ่าเข้าวงการ (sing thao khao wongkan)
02. ป. 4 ได้ขี่เครื่อง (p. 4 dai khi khrueang)
03. นั่งเครื่องไปซาอุ (nang khrueang pai sa u)
04. ลาแฟนไปแดนทราย (la faen pai daen sai)
05. เต็งซื้อรถโต๊ดซื้อดร๊าฟท์ (teng sue rot, tot sue draft)
06. พี่กลับจากนอก (phi klap chak nok)
07. รวยไม่ทนจนนาน (ruai mai thon chon nan)
08. หัวดีไม่มีเงิน (hua di mai mi ngoen)
09. เหล้าเปลี่ยนคน (lao plian khon)
10. รักจมที่พรหมพิราม (rak chom thi phrom phiram)

this week, a very special late-period album from the "man city lion"; luk thung veteran chai mueangsing! as the cover states, chai dedicates this particular cassette to "the hard-working thai people in saudi arabia", and as such, the lyrics are mostly devoted to external migration and the resulting pains of separation. as discussed here earlier, saudi arabia was a major destination for thai migrants in the 80's, until the blue diamond affair soured relations between the two countries. in addition to the lyrical content, the music features a few middle eastern flourishes... and of course there's the cover, with chai's face pasted onto king faid's bust. enjoy!

wiwa pha fan (o.s.t.)

this week's post comes courtesy of bangkok's dj maft sai, the world's foremost representative of vintage thai funk! together with chris menist, he hosts the bi-annual "paradise bangkok" & bi-monthly "isan dancehall" events in thailand & japan. the duo also helped put together the fantastic compilations the sound of siam (on soundway) and thai? dai! (on finder's keepers). stop by the zudrangma records store in bangkok, or visit the webstore from anywhere!


artist: various
album: วิวาห์พาฝัน (wiwa pha fan)
tracklist:
01. วิวาห์พาฝัน (wiwa pha fan)
sung by สวลี ผกาพันธุ์ (sawali phakaphan)
02. เลิกสุรา (loek sura)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี + รุจน์ รณภพ (sombat methani & rut ronphop)
03. ชีวิตใหม่ (chiwit mai)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี + อรัญญา นามวงศ์ (sombat methani & aranya namwong)
04. ปักษีสู่รัง (paksi su rang)
sung by อรัญญา นามวงศ์ (aranya namwong)
05. อยากจะดู (yak cha du)
sung by สุดา ชื่นบาน + อดุลย์ กรีน (suda chuenban & adun green)
06. ทหารผ่านศึก (thahan phan suek)
sung by สังข์ทอง สีใส (sangthong sisai)
07. ไทยเขียว (thai khieow)
sung by นพดล ดวงพร (nophadon duangphon)
08. แม้เพียงหนึ่งนาที (mae phiang nueng nathi)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี + อรัญญา นามวงศ์ (sombat methani & aranya namwong)
09. ไม่ต้องมาพูดกัน (mai tong ma phut kan)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี, อรัญญา นามวงศ์ + รุจน์ รณภพ (sombat methani, aranya namwong & rut ronphop)
10. ฉันไม่ง้อ (chan mai ngo)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี + รุจน์ รณภพ (sombat methani & rut ronphop)
11. ง้องอน (ngo ngon)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี (sombat methani)
12. ต้องคิด (tong khit)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี + รุจน์ รณภพ (sombat methani & rut ronphop)
13. โจร (chon)
sung by พร ภิรมย์ (phon phirom)
14. สื่อรักจากสวรรค์ (sue rak chak sawan)
sung by สมบัติ เมทะนี + อรัญญา นามวงศ์ (sombat methani & aranya namwong)

our album today is the soundtrack to the film "wiwa pha fan", a 1971 star vehicle for sombat methani & aranya namwong. i'm not sure whether the film can be seen these days (i've never spotted any vcd's floating around), but i think the soundtrack was the most memorable aspect, anyhow. the song selection is quite eclectic, featuring an oddball liké-style comic number from the inimitable sangthong sisai, a heavy cha cha cha from suda chuenban & adun green, a great isan luk thung romp from nophadon duangphon and a rare rock'n'roll offering from the (typically) traditionally-minded phon phirom, alongside a bunch of slightly less interesting numbers from the film's stars. enjoy!!

monruedi phromchak: khoi rak chak singapore

artist: มลฤดี พรหมจักร (monruedi phromchak)
album: คอยรักจากสิงคโปร์ (khoi rak chak singapore)
tracklist:
01. คอยรักจากสิงคโปร์ (khoi rak chak singapore)
02. เมาเหล้าอย่าเมารัก (mao lao ya mao rak)
03. น้องบ่เสียใจอ้ายบ่าวสกล (nong bo sia chai ai bao sakon)
04. ตามตื้อบ่าวภูไทย (tam tue bao phu thai)
05. วอนพระคุณ (won phra khun)
06. หมายรัก (mai rak)
07. ชีวิตจำเป็น (chiwit cham pen)
08. สาวนครคอยคู่ (sao nakhon khoi khu)
09. กลับนาลากรุง (klap na la krung)
10. ชีวิตมลฤดี (chiwit monruedi)
11. อกหักรักทหาร (ok hak rak thahan)
12. รักครูหนูอกหัก (rak khru nu ok hak)

this week, more fantastic lam from ms. monruedi phromchak! i don't know alot about monruedi's background, though i believe she's currently a lecturer for the office of culture at khon kaen university. she's well known for her skill in lam phu tai, a unique style of lam associated with the phu tai ethnic group of thailand & laos, which can be pretty difficult to find in commercial recordings. this album is made up primarily of lam tang wai, but also features a few lam phu thai and a couple of the more mainstream lam phloen. the recordings here are more electronic than the previous album of her's i've posted, adding a drum machine over the traditional cymbal clashing and sax & keyboard over the khaen & phin. enjoy!!

chatri sichon: samak rak samak faen

artist: ชาตรี ศรีชล (chatri sichon)
album: สมัครรักสมัครแฟน (samak rak samak faen)
tracklist:
01. สมัครรักสมัครแฟน (samak rak samak faen)
02. สมัครรักไม่จริง (samak rak mai ching)
sung by วันเพ็ญ เดือนสิบสอง (wanphen dueansipsong)
03. ช้ำรักจากเมืองชล (cham rak chak mueang chon)
04. รักหรือเปล่า (rak rue plao)
05. รอไม่ไหว (ro mai wai)
06. บัวหลวง (bua luang)
07. ออกพรรษา (ok phansa)
08. มะลิไกล มาลัยชัง (mali klai malai chang)
09. งามงอน (ngam ngon)
10. เมารัก (mao rak)
sung by ดำ แดนสุพรรณ (dam daensuphan)
11. หัวใจลอยลม (hua chai loi lom)
sung by วันเพ็ญ เดือนสิบสอง (wanphen dueansipsong)
12. ฮักอ้ายข้างเดียว (hak ai khang dieow)
sung by วันเพ็ญ เดือนสิบสอง (wanphen dueansipsong)

after last week's re-post, i figured this week it'd be good to bring out some new sounds from chatri for everyone! as told previously, chatri, from chonburi, got his start in samniang muangthong's ruam daokrachai band, but left to help suraphon's wife sinuan rehabilitate the sombatcharoen band (primarily as a songwriter) after the star's death in 1968. within a year he had founded his own band & cut his first records. this album features those early tracks, alongside some answer & duel songs from wanphen dueansipsong & dam daensuphan. while the sounds here are more straightforward luk thung than last week, the wheezing accordions, strange entrancing rhythms & chatri's rough-cut vocals make it a standout for me. enjoy!!

chatri sichon: chom nang

artist: ชาตรี ศรีชล (chatri sichon)
album: โฉมนาง (chom nang)
tracklist:
01. โฉมนาง (chom nang)
02. ธรณีชีวิต (thorani chiwit)
featuring ยุพิน แพรทอง (yuphin phraethong)
03. มารักกันเถิด (ma rak kan thoet)
04. อย่ามาหลอกฉัน (ya ma lok chan)
sung by ยุพิน แพรทอง (yuphin phraethong)
05. คงเป็นแฟนคุณ (khong pen faen khun)
06. ผลกรรม (phonkam)
07. ดนตรี (instrumental)
08. มนต์เสียงเพลง (mon siang phleng)
featuring ยุพิน แพรทอง (yuphin phraethong)
09. อนุภาพรัก (anuphap rak)
sung by ยุพิน แพรทอง (yuphin phraethong)
10. สวรรค์บนดิน (sawan bon din)
sung by ยุพิน แพรทอง (yuphin phraethong)
11. คนจนไม่ดีเด่น (khon chon mai di den)
12. สาวอาปาเช่ (sao "apache")
13. คนจนคนจร (khon chon khon chon)

i've posted this tape before (post no. 6, to be precise!), but it's so good, and i've learned so much since about the history behind it, that i feel it warrants a re-posting. chatri, from chonburi, got his start in samniang muangthong's ruam daokrachai band, but left to help suraphon's wife sinuan rehabilitate the sombatcharoen band (primarily as a songwriter) after the star's death in 1968. within a year he had founded his own band & cut his first records. in 1970, he was contracted by isaan songwriter surin phaksiri for a new sort of project... if i have my story right, her majesty queen sirikit had recently attended a screening of a hindi film in bangkok, and her glowing review seemed ready to start a bollywood craze in the kingdom. as was standard for film imports, the hindi dialogues would be dubbed into thai, but considering the musical nature of indian films the decision was made to dub the songs as well, and local luk thung stars were hired to do the job. big names like phraiwan lukphet, riam daranoi, buppha saichon & others all tried their hands at singing playback. the filmi selections on this album are dubs from c.v. sridhar's "dharti", composed by the shankar-jaikishan team, and feature chatri on the male parts (originally mohd. rafi) and yuphin phraethong doing the female (originally lata mangeshkar & asha bhosle). tacked on are some of chatri's great luk thung singles from the same period.. enjoy!

khamron sambunnanon: khon ba kancha

artist: คำรณ สัมบุญณานนท์ (khamron sambunnanon)
album: คนบ้ากัญชา (khon ba kancha)
tracklist:
01. หวยใต้ดิน (huai tai din)
02. คนบ้ากัญชา (khon ba kancha)
03. กระท่อมกัญชา (krathom kancha)
04. คนบ้าจี้ (khon ba chi)
05. เศรษฐีเงินถัง (sethi ngoen thang)
06. คนไม่รักดี (khon mai rak di)
07. จะไล่พี่ไปถึงไหน (cha lai phi pai thueng nai)
08. คำสั่งของพ่อ (kham sang khong pho)
09. สายลมโชย (sai lom choi)
10. ชีวิตคนเครื่องไฟ (chiwit khon khrueang fai)
11. ชีวิตครู (chiwit khru)
12. คนขายยา (khon khai ya)
13. ชีวิตช่างตัดผม (chiwit chang tat phom)
14. คนรอบกรุง (khon rop krung)
15. ลุงเชยชอบใจ (lung choei chop chai)
16. นางฟ้าในฝัน (nang fa nai fan)

while a non-smoker myself, i've had this tape ready to go for a while, and the coincidence of today's would-be holiday seemed difficult to resist; so here we have it... mr. khamron sambunnanon, singing the songs of the "ganja madman"! khamron is considered by many to be the very first singer of luk thung, with his recording of hem wechakon's "chao sao chao rai" dating from 1938, and many of the great luk thung stars of the 60's & 70's fondly recall listening to khamron's songs during their formative years. his lyrics were the earliest examples of thai pop music to feature tales of common people; farmers, day laborers, and even more marginal figures like gamblers, vagrants, outlaws and drug addicts. great old sounds (and even some yodeling on side 2)... hope you enjoy!!

hit ngan phleng chut phiset chak 12 silapin indies doi onpa

artist: various
album: hit งานเพลงชุดพิเศษจาก 12 ศิลปิน indies โดย onpa (hit ngan phleng chut phiset chak 12 silapin indies doi onpa)
tracklist:
01. ยืนยัน (yuen yan)
by blackhead
02. คำตอบ (kham top)
by นครินทร์ กิ่งศักดิ์ (nakharin kingsak)
03. รักเธอ (rak thoe)
by ford
04. จากกันด้วยดี (chan kan duai di)
by byrd & heart
05. อยากบอกให้รู้ (yak bok hai ru)
by isn't
06. นานเหลือเกิน (nan luea koen)
by อัยย์ (ai)
07. บุษบา (butsaba)
by moderndog
08. 2 ทาง (2 thang)
by the must
09. เพราะฉันมีเพียงเธอ (phro chan mi phiang thoe)
by proud
10. หัวปัก หัวปำ (hua pak hua pam)
by holly berry
11. เธอน่ารัก (thoe na rak)
by สี่เต่าเธอ (si tao thoe)
12. ร่ำลา (ram la)
by t.n.t.

this week, a classic entry in the thai indie rock catalog! judging by the surfeit of copies filling the second-hand bins of the capital city, i imagine this tape was in the deck of every hip bangkok teen, circa 1995. the sounds presented here may not be what most consider "indie rock" (whatever it is we do consider it), but with industry giant sony given equal standing with bona-fide (at the time) independent labels like bakery music, it seems the thai notion of "indie" is at least as inconsistent as it is elsewhere. stylistically, you have everything from 90's alt-rock/grunge (blackhead, moderndog) to smooth, m.o.r.ish ballads (ford, byrd & heart), and then stuff closer to the jangly international ideal of indie rock (holly berry, si tao thoe). enjoy!

num'ek chetsada: lae kam mueang fang muan muan

artist: หนุ่มเอก เจษฎา (num'ek chetsada)
album: แหล่กำเมืองฟังม่วนๆ (lae kam mueang fang muan muan)
tracklist:
01. แหล่กำเมืองฟังม่วนๆ ตอน 1 (lae kam mueang fang muan muan, pt. 1)
02. แหล่กำเมืองฟังม่วนๆ ตอน 2 (lae kam mueang fang muan muan, pt. 2)

something out of the ordinary this week; northern-style party music from the late nineties! i don't know anything about num'ek chetsada, other than that he comes from northern thailand, chiang mai most likely. his singing is influenced by lae, the central thai luk thung sub-genre which in turn is derived from isan-style thet lae sermonizing.. num'ek mixes in bits of the northern thai dialect to inject some local pride into the proceedings. the music in the background is of the synth-heavy drum machine mega-mix style popular around the time of the recording (1997). enjoy!

hongthong dao'udon: phu chai saraphat phit

artist: หงษ์ทอง ดาวอุดร (hongthong dao'udon)
album: ผู้ชายสารพัดพิษ (phu chai saraphat phit)
tracklist:
01. ผู้ชายสารพัดพิษ (phu chai saraphat phit)
02. ไม่มีน้ำตาจากเสี่ยว (mai mi nam ta chak sieow)
03. กางเกงยีนส์แห่งความหลัง (kangkeng "jeans" haeng khwam lang)
04. พบกันที่ไหนดี (phop kan thi nai di)
05. สาวอีสานรอพี่ (sao isan ro phi)
06. น้ำจิ้มปลาร้า (nam chim pla ra)
07. รักหนุ่มก่อสร้าง (rak num ko sang)
08. ตลุงลำเพลิน (talung lam phloen)
09. นอนร้องไห้ (non ronghai)
10. สาวอุดร (sao udon)

this week, some far-out molam luk thung pop sounds from hongthong dao'udon! hongthong, as her stage-name suggests, hails from isaan's udon thani province. a star of local temple fairs since childhood, she was picked up by luk thung star siphrai chaiphra to join his troupe in bangkok at age 10. she had a number of hits penned by songwriter doi inthanon, and toured extensively throughout the country... her repetoire was quite remarkable; she could easily swing from string-inflected disco to traditional northeastern lam, but in the 90's, she tragically lost her voice after a thyroid operation. since then, she has been working steadily at regaining it, and hosting a popular radio show in udon thani meanwhile. sadly, as doug from wfmu alerted me, ms. hongthong was recently sentenced to spend a year and 4 months in jail for her involvement with the red shirt movement, after allegedly mobilizing protesters through her radio platform. best wishes to the poor lady! and be sure to check out another fantastic album of her's over at gojira's stereomono blog!

the impossibles medley

artist: ดิอิมพอสซิเบิ้ล (the impossibles)
album: เมดเล่ย์ดิอิมพอสซิเบิ้ล (the impossibles medley)
tracklist:
01. เมดเล่ย์ดิอิมพอสซิเบิ้ล (the impossibles medley)
02. เห็นแล้วหิว (hen laeo hiw)
03. แพ้ผิวขาว (phae phiw khao)
04. ผมไม่วุ่น (phom mai wun)
05. มาจู๋จี๋กันไหม (ma chuchi kan mai)
06. คนใจแข็ง (khon chai khaeng)
07. คนผ่านโลก (khon phan lok)
08. ไม่รังเกียจ (mai rang kiat)
09. ไฟไหม้เชื้อ (fai mai chuea)
10. โลกแสนเซ็ง (lok saen seng)
11. รอวันฤกษ์ดี (ro wan roekdi)
12. รอวันสุขใจ (ro wan suk chai)
13. แค่คำลา (khae kham la)
14. หัวใจใบอ้อ (hua chai bai o)
15. หลอกให้คอย (lok hai khoi)
16. เหมือนใจจะขาด (muean chai cha khat)
17. ทอดสะพานให้ซิ (thot saphan hai si)
18. รักไม่รักก็เศร้าเท้ากัน (rak mai rak ko sao thao kan)
19. รักที่แลกด้วยน้ำตา (rak thi laek duai nam ta)

this week, a great tape from the supreme stars of thai string music, the impossibles! although best known to international listeners for their solid funk stylings, in thailand the impossibles are just as fondly remembered for their mellower side. you might call the band's specialty "import substitution", as they rely somewhat on hooks borrowed from china, japan, america or the u.k.. some of their ballads can be a bit bland for my taste, but i feel like this album strikes a nice balance; while the bulk of the tunes are slower ones, the band still shows some muscle in the background, with some great drum breaks and rhodes piano work. please excuse the somewhat muddy sound on the 'a' side, and enjoy!

p. chalatnoi: lam chut suan sanuk thung kula

artist: ป. ฉลาดน้อย (p. chalatnoi)
album: ลำชุดสวนสนุกทุ่งกุลา (lam chut suan sanuk thung kula)
tracklist:
01. ลำชุดสวนสนุกทุ่งกุลา (lam chut suan sanuk thung kula)
02. ลำล่องเงินไทยมีค่า (lam long ngoen thai mi kha)
03. ป.ฉลาดล่องอีสาน (p. chalat long isan)
04. ลำล่องสาวลืมถิ่นเชียง (lam long sao luem thin chiang)
05. ลำล่องหาเมียให้เลือก (lam long ha mia hai lueak)
06. ลำล่องทำนายโลก (lam long tham nai lok)
07. ลำล่องเอิ้นน้องมาเก็บเห็ด (lam long oen nong ma kep het)
08. ลำล่องเมืองอีสานม่วนดี (lam long mueang isan muan di)
09. ลำล่องน้ำตกไหลจากซาอุ (lam long nam tok lai chak sa u)
10. ลำล่องซาอุเป็นชายอุกดิน (lam long sa u pen chai uk din)
11. ลำล่องอีสานแซบธรรมชาติ (lam long isan saep thammachat)
12. ลำล่องเตือนนักเรียน (lam long tuean nak rian)
13. ลำล่องสินค้าเจริญไว (lam long sin kha charoen wai)
14. ลำล่องรั้วของชาติจงปลอดภัย (lam long rua khong chat chong plot phai)
15. ลำล่องกรุงเทพแออัด (lam long krung thep ae at)
16. ลำล่องลากรุงเทพ (lam long la krung thep)

this week, some great ubon-style molam! mr. chalat songsoem, better known as p. chalatnoi, is one of the greatest molam to come out of ubon ratchathani, an authority on local singing & composition styles and a vital distributor of folk wisdom. although best known for his mastery of lam klon, this tape features mostly pieces of the related but less-common lam long style, notoriously difficult to perform. today he holds the title of "national artist" and teaches at khon khaen university. wonderfully sparse traditional voice & khaen, enjoy!

khunphaen lukprachin & namphueng boribun

artist: ขุนแผน ลูกปราจีน + น้ำผึ้ง บริบูรณ์ (khunphaen lukprachin & namphueng boribun)

album: ทำขวัญนาคชุดสมบูรณ์แบบ ชุดที่ 1 (tham khwan nak chut sombun baep, vol. 1)

tracklist:

01. ทำขวัญนาคชุดสมบูรณ์แบบ ชุดที่ 1 ตอน 1 (tham khwan nak chut sombun baep, vol. 1, pt. 1)

02. ทำขวัญนาคชุดสมบูรณ์แบบ ชุดที่ 1 ตอน 2 (tham khwan nak chut sombun baep, vol. 1, pt. 2)

this week: a great recording of sacred music, featuring the talents of former luk thung star namphueng boribun! ms. namphueng was a protégé of famed songwriter & bandleader phiphat boribun, and wife to luk thung rockstar suang santi. after her husband's tragic death, however, she moved away from pop songs... she partnered with khunphaen lukprachin, and together they were known as "king & queen of tham khwan". tham khwan is the traditional ceremony for binding the spirit to the body, typically performed at important junctures of life (leaving home, getting married, etc.) this particular tape features the music of a tham khwan intended for young men about to become novice monks. it's a little old & battered, with a couple dropouts and a bit of mechanical noise, but it's still a fantastic document... enjoy!

string lam doen: ratthaban yuk phatthana

artist: สตริงลำเดิน (string lam doen)
album: รัฐบาลยุคพัฒนา (ratthaban yuk phatthana)
tracklist:
01. รัฐบาลยุคพัฒนา (ratthaban yuk phatthana)
02. พี่ไถ น้องดำ (phi thai, nong dam)
03. หนุ่มนาข้าว สาวไร่ปอ (num na khao, sao rai po)
04. จอมตื้อบันลือโลก (chom tue banlue lok)
05. อีสานก้าวหน้า (isan kao na)
06. อีสานก้าวหน้า (isan kao na) [instrumental]
07. รออีกหนึ่งปี (ro ik nueng pi)
08. สาวชาวนาหนุ่มชาวไร่ (sao chao na, num chao rai)
09. นาพี่ นาน้อง (na phi, na nong)
10. ผัวแก่ เมียสาว (phua kae, mia sao)
11. หนุ่มนาหนาว สาวขาดรัก (num na nao, sao khat rak)
12. พี่ไถ น้องดำ (phi thai, nong dam) [instrumental]

kind of a strange one this week; from thongchan promotions, we've got 3 modern molam leaving their roots behind to try their luck with the international string style. from yasothon, we have the incomparable dao bandon! from the sam phalang sao group, phimchai phetphalanchai! and lastly, lam phaen star salak silathong rounding out this would-be lam doen supergroup. to be honest, though, the album is kind of a miss for me.. by this point, string had moved away from the blazing disco-funk sound of the 70's and taken up the stilted programmed rhythms & gated snares of the drum machine. the vocalists do acquit themselves admirably considering the material, and some people will surely find this an interesting entry into the molam catalogue. for me, it's evidence that thai supergroups can fall just as flat as the rest of the world's! see what you think!

gunga din / narit ari

this week's post comes courtesy of ian nagoski, founder of canary records and a legend among collectors of shellac. don't miss his new compilation, "brass pins & match heads", or his upcoming 3 cd restrospective of music of the ottoman diaspora in new york city from 1912-1931, due out this fall on tompkins square.

artist: กุงกาดิน (gunga din) / นริศ อารีย์ (narit ari)
album: รักร้อนยิ่งกว่าแดด (rak ron ying kwa det) / สายลม (sai lom)
tracklist:
01. รักร้อนยิ่งกว่าแดด (rak ron ying kwa det)
sung by กุงกาดิน (gunga din)
02. สายลม (sai lom)
sung by นริศ อารีย์ (narit ari)

this record features the talents of thai sakon impresario nakhon thanomsap, performing here as his blackface alter-ego, gunga din. the number he turns in is a unique example of very early thai rock'n'roll, with a melody borrowed from jerry reed's 1957 tune "rockin' in baghdad". the b-side features bangkok crooner narit ari backed by mongkhon amatayakun's chularat band, with which both these singers were closely associated. nakhon thanomsap was credited with discovering & helping along the careers of a number of luk thung's early stars and is a tireless champion for the preservation of thai music from decades past. sadly, his own work is extremely hard to come across these days, possibly due to the politically incorrect nature of his "blacking up". anyhow, quite a find by ian... hope you all enjoy!!

luk thung: classic & obscure 78s from the thai countryside

hope everyone will forgive a moment of self-promotion here:
the album that david murray & i (& many others!) have been working on is finally available on dust-to-digital/parlortone records! compiled from dave's incredible collection of 78s, this album features 14 beautifully-restored classic early-60's luk thung recordings from the likes of suraphon sombatcharoen, waiphot phetsuphan, phloen phromdaen, suchat thianthong & many more! none of these songs have ever been available outside of thailand before (and few have even seen re-release domestically!). they represent a critical moment in luk thung's history, when internationally-minded pop stars began looking to local folk sounds for inspiration. as a result, you'll hear wild accordions & latin horn sections mingling with thai hand drums & finger cymbals, while singers wail & swagger about life's simple joys & struggles. the lp is pressed on high-quality vinyl with a 6-page full-color insert filled with history & images. if you're without turntable, the album can also be got on itunes and amazon! i hope everyone will check it out, i can't recommend it highly enough!

order here!

preview:
Phloen Phromdaen – “Ruedu Haeng Khwam Rak (Season of Love)” by dusttodigital

fa thalai chon: original recordings

artist: various
album: ต้นฉบับเพลง ฟ้าทะลายโจร (fa thalai chon: original recordings)
tracklist:
01. ใครจะเมตตา (khrai cha metta)
sung by เลิศ ประสมทรัพย์ (loet prasomsap)
02. the last rose of summer
sung by marie rappold
03. ฝนสั่งฟ้า (fon sang fa)
sung by เพ็ญศรี พุ่มชูศรี (phensi phumchusi)
04. พรหมลิขิต (phromlikhit)
sung by วินัย จุลละบุษปะ (winai chulabutsapa)
05. งามชายหาด (ngam chai hat)
sung by เพ็ญศรี พุ่มชูศรี (phensi phumchusi)
06. ฟ้างามยามค่ำ (fa ngam yam kham)
sung by เพ็ญศรี พุ่มชูศรี (phensi phumchusi)

here's a quick follow-up to the last post... i don't usually post things i've compiled myself, but i thought some people might be interested in hearing the original versions of the tunes which were so expertly redone for the film fa thalai chon (or "tears of the black tiger"). most of these songs were recorded in the 1950's by the first wave of the suntaraphon stars and showcase the work of legendary composers like uea sunthonsanan, wet sunthonchamon, sane komarachun & others. i've also included a recording of the old irish tune on which the film's original song "kamsuan chan" was based.. the mp3 comes courtesy of ucsb's outstanding cylinder preservation & digitization project. hope you enjoy!

fa thalai chon (o.s.t.)

artist: อมรพงศ์ เมธาคุณาวุฒิ (amonphong methakhunawut)
album: ฟ้าทะลายโจร (fa thalai chon)
tracklist:
01. ใครจะเมตตา (khrai cha metta)
sung by วีระ บำรุงศรี (wira bamrungsi)
02. กำสรวลจันทร์ (kamsuan chan)
sung by เยาวเรศ เมธาคุณาวุฒิ (yaowaret methakhunawut)
03. ฝนสั่งฟ้า (fon sang fa)
sung by กมลวรรณ ทศานนท์ (kamonwan thasanon)
04. พรหมลิขิต (phromlikhit)
sung by นิวัติ เจริญมิตร (niwat charoenmit)
05. งามชายหาด (ngam chai hat)
sung by กมลวรรณ ทศานนท์ (kamonwan thasanon)
06. ฟ้างามยามค่ำ (fa ngam yam kham)
sung by เยาวเรศ เมธาคุณาวุฒิ (yaowaret methakhunawut)
07. โคบาลย่องม้า (khoban yong ma)
08. ใครจะเมตตา (บรรเลง) (khrai cha metta (instrumental))
09. กำสรวลจันทร์ (บรรเลง) (kamsuan chan (instrumental))
10. ฝนสั่งฟ้า (บรรเลง) (fon sang fa (instrumental))
11. พรหมลิขิต (บรรเลง) (phromlikhit (instrumental))
12. งามชายหาด (บรรเลง) (ngam chai hat (instrumental))
13. ฟ้างามยามค่ำ (บรรเลง) (fa ngam yam kham (instrumental))
14. โคบาลย่องม้า (khoban yong ma)

this week, some great retro sounds from modern thai cinema!! wisit sasanathiang's fa thalai chon (renamed "tears of the black tiger" in english) is maybe the best-known thai art film outside of thailand. a tribute to the country's penchant for westerns & melodrama in the 1950's, the 2000 film's vibrant color and stylized violence caught the attention of a number of prominent festivals around the globe. the soundtrack, which won acclaim as well, is composed mostly of re-recorded suntaraphon songs plus some morricone-style incidentals by amonphong methakhunawut, as befits the gunslinger theme. the soft lilt of these old dance hall tunes juxtaposed with intense, bloody gunfights made a big impact on audiences worldwide. this cassette release features the songs on side one, with instrumentals on the reverse. hope you enjoy.. and be sure to see the film, if you haven't!!

phongsi woranut: duan phitsawat

artist: ผ่องศรี วรนุช (phongsi woranut)
album: ด่วนพิศวาส (duan phitsawat)
tracklist:
01. ด่วนพิศวาส (duan phitsawat)
02. วิมานในฝัน (wiman nai fan)
03. อนิจจาความรัก (anitcha khwam rak)
04. อาวรณ์รัก (awon rak)
05. จันทร์ครึ่งดวง (chan khrueng duang)
06. ลานเทลานระทม (lan the lan rathom)
07. ช้ำกว่าตกตาล (cham kwa tok tan)
08. บางสาวไห้ (bang sao hai)
09. คอยพี่กลับนา (khoi phi klap na)
10. คุณพี่ขี่เก๋ง (khun phi khi keng)
11. หากฉันจะรักคุณ (hak chan cha rak khun)
12. ฉันลองใจคุณ (chan long chai khun)
13. ฉันเห็นใจคุณแล้ว (chan hen chai khun laeo)
14. หลอกฉันเข้าอีกแล้ว (lok chan khao ik laeo)

this week, more great songs from luk thung legend and national artist phongsi woranut! phongsi grew up in chainat province, sellings sweets with her mother from a rafthouse on the chao phrya. she started out performing in local street theatre troupes, and rose to fame with her wildly popular responses to the hits of suraphon sombatcharoen, giving luk thung it's first female star. but their friendly rivalry turned serious and phongsi struck out on her own, starting her own band which would launch the careers of many future stars (most notably sayan sanya). the songs on this collection are some of her earliest, recorded between the years 1958 and 1963. very sweet old-fashioned sounds here, enjoy!

prasan wiangsima: lam phloen choi mak win

artist: ประสาน เวียงสิมา (prasan wiangsima)
album: ลำเพลินจ่อยมักวิน (lam phloen choi mak win)
tracklist:
01. จ่อยมักวิน (choi mak win)
02. วินเป็นประจำ (win pen pracham)
03. หนุ่มนาคอยรัก (num na khoi rak)
04. ประสานศิลป์มาแล้ว (prasansin ma laeo)
05. วงเวียนสวาท (wong wian sawat)
06. บ่ฮักบ่ออนซอน (bo hak bo onson)
07. เทอมพิฆาต (term phikhat)
08. ทาสดำมี่ (that dam mi)
09. อีสานยังจำได้ (isan yang cham dai)
10. สัญญาพาดับ (sanya pha dap)
11. กระต่ายหมายจันทร์ (kratai mai chan)
12. เกี้ยวสาวฟังลำ (kieow sao fang lam)

this week let's hear a great tape that alexandra found for me, featuring the wild isaan sounds of prasan wiangsima! although i've seen his stuff around quite often (sometimes under the name "prasansin wiangsima"), i haven't been able to find much information about mr. prasan online. his stage name would seem to indicate that he's from nakhon ratchasima... beyond that i don't have much to go on (although i do suspect this might be a "thongchan promotions" production). but really, all you need to know is that he's a top-form molam with a great band behind him. in addition to some awesome sax riffs, there's crazy stuff happening with the rhythm section on here, especially the interplay between bass & drums.. there might even be some phin hai (a set of jars with rubber bands stretched across the mouths) work going on. anyway, don't miss this one... thanks, alexandra!

khwanchit siprachan: isaew lila nak pleng

artist: ขวัญจิต ศรีประจันต์ (khwanchit siprachan)
album: อีแซวลีลานักเพลง (isaew lila nak pleng)
tracklist:
01. อีแซวลีลานักเพลง ตอน 1 (isaew lila nak pleng, pt. 1)
02. อีแซวลีลานักเพลง ตอน 2 (isaew lila nak pleng, pt. 2)

a little while ago, we got a great collection of singles from ms. khwanchit's career as a luk thung singer. this time we'll get to hear her return to folksong, singing some fantastic pleng isaew. isaew, characterized by its swift rhythm and intense wordplay, is a local specialty of central thailand's rural suphan buri province. if you'll pardon the oversimplification, it's something like a thai folk rap battle; the contestants take lighthearted jabs at each other and vie for the most cunning lyrical improvisations over an insistent backbeat. khwanchit is joined here by her sister khwanchai and their colleagues suchin siprachan & bunchok chanachot. these 4 have trained together since their teens, and their repartee is outstanding... enjoy!

suchat thianthong: waen wiset

artist: สุชาติ เทียนทอง (suchat thianthong)
album: แว่นวิเศษ (waen wiset)
tracklist:
01. เหล้าจ๋า (lao cha)
02. ฮักกันบ่ได้ดอก (hak kan bo dai dok)
03. แว่นวิเศษ (waen wiset)
04. มองทำไม (mong thammai)
05. ด.จ.ป. (do. cho. po.)
06. ผัวแก่เมียสาว (phua kae mia sao)
07. ผัวเล็กผัวใหญ่ (phua lek phua yai)
08. กลัวเธอมีชู้ (klua thoe mi chu)
09. เข็มขัดกันชู้ (khem khat kan chu)
10. คิดถึงอุดร (khit thueng udon)
11. แม่ช่อกัญชา (mae cho kancha)
12. สงสัย (songsai)
featuring หฤทัย หิรัญญา (haruethai hiranya)

sorry for the long delay between posts; this holiday season caught me in the midst of yet another relocation! but better late than never, and i've got quite a classic to share this week. continuing with the theme of racy album art, we've got some great late-era work from mr. suchat thianthong! suchat was born and raised in ayutthaya province, and spent time working as a market seller & freelance boxer before joining the legendary chularat band. initially his specialty was slow, sweet love songs in the style of thun thongchai, but he lost his trademark high notes after a crippling case of tonsillitis. not willing to leave the stage, he applied his gritty new voice to comedic effect and proved a bigger hit than ever before. this is a collection of his "post-op" hits, featuring songs about liquor and ganja, along with a good amount of raunchy wordplay, and even a tale about a pair of "magic glasses" (vividly illustrated on the cover). enjoy!