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 molam. achan (อาจารย์) 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!!

preview:

thai modernized music for dancing, vol. 2

band: เพิ่ม คล้ายบรรเลง + วงดนตรี สากลผสม มโหรี (phoem khlaibanleng & his international mixed mahori orchestra)
album: แชมป์เท้าไฟ ไทยเดิมประยุกต์ ชุด 2 (thai modernized music for dancing, vol. 2)
tracklist:
01. มอญดูดาว (mon du dao)
02. ลาวลำปาง (lao lampang)
03. พม่ารำวง (phama ramwong)
04. อิเหนา (inao)
05. มอญซ่อนผ้า (mon son pha)
06. ตามองตา (ta mong ta)
07. ลาวชมดง (lao chom dong)
08. บังใบ (bangbai)
09. ลาวคำหอม (lao kham hom)
10. ลาวครวญ (lao khruan)

this week's post comes to us courtesy of stuart ellis, proprietor of the amazing radiodiffusion internasionaal, wherein he chronicles the global spread of electrified pop music from the 1960s & 70s. he also hosts an fm broadcast edition of the site on radio koug, vancouver. here's what he's got to say:

not too long after i had picked up the first two of the "thai beat a go go" discs, i started searching high and low for "shadow music" - although I had no idea at the time that was what it was called. i immediately fell in love with the wild mix of surf guitar and traditional percussion, resulting in a sound unlike any i had heard before.

this record was the first record from thailand that i ever bought. i was hoping that it would sound like johnny guitar or payong mukda (also known as pocket music / son of p.m.)... but what i got was something much more bizarre. more like xavier cugat goes gamelan. it almost sounds like there are two bands in the studio - one your typical latin-esque jazz band, the other some kind of gamelan orchestra - and they are fighting over who plays what. like some kind of battle of the bands gone horribly awry, yet in all of the right ways.

phoem khlaibanleng & his international mixed mahori orchestra were part of the suntaraphon collective - which was a state sponsored group of artists and musicians. during the vietnam war, the u.s.-backed field marshal thanom kittikachorn encouraged westernization throughout every sector of life. one of these sectors was ballroom dancing - with orchestras supplied by the government public relations department. eventually, due to their popularity, these musicians began performing and recording outside of the state sponsored system and to the top of the charts.

if anyone out there has volume 1, please contact me.

preview:

phon phirom: he chimphali

singer: พร ภิรมย์ (phon phirom)
album: เห่ฉิมพลี (he chimphali)
tracklist:
01. เห่ฉิมพลี (he chimphali)
02. ชมดง (chom dong)
03. รจนา (rotchana)
04. พ่อหม้ายตามเมีย (pho mai tam mia)
05. ชาละวัน (cha la wan)
06. ไกรทอง (kraithong)
07. พรหมบุปผา (phrom buppha)
08. เมียจ๋า (mia cha)
09. รักเดียวใจเดียว (rak dieow chai dieow)
10. พ่อกับแม่ (pho kap mae)
11. ลูกเมือ 25 น. (luk muea 25 n.)
12. แหล่ใจโจร (lae chai chon)
13. ลูกโจรกลับใจ (luk chon klap chai)
14. ไฟบาป (fai bap)
15. ไม้หลักปักเลน (mai lak pak len)
16. เมียจาก (mia chak)

a really great tape this week, one from the magnificent singer & songwriter phon phirom. born into a ลิเก (liké) theatre family in phra nakhon si ayutthaya, phon was from a young age fascinated by the world of thai classical music. growing up, he studied numerous genres of artsong, gaining proficiency in piphat instrumentation, chinese opera & thai theatrical vocal forms. after a number of years with a traveling liké troupe, he was persuaded by famed "chularat" band-leader mongkhon amatayakun to apply his talents on the burgeoning luk thung pop stage. following a series of minor releases, both of his own recordings & tunes he penned for others, phon scored his first hit, "บัวตูมบัวบาน (buatum buaban)" in the year 1960 (พ.ศ. 2503). emboldened by this success, phon set about on a vision of integrating the beloved "pleng thai doem" of his past into contemporary popular music. by employing instruments & rhythms from classical dance & piphat ensemble, as well as florid poetic language & lyrical content derived from thai folktales, phon forged a syncretic musical movement, similar in spirit to the javanese jaipong, and one which became much respected throughout the kingdom. now, the great phon phirom can entertain and delight you as well.. enjoy!

preview:

khana nak rong prasan siang chula: bat hua chai

band: คณะนักร้องประสานเสียงจุฬาฯ (khana nak rong prasan siang chula)
album: บาดหัวใจ (bat hua chai)
tracklist:
01. บาดหัวใจ (bat hua chai)
02. คน (khon)
03. หากฉันขาดเธอ (hak chan khat thoe)
04. อยากลืมกลับจำ (yak luem klap cham)
05. รักลึกจมใจ (rak luek chom chai)
06. จากดวงใจ (chak duang chai)
07. ยันยินเยา (yan yin yao)
08. ใครหนอ (khrai no)
09. พิษรัก (phit rak)
10. ตาไร้แวว (ta rai waeo)
11. จนกว่าจะถึงวันนั้น (chon kwacha thueng wan nan)
12. ลาแล้วแก้วตา (la laeo kaeo ta)

here is something different... the songs of สุรพล โทณะวณิก (suraphon thonawanik), as presented by the chorus club of bangkok's chulalongkorn university! songwriter suraphon thonawanik, a ศิลปินแห่งชาติ (silapin haeng chat) or "national artist" of thailand, crafted many of the quintessential nostalgic tunes which epitomize the luk krung genre, and on this tape, students at one of thailand's most prestigious institutes of higher learning filter them through a pronouncedly western sense of harmony. the texture here is very light, just piano & chorus; quite high society!

preview:

saengsuri rungrot: hae khan mak

singer: แสงสุรีย์ รุ่งโรจน์ (saengsuri rungrot)
album: แห่ขันหมาก (hae khan mak)
tracklist:
01. แห่ขันหมาก (hae khan mak)
02. ขอยืมเงินบวช (kho yuem ngoen buat)
03. น้ำตานาคตก (nam ta nak tok)
04. ความจริงจากใจ (khwan ching chak chai)
05. สะดุ้งกลางดึก (sadung klang duek)
06. จับตัว ตีตราจอง (chap tua ti tra chong)
07. ดาวเคียงเดือน (dao khiang duean)
08. รักสาวชาวนา (rak sao chao na)
09. รำวงชาวบ้าน (ramwong chao ban)
10. น่าอร่อย (na aroi)
11. ม่วยแก้มแดง (muay kaem daeng)
12. สารภาพรัก (saraphap rak)
13. รอความเมตตา (ro khwam metta)
14. เรือนหอรอเก้อ (ruean ho ro koe)
15. ตังเกปวดใจ (tangke puat chai)
16. หนุ่มสลัม (num slum)
17. แพ้เพื่อน (phae phuean)
18. ขอเวลาห้าปี (ko wela ha pi)

today we hear from 70's star saengsuri rungrot! born in nakhon ratchasima province in isaan, saengsuri was the favourite of local singing competitions, and dreamed always of becoming a luk thung singer. at 15 he headed to bangkok, where he worked as a cook in sukhumvit's ambassador hotel for 10 years, all the while winning small local singing competitions in bangkok. his big break came when he won a singing contest to appear on the big screen, singing alongside sayan sanya in the soraphong chatri vehicle "khaya sangkhom" ("dregs of society"). after this initial success, songwriter สัมฤทธิ์ รุ่งโรจน์ (samrit rungrot) took saengsuri on as his protege, and from there he released the great string of hits which are compiled here. hope you enjoy them greatly!

preview:

klong yao klong suek

performers: unknown
album: กลองยาวกลองศึก (klong yao klong suek)
tracklist:
01. กลองยาวกลองศึก (klong yao klong suek)
02. กลองยาวระทึกใจ (klong yao rathuek chai)
03. กลองยาวไพรสวรรค์ (klong yao phrai sawan)
04. กลองยาวบันดาลสุข (klong yao ban dan suk)
05. กลองยาวสนุกสนาน (klong yao sanuksanan)
06. โห่ 3 ลากลองยาวประยุกต์ (ho 3 la klong yao prayuk)
07. กลองยาวสำราญชื่น (klong yao samran chuen)
08. กลองยาวรื่นเริง (klong yao ruenroeng)
09. กลองยาวบันเทิงใจ (klong yao banthoeng chai)
10. กลองยาวแห่บวชนาค (klong yao hae buat nakh)
11. กลองยาวผสมปี่ชวา (klong yao phasom pi java)
12. โห่ 3 ลากลองยาวผสมปี่พาทย์ (ho 3 la klong yao phasom piphat)

this week we have a great thai folk beat recording! named for their lead instrument, the thai long drum, klong yao ensembles have long been an important fixture in local culture. a staple of village fairs both religious & secular, the marching klong yao troupe provides a indispensably raucous soundtrack to the festivities. replete with call & responses choruses, clattering drums, persistent cymbals, all manner of yodels, screeches, hollers and so on, it's hard to miss the appeal of this enduring phenomenon. originally thought of as a central thai form, klong yao has long since diffused throughout the kingdom, mixing along the way with a myriad of regional styles. unfortunately i don't know much about this particular recording; the group performing goes uncredited on the cassette.. joined in places by horn sections, electric organ & guitar, and even thai classical instruments, they seem to be inspired by the ประยุกต์ (prayuk), or "applied" folksong movement, similar to the recently-anthologized "shadow music" genre. enjoy the big drums!

preview:

sai sai mao: kau yon phe tang

singer: sai sai mao
album: kau yon phe tang
tracklist:
01. kam moen luk kuun mi
02. theung nam mae haang
03. hak neung hak sawng hak saam
04. puun suup yuuch luu
05. aay jaay nuuw yuu
06. kaw yon phe taang
07. jaay te hak yaw
08. ngeun saam pe mak saaw sa the
09. maw
10. mong hung jaeu
11. yon suu pan suu
12. kaw ne taang
13. hak kan mii taa jaeu
14. hak moen jaay mii phaeu
15. mong
16. kaw hak te mong paeu yuu

this week, songs from shan rock icon sai sai mao! a member of the shan (or tai yai) ethnic group, sai sai mao (จายสายมาว in thai) was born in burma, in mu se on the border with china, and often traveled with his grandfather between northern thailand and taungyi in shan state. at age 15 he picked up the guitar, and 3 years later was performing for shan communities in chiang rai. sai sai mao's broadcasts on radio thailand were eagerly received both locally and across the border in burma, where his songs, such as "likhommai panglong", about burma's unfilfulled promise of shan independence, were banned. sai mao cut most of his albums in bangkok or chiang mai while serving in the shan state army, the rebel faction who funded his recordings. enjoy sai sai mao!

many thanks to alif silpachai for transliteration from shan script!

preview:

yui yatyoe: yui pen sao laeo 3

singer: ยุ้ย ญาติเยอะ (yui yatyoe)
album: ยุ้ย เป็นสาวแล้ว 3 (yui pen sao laeo 3)
tracklist:
01. ขึ้นเอ๊า ขึ้นเอา (khuen ao khuen ao)
02. โชคดีที่รู้กัน (chokh di thi ru kan)
03. จดหมายค้างคืน (chot mai khang khuen)
04. สาวนาแดดเดียว (sao na daet dieow)
05. โสดจริงหรือเปล่า (sot ching rue plao)
06. รอวันแต่ง (ro wan taeng)
07. เจ๊าะแจ๊ะจัง (chochae chang)
08. ไม่เชื่อหรอก (mai chuea rok)
09. โทษฉันได้ไง (thot chan dai ngai)
10. ปิดประตูตีแมว (pit pratu ti maeo)

this week some "modern" luk thung... from 1995 (พ.ศ. 2538) to be precise. yui yatyoe had been a performer in the band of phumphuang duangchan since the age of 9, and after phumpuang's death, was looked to by many as the best hope of filling the gap left by her early passing; few singers beside yui could come close to matching phumpuang's range vocally or emotionally, or exude the same coquettish charm. in fact, yui proved such an effective substitute that rumours abounded of her being a secret daughter of phumpuang.. though not many believe that nowadays. her sound is typical of the 90's guitar & keyboard workstation-driven pop luk thung.. some very catchy tunes!

preview:

phraiwan lukphet: kham tuean khong phi

singer: ไพรวัลย์ ลูกเพชร (phraiwan lukphet)
album: คำเตือนของพี่ (kham tuean khong phi)
tracklist:
01. คำเตือนของพี่ (kham tuean khong phi)
02. วิวาห์สะอื้น (wiwa sauen)
03. น้อง (nong)
04. เสียงจากไพรวัลย์ (siang chak phraiwan)
05. เปลี่ยวทรวง (plieow suang)
06. เห็นใจน้องแล้ว (hen chai nong laeo)
07. แม่ผักบุ้งบ้านดอน (mae phak bung ban don)
08. แม่สาวน้อย (mae sao noi)
09. คำประนาม (kham pranam)
10. ดาวจำลอง (dao cham long)
11. แม่ชานอ้อย (mae chan oi)
12. แผ่นดินแหลมทอง (phaen din laem thong)
13. ใต้เงาโศก (tai ngao sok)
14. เมีย (mia)
15. ผัว (phua)
16. เขย (khoei)
17. เหลือทน (luea thon)
18. ลั่นทมสะอื้น (lan thom sauen)
19. สระบุรีที่รัก (saraburi thi rak)

today we hear from one of the most beautiful voices in luk thung... that of the esteemed phraiwan lukphet! born in phetchaburi province, phraiwan was sent by his parents at an early age to join a local ลิเก (like) theatre troupe. however, it was the world of popular music which called to him, and 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 the early hits collected on this cassette. in time 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 here. enjoy the bittersweet nostalgia with phraiwan lukphet!

preview:

rock khong khoy: sieow woi

band: ร็อคคงคย (rock khong khoy)
album: เสียวโว้ย (sieow woi)
tracklist:
01. เจิ๊ตเอ๋ยเจิ๊ต (choet oei choet)
02. เสียวโว้ย (sieow woi)
03. ร็อกคงคย (rock khong khoy)
04. ตอบร็อกคงคย (top rock khong khoy)
05. ไอ้หนุ่มก่อสร้าง (ai num ko sang)
06. ทานอเนียงนอ (tha no niang no)
07. เขมรอกหัก (khmer ok hak)
08. กลองยาวคงคย (klong yao khong khoy)
09. วอนวัยรุ่น (won wairun)
10. รักมีพิษ (rak mi phit)
11. เขมรพลิกคลวน (khmer phlik khluan)
12. ลำซิ่ง พอกันที (lam sing pho kan thi)

this week something quite different.. kantruem rock from isaan! kantruem (กันตรึม) is the music of the khmer people in the southern edge of thailand's northeast, on the border with cambodia. much like contemporary molam, modern kantruem is characterized by elements of the minority's folksong superimposed upon local thai pop song structure. rock khong khoy from surin were one of the first hit bands of the genre, and i believe still perform, albeit with a rotating roster.. i'm not sure whether this was their debut, but i know it features their original line-up, some of whom have since died. the sound is very rough, synth-violin over drum machine, with rhythmic vocals sung in khmer surin dialect. enjoy!