carabao: ameri-koi

artist: คาราบาว (carabao)
album: อเมริโกย (ameri-koi)
tracklist:
01. อเมริโกย (ameri-koi)
02. มะโหนก (ถึกควายทุย ภาค 6) (manok (thuek khwai thui, pt. 6))
03. คนจนผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ (khon chon phu ying yai)
04. มาลัย (malai)
05. ข่าวดี (khao di)
06. ตางขโมย (tang khamoi)
07. ซาอุดรฯ (sa-udon)
08. หำเฮี้ยน (ham hian)
09. เฒ่าทะเล (tao thale)
10. แผ่นดิน (phaendin)

sorry for the long absence: i was off for a few weeks touring the west coast of the u.s. (and texas) with my friends in the khun narin sin phin prayuk band. now that we're back, let's start out with a favorite from our time on the road: the biggest thai rock band of all time, carabao! known for the political nature of their songwriting, they have shifted from being socialist upstarts to nationalist reactionaries over the years, but have typically left great music in their wake. today's cassette dates from 1985, following-up on their breakthrough commercial smash from the prior year, "made in thailand", as well as their involvement in the ill-fated "retired officer rebellion". it was also the first to be recorded in their own center stage studio, and marked an expansion of synthesized sounds and production for the group. enjoy!

khana duriyapranit: phleng sip song phasa

artist: คณะ ดุริยประณีต (khana duriyapranit)
album: เพลงสิบสองภาษา (phleng sip song phasa)
tracklist:
01. เทพนิมิตร (thep nimit)
02. ออกเพลงเร็ว (ok phleng raeo)
03. กราวนอก แขกเงาะ จีน (krao nok, khaek ngo, chin)
04. เขมร (khamen)
05. กราวตลุง (krao talung)
06. ลาว (lao)
07. แขก (khaek)
08. มอญ (mon)
09. พม่า (phama)
10. ญวน (yuan)
11. ฝรั่ง (farang)
12. บรเทศ (borathet)

this week, an amazing recording of the thai classical "12 language"-suite! played in the boisterous hard-malleted piphat style, this performance features a range of tunes in different 'accents' (that is, melodies of a foreign origin), not 'languages', per se.. and also not necessarily 'twelve' (a number chosen for auspicious reasons.. this particular recording appears to claim thai, khmer, lao, malay, mon, burmese, vietnamese, and english), and is strongly, but not exclusively, associated with funerary traditions. in the past, performances would occasionally include comic actors miming out ethnic stereotypes associated with said cultures, though this is becoming less common (for obvious reasons). our performers are the illustrious duriyapranit ensemble of ban bang lamphu, led by sutchit duriyapranit [pictured], with vocalists chaeng khlaisithong and somchai thapphon contributing. enjoy!

sri krung brass

artist: ศรีกรุง บราส (sri krung brass)
album: ศรีกรุง บราส (sri krung brass)
tracklist:
01. สร้องแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
02. กระแต (kratae)
03. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
04. แขกต่อยหมอ (khaek toi mo)
05. แขกมอญ (khaek mon)
06. ไทรโยค (sai yok)
07. เขมรโพธิสัตย์ (khmer phothisat)
08. คลื่นกระทบฝั่ง (khluen krathop fang)
09. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
10. ก่อนสิ้นแสงตะวัน (kon sin saeng tawan)
11. มาลี นารี (mali nari)
12. นางในฝัน (nang nai fan)
13. ใจ (chai)
14. หยาดน้ำฝนหยดน้ำตา (yat nam fon yot nam ta)
15. โอ้ยอดหญิง (oi yot ying)
16. ค่ำแล้ว (kham laeo)
17. ใจบอบช้ำ (chai bop cham)
18. รอความหวัง (ro khwam wang)
19. ร่ายมนต์รัก (rai mon rak)
20. จำวันจาก (cham wan chak)
21. ความรักของฉัน (khwam rak khong chan)

this week, more great thai-international bachelor pad music from the sri krung brass! from what i can piece together about their history, the group was established by narot thawonbut circa 1935 as the house band for sri krung sound film studio, to provide incidental music for the films the studio produced. their membership, including bandleaders, would vary greatly over the years, from narot on to government public relations department band (later suntharaphon) veteran saman kanchanaphalin, and again to korean ex-patriot kangwan chonlakun (a.k.a. mr. charlie kang, born kang chulkoo), who handles the arrangements here. this collection features two of their original long-players combined onto one cassette: the first highlighting thai classical tunes in a "novel style" (where they were co-billed as/with eddy's trumpets team?) and a second revisiting more contemporary luk krung hits, both filtered through a range of cosmopolitan latin and soul influences.. enjoy!

[i must warn you, also, the compilers of this collection have gotten over-ambitious again, and the second side tails out before the final track is finished]

 

fame: khon mai khoei

artist: fame (เฟม)
album: คนไม่เคย (khon mai khoei)
tracklist:
01. คนไม่เคย (khon mai khoei)
02. รู้ทั้งรู้ (ru thang ru)
03. ไม่รักกันจริง (mai rak kan ching)
04. ฟังฉันก่อน (fang chan kon)
05. ไม่เคยพอดี (mai khoei pho di)
06. ชีวิตเราของเรา (chiwit rao khong rao)
07. จบลงที่เดิม (chop long thi doem)
08. ลืมๆ กันไป (luem luem kan pai)
09. คนละอย่าง (khon la yang)
10. ทนเรื่อยไป (thon rueai pai)

this week, late-'80s soft rock from fame! the lads of fame started out in 1987 as a bar band under the name pok shirt. after meeting guitar-ballad maestro itthi phalangkun on a video shoot, they got the invite to join r.s. promotion. with songwriting duties handled by a roster of r.s. hands, itthi produced this, their first album, at jam studio in 1989. their line-up at the time included kraison chamnanwet (pi) on guitar and vocals, nainat chanindet (nat) on keyboards and vocals, thana aksonphan (om) on lead guitar, anuson makaeo (tam) on bass, sorawait buasi (ton) on keyboards, and pinyo charoensathitphong (nueng) on drums. enjoy!

phloen phromdaen: phloen disco chao kao

artist: เพลิน พรหมแดน (phloen phromdaen)
album: เพลิน ดิสโก้ เจ้าเก่า (phloen disco chao kao)
tracklist:
01. กลัวตาย (klua tai)
02. ข่าวสดๆ (khao sot sot)
03. วอนพระอินทร์ (won phra in)
04. ตามใจเอ็งอย่าขัดใจข้า (tam chai eng ya khat chai kha)
05. กำนันผันเงิน (kam nan phan ngoen)
06. กลับบ้าน (klap ban)
07. เมียไม่เอาถ่าน (mia mai ao than)
08. อาตี๋สักมังกร (a ti sak mangkon)
09. อาจารย์ใบ้หวย (achan bai huai)
10. เบียร์คอแมว (beer kho maeo)
11. สร้างมนุษย์ (sang manut)
12. ยิงทิ้ง (ying thing)
13. ใจดำเหมือนกาละแม (chai dam muean kalamae)
14. ฟุตบอลดารา (football dara)
15. คึกลิดคิดลึก (khueklit khit luek)
16. สมัครด่วน (samak duan)
17. ชัยภูมิบ้านพี่ (chaiyaphum ban phi)
18. ลุงพุดหนังเหนียว (lung phut nang niao)
19. ห่วงเมีย (huang mia)
20. ศุกร์เมาเสาร์นอน (suk mao sao non)
21. คนขี้ลืม (khon khi luem)
22. ตาแป๊ะฝัน (ta pae fan)
23. นายรวยผู้พลิกแผ่นดิน (nai ruai phu phlik phaendin)
24. ศึกไอ้แสบ (suek ai saep)
25. หมอแผนใหม่ (mo phaen mai)
26. รักกระโหลกแตก (rak kalok taek)
27. คนโคราช (khon khorat)
28. ศิษย์หนุ่มกับครูสาว (sit num kap khru sao)

earlier this month, we lost another true legend of luk thung music: the incomparable phloen phromdaen. phloen grew up in aranyaprathet on the cambodian border, where he worked on his parents' farm. at age 20, a radio contest win landed him a spot in a local ramwong band. following that stint, he headed for bangkok to join the burgeoning luk thung scene, using his own savings to record original songs. eventually these sessions produced his massive hit "chom thung", which won him a spot among the biggest stars of the era, and even starring roles in several films. he was hugely influential in the luk thung world, being among the first to integrate heavier funk-rock sounds into the genre, introducing "talking music" (songs with comedic spoken interludes), and starting the trend of huge, feathery dance troupes through his wife sakuntala phromsawang's famous cabaret-inspired costumes. this cassette compiles a pair of albums that he recorded for s.o. records, presumably in the late '70s or early '80s. they present his funk hits of the prior decade, rearranged into 4 non-stop disco-style medleys (think: shalamar or stars on 45). he's backed by prayong chuenyen and his group, with arrangements by songkhro samatthaphaphong. enjoy! 

lung naep: 21 kham lung naep talui lok

artist: ลุงแนบ (lung naep)
album: 21 ค่ำ ลุงแนบตะลุยโลก (21 kham lung naep talui lok)
tracklist:
01. 21 ค่ำ ลุงแนบตะลุยโลก ตอน 1 (21 kham lung naep talui lok, pt. 1)
02. 21 ค่ำ ลุงแนบตะลุยโลก ตอน 2 (21 kham lung naep talui lok, pt. 2)

this week, classic isan comedy from lung naep and friends! a founding member of nopphadon duangphon's legendary phet phin thong troupe, lung naep (narong kotsaphon) was not only lead joke-man but also a prolific songwriter behind the scenes, penning many of the hit tunes associated with the band. he was a musician as well, one of the first to introduce the phin into luk thung music via his recordings with samai onwong's band, and apparently was the very person who gave the name "phin" to the instrument formerly known locally as "sung"¹. on this 1989 tape he's joined by an all-star roster of guests, including molam khen dalao, bunpheng faiphiochai, sunthon khangphae, p. suatluat, and saengduean prakaikham, alongside luk thung stars onuma singsiri, atsawin sithong, saksiam phetchomphu, and chinnakon krailat (who also handled the recording at his mangkon thong studio in bangkok). num phuthai (and lung naep himself) take up phin duties, while thongchan sonchai handles the khaen. enjoy!

ruam phleng thai t.v. chut khwan khong riam

artist: various
album: รวมเพลงไทยทีวี ชุด ขวัญของเรียม (ruam phleng thai t.v. chut khwan khong riam)
tracklist:
01. ขวัญของเรียม (khwan khong riam)
sung by นันทวัน เมฆใหญ่ (nanthawan mekyai)
02. สั่งเรียม (sang riam)
sung by กำธร สุวรรณปิยะศิริ + นันทวัน เมฆใหญ่ (kamthon suwanpiyasiri & nanthawan makyai)
03. เคียงเรียม (khiang riam)
sung by กำธร สุวรรณปิยะศิริ (kamthon suwanpiyasiri)
04. ใจสนองใจ (chai sanong chai)
sung by จินตนา สุขสถิตย์ (chintana suksathit)
05. กุหลาบในมือเธอ (kulap nai mue thoe)
sung by ชรินทร์ นันทนาคร (charin nanthanakhon)
06. กุหลาบร่วง (kulap ruang)
sung by นงลักษณ์ โรจนพรรณ (nonglak rotchanaphan)
07. ศรอนงค์ (soranong)
sung by กำธร สุวรรณปิยะศิริ + อารีย์ นักดนตรี (kamthon suwanpiyasiri & ari nakdontri)
08. ขุนพลแก้ว (khunphon kaeo)
sung by มนัส รามโยธิน + หมู่ (manat ramyothin & chorus)
09. มาแก้ว (makaeo)
sung by มนัส รามโยธิน + หมู่ (manat ramyothin & chorus)
10. นางแก้ว (nang kaeo)
sung by หมู่ (chorus)
11. รุ้งสวรรค์ (rung sawan)
sung by นงลักษณ์ โรจนพรรณ (nonglak rotchanaphan)
12. กระแจะจันทร์ (krachae chan)
sung by ฉลอง สิมะเสถียร + อารีย์ นักดนตรี (chalong simasathian & ari nakdontri)
13. แว่วเสียงจำปูน (waeo siang champun)
sung by ฉลอง สิมะเสถียร + สวลี ผกาพันธุ์ (chalong simasathian & sawali phakaphan)
14. รุ่งฤทัย (rung ruethai)
sung by เพ็ญศรี พุ่มชูศรี (phensi phumchusi)
15. หนึ่งในร้อย (nueng nai roi)
sung by สวลี ผกาพันธุ์ (sawali phakaphan)
16. ทานตะวัน (thantawan)
sung by นงลักษณ์ โรจนพรรณ (nonglak rotchanaphan)
17. วิมานรัก (wiman rak)
sung by ฉลอง สิมะเสถียร + นงลักษณ์ โรจนพรรณ (chalong simasathian & nonglak rotchanaphan)
18. จันทร์ลอยฟ้า (chan loi fa)
sung by ฉลอง สิมะเสถียร (chalong simasathian)
19. บ้านทรายทอง (ban sai thong)
sung by สวลี ผกาพันธุ์ (sawali phakaphan)
20. รำพึง (ramphueng)
sung by นันทวัน เมฆใหญ่ (nanthawan mekyai)

this week, nostalgic old tunes from the thai small screen! our selections on this rather functionally-adorned cassette from sermvit stationary & record are compiled from the first decade or so of television in thailand, all broadcast on thai t.v. channel 4 out of bangkhumphrom palace in the early '60s. many of the singers featured here were also the lead actors of the televised lakhon (dramas) whose soundtracks they performed, including "ban sai thong", "phlae kao", "soranong", and more. they were backed, i believe, by the government public relations department band, for that classic luk krung sound.. enjoy!

rungfa kulachai: ok hak ton kae

artist: รุ่งฟ้า กุลาชัย (rungfa kulachai)
album: อกหักตอนแก่ (ok hak ton kae)
tracklist:
01. อกหักตอนแก่ (ok hak ton kae)
02. เมาหนักเพราะรักสาวดา (mao nak phro rak sao da)
03. ดื่มเพื่อลืมเธอ (duem phuea luem thoe)
04. น้องไปเพราะอ้ายจน (nong pai phro ai chon)
05. ลูกเขยออกแสง (luk khoei ok saeng)
06. รักอ้ายลองเบิ่ง (rak ai long boeng)
07. มอบใจให้นาง (mop chai hai nang)
08. รักสาวใต้ (rak sao tai)
09. ผู้หวังดี (phu wang di)
10. ซิ่งสลับสอย (sing salap soi)
11. ลำซิ่งลำสอย (lam sing lam soi)
12. แท็กซี่คนใหม่ (taxi khon mai)

this week, some fantastic molam pop from rungfa kulachai! a native of yasothon, rungfa made his way to bangkok to study at the poh-chang academy of arts, where he helped establish the school's first isan club. his success leading the club's molam group eventually landed him a recording contract, with his earliest works (under the name "rung dao-isan") helmed by producers don chedi (sawat si-udon) and phayung chamchong, backed by samai onwong & his group, and alongside fellow molam banyen rakkaen, pritsana wongsiri, and suprani sisuphat^[1]. he would later go on to be famous for embodying the role of khun phaen from thai literature on stage, with sword and full regalia, earning him the somewhat tongue-twisting title, "khun phon lam phaen, khun phaen lam phloen" (lord of lam phaen, khun phaen of lam phloen). this cassette comes after his earliest era but before his popular heyday, on prasit sukchai's short-lived label p.s. sound.. not too sure about the year or the backing band here, unfortunately. enjoy! 

bai mai hin: alternative

artist: ใบไม้หิน (bai mai hin)
album: alternative
tracklist:
01. ณ ราชดำเนิน (na ratchadamnoen)
02. เหงา (ngao)
03. หงิกส์! (ngik!)
04. มนุษย์ (manut)
05. เพื่อนใหม่ (phuean mai)
06. ใบไม้หิน (bai mai hin)
07. ลูกตำรวจ (luk tamruat)
08. สายน้ำ (sai nam)
09. ตำนานร็อคสองฝั่งโข่ง (tamnan rock song fang khong)
10. มือกลอง (mue klong)

this week, protest rock from the bai mai hin band! recorded for mjax entertainment in 1995, the album centers around a retrospective on the events of 1992's "black may", lamenting the brutal crackdown on anti-military protesters and bemoaning the lack of progress since. not a great deal has been written about this group, but the liner notes give us a good start: the lead songwriter and producer was somphot singsuwan, by that point already an old hand, though known best for his contributions to the luk krung genre, rather than phuea chiwit. the performers, overseen by musical director patiphon hemworanan, included chirawat, withaya and wibun of the panphum family (relatives of alt-rock star maeo chirasak panphum), as well as naruephon phanthong (son of luk thung legend chai mueangsing) and anat phutthamat (who has been featured here before as a luk krung singer). none of these individuals, to my knowledge, had a career in the songs for life genre after this, making it something of an interesting footnote to the movement.. enjoy!

ot & o: rak... wan wan

artist: อ๊อด รณชัย ถมยาปริวัฒน์ + โอ อัจฉรพรรณี หาญณรงค์ (ot ronnachai thomyapariwat & o atcharaphanni hannarong)
album: รัก...หวาน หวาน (rak... wan wan)
tracklist:
01. วนาสวาท (wana sawat)
02. ปาริชาด (parichat)
03. ขวัญ-เรียม (khwan-riam)
04. ธารน้ำรัก (than nam rak)
05. น้ำใจรัก (nam chai rak)
06. เรือรัก (ruea rak)
07. สัญญา (sanya)
08. สองใจเรา (song chai rao)
09. เพื่อน (phuean)
10. ขวัญ-เรียม [บรรเลง] (khwan-riam [instrumental])
 
this week, some sweet bangkok oldies with ot & o! ronnachai thomyapariwat (ot) was the front-man of khiribun, a star band of the early r.s. sound roster. atcharaphanni hannarong (o), was a label-mate of ot's at r.s., one third of the vocal trio puifai. in 1987, the two came together to try their hand at some luk krung classics on an album called "phlae kao". this cassette from the following year is a second helping of the same: retro city-music selections re-scored by impossibles' alum prachin songphao & co. with lush orchestration and synth backing. enjoy!