Sunday, December 16, 2018

chai mueangsing: chum chim



artist: ชาย เมืองสิงห์ (chai mueangsing)
album: จุ๋มจิ๋ม (chum chim)
tracklist:
01. จุ๋มจิ๋ม (chum chim)
02. สถานีรวมรัก (sathani ruam rak)
03. แฟชั่นมีชู้ (fashion mi chu)
04. ก้างขวางคอ (kang khwang kho)
with เรไร ณ โคราช (rerai na khorat)
05. คนรักเมีย (khon rak mia)
06. หน้าชื่นตาบาน (na chuen ta ban)
07. สุดแสนเสียดาย (sut saen sia dai)
08. แม่นกประหลอดท้องลาย (mae nok pralot thong lai)
09. ผีเข้าผีออก (phi khao phi ok)
10. เมรี (meri)
11. เมียพี่มีชู้ [ดนตรี] (mia phi mi chu [instrumental])

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

this week, another set of classics from the "man city lion", mr. chai mueangsing! chai grew up in singburi province, although he left for bangkok at a young age. in the city, he studied at a school of agriculture while he could afford it, but eventually dropped out to sing with local ramwong groups and work as a sign painter and market seller in talat phlu. in the early 1960s he fell in with mongkhon amatayakun's famous chularat band and made his first recordings. audiences loved chai's odd voice, commanding stage presence and his good looks.. he even styled himself "the alain delon of thailand"! following a public dispute (maybe staged, maybe genuine) with fellow chularat member phon phirom, chai left the band to front a number of his own combos, playing mostly disco and lounge music under the name "man city lion" (the literal english translation of his stage name). eventually he left music altogether, heading home to become a farmer. in the late 80's, however, he returned to the stage to lead a luk thung revival, and today is recognized as a national artist of thailand. today's idiosyncratic compilation from the bangkok cassette co., ltd. (currently existing as maemaiplengthai), provides a snapshot from several stages of his career, from his early latin-tinged folk-pop, to driving rock'n'roll, to full-fledged disco.. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, November 26, 2018

namphueng phet-uthai & her group: tham khwan nak, pt. 2



artist: น้ำผึ้ง เพชรอุทัย - ละเอียด ลูกอุทัย - สุวรรณ แก้วน้ำ (namphueng phet-uthai, la-iat luk-uthai & suwan kaeonam)
album: ทำขวัญนาค 2 (tham khwan nak 2)
tracklist:
01. สอนนาค (son nak)
02. พระสุริยง (phra suriyong)
03. อวยพรนาค (uai phon nak)
04. บายศรี (bai si)
05. เชิญขวัญนาค (choen khwan nak)
06. บายศรีเวียนเทียน (bai si wian thian)
07. ชูชกสองกุมาร (chuchok song kuman)
08. ฉ่อยเรื่องชูชก (choi rueang chu chok)
09. มัทรีกลับจากป่า (matri klap chak pa)
10. มัทรีตัดพ้อ (matri tat pho)
11. พาชูชกชมนก (pha chuchok chom nok)
12. อวยพรลา (uai phon la)

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

this week, we have part 2 of namphueng phet-uthai and her group's excellent ceremonial sounds! as namphueng's stage-surname suggests, our artists are based out of uthai thani province in thailand's central plain and specialize in music for any number of events where sacred sounds are required (at the time of writing, you can still book them to perform at your own event!). we've heard from these folks once before here, way back in 2010, when they provided a soundtrack to the thot kathin & thot phapa merit-making festivals. today, we join them at a tham khwan nak, or ordination ceremony for a novice monk. the group includes fellow singers la-iat luk-uthai and suwan kaeonam, performing poetry by sangwian miluenam. while the first side finds them backed by the "78 sound" piphat ensemble as in part 1, the second side finds accompaniment paired down to a more drum-and-fiddle-based group. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, November 19, 2018

namphueng phet-uthai & her group: tham khwan nak, pt. 1



artist(s): น้ำผึ้ง เพชรอุทัย - ละเอียด ลูกอุทัย - สุวรรณ แก้วน้ำ (namphueng phet-uthai, la-iat luk-uthai & suwan kaeonam)
album: ทำขวัญนาค 1 (tham khwan nak 1)
tracklist:
01. ปาริตะวา (paritawa)
02. เชิญเทพยุดา (choen thepphayuda)
03. เคารพพระคุณ (khaorop phra khun)
04. กำเนิดนาค (kamnoet nak)
05. โศรกสะเดาโยง (เจ็บท้องคลอด) (sok sadao yong (chep thong khlot))
06. หมอตำแยทำคลอด (mo tamyae tham khlot)
07. กล่อมนาค (klom nak)
08. พระคุณ พ่อ แม่ (phra khun pho mae)

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

this week, we have some excellent ceremonial sounds from namphueng phet-uthai and her group! as namphueng's stage-surname suggests, our artists are based out of uthai thani province in thailand's central plain and specialize in music for any number of events where sacred sounds are required (at the time of writing, you can still book them to perform at your own event!). we've heard from these folks once before here, way back in 2010, when they provided a soundtrack to the thot kathin and thot phapa merit-making festivals. today, we join them at a tham khwan nak, or ordination ceremony for a novice monk. her prayuk group includes fellow singers la-iat luk-uthai and suwan kaeonam, backed by the piphat ensemble "78 sound", performing poetry by sangwian miluenam. unlike many tapes, where i've stumbled across a random numbered volume on its lonesome, cliff managed to secure both parts of this set, so next week we'll hear the second half.. enjoy, and stay tuned!

preview:

Thursday, November 1, 2018

songkhla college of dramatic arts: ram manora



artist: วิทยาลัยนาฏศิลป์ สงขลา (songkhla college of dramatic arts)
album: รำมโนราห์ บรรเลงดนตรีพื้นเมืองใต้ 1 (ram manora: banleng dontri phuen mueang tai, vol. 1)
tracklist:
01. รำมโนราห์ (ram manora)
02. รำมโนราห์ (ram manora - vocal)
03. รำตารีตีปัด (ram taritipat)
04. ระบำเดินพราน (rabam doen phran)
05. ระบำประมง (rabam pramong)
06. ระบำผ้าเต๊ะ (rabam pha te)
07. ระบำบ้องต้น (rabam bong ton)
08. ระบำชักพระ (rabam chak phra)
09. ระบำรองเง็ง (rabam rongngeng)

this week, some brilliant southern folk sounds from songkhla! the musicians of the songkhla college of dramatic arts (which seems now to be defunct.. does anyone know the story?) bring us music from the dramatic dance genre of manora (or nora for short), performances of the jataka tales of manohara. the centrepiece of these acts is the elaborately costumed and often remarkably flexible dancers playing the role of kinnari (half-bird/half-human mythological creatures) [see j-card above]. the instrumental accompaniment is provided by thap (paired drums) plus one deeper drum, pi nai (oboe), nong (paired gongs), and assorted clappers, finger-cymbals, etc. occasionally joined by a vocalist. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, October 8, 2018

thanin intharathep: phon wan koet



artist: ธานินทร์ อินทรเทพ (thanin intharathep)
album: พรวันเกิด (phon wan koet)
tracklist:
01. พรวันเกิด (phon wan koet)
02. เพ็ญโสภา (phen sopha)
03. ผมไปไม่พ้น (phom pai mai phon)
04. รักใต้ร่มไทร (rak tai rom sai)
with ลินจง บุญนากรินทร์ (linchong bunnakkarin)
05. ไร้คู่ (rai khu)
06. แจกันรัก (chae kan rak)
07. คนหนังสือพิมพ์ (khon nangsue phim)
08. นกขมิ้น 1 (nok khamin 1)
09. นกขมิ้น 2 (nok khamin 2)
10. คืนคำรัก (khuen kham rak)

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog

this week, we've got some more smooth sounds from mr. thanin intharathep! thanin is from samut sakhon, just outside of bangkok, and started out as a champion of local singing contests. he was discovered by pop impresario payong mukda, who got him in with suthep wongkhamhaeng's "suthep show" troupe. often billed as "thailand's frank sinatra", thanin brought a young, attractive face to the romantic, jazz-tinged ballads of luk krung, and is still a favorite among older bangkokians. this somewhat idiosyncratic compilation features a sampling of hits from several eras of his career: saccharine dance hall love songs, smooth 70s numbers hinting at funk, and more straight-forward big band pop, firmly in the luk krung tradition. among an album of romance, a rather unexpected entry is track 7, extolling the virtues of those in the journalistic trade.. enjoy!

also, while i've never been one to go in for anniversaries, i just noticed while typing up this post that it marks a decade of monrakplengthai. i promise that the "happy birthday" chorus that leads off this cassette was unintentional..

preview:

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

nutchari siracha: khuen pai hua chai cham



artist: นุชจรี ศรีราชา (nutchari siracha)
album: ขึ้นป้ายหัวใจช้ำ (khuen pai hua chai cham)
tracklist:
01. ทองปลอม (thong plom)
02. หลอกหนูหรือเปล่า (lok nu rue plao)
03. มือถือไมค์หัวใจร้องไห้ (mue thue mike hua chai rong hai)
04. อีแหววสิ้นหวัง (iwaeo sin wang)
05. ไม่รักหรอก (mai rak rok)
06. เสียงจากนุชจรี (siang chak nutchari)
07. มันน่าไหมเนี๊ยะ (man na mai nia)
08. อุ๊ยตายแฟนใคร (ui tai faen khrai)
09. ชอบคนมีสี (chop khon mi si)
10. คิดฮอดอีสาน (khit hot isan)

nutchari was born to a poor family in chonburi on thailand's eastern seaboard and got her start singing early. by age 5 she was performing at village festivities, and at age 9 she appeared onstage at a local concert of phumphuang duangchan. eventually she was asked to join anothai promotions, home of yingyong yotbuangam, and made her first recorded appearance with an answer song to the star singer. after that company folded, she joined with m-star to record the cassette we're hearing today. during this period she had become a close disciple of thotsaphon himaphan, and the influence of his lae-luk thung style can be heard on several tracks, especially the single (track 4). after this album, she left m-star for thotsaphon's four 's, at which point she really started gaining momentum: she was famous for her hectic schedule, often playing 4 concerts in a day. sadly, her career was brought to a tragic end after a traffic accident on tour left her incapacitated, with her face and voice forever altered. today, however, she's fully recovered and has even begun performing again. enjoy!

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

phloen phromdaen: lung di khi mao



artist: เพลิน พรหมแดน (phloen phromdaen)
album: ลุงดีขี้เมา (lung di khi mao)
tracklist:
01. ลุงดีขี้เมา (lung di khi mao)
02. คนชอบเหล้า (khon chop lao)
03. สมาคมขี้เมา (samakhom khi mao)
04. เมืองนักปราชญ์ (mueang nak prat)
05. นานที่มีครั้ง (nan thi mi khrang)
06. ผู้ใหญ่พัฒนา (phu yai phatthana)
07. ลุงพัดหนังเหนียว (lung phat nang niao)
08. หนุ่มน้อยฝอยข่าว (num noi foi khao)
09. อยากดังฟังทางนี้ (yak dang fang thang ni)
10. คึกลิดคิดลึก (khueklit khit luek)

this week, 10 more solid-gold classics from mr. phloen phromdaen, the "king of talking music"! 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. it was at this point that phloen became interested in comedy and inventive ways to incorporate clever wordplay and skits into his tracks. the result was phleng phut or "talking music", which is exactly what it sounds like: phloen will stop the music in the middle of a song to engage in witty asides with his bandmates. thai-language comprehension, of course, will help in appreciating the skits and the clever lyrics in general, but luckily the music is great on its own, featuring some of the hardest-hitting funk sounds to be found in 1970s thailand.. enjoy!

preview:

Thursday, August 16, 2018

wara worawet: phleng banleng khrueangsai phasom, vol. 7



artist: วราห์ วรเวช / วงเครื่องสายผสม คณะ วัชรบรรเลง (wara worawet & wong khrueang sai phasom khana watcharabanleng)
album: เพลงบรรเลงเครื่องสายผสม ชุดที่ 7 แสนคำนึง (phleng banleng khrueang sai phasom, vol. 7: saen kham nueng)
tracklist:
01. แสนคำนึง (saen kham nueng)
02. ครวญหา (khruan ha)
03. แสนสุดสวาท (saen sut sawat)
04. สุดสงวน (sut sanguan)
05. สารถี (sarathi)
06. สาวสอดแหวน (sao sot waen)

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

this week, we'll hear our second entry from wara worawet! a physician by profession (graduating from the university of pennsylvania in 1961) mr. wara was also a prolific songwriter (having a number of luk krung & thai sakon-style hits to his name) as well as a leader of the musical association of thailand under patronage of his majesty the king. on this cassette, he tries his hand at the prayuk movement, a trend of "modernizing" thai classical music to appeal to an increasingly cosmopolitan local audience. in particular, this recording features a khrueang sai phasom or "combined string" ensemble, conducted by suwit bowonwatthana, and based on the traditional thai string ensemble (which typical featured so u and so duang fiddles, chakhe plucked zithers, khlui flute and percussion). to my ear, the phasom aspect regards the addition of accordion, chinese-style dulcimer, and perhaps some other elements that a more astute listener than i could divine? the repertoire features work from a number of prominent thai composers including luang pradit phairo (son sinlapabanleng), luang sano duriyang (thongdi thongphirun), luang sano duriyang (thongdi thongphirun), montri tramot, and phra pradit phairo (mi duriyangkun), several of which are based on more ancient melodies and which in turn feature further arrangement by mr. wara.. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, August 6, 2018

grand ex': duang duean



artist: แกรนด์เอ็กซ์ (grand ex')
album: ดวงเดือน (duang duean)
tracklist:
01. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
02. เหมือนไม่เคย (muean mai khoei)
03. ถ้าฉันจะรัก (tha chan cha rak)
04. ดวงใจในฝัน (duang chai nai fan)
05. เท่านี้ก็ตรม (thao ni ko trom)
06. จำพราก (cham phrak)
07. ร.รอรัก (r. ro rak)
08. ธรณีสายเลือด (thorani sai lueat)
09. ทำบุญด้วยอะไร (tham bun duai arai)
10. กาลเวลา (kan wela)
11. พรุ่งนี้ (phrung ni)
12. เนื้อทองของพี่ (nuea thong khong phi)
13. ลาวดวงเดือน [ดนตรี] (lao duang duean [instrumental])

this cassette was a generous gift from our pal sam of the (now sadly defunct) archive of southeast asian music!

this week, more great 1980's thai city-pop! founded in 1970 by nakhon wetsuphaphon and friends at bangkok's bophit phimuk college, grand ex' (like last week's royal sprites) got their start playing at nightclubs and string combo competitions around the capitol. the group carved out a niche for themselves by eschewing the hard rock image popular with other local groups, preferring a straight-laced look complete with dress shirts and neckties. they went through a range of personnel changes before settling on a line-up with chamrat sawetaphon (who would later found the ubiquitous new-age label green music) on lead vocals and starting their recording career. this cassette contains their 14th album, from 1984, wherein the group build slick, jazzy, electronic disco-crossover songs out of older classical and luk krung melodies. enjoy!

preview:

Sunday, July 29, 2018

royal sprites: rueang chip choi



artist: รอยัลสไปรท์ส (royal sprites)
album: เรื่องจิ๊บจ๊อย (rueang chip choi)
tracklist:
01. เรื่องจิ๊บจ๊อย (rueang chip choi)
02. กินรีเล่นน้ำ (kinari len nam)
03. กิ่งฟ้า (king fa)
04. เจอะคุณเข้าอีกแล้ว (choe khun khao ik laeo)
05. มนต์รักบ้านนา (mon rak ban na)
06. ธาราระทม (thara rathom)
07. เพ้อ (phoe)
08. ลมจ๋า (lom cha)
09. สั่งฟ้าฝากดิน (sang fa fak din)
10. จับปลาสองมือ (chap pla song mue)

this cassette was a generous gift from our pal sam of the (now sadly defunct) archive of southeast asian music!

this week, some classic thai funk! originally styled the royal academy of magic sprites, today's group was founded in 1969 by lead guitar amnat sima and singer adisak prakhunhangsit while they were studying at the poh-chang academy of arts. they played at nightclubs and string combo competitions around bangkok, in friendly rivalry with fellow pop/rock groups like the impossibles. toward the end of the 70s, adisak left the group and sunthon sutcharitchan came on as lead vocalist, whereupon they took on a more funk/disco bent and also began their recording career in earnest. they released a string of successful albums up until 1987, when they disbanded. the cassette featured today was their first for the azona label, released in 1982. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, July 16, 2018

chinthara phunlap: molam sa-on, vol. 3



artist: จินตหรา พูนลาภ (chinthara phunlap)
album: หมอลำสะออน ชุด 3 น้ำตาหล่นบนเถียงนา (molam sa-on, vol. 3: nam ta lon bon thiang na)
tracklist:
01. น้ำตาหล่นบนเถียงนา (nam ta lon bon thiang na)
02. เหงาใจในต่างแดน (ngao chai nai tang daen)
03. นกตูมร้องน้องสะอื้น (nok tum rong nong sa-uen)
04. รักร้าวที่บึงพลาญ (rak rao thi bueng phalan)
05. เดือนหงายอ้ายสัญญา (duean ngai ai sanya)
06. นั่งซึมใต้ต้นมะยม (nang suem tai ton mayom)
07. หมอชิตสองน้องคอย (mochit song nong khoi)
08. อ้อนอ้ายขายนา (on ai khai na)
09. ซังผู้ชายหลายเมีย (sang phu chai lai mia)
10. ไร่ข้าวโพดโกรธพี่ (rai khao phot krot phi)
11. ปอสี่พี่ไม่มอง (po si phi mai mong)
12. คนสามใจไก่สามขา (khon sam chai kai sam kha)

back in may, we had a great compilation from the first decade of luk thung/molam star chinthara phunlap's career.. this week, we'll hear an entry from a half-decade later! for a quick refresher: chintara came from a farming family in roi-et province and worked her way up through singing contests and radio appearances in khon kaen, before signing to gmm grammy and quickly becoming a best-seller. her high tone and ornamented style of singing have earned her the nickname "the girl with the voice of a phin", and her short haircut and energetic presence made her an icon of her generation. this cassette is the third in her "molam sa-on (pleasing molam)" series, released on her own mastertape label in the year 2000, featuring songwriting from dao bandon and music from sawat sarakham. enjoy!


Friday, July 6, 2018

winai phanthurak: kham laeo nai ruedu nao



artist: วินัย พันธุรักษ์ (winai phanthurak)
album: ค่ำแล้วในฤดูหนาว (kham laeo nai ruedu nao)
tracklist:
01. ค่ำแล้วในฤดูหนาว (kham laeo nai ruedu nao)
02. เสียงกระซิบสั่ง (siang krasip sang)
03. แหวนประดับก้อย (waen pradap koi)
04. ยิ่งคิดยิ่งช้ำ (ying khit ying cham)
05. เสียงเพลงทิพย์ (siang phleng thip)
06. ผีเสื้อกับดอกไม้ (phi suea kap dok mai)
07. ใจเป็นห่วง (chai pen huang)
08. คำปฏิญาณ (kham patiyan)
09. บางปู (สะพานสุขตา) (bang pu (saphan suk ta))
10. พรานเบ็ด (phran bet)

this week, a solo outing from the famed winai phanthurak! a saraburi native, winai got his start as a vocalist in one of phayong mukda's youth chorus projects before moving up to be an instrumental contributor to p.m. pocket music, phayong's shadow prayuk or "modernized" thai music ensemble. from there, he teamed up with settha sirachaya to form the impossibles, thailand's pre-eminent smooth 70's vocal/funk group. after they split up in 1977, winai joined rewat phutthinan (future head of gmm grammy) to form a band called the oriental funk. where, through all these comings-and-goings, did this particular album fall? i'm not exactly sure, but it bears the hallmarks of his erstwhile career, with a lightly funk-informed MOR sound dominating. interestingly, the selections all date from a generation or so previous, compositions of early luk krung songwriter and accordion star luan khwantham. on the musical side as well, the band keeps things interesting with some left-field moog-ish stabs. and speaking of left-field, the cassette also includes alternate (though clipped) beardless cover art of winai. as per your taste, i suppose.. enjoy!



preview:

Monday, June 11, 2018

thian chai, moradok ubon



artist(s): various
album: เทียนใจ มรดกอุบล (thian chai, moradok ubon)
tracklist:
01. เทียนใจ (thian chai)
sung by ยุวดี บุญทวี (yuwadi bunthawi)
02. มนต์รักแม่น้ำมูล (mon rak mae nam mun)
sung by เอกพล มนต์ตระการ (ekkaphon montrakan)
03. ตะวันขึ้นโขงเจียม (tawan khuen khong chiam)
sung by เอกพล มนต์ตระการ (ekkaphon montrakan)
04. มนต์รักแก่งสะพือ (mon rak kaeng saphue)
sung by แมน มณีวรรณ (maen maniwan)
05. อีสานลำเพลิน (isan lam phloen)
sung by บานเย็น รากแก่น (banyen rakkaen)
06. อดีตรักวันเข้าพรรษา (adit rak wan khao phansa)
sung by แมน มณีวรรณ (maen maniwan)
07. สาวอุบลรอรัก (sao ubon ro rak)
sung by บานเย็น รากแก่น (banyen rakkaen)
08. ด่วน บ.ข.ส. (duan b.k.s.)
sung by สลา คุณวุฒิ (sala khunnawut)
09. กระทงหลงทาง (krathong long thang)
sung by สลา คุณวุฒิ (sala khunnawut)
10. อีสานบ้านเฮา (isan ban hao)
sung by บานเย็น รากแก่น (banyen rakkaen)
11. เสียงพิณเสียงแคน (siang phin siang khaen)
sung by นพดล ดวงพร (nopphadon duangphon)
12. คิดถึงอุบล (khit thueng ubon)
sung by อ๋อน อิทธิเดช (on itthidet)

this week, a collection of classic ubon luk thung hits redone by a roster of the city's favorite sons & daughters, circa.. year 2000? the liner notes don't make it exactly clear, but the project seems affiliated with the ubon ratchathani rajabhat university in some way.. its president, asst. prof. somchai wongkasem is listed as the producer, and the architecture of the university's impressive cultural centre graces the front cover. a commemorative keepsake of some sort perhaps? regardless.. enjoy!

preview:

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

chatri sichon: samak rak, samak faen



artist: ชาตรี ศรีชล (chatri sichon)
album: สมัครรัก สมัครแฟน (samak rak, samak faen)
tracklist:
01. สมัครรัก สมัครแฟน (samak rak, samak faen)
02. ชำรักจากชลบุรี (cham rak chak chonburi)
03. รักหรือเปล่า (rak rue plao)
04. รอไม่ไหว (ro mai wai)
05. เมฆบังฟ้า (mek bang fa)
06. แฟนมีแฟนใหม่ (faen mi faen mai)
07. รักเก่าเขาลืม (rak kao khao luem)
08. ขวานทองของไทย (khwan thong khong thai)
09. น้ำตาพ่อตก (nam ta pho tok)
10. ชายสามโบสถ์ (chai sam bot)

this week, i'll be sharing another collection of golden-age luk thung from chatri sichon! (we've had one with an identical title before, albeit a different tracklist, so apologies to everyone trying to keep their discographies straight). chatri, from chonburi, got his start in samniang muangthong's ruam daokrachai band, but left to help suraphon sombatcharoen's wife sinuan rehabilitate their band after her husband's murder in 1968. in that role he was primarily a songwriter, but within a year chatri had founded his own band and cut his first records. this cassette features some those early tracks, propelled by wheezing accordions, hand-drums and chatri's own rough-cut vocals. the b-side features some harder-to-find songs of his, heavy on liké breakdowns and other folk-song flourishes. enjoy!!

preview:

Sunday, May 13, 2018

chintara phunlap: ruam hit 8 pi phleng rak chak chintara, vol. 1



artist: จินตหรา พูนลาภ (chintara phunlap)
album: รวมฮิต 8 ปี เพลงรักจาก จินตหรา ชุดที่ 1 (ruam hit 8 pi phleng rak chak chintara, vol. 1)
tracklist:
01. ถูกหลอกออกโรงเรียน (thuk lok ok rong rian)
02. วานเพื่อนเขียนจดหมาย (wan phuean khian chot mai)
03. พลังรัก (phalang rak)
04. คอยรักต่างแดน (khoi rak tang daen)
05. บัวไร้บึง (bua rai bueng)
06. เฮือนสามน้ำสี่ (huean sam nam si)
07. เสียงเศร้าจากสาวนา (siang sao chak sao na)
08. แรงงานข้าวเหนียว (raeng ngan khao niaow)
09. อดีตรักบุญบั้งไฟ (adit rak bun bang fai)
10. สาวอีสานพลัดถิ่น (sao isan phlat thin)
11. สาวติ๋มคอยรัก (sao tim khoi rak)
12. ฝากใจไว้กับเสียงลำ (fak chai wai kap siang lam)

this week, early singles from one of luk thung/molam's most enduring artists! chintara came from a farming family in roi-et province and worked her way up through singing contests and radio appearances in khon kaen, before signing to gmm grammy and quickly becoming a best-seller. her high tone and ornamented style of singing have earned her the nickname "the girl with the voice of a phin", and her short haircut and energetic presence made her an icon of her generation. this cassette marks her first 'greatest hits' package, released on her own mastertape label, collecting material from the first 8 years of her career (1987-1995): a fantastic mix of sentimental luk thung and assertive lam phloen. as of writing, chintara is still topping the charts with her blockbuster single 'tao ngoi'.. hope you'll enjoy hearing the roots of this evergreen star!

Sunday, April 29, 2018

klum yuwaphut wat sandonrom, changwat lamphun



artist: กลุ่มยุวพุทธวัดสันดอนรอม จังหวัดลำพูน (klum yuwaphut wat sandonrom, changwat lamphun)
album: ดนตรีเพื่อประเพณีของชาวลานนา (dontri phuea prapheni kong chao lanna)
tracklist:
01. จังหวะช้า (changwa cha)
02. จังหวะเร็ว (changwa reo)

this week's post marks the tenth in a series of cassettes gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

on our tenth tape from cliff, we've got 2 whole sides of non-stop northern thai percussion! our players today are from the young buddhist association of wat sandonrom in lamphun province, hailed on the cover as "champions of klong tueng nong in the northern provinces", klong tueng nong being the extremely long, deep drums (often 2 or 3 meters in length) which are accompanied by a team of cymbals and bossed gongs. the j-card also suggests proper settings for the music presented here, including sword dances, money-tree processions and firework displays. side one is slow, side two is fast.. enjoy!

preview:

https://mega.nz/#!oWhTxL6Z!7wlY-U6hroGRCKnmtbguvm0x3RR5cpl7uH9Sr-IDhrE

Monday, April 16, 2018

khana luk thung dao duang mai



artist: คณะ ลูกทุ่งดาวดวงใหม่ (khana luk thung dao duang mai)
album: ลำเพลินเรื่อง ลูกเขยขี้เหล้า พ่อเฒ่าบ้าเบอร์ (lam phloem rueang "luk khoei khi lao, pho tao ba 'ber")
tracklist:
01-08. ลูกเขยขี้เหล้า พ่อเฒ่าบ้าเบอร์ ตอน 1-8 (luk khoei khi lao, pho tao ba 'ber, pt. 1-8)

this week, a three-and-a-half-hour molam extravaganza! our recording today features the luk thung dao duang mai group in a performance from 1994, spinning the tale of ''the drunkard son-in-law & the venerable old gambler'', in an ubon-style lam, over a 4-cassette set from ratchabut stereo. the action unfolds as our troupe of molam enact their comical speak-singing routines between full-band lam phloen dance numbers, with prominent synthesizer displays. enjoy!

preview:

Friday, March 30, 2018

dao mayuri: chan khon ban nok



artist: ดาว มยุรี (dao mayuri)
album: ฉันคนบ้านนอก (chan khon ban nok)
tracklist:
01. เฝ้ารอเฝ้าฝัน (fao ro fao fan)
02. ฉันคนบ้านนอก (chan khon bak nok)
03. โรคประหลาด (ไข่ต้ม) (rok pralat - khai tom)
04. ดีแต่มาเอา (di tae ma ao)
05. เอาอีก (ao ik)
06. ฉันคนบ้านนอก (ดนตรี) (chan khon bak nok - instrumental)
07. จริงไม่กลัว กลัวไม่จริง (ching mai klua, klua mai ching)
08. กำลังรัก-กำลังใจ (kamlang rak, kamlang chai)
09. ไปมั๊ยเล่า (pai mai lao)
10. รักคนมีหนวด (rak khon mi nuat)
11. สองวันก็พอ (song wan ko pho)
12. เฝ้ารอเฝ้าฝัน (ดนตรี) (fao ro fao fan - instrumental)

this week, some peak millennial luk thung from miss dao mayuri! dao got her start in bangkok, the child of immigrant parents from amnat charoen province in isan. she began her singing career after graduating from the siam commerce technology college, originally performing molam-tinged luk thung isan under the name yuphayong yot-ubon. she soon changed her style and stage name, jumping between a few different labels before eventually ending up in the r siam camp, with whom she released this cassette in the year 2000. the songs feature a classic luk thung backdrop, inventively adorned with suntharaphon-esque violin, chinese zither, bollywood-style strings and effects-laden guitar leads. enjoy!

preview:

Sunday, March 18, 2018

sianglaem kaemmumang: atchariya molam #1



artist: เซียงแหลม แกมหมู่มั่ง (sianglaem kaemmumang)
album: อัจฉริยะหมอลำ # 1 ฟังเสียงเขียงฟักลาบ (atchariya molam #1 fang siang khiang fak lap)
tracklist:
01. ฟังเสียงเขียงฟักลาบ (fang siang khiang fak lap)
02. ฮักสาวอาชีวะ (hak sao achiwa)
03. ชีวิตฮ้างคือฮังมดแดง (chiwit hang khue hang mot daeng)
04. จักรยานพาเพ (chakkrayan pha phe)
05. วอนลมห่มใจ (won lom hom chai)
06. ฮักเลี้ยวลำเสียวเค็ม (hak liao lam siao khem)
07. ไซหลังหล่า (sai lang la)
08. โทษฆ่าแขวนคอ (thot kha khwaen kho)
09. อ่านกิน (an kin)
10. ฝากรักออกอากาศ (fak rak ok akat)
11. หนี้ (ni)
12. หลุมดักใจ (lum dak chai)

this week, some great molam prayuk from sianglaem kaemmumang! i don't know much about mr. sianglaem (real name: bunthiang suepsunthon), but a helpful youtube commenter1 has identified this album as classic "kalasin-style", and the album is brought to us by the phairot phanit company out of neighbouring roi-et province, which seems to situate the music fairly efficiently. from a quick survey online, it looks like sianglaem was still performing, as part of the laemnarong promotions group, as recently as 2013. the singer is author of most all the lyrical content on this 1996 cassette, and music is provided by the consistently excellent a. num phuthai. enjoy!

preview:

Thursday, March 1, 2018

wara worawet & chorus



artist: วราห์ วรเวช (wara worawet & chorus)
album: เพลงขับร้องประสานเสียง (phleng khaprong prasan siang)
tracklist:
01. ดอยอินทนนท์ (doi inthanon)
02. เขากับเรา (khao kap rao)
03. หากรักก็บอกมา (hak rak ko bok ma)
04. พะวงรัก (phawong rak)
05. บึงน้ำฟ้า (bueng nam fa)
06. อำนาจรัก (amnat rak)
07. อำลาอาลัย (amla alai)
08. เป่าปี่ (pao pi)
09. ไม่มีงานไม่มีเงิน (mai mi ngan mai mi ngoen)
10. แย่งกันทำไม (yaeng kan thammai)

this week, mixed chorus meets thai funk! our featured artist today, wara worawet (a physician by profession, graduating from the university of pennsylvania in 1961) is also a prolific songwriter, having a number of luk krung & thai sakon-style hits to his name, as well as a leader of the musical association of thailand under patronage of his majesty the king. this cassette features the university choir-style harmonies which seemed to be all the rage in 1970s bangkok, mixed with the light & airy thai funk style also popular at the time. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, February 19, 2018

phimchan khwansuda: bo lai, bo luem



artist: พิมพ์จันทร์ ขวัญสุดา (phimchan khwansuda)
album: บ่ไล บ่ลืม (bo lai, bo luem)
tracklist:
01. รักคนอ้วน (rak khon uan)
02. อย่ามองอย่างนั้น (ya mong yang nan)
03. จะคอยดู (cha khoi du)
04. รักคนมาดแมน (rak khon mad maen)
05. คืนนี้นะ (khuen ni na)
06. ลืมนาหลงกรุง (luem na long krung)
07. ขอทีได้ไหม (kho thi dai mai)
08. ฉันเหงานะ (chan ngao na)
09. ฉันจะคอย (chan cha khoi)
10. เมียเก่าเขาทิ้ง (mia kao khao thing)
11. คืนเหงาเฝ้าคอย (khuen ngao fao khoi)
12. บ่ไล บ่ลืม (bo lai, bo luem)

this week, we'll hear some hi-nrg 90s luk thung sounds! little-known today, miss phimchan had some regional success in the northeast, particularly with this cassette's single, the lone ballad among an album of driving disco. i haven't been able to track down much in the way of biographical details, but the album's cover sells her as sao siang kangsadan, "the girl with the voice of a moon-shaped bell". thanks also to the j-card, i can tell you that her album was a project of olan noichoi (a.k.a. mu rota), with prayong chuenyen and num phuthon along for words & music. but that's about it.. enjoy!

preview:

Monday, February 12, 2018

suthep wongkamhaeng: alai tokyo



artist: สุเทพ วงศ์กำแหง (suthep wongkamhaeng)
album: อาลัยโตเกียว (alai tokyo)
tracklist:
01. อาลัยโตเกียว (alai tokyo)
02. พี่กลับมาแล้ว (phi klap ma laeo)
03. เกิดมาอาภัพ (koet ma aphap)
04. ผมผลัดวิวาห์ (phom phlat wiwa)
05. อโหสิกรรม (ahosikam)
06. จะคอยขวัญใจ (cha khoi khwanchai)
07. กลิ่นรักโลมใจ (klin rak lom chai)
08. หลับไม่ลง (lap mai long)
09. พี่สาว (phi sao)
10. บ้านเรา (ban rao)
11. ศรีมาลา (si mala)
12. ฉันรักเธอ (chan rak thoe)
13. ฝากหัวใจ (fak hua chai)
14. แม่กลอง (mae klong)
15. รักครั้งแรก (rak khrang raek)
16. เพียงจูบเดียว (phiang chup diao)
17. สวรรค์ในเรือเพลง (sawan nai ruea phleng)
18. เกิดมาต้องพึ่งกัน (koet ma tong phueng kan)

this week, a "far east"-accented entry from a luk krung veteran! mr. suthep wongkamhaeng of khorat (nakhon ratchasima) left his career in visual arts to join the royal thai air force band, after being spotted gigging as an intermission performer at bangkok movie theatres. following his tour of duty, suthep became a staple in the most popular of bangkok nightclubs and appeared frequently in mid-century silver screen musicals. the songs on this album, "in remembrance of tokyo", date from around 1960, when the star singer returned home after a 3-year hiatus to revisit his first love of visual arts; touring japan to study that nation's local painting traditions. as you may imagine, a sweet, sorrowful enka sound results, in addition to the typical luk krung thai-latin and crooner affairs.. enjoy!

preview:

Thursday, February 1, 2018

suntharaphon big band: talung ramwong



artist: ชาวคณะ สุนทราภรณ์ (suntharaphon big band)
album: ตลุง รำวง (talung ramwong)
tracklist:
01. ตลุงมอญซ่อนผ้า (talung mon som pha)
02. ตลุงแมลงแฝงดอกไม้ (talung malaeng faeng dok mai)
03. ตลุงดับเพลิงรัก (talung dap phloeng rak)
04. ตลุงพรานบุญ (talung phran bun)
05. ตลุงโนราโนรีศรีธรรมราช (talung nora nori si thammarat)
06. ตลุงเริงใจ (talung roeng chai)
07. ตลุงสากล (talung sakon)
08. ตลุงลำนำ (talung lamnam)
09. ตลุงเร่ (talung re)
10. ตลุงลาก่อน (talung la kon)
11. รำวงสาวบ้านแต้ (ramwong sao ban tae)
12. รำวงลูกทุ่ง (ramwong luk thung)
13. รำวงยังไงกันแน่ (ramwong yang ngai kan nae)
14. รำวงเพลินนาวา (ramwong phloen nawa)
15. รำวงไทยขาย ไทยซื้อ (ramwong thai khai, thai sue)
16. รำวงบ้านนาสำราญ (ramwong ban na samran)
17. รำวงเนื้อคู่อยู่วงรำ (ramwong nuea khu yu wong ram)
18. รำวงความหมายในดวงตา (ramwong khwammai nai duang ta)
19. รำวงตบแผละ (ramwong top phlae)

this week, dance-ready rhythms of talung and ramwong from thailand's preeminent mid-century urban entertainers! the suntharaphon band was an outgrowth of the government public relations department band. geared for the dancehalls of 1950s bangkok, the group played a leading role in popularizing the genres featured on this cassette; inspired by the captivating folk rhythms of south (talung) and northeast (ramwong) thailand, these two state-sponsored steps were intended as local responses to the international dance crazes sweeping thai popular culture at the time, and can still be heard pumped into public areas via p.a. systems any time a traditional holiday rolls around. enjoy!

preview:

Saturday, January 13, 2018

somyot thatsanaphan: krathom phraiwan



artist: สมยศ ทัศนพันธ์ (somyot thatsanaphan)
album: กระท่อมไพรวัลย์ (krathom phraiwan)
tracklist:
01. กระท่อมไพรวัลย์ (krathom phraiwan)
02. เรือนหอรอรัก (ruean ho ro rak)
03. ชีวิตนกขมิ้น (chiwit nok khamin)
04. ดุจนกขมิ้นแสวงรัง (dut nok khamin sawaeng rang)
05. แมลงเม่ากับกองเพลิง (malaeng mao kap kong phloeng)
06. นาทีทอง (nathi thong)
07. สายัณห์รำลึก (sayan ramluek)
08. ดวงใจจ๋า (duang chai cha)
09. ฟ้าสางจางรัก (fa sang chang rak)
10. เลือดในอก (lueat nai ok)
11. รังษีรุ่งฟ้า (rangsi rung fa)
12. ชีวิตครู (chiwit khru)
13. ละครหลวงโรง (lakhon luang rong)
14. ผู้ครองใจ (phu khrong chai)
15. สื่อเพลงสวรรค์ (sue phleng sawan)
16. ร่มโพธิ์ทอง (rom pho thong)
17. หยาดฟ้ามาดิน (yat fa ma din)
18. สวรรค์บันดาล (sawan bandan)

this week, some very early thai pop music, from mr. somyot thatsanaphan! mr. somyot was born in bangkok's chinatown, raised in an engineer's shop by his father and stepmother, and attended temple schools for his early years. as a teenager, he played music with friends at a number of temple fairs, winning much local acclaim. eventually, his noisy rehearsals got him kicked out of the house, and he went to live with his musician friends, supporting himself as a poster artist in between singing gigs. eventually, after hearing that kong duriyang thahan ruea (the famous thai navy band) was auditioning singers, somyot applied and was accepted. in 1945 he cut his first records with the group, writing most tunes himself or in close collaboration. the songs collected on this record date from the mid 50s, when the city/country (luk krung/luk thung) divide in thai popular music was beginning to coalesce, and despite his urban origins, somyot would land in the latter camp, with his lyrics frequently extolling the virtues of rural life. somyot continued to perform as a singer, songwriter and bandleader into his final decade, passing away in 1986 at the age of 71.

preview: