Wednesday, January 4, 2023

kickapoo: mai rueang mak



artist: คิกคาปู้ (kickapoo)
album: ไม่เรื่องมาก (mai rueang mak)
tracklist:
01. หนูหนีเที่ยว (nu ni thiao)
02. ยังไม่ตาย (yang mai tai)
03. ลองกันไหม (long kan mai)
04. อกหัก 5 นาที (ok hak 5 nathi)
05. ซึม (suem)
06. หนูหนีเที่ยว (nu ni thiao)
07. เทใจ (the chai)
08. อีกครั้ง (ik krang)
09. ลุย (lui)
10. เพลงเต่า (phleng tao)
11. มันไม่เกี่ยว (man mai kiao)

happy 2023 and 2566! let's start the year off with a real obscurity: the only album (to my knowledge) from '90s bangkok rockers kickapoo. operating under the auspices of a purported indie label known as tham kan eng ["d.i.y."] music factory, and with a name presumably derived from an american soft drink once popular in thailand (the idea for which is attributed in the liners to "hia nok from khao kha mu kong phrap on chokchai soi 4"), there's little reference to the group on the internet. their line-up includes a list of unusual names (some of which, at least, are certainly pseudonyms) including maseda iochi and mustafa hummingbird on guitar, billy he-foot on bass, and detduang chimkamnoet on drums, as well as a number of different singers trading vocal duties, such as julie cheng, sharkie boy, nong kung & nong mai, banluesak, anurak, and bunthueng. released in 1997, this album features some songwriting and arrangement by akira wong, and was produced by (the only name i'm at all familiar with) sukit narin, who is mostly known as a film director. the music is a bit hard to classify, being a slightly erratic mix of blues-inflected classic rock (see: interpolation of badfinger, led zeppelin, and the electric light orchestra), synth-driven sentimental ballads (see: interpolation of mariko takahashi), and '80s-style hard rock (see: interpolation of pat benatar). they also include a shout-out in the dedications section to "the major tape labels, for their lack of interest".. here's hoping you don't feel the same. enjoy!