suang santi: 1 2 3 duan song thaeo

artist: สรวง สันติ (suang santi)
album: 1 2 3 ด่วนสองแถว (1 2 3 duan song thaeo)
tracklist:
01. 1 2 3 ด่วนสองแถว (1 2 3 duan song thaeo)
02. 4 5 6 ด่วนสองแถว (4 5 6 duan song thaeo)
03. เขาว่ามา (khao wa ma)
04. คนสุโขทัย (khon sukhothai)
05. หนุ่มหนองคาย (num nong khai)
06. เมาจนนึกไม่ออก (mao chon nuek mai ok)
07. รักตัวกลัวเมีย (rak tua klua mia)
08. บ้าพอกัน (ba pho kan)
09. 900 โรงจำนำ (900 rong cham nam)
10. 900 ความระกำ (900 khwam rakam)
sung by เตือนใจ บุญพระรักษา (tueanchai bunphraraksa)
11. ผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ ภาค 2 (phu ying yai, pt. 2)
12. เมาให้ลืมเมีย (mao hai luem mia)
13. น้ำมันแพงอีกแล้ว (nam man phaeng ik laeo)
14. น้ำมันมีน้อยใช้สอยประหยัด (nam man mi noi chai soi prayat)
15. เซ็นซิ (sen si)
16. หิ้วถุงปุ๋ย (hiw thung pui)
17. ควาย (khwai)

this week we've got a great tape from luk thung funk rock star suang santi! hailing from sukhothai, suang made his living as a boxer before joining with phiphat boribun & his band. after marrying bandmate namphueng boribun, he struck off on his own, first singing with siphrai chaiphra and finally mongkhon amatayakun's famous chularat band. suang pioneered a crossover style of luk thung and heavy funk rock which few others attempted, and won success not only with his own recordings but songs he penned for others, everyone from phanom nopphon to the royal sprites. sadly, suang was killed in a car accident in 1982 while on tour... this tape captures some of his last work, featuring a mix of straight funk tracks & few of his older hits redone in "talking music" style. enjoy!!

fine arts department band

artist: กรมศิลปากร (fine arts department band)
album: เพลงงานแสงเดือน (pleng ngan saeng duean)
tracklist:
01. งานแสงเดือน (ngan saeng duean)
ชาวไทย (chao thai)
รำซิมารำ (ram si ma ram)
คืนเดือนหงาย (khuen duean ngai)
02. ดอกไม้ของชาติ (dok mai khong chat)
ดวงจันทร์วันเพ็ญ (duang chan wan phen)
03. หญิงไทยใจงาน (ying thai chai ngan)
ยอดชายใจงาน (yot chai chai ngan yot chai chai ngan)
ดวงจันทร์ขวัญฟ้า (duang chan khwan fa)
บูชานักรบ (bucha nak rop)
04. เชิญชวน (choen chuan)
หล่อจริงนะดารา (lo ching na dara)
ยวน ยวน ยวน (yuan yuan yuan)
05. ซ่อมมาลี (som mali)
เธอรำว่างน่าดู (thoe ram wang na khu)
ยวนยาเหล (yuan ya lae)
06. ดอกฟ้าร่วง (dok fa ruang)
ตามองตา (ta mong ta)
ใกล้เช้าไปอีกนิด (klai chao pai ik nit)
ลา (la)

an interesting bit of history this week.. we've got an album from the thai government's fine arts department band, featuring their neo-classical ramwong style! a major event in the history of popular music in thailand, the ramwong (or "circle dance") was a sort of an engineered dance craze created during the phibun era by famed propagandist luang wichitwathakan & his fine arts department, intended to inject a bit of national pride into the imported dance steps (swing, rumba, cha cha cha, etc.) which had been sweeping the country. originally these ramwong were lively, sax-driven affairs, but by the time of this release we can see the fine arts dept. attempting to establish ramwong as being closer to classical tradition, thus the piphat and khrueng sai instrumentation. the ramwong still provides the rhythmic basis for a great deal of thai music today, and these very recordings can still be heard thorughout the kingdom on a number of national holidays. enjoy!!

kaifa daduang + siriphon amphaiphong

artist: ไก่ฟ้า ดาดวง + ศิริพร อำไพพงษ์ (kaifa daduang + siriphon amphaiphong)
album: ลำขอนแก่น (lam khon kaen)
tracklist:
01. ทุ่งร้างนางลืม (thung rang nang luem)
02. ทุ่งร้างนางคอย (thung rang nang koi)
03. ที่เก่าเวลาเดิม (thi kao wela doem)
04. มาตามนัด (ma tam nat)
05. รอยยิ้มพิศวาส (roi yim phitsawat)
06. รอยยิ้มมหาเสน่ห์ (roi yim maha sane)
07. คนกินดิน (khon kin din)
08. เสียงร้องจากน้องหนู (siang rong chak nong nu)
09. ฮักสาวท่าสะแบง (hak sao tha sabaeng)
10. เสียงครวญจากสวนแตง (siang khruan chak suan taeng)
11. สาวต๋อง ๆ (sao tong tong)
12. สาวตุ๋ย ๆ (sao tui tui)

this week we'll hear some early recordings from one of thailand's biggest contemporary country singers, the great siriphon amphaiphong!! born & raised in udon thani, siriphon left school at a young age to help out on her family's farm. when not working the fields, siriphon studied with lam with her father, a local performer. she began performing onstage at 16 and a year later joined the siang isaan group, before being discovered in khon kaen by doi inthanon. during her khon kaen period she often sang together with kaifa daduang, who joins her on this album. siriphon is well-loved for her unique husky voice, often likened to a cat's, and though her specialty nowadays is slow sorrowful songs, this album captures a rare set of uptempo khon kaen-style lam. enjoy!!

chatthong mongkhonthong

artist: ฉัตรทอง มงคลทอง (chatthong mongkhonthong)
album: ร้องสดหน้าเวที (rong sot na wethi) + สาละวน (salawon)
tracklist:
01. สาละวน (salawon)
02. รักสาวทุ่งกุลา (rak sao thung kula)
03. เสียงครวญจากหมอแคน (siang khruan chak mo khaen)
04. ตุ๋ยจ๋า (tui cha)
05. คลำแลถี (khlam lae thi)
06. เคว็ดกลับบ้าน (khwet klap ban)
07. หนุ่มใต้เตือนสาว (num tai tuean sao)
08. กิเลสมนุษย์ (kilet manut)

01. ร้องสดหน้าเวที a (rong sot na wethi a)
02. ร้องสดหน้าเวที b (rong sot na wethi b)

like sutrak aksonthong, chatthong mongkhonthong is one of just a handful of luk thung singers to come from thailand's south. though hailing from nakhon si thammarat like sutrak, i think that chatthong had a bit more success country-wide.. sadly, he was killed on his first big national tour. this tape captures one of his live shows, and while it's an interesting document, the quality is nearly unlistenable, so i've included it alongside an album from the same period. hope you enjoy!

phophin phetlanna: sao samai

artist: โผผิน เพชรลานนา (phophin phetlanna)
album: สาวสมัย (sao samai)
tracklist:
01. สาวสมัย (sao samai)
02. รถถีบเฒ่า (rot thip thao)
03. แอ่ว 21 จ.ว. (aeo 21 changwat)
04. หมอยาเมือง (mo ya mueang)
05. ฝากรักที่เมืองแพร่ (fak rak thi mueang phrae)
06. สาวเมืองแพร่ (sao mueang phrae)
07. บะใหม่บะเหมือนบะเก่า (ba mai ba muean ba kao)
08. เมียโหล (mia lo)
09. แก้ว 3 ดวง (kaeo 3 duang)
10. สายบุ (sai bu)
11. โผผินมาแล้ว (phophin ma laeo)
12. ฮักสาวบ้านไกล (hak sao ban klai)

another one from thailand's north this week! phophin phetlanna sings luk thung in the northen thai (or kham mueang) language in a manner similar to phensi phongsi, but with less molam influence and more eclectic rhythms. i don't know anything about him, though... the internet turns up only a few fond rememberences and little history. i really like him, he's got a funny voice that reminds me a bit of sangthong sisai, and i'm a fan of the combo backing him as well, they have a tight, local sound. i've heard 1982 as a date for this... it sounds a bit older to me, but that might be down to technological limitations! anyway, it's great... enjoy!

thongsuk khamsombun & chumnum silapin lanna

artist: ทองศุกร์ คำสมบูรณ์ ชุมนุมศิลปินลานนา (thongsuk khamsombun & chumnum silapin lanna)
album: ดนตรี สะล้อ ซอ ซึง เชียงใหม่ (dontri salo, so, sueng chiang mai)
tracklist:
01. ลาวลำปางใหม่ (lao lampang mai)
02. สร้อยสนตัด (soi son tat)
03. กุมารทอง (kuman thong)
04. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
05. มอญรำดาบ (mon ram dap)
06. เขมรปากท่อ (khmer pak tho)
07. ปุ๋มเม่น (pum men)
08. ลาวกระแซ (lao krasae)
09. ดาวพระศุกร์ (dao phra suk)
10. รำวงลอยกระทง (ramwong loi krathong)

this week we've got some beautiful sounds from thailand's north! thongsuk khamsombun and his lanna artists' collective play in chiang mai local style, but unfortunately, there seems to be very little written about them online. i can tell you that thongsuk leads the ensemble with the pi koy, a small free-reed flute unique to the north, and is backed by salo (northern-style three string fiddle), the so (standard two string fiddle), and sueng (northern-style lute), as well as some nice percussion. the song selection is an interesting mix of local melodies, thai classical standards and newer folk-style pop tunes. i think this one is from the late 90's... it's too bad the players seem to have vanished just over a decade later! at least we have some great recordings.. enjoy!!

sai sai mao: ahmadaya shan tei su mya

artist: sai sai mao
album: ahmadaya shan tei su mya, vol. 2
tracklist:
01. yuen mok ha pa pi le
02. pong nong mi kay
03. khaaw jaam khay han
04. te hak naang ko
05. mo hum
06. taang hak naue pan
07. pen loy waasanaa
08. hue kwaang lot meng pueng
09. unknown title
10. instrumental
11. nong khay yu laue
12. loe se maak ho tsaue
13. pi naang me haang
14. kwaam hak naue tsaue
15. en aan kaang tsaue
16. kop mi wot sang
17. am soe lay moe pong yaan
18. unknown title
19. instrumental
20. instrumental

this week we have another fantastic album from shan rock icon sai sai mao! a member of the shan (or tai yai) ethnic group, sai sai mao was born in burma, in the chinese border town of mu se, 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 early albums in chiang mai or bangkok while serving in the shan state army, the rebel faction who funded his recordings. an estimated 75% of popular music in burma consists of "copy songs" (foreign songs rewritten in local languages), and sai mao is no exception. his songs are quite reliant on chinese melodies, though i feel that he imbues them with a nostalgic sentiment and unpolished urgency very much apart from the originals. hope you enjoy!

many thanks to alif silpachai for help with shan script!

thongcharoen dalao + bunchuang denduang: khui khueang rueang sa u

artist: ทองเจริญ ดาเหลา + บุญช่วง เด่นดวง (thongcharoen dalao + bunchuang denduang)
album: คุยเขื่องเรื่องซาอุฯ (khui khueang rueang sa u)
tracklist:
01. คุยเขื่องเรื่องซาอุฯ (khui khueang rueang sa u)
02. ลูกจ้างเมีย (luk chang mia)
03. พ่อบักเติ่งคนดี (pho bak toeng khon di)
04. ซาอุดิฯขุมทอง (saudi khumthong)
05. อย่าห่วงพ่อบักเติ่ง (ya huang pho bak toeng)
06. ได้เต่าเสียหมา (dai tao sia ma)
07. อย่าลืมเมียซาอุฯ (ya luem mia sa u)
08. เสียงสะอื้นจากหนุ่มซาอุฯ (siang sauen chak num sa u)
09. พ่อพระในดวงใจ (pho phra nai duang chai)
10. สั่งแม่บักเติ่งไปซาอุฯ (sang mae bak toeng pai sa u)
11. เสียงสั่งจากเมียซาอุฯ (siang sang chak mia sa u)
12. ตามหาคุณนายตีนเปิ่ม (tam ha khun nai tin poem)
13. สีโต่นเซียงเลิ่มซาอุฯ (si ton siang loem sa u)

lately i've been interested in the whole saudi arabia-isaan connection, especially as evidenced through the music of the period.. we've heard it in modern, electronic molam luk thung with phimpha phonsiri, then in a more acoustic, ensemble-oriented setting with the phetphalanchai sisters, and now we'll end with thongcharoen & bunchuang, two staunch traditionalists! backed only by the sound of khaen, these 2 expert singers from udon thani spin rhythmic tales of thailand's middle-eastward migrants (and their loved ones left behind). i don't know a great deal about the singers themselves, but they are much beloved in isaan, and i imagine that thongcharoen dalao is of some relation to khen dalao, national artist and molam of the first degree. these classic, minimal molam mokhaen arrangements are always a delight for me... hope you feel the same!!

sam phalang sao: won chao pho phalan chai

artist: สามพลังสาว (sam phalang sao)
album: ลำเพลินวอนเจ้าพ่อพลาญชัย (lam phloen won chao pho phalan chai)
tracklist:
01. วอนเจ้าพ่อพลาญชัย (won chao pho phalan chai)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
02. บ้าคนละอย่าง (ba khon la yang)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
03. รักข้ามโขง (rak kham khong)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
04. ตื่นเถิดชาวไทย (tuen thoet chao thai)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
05. จดหมายก้านสุดท้าย (chot mai kan sut thai)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
06. เป็นเพียงความฝัน (pen phiang khwam fan)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
07. เหมือนคนมีเวร (muean khon mi wen)
sung by พวงประกา เพชรพลาญชัย (phuangpraka phetphalanchai)
08. เบื่อการรอคอย (buea kanro koi)
sung by แจ่มนภา เพชรพลาญชัย (chaemnapha phetphalanchai)
09. คนที่โลกลืม (khon thi lok luem)
sung by วิชัยน้อย (wichainoi)
10. ห่วงหนุ่มซาอุดิฯ (huang num ''saudi'')
sung by พวงประกา เพชรพลาญชัย (phuangpraka phetphalanchai)
11. น้ำลงส่งรัก (nam long song rak)
sung by พวงประกา เพชรพลาญชัย (phuangpraka phetphalanchai)
12. หน้าหนาวผู้บ่าวบ่ออาบน้ำ (na nao phu bao bo apnam)
sung by แจ่มนภา เพชรพลาญชัย (chaemnapha phetphalanchai)

last week we had some "modernized" molam sounds, this week maybe a bit less so.. here's a fantastic tape from sam phalang sao ("3 tough girls"), phimchai phetphalanchai & her sisters. all i know about these three is that they hail from roi et in thailand's northeast, and i think phimpchai was more sucessful as a solo artist & in duet with thepphon phetubon.. i have never heard of phuangpraka or chaemnapha besides this tape. in addition to the great vocal work from the sisters, these songs are packed full of isaan sounds; lots of khaen, plenty of so fiddle, some great phin & full band grooves and even the exceedingly rare phin hai, a set of jars with rubber bands stretched across the mouths, which produce a low, rhythmic sliding pitch.. plus some weird futuristic synth sounds for good measure! interestingly enough, the saudi arabia theme crops up here too.. cool to see how these 2 streams of molam (this week's & last's) could be basically contemporaneous.. enjoy!

phimpha phonsiri: nam ta mia sa u

artist: พิมพา พรศิริ (phimpha phonsiri)
album: น้ำตาเมียซาอุฯ (nam ta mia sa u)
tracklist:
01. น้ำตาเมียซาอุฯ (nam ta mia sa u)
02. สาวหมอลำจำได้ (sao molam cham dai)
03. หลบหน้าที่มาเลย์ (lop nathi malay)
04. ทนหนาวไม่ไหว (thon nao mai wai)
05. รักสิบล้อ (rak sip lo)
06. รักคนขับรถ (rak khon khap rot)
07. ตามหาสามี (tam ha sami)
08. คนรักที่ฉันรอ (khon rak thi chan ro)
09. อกหักเพราะรักครู (ok hak phro rak khru)
10. พูดแทงใจดำ (phut thaeng chai dam)
11. บ่ลืมถิ่น (bo luem thin)
12. รอวาสนา (ro watsana)
13. กลัวตกอีแต๋น (klua tok itaen)
14. ทิดหวังนั่งเศร้า (thit wang nang sao)
15. น้องแดงแกล้งหยอก (nong daeng klaeng yok)
16. สงสารช่างซ่อม (songsan chang som)

this week, we've got some great "modern" isaan sounds from phimpha phonsiri! phimpha, from chaiyaphum, was one of the earliest stars to mix luk thung & molam sounds, in a style which dominates thailand's country music scene today. with capable songwriter soraphet phinyo at the helm, she delivers a great collection of luk thung isaan, with a rock band backing and even would-be indian & arabic flourishes, owing to the album's lyrical content... phimpha is chronicling the trials of a wife whose husband has left to work in "sa u", the thai nickname for saudi arabia, which drew a steady stream of migrants from thailand in the 80's, before it was cut short by the blue diamond affair. enjoy!