Various Artists - Molam: Thai Country Groove From

Year: 2007
Style: Thai madness
Country: Thailand
Format: MP3
Quality: CBR, 320 kbps
Size: 144 MB (5% recovery information included)

"Here we see the molam style diversify as it hits the 1970s and 1980s and introduces the sound of synthesizers, drum machines and electric guitars into the mix to create some truly bizarre fusion of styles, but unlike the 'Thai Pop Spectacular' album, this collection never really falls wholeheartedly into the pop sound. Rather across this disc we get some truly astonishing vocal performances, psychedelic break-led pieces and simple but affecting folk music that sticks in your head never to be prized free."
Why nobody in the Asian restaurants put on music like this instead of the usual cheesy stuff??

Molam: Thai Country Groove From Isan 2
Sublime Frequencies, SF033, 2007.

01. Are You Tired of Me Already?
Thongmark Leacha
02. I Love Thai Films
Palatnoi Songsim
03. Rice Farm Girl
Soonton Chairoogruen
04. Instrumental Lam Sing
Kalasin
05. Community People, Lets Work Together
Sodsri Promsakson
06. The Generosity Of Our Fans
White Leg Group
07. Two Brothers Leave Town For Bangkok
Doi Intanon and Group Suthep
08. Teaching The Daughter
Thongmark Leacha
09. Ladies, Lets Dance!
Pairin Pongpiboon
10. Lam Plern Chawiwan
Chawiwan Damnoen
11. Finishing My Business In Burma
Aungkana Kunchai
12. Lady With Big Eyes
Chai Mungpon
13. Farewell Wish For A Soldier
Monruedee Phromchak
14. Now She Loves Every Man Except Me
Thongmark Leacha
15. Finding Your Heart In The Future
Chabapai Narmwei
16. She's Looking For A Boyfriend
Junpen
17. Give Responsibility To The Son-In-Law
Soonton Chairoogruen
18. Convincing You To Believe
P. Promdan
19. No One Can Defeat
Thong Thaithin Isan
20. Singing To Entertain The Ladies
Pairin Pongpiboon
21. Asking For Her Hand In Marriage
Singsiri

Total time: 61:39 min

The first volume in Sublime Frequencies' series of 'Molam' releases took us on a journey through a lesser heard area of Thai music, a kind of country folk music from the rural northeast of Thailand which centres primarily on male and female singers (Molam literally means 'master singer') and the khaen (a bamboo mouth organ) and phin (a lute-like instrument).

Here we see the style diversify as it hits the 1970s and 1980s and introduces the sound of synthesizers, drum machines and electric guitars into the mix to create some truly bizarre fusion of styles, but unlike the 'Thai Pop Spectacular' album also released this week, this collection never really falls wholeheartedly into the pop sound. Rather across this disc we get some truly astonishing vocal performances, psychedelic break-led pieces (I'm pretty sure Madlib would have a field day with the sample material on here) and simple but affecting folk music that sticks in your head never to be prized free.

We're always going on about how good the Sublime Frequencies series is but honestly this stuff is just about as good (and as diverse) as it gets, with each release put together with love and deep respect for the music while keeping a healthy irreverence and sense of humour for all proceedings. Fans of the crucial Nonesuch Explorer series and even the Finders Keepers releases (Selda especially.) should check this out immediately. Recommended.

boomkat.com

More videos of (contemporary) Molam music by Dokfa Phetphouphan at Youtube:

"Aeb Hak Noom Khang Bahne"
"Lhong Mon Khon Si Sor"
"Ngarn Ka Chad Khad Faen"
"Sao Skon Yang Koi"