Lukthung & Morlam - Thai country music

Dokfah Tahchana ดอกฟ้า ท่าชนะ - mai mee chun nai jai ter

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 05 May 2013 10:50:00 +0000

New singer for me, starts off with a nice basic ballad (and title track) with some traditional instrument flourishes though is pretty much a rock ballad and is a nice enough song with a good melody. "Hok dai hok pai" leaves us in no doubt that this is a lukthung album as its a good hard fast track, Dokfah's vocals crisp and cutting through the music nicely. A bit too harsh to enjoy that much though personally.

"Puean kui chua kraw" is a nicer song, slower with a relaxed acoustic feel. A quality piece of country rock. "Ratchada lakorn" picks up the tempo and is a simple if effective fast song. "Luem sunya" has some interesting instrumentation and is a good mid-paced song with some good vocals and melodic depth and a big chorus.

Overall i like this album, Dokfah's vocals are good though sometimes the song choices do not do her much justice. Its a good album but maybe lacks a bit of stardust to elevate it from good to great.

Rating : 7.6/10

Favourite songs : Luem sunya, Puean kui chua kraw

MV : "Chuntana" by Dear Sasitorn

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Takkatan Cholada ตั๊กแตน ชลลดา - kon ngao tee kao jai ter

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:14:00 +0000

OK well this is the big one i guess. Takkatan is now the chosen one as far as GMM are concerned. And on this 4th album can she solidify her position at the top? Well the album starts with a nice little tune "Looh jarng sao rong ngarn". Slow and well sung with tasteful instrumentation. "Sao tai soy" is a faster song, in the past Takkatan has done pretty well with these, this one is again decent. A driving melody and a good chorus. So far so good, and quite slick.

But what we need is the "killer song". Takkatan always has THE song on her albums, a massive slow track that can even tug at the strings on my heart of stone. The title track "Kon ngao tee kao jai ter" is the latest attempt at this by Takkatan. Great melody and vocals that could strip the paint off my car. Superb song.

Right that's the mega-hit out of the way, how about the rest? "Mhuen derm eak tee nueng" is a bit of a departure, with it's piano melody and airy feel. "Warng warng yah luem kid tueng gun" is another decent Takkatan slow song though maybe a bit anonymous. To be honest apart from the title track the album is a little bloodless. "Kuen jai hai gun" is a good ballad with a steady build-up however.

Takkatan's album taken together is nice and very listenable. One song stands out from the rest of course. The others are fine, good songs. But you probably won't remember most of them too much afterwards though. But you'll get this and enjoy it of course. Its an accomplished album by a singer at the top, its slick and polished. A little too polished for my liking i admit.

Rating : 9.2/10

Favourite songs : Kon ngao tee kao jai ter, Kuen jai hai gun, Looh jarng sao rong ngarn

Tai Orratai ต่าย อรทัย - fhun yung klai jai yung ngao

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:14:00 +0000

After the slightly ill-judged morlum album last year Tai Orratai is back with her 7th album of what she does best : polished, weepy lukthung torch songs. Personally i thought the morlum album was OK but then again i'd buy anything she did. Even if she just read out a list of the Bangkok telephone directory i'd probably buy it. (Not that GMM should take any notice of that!)

Anyway this album is back to what she does best. And of course you will know what it sounds like as it sounds like the first 6 albums more or less. Powerful slow ballads like "Fhun yung klai jai yung ngao" and more up-tempo / traditional tracks like "Mue dai si kid hord". Its predictable maybe and definitely higher-budget and more polished than some artists who might have more "street cred" but its also totally wonderful. Tai sounds as she always does: fantastic. The music is as it always is: tastefully judged and matches her voice perfectly. So get it.

Rating : 9.8/10

MV : "Rum wong pa" by Alexandra Bounxouei

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Lets have some more by Alexandra.

Videos gone

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Mon, 23 May 2011 08:01:00 +0000

Looks like a lot of lukthung videos have been removed from Youtube which is a shame and rather short-sighted by the copyright owners but up to them i guess if they don't want people to discover new artists and maybe even buy some CDs later on!

Lukthung Top 5 (26/09/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:18:00 +0000

1) kor mark pai ru - Earn The Star
2) hai jai yah hai - Tai Orratai

3) in hang - Aiden Apinun
4) mai loy lum - Takkatan Cholada
5) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee

San Naka - fon ra ruem tee korat

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:07:00 +0000

Hard country rock, slow grinding guitar solos, gutsy singing. You know the kind of thing, i am a big fan of this kind of music to be honest. The title track for example is wonderful with an almost cliche like opening with slow guitar chords before proceeding into a chunky slow beat with cutting guitar seemingly punching in and out of the melody. Terrific stuff.

"Kid tueng da dur" is another great track, starting with some bluesy guitar before entering a great power ballad. A departure is "Plong" which is a much faster paced song with traditional instrumentation (though still plenty of guitar too!) A better track though is "Plug ra dom" with its funky beat. Its not a flawless album but the bad is greatly outweighed by the good.

Rating : 8.3/10

Lukthung Top 5 (19/09/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0000

1) hai jai yah hai - Tai Orratai
2) in hang - Aiden Apinun
3) kor mark pai ru - Earn The Star

4) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee
5) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper

Lukthung Top 5 (11/09/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 10:55:00 +0000

1) hai jai yah hai - Tai Orratai
2) in hang - Aiden Apinun
3) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee
4) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper
5) sao sading - P Saderd

New releases (11/09/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 10:51:00 +0000

Sirintra Niyakorn - Thao Rai Tueng Ja Por
Maitai Jaitawan - Bor Mee Sith Nuey
Natalie Sripetch - Kodung Hua Jai
Noo Meter - Mark Kwa Kwam Ruk (5th album)
Fon Tanasoontorn - Chun Ja Ngorn Leaw Na
Chalermpol Malakum - Perd Tumnarn Buk Job Loy
Pure Pure - Special album
Satien Tummuer - Yark Pen Khon Tee Ter Reak Wa Fan

Lukthung Top 5 (04/09/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:17:00 +0000

1) in hang - Aiden Apinun
2) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee
3) hai jai yah hai - Tai Orratai
4) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper
5) chimi - Blueberry

Nui Suweenar นุ้ย ชุดที่ - khon nee fan chun

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:18:00 +0000

I like Nui, her first RS album was very good indeed and this is the follow-up. It starts off straight-forward enough with a decent rocky song with a good chorus. Nui sings it well enough but you feel sometimes she is straining on some of the notes a bit. Her voice also lacks a little of the warmth of some other singers though she has plenty of power. You feel Nui gives it everything.

"Kon nee fan chun" is another song with a good melody and rock edges. It has a really good chorus (though again a few strained notes). "Tien kai fai fah" is much the same, this album is built with huge slabs of power chords. If you like rock ballads then this album is for you. Its music i like which is fine but maybe there should have been a bit more variety in the song selection and a little bit more lukthung in the mix.

Its a decent enough album with some good songs but the album is not without some flaws. Some of the singing could do with some improvement though the music is good if maybe a bit samey after awhile.

Rating : 8.5/10

MV : "Yarng nee tong tee kao" by Kratae & Kratai

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:29:00 +0000

Song off the album by Kratae and her friend.

MV : "Bor luem sunya" by Alexandra Bounxouei

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:25:00 +0000

Alexandra one of the biggest (the biggest?) star in Laos, and huge in Thailand too.

Lukthung Top 5 (28/08/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:43:00 +0000

1) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee
2) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper
3) in hang - Aiden Apinun
4) hai jai yah hai - Tai Orratai

5) kor anuyart kid hord - Nongpang Natthida

MV : "Mhuen derm eak tee nueng" by Takkatan Cholada

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:41:00 +0000

Takkatan has a dance remix album out, not sure i like the sound of that really. Usually those sort of things are a bit cheesey. Anyway this song has not been megamixed.

MV : "Leo phai see huck ai" by Maitai Jaitawan

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:37:00 +0000

Maitai's 4th album is out now, here is one of his older songs.

Lukthung Top 5 (21/08/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:57:00 +0000

1) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper
2) kor anuyart kid hord - Nongpang Natthida
3) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee
4) in hang - Aiden Apinun

5) kid tueng da dur - San Naka

MV : "Ruk gao tii baan kert" by Eakkachai Sriwichai

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:32:00 +0000

Artist who has been around a while.

Lukthung Top 5 (14/08/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:34:00 +0000

1) kid tueng da dur - San Naka
2) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper
3) jai jar worn - Klin Patooma
4) kor anuyart kid hord - Nongpang Natthida
5) yah klub ma - Bew Kalaynee

MV : "Bao guitar yuem" by Aidin Apinun

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:32:00 +0000

This guy is fast becoming one of my favourite male artists.

MV : "Chimi" by Blueberry

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Three adorable girls, you can forgive them a lot. Well the song isn't that bad, certainly heard worse!

Earn The Star เอิร์น เดอะสตาร์ - kum kor jark wa tee khon took ting

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:18:00 +0000

Earn The Star is on the pop-rock side of the lukthung spectrum but that is not necessarily a bad thing, it would be boring if every lukthung artist was the same and Earn has a good voice so how is this latest album? Its pretty good as you might expect from a very commercial artist. You feel everything is calculated and planned to sound good. Maybe it lacks the "credibility" (real or imagined) of some albums but the mainstream is not always bad.

A song like "Koon jae yung yoo tee kao" for example has a lovely melody, beautiful tones, and one of those tunes that builds and builds throughout, all topped off with some clear and crisp singing and some luscious keyboard chords. Its a wonderful song to be honest. Much of the rest of the album is like that too, tunes you'll likely be humming for awhile.

Rating : 8.8/10

Lukthung Top 5 (07/08/10)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Davies) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:23:00 +0000

1) jai jar worn - Klin Patooma
2) kid tueng da dur - San Naka
3) ruk mai kla sadeng - Fangkaew Worasamon
4) kor pen khon - Vit Hyper

5) kor anuyart kid hord - Nongpang Natthida