Top 5 CDs of January 2010

1) Nongpang Natthida - kor anuyart kid hord ai
2) Job Sabye Heart - narm tar poo chai
3) Fon Tanasoontorn - ruk nee mai mee luem
4) Takkatan Cholada - kon ngao tee kao jai ter
5) Bao We - Vol 4

MV : "Bor yark klub pai sei jai" by Aum Nuntiya อั้ม นันทิยา

What a cutie! Off her new album.

MV : "Perd pukkatu jai" by Lookpud Pimchanok

Coming to light after a reader's request, you may not have noticed the link in the comments to another post so lets give it its own post.

Revision : Noo Meter, Tai Orratai, A-Zeer

I review albums on this blog of course, but i may listen to an album many times more after i have written the review. Have some of my opinions changed? Well lets look back at a few albums from last year and see...

Noo Meter - khon derm tee koon kei

Back in September 09 i reviewed Noo's latest album and was impressed with him once again. Noo is one of my favourite male lukthung singers and he definitely has my favourite voice. I did say though there were no surprises, if you had heard him before then you would know exactly what this album would sound like.

But lets face it it was maybe a bit unfair to criticise him for that as you could say it for most lukthung artists! I think maybe i was just desperate for something critical to say. Recently i have discovered the song "Khon derm" on the album which i didn't highlight in the original review but its also a very good (and a very Noo Meter) song.

Tai Orratai - morlum dok ya

Tai Orratai goes morlum, when i reviewed this i said it was a great change. I think i was on the juice when i wrote that. To be honest i think the album is pretty average and that was painfully apparent with further listening. Usually i listen to Tai albums so much the CD case falls apart and if the CD laser could burn a groove the CD would look like a tyre tread. However this album has hardly been out of it's box for months. Back to normal next time Tai please!

A-Zeer - self-titled

I liked this album, though only the tracks with the female vocals. A reader helpfully pointed out that the female vocalist was Sear Napat, which passed me by (i am slow sometimes). Once told it was blindingly obvious! Sear Napat's last full album was one of the best in 2007. Her songs on this album are great, the guy's songs are (lets be nice) different.

MV : "Copy hua jai" by Nongpang Natthida น้องแป้ง ณัฐธิดา

Off her latest album.

MV : "Sao na sung fan" by Poompuang Duangjun พุ่มพวง ดวงจันทร์

Lets go back a bit in time.

CD : Songkrod Chama ทรงกรด ฌามา - khon kra jok

I admit i didn't like Songkrod's last album that much, it had one good song (no doubt the intended big radio hit) but the rest was a bit forgettable if OK at times. So i ummed and ahhed a bit where it came to deciding whether to get the follow-up or not. In the end i decided to give him a go again though the lack of that much else coming out probably helped my decision!

So the opening (and title) track is a big rock-edged ballad with a chorus. Well so far so good, its a good radio friendly song. It is followed by "Sua sin lai" that actually has some nice lo-fi keyboards and bluesey guitar chords. It has some nice atmosphere behind the song.

"Kae huang yai" is another atmospheric song, slowly building up into another tasty ballad like song. Songkrod's rough edged vocals work very well on songs like this. Faster songs like "Sew hua charng" i am not so sure about. It bounces around OK but when he sings faster he uses a higher key and struggles with the notes a bit.

He should stick to songs like "Fark" which suit his vocal style much more, and work well with the bluesey chords and relaxed style. I think this album is noticeably better than his last one which seemed to put all the effort into 1 song, this is much more even and much more enjoyable. I'm glad i gave him another go.

Favourite songs : Khon kra jok, Kae huang yai, Sua sin lai

Rating : 8/10

MV : "Nam prik num kheep muu" by Pamela Bowden พาเมล่า เบาว์เด้น

Can't remember the last time (if ever) had a video of Pamela on here so lets rectify that! Song is from her new album.

CD : Nongpang Natthida น้องแป้ง ณัฐธิดา - kor anuyart kid hord ai

I really liked Nongpang's album from 2008, a really good debut. Her youthful vocals the right side of cute and sweet and not annoying. This is the follow-up and is the usual mixture of tempos. "Kor anuyart kid hord ai" is a nice ballad, though when it starts it sounds a bit like Nongpang is barfing up the vocals, still it gets a lot better after that!

"Kata gun lhork" is a nice pacey track with some juicy organ. I will be honest though and don't think this album is as good as the last one. Some of the vocals seem a bit strained and rushed. Maybe they just needed to spend a little more time on this album? Still some good points though, "Aok huk ruang chill chill" meanders along rather lovely.

Best song is "Mai yark pen nong sao" with it's relaxed feel and yearning quality to the vocals, maybe even worth the album for that song alone!

Rating : 8/10

Favourite songs : Mai yark pen nong, Kor anuyart kid hord ai, Kata gun lhork

MV : "Mai aow pee chai" by Nidnoi Nantaporn

As you can see from my end of year review Nidnoi was one of my favourite singers of the year, actually the best "newcomer" (as in someone i hadn't heard of before). And it is because of songs like this.