A new compilation of music with a Thai twist, Sound of Siam, has recently been released on the Soundway label. To give you a better idea of what this album is all about, check out the subtitle: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz & Molam in Thailand 1964-1975. This was a fertile period for Thai such upcountry [...]
Fifteen years? I feel like I ought to pinch myself at times; have I really been living in Bangkok for fifteen years? Have I really not driven a car in fifteen years? Have I really not voted in an election (except for that thwarted attempt to send an overseas ballot in 2004) in fifteen years? [...]
Song of the Day: “In Your Eyes” by Edwyn Collins At the relatively young age of 45, it looked like the music career of Edwyn Collins had come to a tragically abrupt end. In February 2005, Collins — former lead singer of the band Orange Juice and best known for his hit solo single “A [...]
During my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, while waiting in airports and riding buses, I read L.A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker. And yes, I read the real book, as opposed to something on a Kindle or other e-reading device. I understand the convenience and portability of such gadgets, but personally I have no desire [...]
When I was in Kuala Lumpur last week I bought a ton of CDs and books, things I couldn’t find in Bangkok, or in the case of many books, priced so cheaply that I couldn’t resist getting it. One of the highlights of my CD haul was finding Searching for the Young Soul Rebels by [...]
Kim Fay is not your ordinary tourist. When starting each day on the road, she doesn’t ponder which sights she wants to see, but rather the meals she wants to eat. Ah, now that’s my kind of traveler. Because that’s just what I do when I’m visiting another city. Sampling the local cuisine is one [...]
Song of the Day: “God Bless Texas” by Paul Heaton The name may not mean anything to you, but one listen to Paul Heaton’s voice and the bells in your head may suddenly chime. Heaton was the distinctive lead vocalist for both the Housemartins and The Beautiful South, two excellent British pop-rock bands that date [...]
Visitors to Mandalay find themselves overwhelmed with sightseeing choices, but most aren’t to be found in the city itself. Instead, many of the more popular spots are located in smaller towns outside the main city, such as Amarapura, Inwa, Paleik, and Sagaing. Another of the more interesting places is Mingun, a village located on the [...]
My favorite music magazine is Mojo, a monthly published in the UK. They sell Mojo in Bangkok at some of the bigger chain bookshops (Kinokuniya, Asia Books, B2S), and at 495 baht (nearly US$17) it’s not cheap, but for music addicts like me, it’s an essential purchase. Although they lean towards covering music that some [...]
If I were smart, I would target this blog to a specific audience and stick to a somewhat consistent theme. But I’m not that smart, and not particularly eager to confine myself to borders and categories, so what you see here will be a most definite stew. But the whole idea of mixing things up [...]
