This compilation is intended as kind of an interlude as it has nothing to do with Garage (or, after all, maybe it has….?) Since my last post, I’ve been completely fascinated by Cambodian dance & pop music in the 60s and the 70s before the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh in April ‘75 murdering probably 2 millions, amongst them most of the musicians assembled here who were huge stars in the vivid Cambodian music- and movie-scene (more pics and info o their tragic bios in the booklet). Surprisingly, Cambodian music, at least to my ears, has little to do with Chinese- or Thai-music but often reminds me of Latin dance-music and even Africa when it doesn’t refer directly to US-pop. Once you get more familiar with the high pitched (female) voices you’ll discover an extraordinary mastership shown by composers, singers and musicians, especially if you listen to the magnificent work on guitars, bass and drums often in the mix with native instruments. I have tried to select songs (except 3 tracks from Cambodian Cassette Archives) that have not shown up on the various Cambodia-comps, such as Groove Club Vols. 2 + 3, Cambodian Rocks (Parallel World), Cambodian Rocks # 1 - 4 (Khmer Rock), Electric Cambodia; Cambodian Swing Machine, Cambodian Psych-Out, and Cambodian Pop, Soul, Folk and Rock before the Khmer Rouge (all available for download in the net, just google it). As song-titles sometimes are listed in (different) English translations, sometimes in Khmer (with different transcriptions), it was not easy to exclude overlaps. Still, I hope you’ll appreciate this selection as a companion to the ones mentioned and, most of all, as a further prove that all these wonderful people live on through their beautiful music which probably has gathered an even wider circuit of admirers as ever before. I really wonder if you’ll dig this excursion out of Garageland, so please drop me a line. Hugh thanks go out to Jeff (http://khmermusic.thecoleranch.com and http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffmagic32), the Khmer Forum (http://www.khmerrocks.com), and Giles of http://thehorsedrawnzeppelin.blogspot.com/.
Pic: Ros Sereysothea
Tracklist:
1/ Chum Kem - Twist! Twist! Knyom
2/ Chum Kem - Balliam Baliao
3/ Sinn Sisamouth - A go go
4/ [unknown] - [unknown] (from Cambodian Cassette Archives)
5/ Sinn Sisamouth - Kal Oun Neang Rom Twist
6/ Ros Sereysothea - Por Breuk Por Langeach
7/ Sinn Sisamouth - Kompong chnang dael kyom sraumai
8/ Houy Meas - Reatrey Nis Mek Sroh Lah
9/ Ros Sereysothea - Bar Bong Srolahn Khnyom
10/ [unknown] - Blue Basket (from Cambodian Cassette Archives)
11/ Sinn Sisamouth - Chak Chouch
12/ Houy Meas - Barn Joun Bong Mean Snaeh
13/ Leing Thet - Kong Pol Tmai Cheung Ti 12
14/ Mao Sarath - Bar Bong Min Matha
15/ Sieng Vanthy - Loong Lome Oun Bong Sothea
16/ Sinn Sisamouth - Pralkhann Maless
17/ Ros Sereysothea - Smaun Coh Huy Bong
18/ Yol Aularong - Gomloh Eth Prouy
19/ Sinn Sisamouth - Don't Let My Girlfriend Tickle Me (from Cambodian Cassette Archives)
20/ Pov Vannary - Jomreang Visamakal
21/ Meas Samon - Kor Ka Ke key
22/ So Savoeun - Komrong Pka Muy
23/ Va Savy, Tet Somnang & Others - Sabay Chea Nich
24/ Meas Samon - Sra Reu Srey
link: http://www.mediafire.com/?7a54lnmegcxfwn2
