*****
Following a detour with the unwise Galamae volume 1, Bunta Mueangmai makes a very welcome return to solo performance with Khon di ti ai baw hak. It sits between the two earlier albums in terms of musical quality: far more engaging than Galamae, but never quite rising to the heights of Jam wai na. The production values, at least, are back to the standards of her first album: the videos have moved upriver from Ubon to Nong Khai, but her costumes are as weird and wonderful as ever and the dancers haven't changed a bit.
One worry is that Sure seem to be moulding Bunta into a younger version of Fon: the first two tracks, Khon di ti ai baw hak and Sao Sri Mueang Mai, are very similar to the fare of her stablemate: very controlled, graceful pieces which are elegant but ultimately cold. Of the two, the first is distinctly more original in its melody and instrumentation.
The videos are a textile-lover's dream.
After this come two pairs of songs, in different styles, but all uninspired. The first two hark back to Bunta's first album, from the moderately lively tempi to the tracking shots in the videos, while tracks 6 and 7 are rather dull slow numbers..
Things only really get going with the last few tracks. Sao pa nang khoi and Sao na arom di are both excellent: they are the only tracks on this album which develop their own momentum and some sense of excitement. The tunes are not as catchy as the best of album 1, but these are the highpoint of the album.
Suai 199 is the funkiest and oddest song here: it's basically a cover of Jintara's Mor Chit 2 nong khoi, with a talk section at its heart which is interesting, if not totally convincing.
The last song, Khoi khao bawk hak, stands out as the most Isan-style track, even including a couple of fluttering attempts at lam breaks.
Khon di ti ai baw hak is a very mixed bag. There are a couple of good song, and a whole host of mediocre ones, but after Galamae one might have expected much worse from Bunta. The glass is perhaps half-full after all.
| Track number | Song title (Thai) | Song title (Romanised) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | คนดีที่อ้ายบ่ฮัก | Khon di ti ai baw hak |
| 2 | สาวศรีเมืองใหม่ | Sao Sri Mueang Mai |
| 3 | สาวโรงงานคนเหงา | Sao rong-ngan khon ngao |
| 4 | แถมให้ก็บ่เอา | Gaem hai gaw baw ao |
| 5 | ม่ายมัดหมี่ | Mai mat-mi |
| 6 | หอมกลิ่นข้าวจี่ | Hawm-glin khao ji |
| 7 | สาวผานางคอย | Sao pa nang khoi |
| 8 | สาวนาอารมณ์ดี | Sao na arom-di |
| 9 | สวย 199 | Suai 199 |
| 10 | คอยเขาบอกฮัก | Khoi khao bawk hak |