*****

Luam Yawt Kap Lam is an excellent idiot's guide to lam in Laos. Most of the main styles are represented: two examples each of Xiang Khuang, Phu-thai, Si Pan Dawn, Khon Sawan and Luang Prabang.

Among the highlights are the two Kap Xiang Khuang. This style uses a weird and wonderful slow, hypnotic, wailing delivery to which Gulap's rough oboe of a voice is perfectly suited. The Lam Phu-thai are rather unusual, with sunny, jangling instrumental part very different from the more mournful versions typical of the genre, while the Kap Thoum Luang Prabang have some beautifully graceful melisma passages over a gamelan-style accompaniment. The first of the Si Pan Dawn tracks has a rather incongruous western drumkit in the percussion, but the fast and fluid lamming here is a delight.

If any criticism can be made of this album, it may be of its lack of range. The Lao genres are very tightly defined, with little musical variation between different examples of the same genre; there is therefore very little to choose between the two versions of each of these styles. The selection might have been better if it had included one example each of a wider range of genres, although demonstrating the restrictive nature of the genres does have its own value. Identifying the genres is complicated by the track listing on the CD cover differing from that given on the videos themselves (the latter seem to be correct; despite what the cover says, there is no Kap Salawan). And as is usual in Lao videos, the production standards are minimal. The Khon Sawan videos are particularly odd, with Gulap standing behind the dancers in what appears to be a school hall.

These are nitpicks, however. The album is of course produced to entertain, and it does that well. The contrast between the genres presented keeps the disc interesting, and Gulap has a very good and very distinctive voice. This is a great buy for anyone interested in the more traditional side of lam.

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