*****

Honey Sri Isan's re-released recordings are the only material from the early 1990s currently widely available, and they offer a fascinating look at how mor lam has changed in that short period. Honey has the kind of raucousness in her voice that Jintara and Banyen have since had brushed out of them, and which can otherwise only be found on dodgy Isan audio tapes. The instrumentals here are equally raw, with jangling, dissonant bonglang appropriately featuring on songs like Sao Galasin Sin Tawang (track 3).

Standout tracks include the first, Namta Lon Bon Ti Nawn, which is interesting to compare with Jintara's glossier version of the same tune (Namta Yaat Khang Pratat Na Dun on Mor lam Sa On 5). Track 5, Kaw Laeo Mai Taeng, has a fine sense of drama to it, while track 7, Fan Rak Fan Rai is just about perfect: memorable verses, lam break and instrumentals, plus attractive lyrics. Perhaps the roughest and most engaging of the diamonds here is track 11, Jotmai Yay Ti Yu, which sits right on the boundary between artlessness and clumsiness. Finally Rak Sawng Paen Din, beyond its musical qualities, is notable as one of the few Isan lam songs to acknowledge the existence of Laos.

After fifteen of Honey's songs comes a real bit of hardcore Isan weirdness, with a tribute song, footage of her funeral and a biography. To seal the bargain, for your 120 baht you also get her fifteen songs on an audio CD, with much better audio quality.

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