Ja the elder...

*****

Nong Ja is different from Thailand's other child singers: she has a good, distinctive voice, and she's older — 15 — and so is developing the ability to give some of her songs real emotional weight. Her growing up is reflected in the two versions of her first album: the second version, released a year later, includes one new song and replaces her filmed performances from Raw Gnaw and Pisut Rak with new footage of a more adult-looking Ja (the rest of the album is identical to the first version).

The new song, track 1, isn't bad - it's a slow number giving Ja free reign to show off the unusual edge in her voice. As far as content goes, it's not particularly daring — be nice to your mum, and don't do drugs, kids.

...Ja the younger.

Raw Ngaw, the album's big hit, has an unpromising story about waiting for a phone call, but it's well-written and Ja sings with a maturity beyond her years. Track 3, the title track — Pleum Puanjai — is similar. The tale of a girl who fancies her maths tutor is transformed into a rather touching piece of work. If it weren't paired with the more memorable Raw Ngaw, this would be a standout track.

Unfortunately, the cheerleader outfit Ja wears in Pleum Puanjai is a sign of the direction of the rest of the album, most of which is pitched at a rather lower emotional level. Track 4 is a very Thai, very silly piece about match-making, food and game-shows. By the time we reach track 5 we are back in school, with the girls singing about boys, sticking their tongues out at them and squeezing spots. The energy is quite engaging, though, and it tells you all you ever wanted to know about adolescent Thai sexuality (but were too afraid to ask). Track 6 (cheering on the handsome athletes at school sports day) has little to offer the post-Matayom listener, while track 7 is musically unexciting, but well sung. The remaining songs are schoolgirl silliness until the last one, Pisut Rak. This is another mediocre song, but Ja's voice makes it well worth listening to.

Of course it is slightly unfair to criticise a teenager for singing about being a teenager. Her more ambitious efforts are so much better, though, that we can look forward to Ja continuing the development that she has shown even between the two versions of this album.

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