*****
Mi Huajai Wai Rak Tue is an excellent album, in which Mike successfully adds an epic dimension to the standard luk tung sentimentality. The individually attractive songs combine to make a varied and satisfying album as a whole.
The tone is set with the title track. The video portrays Mike as a Thai everyman: images of manual workers from all over the country are intercut with Mike walking around a CGI Bangkok familiar from several of Tai's videos. Musically, the song opens with a spare, gern-style version of the stirring chorus, which is then alternated with more emotionally searching verses to powerful effect.
The second track, Ti pueng khon glai, is much less ambitious; after a brief pastoral flute introduction, it settles into a conversational ballad which is engaging, if not exciting.
Mike the everyman.
Track three, Pu bang khap banchi is one of the funkier numbers here. Anchored by a steady bass line, Mike's voice is given the freedom to produce a song both crisp and fluent. The fifth song, Mo'sai, features a raucous sax opening and then a catchy descending motif. The style and the lyrics, a bitter-sweet take on the life of a motorbike taxi driver, hark back to the title track, as to a lesser extent does the ninth song, Khon jai jaak bai khwan.
Most of the other tracks on the album are unexceptional ballads. One worthy of note is track seven, Sing pawn song, which opens and closes with lightly accompanied vocal solos sandwiching an up-tempo number with call and response style choruses.
Overall this is an unusually coherent album, with a series of tracks running through it which together present a fascinating, if sentimental, picture of life for the Thai, and especially Isan, working classes.
| Track number | Song title (Thai) | Song title (Romanised) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | มีหัวใจไว้รักเธอ | Mi huajai wai rak tue |
| 2 | ที่พึ่งคนไกล | Ti pueng khon glai |
| 3 | ผู้บังคับบัญชี | Pu bang khap banchi |
| 4 | กี่ปีแล้วน้อง | Gi pi laeo nawng |
| 5 | มอ'ไซค์ | Mo'sai |
| 6 | หัวใจที่ใช้แล้ว | Huajai ti chai laeo |
| 7 | สิงห์ผ่อนส่ง | Sing pawn song |
| 8 | บรรจุเป็นคนรู้ใจ | Ban ju pen khon ru jai |
| 9 | คนใจจากใบขวาน | Khon jai jaak bai khwan |
| 10 | แจ้งความที่หัวใจ | Jaeng khwam ti huajai |