Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974

by N/A

Overview

A whole sociological study could probably be based around Saigon Rock & Soul, a double-album compilation of killer Vietnamese pop/rock tracks from the late '60s to mid-'70s, but that will be left to more academically minded types in order to focus on the music at hand. The tunes included here were surely the product of Western music's influence, as American soldiers brought the sounds of U.S. rock, pop, and soul along with them over the course of the Vietnam War. By the late '60s, a whole subgenre of than nac ("modern music") had emerged, as hordes of young Vietnamese musicians absorbed and emulated the music that arrived from overseas. Besides local clubs, many of the artists featured here performed -- and often recorded -- at U.S. army bases, where the soldiers made up a major portion of their fan base. Still, most of this collection's cuts never made it anywhere near an album until now, having initially been released only on 45s and the equivalent of street mixtapes. The '60s psychedelia explosion obviously had a major effect on the Vietnam scene. Phuong Hoang and Minh Xuan's "Black Sun," for example, features some of the rawest, nastiest fuzz-guitar snarl you're likely to hear anywhere this side of a Blue Cheer box set, and the guitarist on Thanh Lan's "Autumn Memory" could give Big Brother & the Holding Company's James Gurley a run for his money, but for as many stoner-rock moments as there are on this compilation, there are just as many -- if not more -- pop and soul flavors to be found. Thai Thanh's "Dawn" is powered by a combination of R&B-influenced sax honking and Wes Montgomery-like octave voicings on guitar, while the sunny harmonies and folk-rock guitar strumming of Elvis Phu'o'ng's "Our Treasures" lend the tune an almost Lovin' Spoonful-esque feel, despite the chirpy, vibrato-laden organ. When the Viet Cong took over Saigon in 1975, they clamped down on all Western cultural influences, including music, and an era came to an end, but thankfully, Saigon Rock & Soul documents that nearly lost golden moment in musical history in all its pancultural glory. ~ J. Allen

Product Details

Release Date:	04/10/2012
Label:	Sublime Frequencies
UPC:	0751937415022

Tracks

1. Tinh Y¿¿u Tuy¿¿t V¿¿i [The Greatest Love  -  CBC Band
2. B¿¿i ca ng¿¿ng [The Crazy Song]  - Elvis Phuong
3. C¿¿i Tr¿¿m Em C¿¿i [Your Hair Clip]  - Carol Kim
4. T¿¿c Mai So'i V¿¿n So'i D¿¿i [Long, Uneven Hair]  - Thanh Mai
5. N¿¿i Bu¿¿n Con G¿¿i [The Sadness Of Being A Girl]  - Carol Kim
6. Com tim v¿¿ nu'¿¿'c M¿¿t [Heart And Tears]  -  CBC Band  - Bich Loan
7. D¿¿m Huy¿¿n Di¿¿u [Magical Night]  - Phuong Tam
8. Sao Bi¿¿ [Starfish]  - Le Thu  - Le Thu
9. Mat Tr¿¿'i Den [Black Sun]  - Phuong Hoang  - Minh Xuan
10. B¿¿'ng S¿¿ng [Dawn]  - Thai Thanh
11. Nhu'ng D¿¿m Mat Hoa Ch¿¿u [Fireballs]  -  Bang Chan
12. Chuy¿¿n T¿¿nh Sao Ly [A Love Story From Sau Ri]  - Giao Linh
13. Kho T¿¿ng Cua Ch¿¿ng Ta [Our Treasures]  - Elvis Phuong
14. Ho¿¿i Thu [Autumn Memory]  - Thanh Lan
15. H¿¿'n Anh Gi¿¿n Em [Jealousy]  - Hung Cuong  - Mai Le Huyen  - Mai Le Huyen
16. Duy¿¿n Ph¿¿n Con G¿¿i [A Girl's Destiny]  - Mai Le Huyen  - Mai Le Huyen
17. D¿¿ Ai [Riddles]  - Phuong Dung

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mai Le Huyen   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
Thanh Mai   Primary Artist
Elvis Phuong   Primary Artist
Minh Xuan   Primary Artist
CBC Band   Primary Artist
Bich Loan   Primary Artist
Bang Chan   Primary Artist
Le Thu   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
Carol Kim   Primary Artist
Giao Linh   Primary Artist
Phuong Dung   Primary Artist
Phuong Hoang   Primary Artist
Phuong Tam   Primary Artist
Thai Thanh   Primary Artist
Thanh Lan   Primary Artist
Hung Cuong   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Suzanne La   Assistant,Translation
Arshia Haq   Copy Editing
Scott Simmons   Contribution
Miles Stegall   Design
Alan Bishop   Research
Mark Gergis   Liner Notes,Editing,Design,Research
Rick Foust   Contribution
Alegria Vo   Translation,Assistant