Another compilation off of Calamarfarci, can be downloaded here. I've been itching for something new, and with my good luck with Brazilian 60's psychedelic/garage rock, it seemed like this might be a good find: a compilation of Cambodian 60's psychedelic/garage rock.
This hits some of the same sweet spots: the overblown, trashy production lends grit and energy, and the non-English words let the vocals serve as a different kind of instrument to my ears. But where Tropicalia reinvented 60's rock, this apparently largely copies what was happening in the US. I say apparently because I can't say for certain that these weren't melodies and tropes that originated in Cambodia and found their way to the US. Nothing would please me more to hear that this is what happened, but it doesn't seem likely based on what information I can scrape together.
In any case, it mostly sounds like Nuggets-style garage rock and 50's rock and roll; some of the songs even appear to be outright covers. Most of the songs are overall awfully simple, and lack the energetic invention of their Brazilian counterparts. Also, the compilation is dominated by two artists, with only a few songs by anyone other than Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea; I'd certainly like more variety. A couple standouts save it somewhat: the guitar/vocal interplay on Don't be Mad is snakey and compelling, and the horns, organ and loping bass lines of Since When You Know Me lend a richness that I wanted more of. It seems ungenerous, but there was just too little on here that was all that inventive to justify anything higher than 2.5/5.
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