Thai Beat A Go-Go

Volume 2

Subliminal Sounds!

And we thought the Western world had that whole tripped out psychedelic rock scene on the lock down in the 1960’s. This second compilation from Subliminal Sounds gives a glimpse into what was going down in the “Land of Smile” way back when dropping acid was still good for you. As American soldiers were invading South-Eastern Asia, so was the culture of rock n’ roll. Thai Beat A Go-Go features American pop songs such as “All Shook Up” and “Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop,” covered by some of Thailand’s more prominent lounge acts of the era. The Lo-Fi production exemplifies the authenticity of these go-go groups, capturing the energy and texture of these bands in a live environment. Most of the songs do well in striking a balance between making the songs recognizable and maintaining a uniquely Far-East flavor that at some points outdoes the originals.

Recordings such as these are nearly impossible to come by which makes this collection something of a lost treasure. A lot of these songs may sound like gimmicks upon first listen, but once you get past the language barrier you discover there’s something downright radical going on. There’s an urgency blaring from this otherwise ‘fun’ record; one of two very different worlds colliding at a time in history when both cultures were experiencing so much turmoil. All the while rock n’ roll was bringing people together and keeping them sane.

Grade: B