Various Artists – "Cambodian Nuggets" (Akenaton Records – AKENAT02) 2019

You can't beat the smell of a horribly charred Cambodian in the morning, especially if he's been playing a plethora of Psyched up garage tunes in what sounds like an empty School hall on the outskirts of Phnom Penh during Year Zero.

The original Nuggets involved suburban american teenagers trying to sound like British Invasion groups and failing, all in mom and Dad's Garage.Not sure they have Garages in Cambodia? However This jolly fine compilation of acne scarred Cambodians doing their fuzzy take on the genre, including, yes, a rip-off of Sixties Punk Garage classic, Them's "Gloria", and chucking in a few Surf numbers for fun with a hint of Paint It Black?

Which is rather strange, 'cus we all know "Charlie Don't Surf".....even if the tiresome 'Apocalypse Now' quotes probably refer to the Vietnamese rather than their Kymer-Rouge Kampuchean cousins.It was set in Cambodia after all.

Tracklist:

A1 Ros Serey Sothea–Jam 10 Kai Thiet (Wait 10 More Months)

A2 Yol Aularong–Yuvajon Kouge Jet (Broken Hearted Man)

A3 Pan Ron –Why Follow Me

A4 Tet Somnang & Meas Samon–Khnyom Jah Karake

A5 Houy Meas  & Dara Chom Chan–Nek Na Min Rom (Who Isn't Dancing)

A6 Choun Malai–Jomreang Oun Chreang

B1 Sinn Sisamout –Navy A Go Go

B2 Liev Tuk–Rom Sue Sue (Dance Soul Soul)

B3 Thra Kha Band– (Do You No Wrong Again)

B4 Yol Aularong & Liev Tuk– Sou Slarp Kroam Kombut Srey (Rather Die Under The Woman's Sword)

B5 Eng Nary–I Wonder

B6 Baksey Cham Krong & Mol Kamach– De Quoi Pleures-tu

DOWNLOAD to find out who's in command HERE!

Burka Band – "Burka Blue" (Ata Tak – WR 90) 2004

PHWOOR! What's under those Burka's ladz?

I could say a trio of bank Robbers,but no-one in a Burka is allowed anywhere near a Bank these days.....y'know.Banks, those empty places with no humans inside,just machines sealed behind security glass, rather like the radiation-filled reactor room when Spock tries to repair the ship's warp drive and save the USS Enterprise In The Wrath Of Kahn(also a muslim). 

Before he dies, he shares an emotional farewell to James T Kirk, rather like us and our money.

I've often thought of holding up a Brinks Mat armored van wearing a Burka for disguise......maybe with a camouflaged pattern rather than a blue one.

However I've not completely dismissed this idea,but it could resurface when I reach retirement age,whenever that is. Somewhat Like the Government, Securicor Cares as they said in that charming Crass Tune.

Yeah, succeed and i'm rich,fail and i get free accommodation,health care,and three meals a day,for the rest of my life.A popular route to take in Japan I'm informed. 

YES, there existed an all female synth pop in Kabul around the turn of the last century......not something that is common these days i regret to say.Music being illegal an' all. The morality Police are not too tolerant of any disrespect to the Burka,and any young lady heard singing will receive a sound beating......unless they are Rapping,then they would deserve a thorough thrashing, and possibly a date with the stoning mob....soon to appear in the USA after an absence of 70 years or so!?....oh sorry, that was a Firing Squad.Soon all women in the USA will be forced to wear Burkas when the American Taliban take over after a 'democratic' vote. 

Tracklist:

1 Burka Blue (Original) 3:08
2 No Burka ! (Original) 3:33
3 Barbara Morgenstern– Burka Blue (Remix)
Remix – Barbara Morgenstern 3:13
4 A Certain Frank– No Burka ! (Remix)
Remix – A Certain Frank 5:57

DOWNLOAD while music and women are still legal in the USA HERE!

Ahmad Zahir – "Volume 2: Afghan 70s Psychedelic Folk-Pop" (Guerssen – GUESS093) 2012

 

Ahmad Zahir, the Afghan johnny Haliday(?),was rocking it, Afghan style, from early in the 70's and probably continued around hipsville Kabul well after the Soviet Invasion of 1980. Rumor has it that Osama Bin Liner was a big fan. Doubtless a big hit at those wild Mujaheddin parties in the Bora Bora caves using that Hi-Fi as donated by the CIA, along with all that American ordinance that defeated The Soviets (y'know Jeans and Beatles records), and financed Al Qaeda at the same time. Including, I am told, a merch stall that included Ahmad Tie-Dye Burka's with Ahmad's name emblazoned on the front.......I Want One!

Dunno about this compilation being Psychedelic -Folk-pop, however? Sounds very  folky,but is lacking that certain fried LSD vibe with red zone shimmering tape delay effects that sounds not unlike an overdriven Mellotron in places.

Those platter spinning gen-x DJ's could find 'Psyche-Pop' classix in the dung of a Turkmenistani mountain goat and release this groovy shit on an unsuspecting record buying public well before tea-time,shrove Tuesday 2027.

No doubt Peter Gabriel and David Byrne bought up all the copies immediately(can't find Vol.1 anywhere) so they could plagarise at their leisure, and teach that Paul Simon chap a stiff Lesson or two.

Zahir's career was probably brought to an abrupt end under the Taliban after their flagship policy of Banning Music was enforced, somewhat Harshly, by the Morality Police......in fact I googled it and it turns out the Elvis Of Afghanistan, as he was called...(not Johnny Halliday) met an untimely death even before the Soviets arrived, as he was assassinated by unknown gunman(Lee Harvey Oswald's smarter brother) from the top of a mountainous book depository on 14 June 1979,his 33rd birthday!?

Apparently he didn't get on with the Marxist Government, who denied any involvement. The Commie newspapers reported his death was a car accident....not very original,but necessary when there are no balconies available.

Tracklist:

A1 Agar Ze Khaliq Malaamat (Featuring Hangama) 6:52
A2 Ahange Zindegi 5:17
A3 Az Dozdida Chashm Az Ahoo 3:46
B1 Az Nazo Che Maykhande 5:03
B2 Baduhait Konam 4:34
B3 Begzar Begreyan 9:24
C1 Begzaro Ta Begeeryam 4:05
C2 Behooda Am 4:55
C3 Beya Borim Ba Sangeran 7:28
D1 Che Khoosh Amadi Safaa Kardi 5:29
D2 Dil Ze Sowda 4:28
D3 Awship Shudee Aye Dil 8:08

DOWNLOAD to your soundproof Burka HERE!