Free Week #4
Dengue Fever
I was listening to 'N.P.R.'s ,'Fresh Air',when I heard this great interview by Terry Gross.She was interviewing two brothers,Ethan and Zac Holtzman.They were the founders of an unique rock group called,'Dengue (pronounced:den-gay)Fever'.
Ethan had backpacked for an extended time throughout Cambodia and had found a liking to a 1960ish brand of American/Cambodian psychedelic rock music.
This music had a clearly rock and roll influence mixed up nicely with a neat Cambodian attitude.East meets west/the Orient meets the Ventures.Very nice.
But the very ingredients that made this niche like genre-almost totally destroyed it and the people who played it.The evil Pol Pot and the murderous Khmer Rouge literally almost totally annihilated it along with almost everything western.
So,when Ethan came home to the San Francisco area he was surprised to find that brother Zac was also into this obscure music.They became inspired to form a band.They quickly found singing in a bar in Long Beach,a female pop singer recently immigrated from Cambodia named Chhom Nimol...
...and Dengue Fever was formed.Their first two albums were mostly covers of Cambodian bands(sung in the Cambodian 'Khmer' language).On their third cd,'Venus On Earth',they ventured into original material.Sung basically half in Khmer/half in English.
And,by golly it's good.Chhom Nimol has such a sweet voice.Zac's laid back vocals really compliment her sweetness.
My favorite song is,'Sober Driver',You can not ask for more fun from a song.Sung in English,the song is about a girl taking a boy's willingness to taxi her for granted.Dengue Fever has a great horn section(as well as a supreme guitar/bass/drum section)and it shines here.
*
My next favorite tune starts off the cd and is sung in Khmer.It is called ,'Seeing Hands',and even though I have no idea what it is about,it is a rocker...and is that crows?!?
*
Next on my list is the instrumental,"Ocean Of Venus'.I am a rocker,because I rock out.'Clipped Wings' is old fashioned funky and the English,'Tiger Phone Call' is another fun duet.
*
The only song I initially had somewhat trouble with was ,'Monsoon Of Perfume'.It is sung in Cambodian;it just reminded me too much of something that would be sung at a wedding.After multiple listenings,though,I have grown very found of it.
*
The final song,'Mr.Orange' is just plan fun.It should me the theme song to something.
*
Yessirre,One fine cd.
*
A-
Dengue Fever
I was listening to 'N.P.R.'s ,'Fresh Air',when I heard this great interview by Terry Gross.She was interviewing two brothers,Ethan and Zac Holtzman.They were the founders of an unique rock group called,'Dengue (pronounced:den-gay)Fever'.
Ethan had backpacked for an extended time throughout Cambodia and had found a liking to a 1960ish brand of American/Cambodian psychedelic rock music.
This music had a clearly rock and roll influence mixed up nicely with a neat Cambodian attitude.East meets west/the Orient meets the Ventures.Very nice.
But the very ingredients that made this niche like genre-almost totally destroyed it and the people who played it.The evil Pol Pot and the murderous Khmer Rouge literally almost totally annihilated it along with almost everything western.
So,when Ethan came home to the San Francisco area he was surprised to find that brother Zac was also into this obscure music.They became inspired to form a band.They quickly found singing in a bar in Long Beach,a female pop singer recently immigrated from Cambodia named Chhom Nimol...
...and Dengue Fever was formed.Their first two albums were mostly covers of Cambodian bands(sung in the Cambodian 'Khmer' language).On their third cd,'Venus On Earth',they ventured into original material.Sung basically half in Khmer/half in English.
And,by golly it's good.Chhom Nimol has such a sweet voice.Zac's laid back vocals really compliment her sweetness.
My favorite song is,'Sober Driver',You can not ask for more fun from a song.Sung in English,the song is about a girl taking a boy's willingness to taxi her for granted.Dengue Fever has a great horn section(as well as a supreme guitar/bass/drum section)and it shines here.
*
My next favorite tune starts off the cd and is sung in Khmer.It is called ,'Seeing Hands',and even though I have no idea what it is about,it is a rocker...and is that crows?!?
*
Next on my list is the instrumental,"Ocean Of Venus'.I am a rocker,because I rock out.'Clipped Wings' is old fashioned funky and the English,'Tiger Phone Call' is another fun duet.
*
The only song I initially had somewhat trouble with was ,'Monsoon Of Perfume'.It is sung in Cambodian;it just reminded me too much of something that would be sung at a wedding.After multiple listenings,though,I have grown very found of it.
*
The final song,'Mr.Orange' is just plan fun.It should me the theme song to something.
*
Yessirre,One fine cd.
*
A-
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