Smooth singer spins some soul
By Tatat Bunnag
Did you know
Two was chosen to sing “It’s a Small World” at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2012.
After a few years of releasing singles and EPs, top pop crooner and heart-throb Popetorn Soonthornyanakij (Two) recently released his first full-length album, Music From Another Room.
The album combines smooth pop with soul, funk and R&B to create music that Two has always specialised in. Music From Another Room includes some killer hits like “Hit & Run,” which features guest artists Maew Jirasak and Fukling Hero.
Student Weekly recently asked Two to tell us about five albums that have inspired his own music making.
Al Green
Lay it Down (2008, Blue Note)
“Lay it Down is Al Green’s latest album, and it came out around five years ago. He is one of the most gifted soul singers and has always been one of my favourites. I love so many of his earlier records, especially his Greatest Hits album, which is always in my CD player.
“I hadn’t heard this album until my producer, Kor Notapol Srichomkwan, recommended it a few months ago. All the tracks are great, especially “Lay it Down” and “Just for Me.” With this album, Al Green proves that he’s still the one after all these years.”
Babyface
MTV Unplugged NYC 1997 (1997, Epic)
“MTV has released a lot of great unplugged albums, but this one is my favourite. I’ve been a huge fan of Babyface for a long time. I like his singing, musicianship and production work for other artists.
“MTV Unplugged NYC 1997 is a live album that allows you to hear acoustic versions of many of his hits. It also features special guests like Eric Clapton, Shanice, Kevon Edmonds and Stevie Wonder.
D’Angelo
Brown Sugar (1995, EMI)
“I’ve been following D’Angelo’s work for a long time. He is one of the few songwriters in the contemporary soul market who uses old school styles to create new music. He stays away from boring drum machines and cheesy keyboard effects. This album has a remarkable blend of jazz, neo-soul, R&B and gospel.
“D’Angelo’s personal life is almost as well-known as his music because of his highly publicised problems with drugs and the law. But he’s one of the main singers that made me want to make music the way I do.”
Maxwell
Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite (1996, Columbia)
“I enjoy listening to music that has a romantic vibe, like this album. The mood and tone of this album is very soothing with a mix of funk, soul and jazzy R&B. Maxwell’s falsetto singing is very sexy.
“My favourite song on this album is “Whenever Wherever Whatever.” Urban Hang Suite is the kind of album to play when you invite somebody you love for a special dinner.”
B.o.B
Strange Clouds (2012, Atlantic)
“Strange Clouds is a great hip-hop album. I first discovered B.o.B. a few years ago from his big hit single “Nothin’ on You,” which featured Bruno Mars. I then looked for his previous album, B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, and I was hooked. But Strange Clouds is even better in my opinion.
“B.o.B produces hip-hop music that doesn’t only focus on rapping. The music is also very well written. The beats in B.o.B’s songs are never generic. There’s always lots of creativity. Unlike most rappers, B.o.B also uses guitars and drums in his music. “Bombs Away” and “Both of Us” are tracks from this album that I particularly recommend.”
Vocabulary
- crooner (n): a male singer who sings slow romantic songs
gifted (adj): having a lot of natural ability or intelligence
musicianship (n): skill in performing or writing music
contemporary (adj): belonging to the present time
cheesy (adj): of low quality and without style
remarkable (adj): unusual or surprising in a way that causes people to take notice
falsetto (n): an unusually high voice, especially the voice that men use to sing high notes
generic (adj): typical of a whole group of things
creativity (n): the process of using your imagination to come up with creative, artistic, etc. ideas
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