The Chiang Mai popsters release their second album and set out on a nationwide tour to promote it
Chiang Mai's pop sextet Mild has been on a national tour in recent weeks promoting new album "Ma Show" on Nano Records. The new outing is expected to do every bit as well as the band's best-selling, self-titled debut album, which sold 3,000 copies in the first month of its release two years ago.
"It's always great to hear that the word has gone out that we're coming to town when we arrive at the venue to perform," says singer and songwriter Bodin "Pe" Charoenrat. "We hope fans like the album. We want them to enjoy our quick-tempo songs in addition to our slower ballads.
"The difference between the two albums lies mainly in the lyrics of the songs and the details of music. Lyrically, we've grown up and are much more mature when it comes to love, society and life. 'Mai Mild', for example, is a take on 'don't mind' and makes the point that more experienced people take less notice of stupid things."
"Mai Mild" is the latest and third single to hit the charts after "Khao Jai Tae Tham Mai Dai" and "Phu Puay Khwam Jam Sueam".
"I compare love with a kind of illness. I personally feel it's better that we forget our mistakes and remember only the good things," says Pe, who also raps on the album.
"On our first album, we lacked studio experience and we didn't know a lot about arrangement. On this new album, we've benefited a lot from suggestions from friends and musicians. The pop is more varied and it's mixed with rock and roll, punk, hip-hop, soul, jazz and fusion," says guitarist Jane "Tao" Manopinives, who's a major Beatles fan.
Other songs include "Welcome to the Nightlife", which brings in hip-hop and R&B, and "Sommutithan" ("Hypothesis"), which has a '70s R&B feel.
"With 'Welcome to the Nightlife', we use a lot more electronic and drop the live percussion," notes Pe, whose favourite artists include Boyz II Men, as well as Usher, NeYo and JayZ.
The band, which also features Natheepat "Tom Tom" Prasertmanookij on keyboards, Pithawat "Khun" Khunthong on bass, Paisit "Pe" Khamklun on sax¬ophone, Thongchai "Mike" Thimpool on drums, has always played live instruments on stage. Do they think fans will take kindly to this switch to electronica?
"Some may think that we are going over to electronica but we're not. We're just experimenting with electronica and we find it's an interesting sound. We'd like to share it with fans," says Pe.
"Ma Show" is in record stores now.
