HUONG THANH & NGUYÊN LÊ — Fragile Beauty (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

For sheer melodic and timbral beauty, there are few languages that can match Vietnamese -- like most tonal languages, it sounds like it's being sung even when it's being spoken, and the effect is like a series of delicate, tuned gongs being struck quickly in sequence. The language's inherent lyricism brings an added layer of complexity and beauty to the traditional and dramatic Vietnamese song repertoire, and on this album vocalist Huong Thanh adds yet another layer to those song traditions by teaming up with guitarist, producer, and arranger Nguyên Lê. Lê's arrangements are varied in tone and texture, but almost all are both strange and wonderful, and his guitar solos are exquisite. On "Weaving & Awaiting" there's a gorgeous moment at the end of his solo when Thanh's vocals come back in, but multi-tracked in close harmony; "Plantation Song" flows gently in a jazzy style; "The Swallows' Bridge" features lovely counterpoint between a Japanese koto and a fretless electric bass, over which dances a cool and complex horn chart. Perhaps the album's most beautiful track is the final one, "Tales of the Mountain," on which funky beats bump up against a gentle arrangement, tastefully restrained guitar, and Thanh's otherworldly voice. It's one of the most softly impressive songs on an album that is full of both sweet melodic beauty and subtly dense complexity. Very highly recommended. Rick Anderson  

"Behind Thanh's warm-hearted voice, guitarist Lê lays down subtle grooves that ingeniously bring together musicians and instruments from all over the world." - STEREOPLAY ACT
Tracklist :
1    Drifting On The Water    3:48
2    Weaving & Awaiting    5:58
3    Faithfulness    3:39
4    Plantation Song    4:22
5    The Five Calls Of The Night    5:03
6    Fragile Beauty    5:12
7    Rowing The Sampan    3:17
8    The Pavillon Of Crystallized Azure    4:54
9    At Dusk, From The West Balcony    4:18
10    Go Cong Blues    3:57
11    The Swallow's Bridge    6:23
12    Tales Of The Mountain    7:18
Credits:
Acoustic Bass [Pizzicato, Arco 5-string] – Renaud Garcia-Fons
Backing Vocals – Nguyên Van-Hong
Balafon [Trung] – Illya Amar
Bass [Fretless] – Etienne Mbappé
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer, Computer – Nguyên Lê
Koto – Mieko Miyazaki
Percussion – Alex Tran, Francis Lassus
Piano – Dominique Borker
Recorded By, Mixed By, Producer – Nguyên Lê
Soprano Saxophone, Flute [Flutes] – Stéphane Guillaume
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Paolo Fresu
Vocals – Huong Thanh
Zither [Đàn Bầu], Zither [16-strings Dàn Tranh], Flute [Sao, Meo Bamboo Flutes] – Hao Nhiên Pham