Tears of a Little Fox
Orientation
October 18, 2009

Thai folk musician turns easy listening songs into audio therapy.

Mahasmut Bunyaraksh:
So On Dry Flower Music, 2007

Little Fox exposes the softer, more vulnerable side of Thai performer Gene Mahasmut. His latest role as folk musician perhaps seems unlikely to those who are more familiar with his acting career (in films like Citizen Dog), or his usual geek rock proclivities (as a member of Saliva Bastards). However, Mahasmut adapts quite naturally to the singer-songwriter approach, trading in the distorted guitar for a stripped-down acoustic vibe with the occasional folk touches.

For the most part, his self-titled album is made up of the kind of soft, laid-
back folk rock that wouldn't be out of place in on the soundtrack of some quirky romantic comedy starring Zooey Deschanel. The first single ‘Run To You’ is typical of the English tracks. It's all plaintive vocals, earnest acoustic guitar hooks, and sensitive male histrionics. Granted, it’s not exactly original, but hey, it appeals to my taste, as a fan of Elliott Smith and Sean Lennon.

 Little Fox exposes the softer, more vulnerable side of Thai performer Gene Mahasmut
Without a basic understanding of the Thai language, it’s not as easy to assess the non-English songs. However, this unfamiliarity actually helps to make tracks like ‘Soi Cowboy’, named after the infamous red light district, easier to appreciate. Instead, the focus shifts away from the lyrical content and towards the atypically upbeat tempo, which recalls Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.


Ultimately, what allows this record to overcome the language barrier is the way the compositions evoke a genuine sentimental response, without ever sounding overly earnest or schmaltzy. Much like his namesake, Little Fox is cunning enough to realize that it’s still okay to play to listeners’ feelings. Emotional rock should not be the sole province of guys with side-swept hair and bad eyeliner. Gene Mahasmut realizes this instinctively. Channeling the spirit of late troubadour Nick Drake, the relaxing sound of Little Fox makes one feel comfortable about shedding a tear while listening to music again. 

Rating: 4/5

- Pauo Cruz

NOTE: The artist’s name is ‘Little Fox’ in promo materials and sites like MySpace and YouTube. However, the album sleeve and ID3 tags list it under Gene's full Thai name, Mahasmut Bunyaraksh. Bear that in mind, should you be intrigued enough to order the album for yourself.
* For audio samples of Little Fox: http://myspace.com/littlefoxmusic
* For information about how to order Little Fox:

http://myspace.com/ghostednotes (So On Dry Flower Music)