Various Artists - Air Mail Music: Vietnam (CD)

All Music Guide

Imagine going to a small village in Vietnam, Bali, Romania or Cuba, recording talented musicians who weren't necessarily professional recording artists and putting the recording on CD. That's exactly the sort of thing that happened with the Air Mail Music series, and the results were often rewarding. It was unfortunate that the CDs' liner notes didn't tell you who any of those artists were -- even if they weren't professional musicians or singers, it would be nice to know something about them. When you're savoring Air Mail Music: Vietnam, you find yourself wishing you had some information on the talented Vietnamese singers and musicians you're being charmed by. The performances, which combine vocals with various Asian string and percussion instruments, are quite enjoyable. This is soulful music that has a lot of charm.

- Alex Henderson, All Music Guide