Unreleased music worth having!

Thanks to the beauty of MySpace, Soundclick, band websites and a gazillion mp3 blogs and Multiply accounts and friendsters, and whathaveyous, music collectors and casual music fans can listen to a lot of artists even before they even release any official EPs or albums...some are rough demos, some are great live tracks, and most of everything that you'll see and hear are new music to your eyes and ears. Here's a few that's been getting good airplay in my mp3 player...some are old songs, which may have been released in a compilation or released in a limited edition EP which were given out to friends/families and select people or some are in the process of being released officially under a music label.

Most are streaming audio but if you're set on grabbing copies of the songs....just bring out your audio and computer jacks and experiment a bit....or wait for an official release...er, sometimes they tend to change the mix or change the version completely...so enjoy it now..while it's raw and still unattached. And while you're at it....just read their bios and infos on their web pages...tell me if you liked any of them! spread them around and hopefully we'll see their official releases soon...enjoy!

--The Automatics - "Salome" (streaming audio)

--Nyko Maca - "Ritmo Batida" (streaming audio)

--Outerhope - "Sky High Blue" (full band version) (streaming audio)

--A Shortcut to Mushrooms - "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind" (mp3)

--Earthfishfish - "Flower in Half Concrete"(mp3)"

--Red Lily - "Desolate" (streaming audio)

--Stella's Notch - "Loved Then Go"(streaming audio)

--Saturn 17 - "Ikot" (streaming audio)

--Bareflowers - "Try To" (mp3)

--Dream Kitchen - "The Perfect Night" (streaming audio)

--Candyaudioline - "La Pa"(mp3)

--Populardays - "Sunshine Smile" (mp3)

Covers...good or bad...and everything in between...

Let's face it, artists / musicians / bands love to cover other people's songs. This is true in any country around the world, even with Filipino artists. No, Pepe, they don't necessarily become a showband just because they covered this and that song. Some people would say its close to musical sacrilege if a band does a bad cover because it's not a note for note rendition of the original song. Some say that if you're covering a song, it better be as close to the original so as to give it justice. But, on my part, I love cover songs that are sometimes as far-off musically from the original...I like it when the bands give it a certain distinct difference. It may be raw, or inferior even, but they made the song their own.

Most cover songs that bands make in the motherland are done in small gigs...most of them, no matter how great sounding, never even makes it to the recording studio. The nice thing about it is that the bands usually chooses the songs that they like to cover, usually it's one of their influences and/or fave songs. Just imagine having a copy of a small club gig performance of Dean's December singing U2's 'Bullet The Blue Sky' with additional ad libs from Binky Lampano. Or what about Eraserheads doing a Knack song? Have you heard The Youth's version of Echo and The Bunnymen's 'Killing Moon'? well, that sounded great when I saw them perform it in Club Dredd. How about Cocojam doing songs by The Police...or Tropical Depression doing a Bob Marley favourite in Mayric's or Color It Red jamming with Karl Roy performing Iggy Pop's 'Candy' in the early 90s? Who can forget Kapatid's version of 'Pagbabalik Ng Kwago', or Half Life, Half Death's rendition of Sharon Cuneta's 'High School Life' (which were both officially released), or Identity Crisis trying out X-Mal Deutschland's 'Matador'. I'm pretty sure that there are a thousand or more songs that were covered by different artists...from amateurs to indie peborits to major label releases...foreign or local covers...let's try to hunt them down.

Ofcourse everybody has an opinion about a cover song...some negatively but who the #$@&*% cares. I just like watching bands enjoying themselves...and sometimes when you see them playing their choice of covers of their favourite artists and you see them having FUN...the least you can do is enjoy the moment and have fun with them, because a time will come when there will be at too many cooks joining them in the kitchen (managers, lawyers, major label heads, etc.) and start messing with their pots, and they can't do and won't do any of these cover songs anymore. So let's mark the 25th of each month as a covers day. Just like you, I'd love to hear these rarities...songs made officially, or practice sessions, live songs, radio sessions, etc. It's no use keeping them hidden in your cabinet or basement or under your bed...you'll lose it eventually or that rare bootleg tape of yours disintegrates after several years...so bring it out here and let the fans hear them and if it's quite a rarity, I think the artists would appreciate hearing their old songs too (covers or not)...but cross your fingers just in case.

So here's the first of a thousand, I hope...

Cover Cober Cover Kober Cobers DAY TODAY!!!

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Eraserheads - Manila (Hotdog cover)
(originally from BMG compilation "Bandang Pinoy, Lasang Hotdog" CD)

Into the World of Sugar Hiccup's "Of Tongues and Thoughts"

After 8 long years since their last album...Sugar Hiccup returns with an amazing new lead singer and one great album, "Of Tongues and Thoughts". The band's current line-up is Beatriz Alcala (vocals and rhythm guitars), Czandro Pollack (lead, ambient guitars and vocals), Russell Dacasin (bass) and Mervin Panganiban (drums).
Ethereal, melodic, captivating, mesmerizing, lush are just some of the words fans use in describing Sugar Hiccup's music through the years and with this album, old and new fans won't be disappointed. One part soundtrack, one part dreamlike and most parts lullabies, their sound creates far flung worlds for you to explore and the wall of sound of their music just surrounds you as go from track to track...definitely no fillers on this one.

This 10 track album was just released early 2006 and sees the band back in form...it's like they were just hibernating and laying in wait for the right time to pounce back at the unsuspecting music fans. Unlike their two previous albums which were released under Major Label Sony-BMG Pilipinas, this third output is released independently under Ballyhoo Records. Most songs were sung by Bea and two songs with Czandro as lead singer. They also did new versions of two of their older songs from 1995's Numeric Sampler 502 compilation, "Barn" and the goose-bump inducing, cheerful-sounding, yet very tragic song called "Trust". Although its great to hear the whole album in one sitting, i'm always doing a double or triple take on "Bleed".

For some strange reason, there hasn't been any new updates on their official website and most of the older stuff there has been taken down, but do check it once in awhile and maybe there will be new updates soon. Click here and bookmark. There is also the recent news that's been circulating that the band and their new lead singer has parted ways, which is quite unfotunate, considering the beauty of this third album...I do hope that they can work things out and make more music even in a studio setting. As I don't deal with the inner workings of band life and all it's politics, let's just support the band and buy this album...and be thankful that this album was even released to the public...please listen...it will take you to several far-off places in your imagination and you'll see colours.




Sugar Hiccup - Of Tongues and Thoughts
(CD / Ballyhoo Records / 2006 / PH)

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1. Bleed
2. Echo & Gab
3. Cartwheel Joy
4. Feel
5. ...And Breeze
6. Trust
7. Barn
8. In Fear
9. D.O.T.S.
10. Una Parola

Expand your mind with the music of Electronica Manila...yours for the taking!!

Big Beats...Downtempo...Chill Out...80s New Wave synth band influenced... Darkwave...film soundtracks...stunning instrumentals...90s House music beats... atmospheric...mind-expanding music...dance music...Dub Music...Jazzy Beats...ambient...techno...electronica...electronica....electronica...
...these are words that you don't usually associate with many Filipino artists. Well, take another look...here are 25 of the finest electronica artists in the Philippines all gathered in one great compilation and contributing their songs in a FREE, yes, you read that right, a FREE Downloadable album called Electronica Manila: One.



This album was released, or should I say unleashed to the public, via Electronica Manila's Website early this year. This album offers a wide range of music -- from the upbeat battle cry, Space Invaders meets Star Wars, of Nameless Are For Tombstone's "Watari's Machine" (you should hear the remix version of this song!) -- to Squid9 (ex-Eraserhead, Sandwich, Cambio, Raimund Marasigan's electronic alter-ego) -- to Mic Freak's "Find Out Why", music that sounds like New Order crossing paths with Depeche Mode without their respective vocalists present -- to Morse's "Put Your Foot Down" which is an upbeat drone music bordering on dreampop! -- to the late artist, Wolfmann's "Baked Mussels" -- to the jazzy beats of Brian Cua's "Grooved" and David Chen's "When The Music Stops, So Does Love" -- to 80s-inspired infectious music of Ixiz (ex-also of 80s band The Thought) -- to the downtempo music of Neon 8, to the Reggae inspired dub of Makkina, and a whole lot more.

So what is Electronica Manila? It is a collective of like minded, local artists who share their passion of creating electronic/synth based music. The website for the group itself was started by electronica artist, Silverfilter, aka Cyril Sorongon, around 2001. He started to look for other artists with the same passion for this kind of music and what started as a need to get in touch with fellow enthusiasts turned into a community of fellow artists which have grown through the years. They now have their own productions and gigs around the country, having their own stage/platform in music festivals and they are expanding their fan base and followers. Now all they want to do is share their music with you...so dig in...sample some stuff...I'm betting that you'll love a lot of the music here like I did. Best thing to do is put the tracks in your mp3 player...or if you want to put this on some CDRs, you'd probably need two discs. Learn more about the Electronica Manila and the artists here. Right click on the titles and "Save As" to get the songs...all other tracks please visit the Electronica Manila website or Astig Records here! Track down the artists and for crying out loud send an email to say THANK YOU, you ungrateful bunch! enjoy the music and use it for your long drive for the summer...




Various Artists - Electronica Manila: One
(Online Downloadable Album / 2006 / Astig Records / PH)

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1. Chox - Deal With The Heat
2. Eggboy - Everyday
3. Morse - Put Your Foot Down
4. Robbie Factoran - Stranger In Heaven
5. Neon 8 - Night Vibe
6. Bleedingbot Soundtrack - Lullaby For A Stranger
7. G.No - Bartow
8. Moonfearmoon - Solodrift
9. Object404 - Stardust
10. Brian Cua - Grooved
11. Chroma - Crystalline Shivers
12. David Chen - When The Music Stops, So Does The Love
13. Acid42 - Distant Promise
14. Emorej - Why
15. Ixiz - Overdrive
16. Spintech - It's All About The Music
17. Makkina - Dragonfly
18. Silverfilter - Her Goodbye
19. Flipperbaby - Confusion
20. Franco Madrid - The Long Wait
21. Wolfmann - Baked Mussels
22. Names Are For Tombstones - Watari's Machine
23. Squid9 - Submarine Dream
24. Sinistral Monk - Kem-Bot
25. Mic Freak - Find Out Why

Color It Red's latest album...she's worth waiting for !

Color it Red was formed around 1989...their songs have appeared in different compilations and they have released three albums in the last few years (their major debut was released in 1994 under Alpha-Numeric Records).

In a perfect world, we would have a new set of original songs and an album from this wonderful band every year or maybe every two years or so...but unfortunately the world (and the business) of music is not as easy as 1-2-3's and A-B-C's. So it was a great pleasure to learn that after a long hiatus Color It Red finally released their fourth (a self titled) album in late 2005. The band was always busy playing in different venues and productions and would play some new original songs inbetween covers but it took them a few years to lay these tracks in a studio and release them officially.

Color it Red always had several band changes since their early beginnings but the current line up of Cooky Chua (vocals), Barbi Cristi (rhythm/acoustic guitar), Ariel Policarpio (lead guitar), Bopip Paraguya (bass), Sam Salazar-Baja (keyboards) and Jayvee Torres (drums), is the best combination so far and they can play exceptionally great music on record and when performing live.

Two tracks from this album, "Sweet Freedom" and "From The Other Side of The Sea", were previously released in a compilation called Balangiga 1901 -- while one other song is their own version of a song called "Panalo" (see below) which was originally done by Bopip Paraguya's other band, Hidrofonics. Another great addition to the song "Panalo" is the guitar work by Kwachi Vergara (ex-Lampano Alley) who regularly performs with the band live. Most songs here were produced by their original guitarist Mike Villeagas (ex-CIR and Ex-Rizal Underground) who always gives a special touch to the songs that Color It Red releases.....hopefully we can hear more great stuff from them in the next (5th) album which, if we're lucky, they will release it sooner than later but then I haven't heard any news songs lately so I'm a bit doubtful. So you might as well buy this new album, it is still widely available in the stores around Metro Manila, you can even buy three more cds so you'll have extra copies and drown yourself in their new songs because it might take a few more years before you get another album from Color It Red and from past experiences it gets really hard to find their original albums after a few years (well at least you have re-issues of the first two albums now).




Is the GRASS greener on the other side? Ahhh, just watch the green, green GRASS of PANALO.....pssst...sindihan na yan...




Color It Red - Color It Red
(CD / 2005/ Alpha Music-Harmony Music / HMY-052-051/PH)

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1. Dalawa
2. Ilog Ng Ating Pagsinta
3. Stay
4. Ang Mundo Ay Bilog
5. Kung Ikaw Na Nga
6. Ikaw At Ako
7. Speak To Me
8. You
9. Sweet Freedom
10. From The Other Side of The Sea
11. Panalo (scroll up again and watch the video)
12. If You Loved Only Me
13. Panalo (Radio Edit)

Emergency!.....We need more music from the Alert Level album!

One of the best independently produced albums from the 1990s was released through Loudhouse Music Enterprise in 1993. This album showcased four of the best upcoming bands at that time, all of them started in the mid to late eighties/early nineties -- Color It Red, Tropical Depression, Rizal Underground and The Breed. All four bands have been around for several years playing the university / college circuits and in alternative clubs like Mayric's in España and Club Dredd (formerly Red Rocks) in Timog, Quezon City and have their own loyal followers and fans. This tape proves that most Philippine major recording labels at that time were missing out in getting great original Filipino alternative music. This album was actually a real treat for music fans since they have different genres all combined in this compilation...from the Reggae-Island music of Tropical D., to 90s alternative music of CIR, to more Rock oriented songs from The Breed and Rizal Underground.



The versions of the songs that appeared on this tape are different than the professionally produced, more polished versions that would later appear on the individual debut albums of the bands which were eventually released a year or so after 1993. I always preferred the simpler production of the songs here which has a bit of a kick ass, straight to the point, raw sound. Interesting tidbits too...Ex-Eraserheads and now The Dawn bass player, Buddy Zabala, played piano and synth on Color It Red's "It's Called Love" and bass on "Mushy Song". Bass duties from the former song and on the song "I Need You Here" was done by Tame The Tikbalang bassist and all around multiple musician for countless groups, Mally Paraguya. ex-Color It Red guitarist, Mike Villeagas, would be playing with his new band members in Rizal Underground with Bayang Barrios providing back up vocals on their songs. Isagani Ybarra also provides backing vocals for Tropical Depression's "Bilog Na Naman Ang Buwan". This album is a must have for Pinoy Music fans, and if you ever watch Papadom in one of their reggae performances, maybe ask him if he still has some copies of this album...who knows maybe if you're nice he'll sell you a copy of this long lost rarity.


the bootleg version of the tape? I don't have that much info in this release. Someone just submitted this photo.




Various Artists - Alert Level-The Album
(Cassette tape/1993/Loudhouse Music Enterprise/PH)

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Side A
1. Mushy Song - Color It Red
2. Black Mercedes Benz - The Breed
3. I Need You Here - Color It Red
4. Apocalypse - The Breed
5. It's Called Love - Color It Red
6. Free - The Breed

Side B.
7. Kapayapaan - Tropical Depression
8. Rollers On Her Hair - Rizal Underground
9. Alaala - Tropical Depression
10. Internal Revenue Man - Rizal Underground
11. Bilog Na Naman Ang Buwan - Tropical Depression
12. Powder Or Lotion - Rizal Underground

House of Beth...just call them...Radical!

Ahhh, the band called House of Beth, not necessarily a household name in Manila...but every collector I know seems to like (and cherish) their personal copy of the band's 7" single called "Radical". This single was quietly released independently in 1990 under Richard Tan's Backbeat Label. I always enjoy playing the vinyl whenever I get the chance to bring out the turntable (er, ofcourse that was before the time of mp3s and CDRs).

I don't have much information about the band...they started out around 1988 or so and was mainly composed of Jonathan Ong, Imo Quibilan, Jema Sy on Vocals and Bimbo Ballesteros on Drums and nowadays most of them reside outside Manila. If there are other members of this band that I failed to mention, I hope they can email me so I can re-post the correct info.














After they recorded this single, the band was supposed to release a Mini-Album with Backbeat called "Songs From Nowhere" but it never materialized. They also did a couple of small gigs in Manila together with the likes of Half Life Half Death, Sake, Dean's December, Jukebox, Mere Mercy, etc. , again no written review about it nor any personal stories from people who saw them live.

Manila radio station, NU 107, used to play one of their unreleased songs called"Starlight Starbright" which I never had the pleasure of hearing. The radio station also aired a 1 hour show that had House of Beth performing their original songs live around 1990 or 1991, unfortunately no one in the band has a copy of this. If you know someone in NU 107 or you work there or you're a head honcho in the station maybe you can have someone check the radio station archives (if they even have one) to unearthed some of the songs of this underrated Filipino band...if the songs are as upbeat and catchy as "Radical" then It would be great for the public and the collectors to hear them in the future. One more thing, if anyone out there knows the band personally, or taped this session from the radio, please get in touch and send me an email, maybe you can set the record straight on some questions I have about the band or maybe you can even send me a picture or two or even some unreleased songs, it's wishful thinking but that would really help. For now let's just enjoy this short, lovely tune from House of Beth.


House of Beth - Radical
(7" single/Backbeat Records/ BBT-001-A/1990/PH)

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A Side - Radical

B Side - Radical II

Ultraelectromagneticpop!...the honky-toinks debut album by Eraserheads...

Voltes V, Paul McCartney, Bahay Kubo, Sharon Cuneta, UP, Hope, Canada, Sesame Street, Tamagotchi, Rico J. Puno, Nirvana, Amsterdam, balikbayan box, Zappa, bubulate Fishballs, Spoliarium, etc. etc. etc.... plus add their songs throughout the years about love, break-ups, friendship, tansan, sembrek, and whathaveyous...Eraserheads was the band with the 1,001 pop culture and everdayword references and were a great influence throughout the 90s. Their influence can still be felt up to the present music scene in the Philippines and many younger bands regard their songs with the utmost reverence and respect.

From their early beginnings in 1989 in the University of the Philippines campus, from playing in small clubs, in colleges and universities and releasing a self made indie tape called POP-U, up to their implosion and disbandment in 2002, they have made songs that are still cherished by a lot of people today...from the young, the old, the poor, rich, beautiful, ugly, tall, short, Coñitos, punkilitos, jocks, nerds, sosi, dyologs, artista, extras, gerls and boys, inbetweeners and outsiders. This is summed up by their liner notes in the 1st album..."At sa lahat ng hiniraman, tinulungan, inutangan, hinassel, jinackson, binoljack, binulabog, niracket atbp., atin 'to!"...chopseuy music for the masses.

Commercial success began in 1993 with Eraserheads' major label debut album under BMG Records Pilipinas entitled "Ultraelectromagneticpop!". The title is a rehashing of a peborit weapon of one of our peborit 1970s giant robots, Voltes V (check out Ely Buendia's magnificent illustration of what he termed as the "Elvis" of all Japanese Robots). This album was released in 1993 and some would say that this started the next wave of band explosion in the 90s wherein the record companies began signing up a lot of bands after noticing that people have gone back to appreciating good music (again). With it's simple guitar based melodic, rock/pop, this album spawned a lot of hits and made eraserheads a household name in the country.

Ely Buendia's illustration of the "Elvis" of all 70's Japanese Robots, Voltes V !!!

The band was made up of Ely Buendia (Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar), Marcus Adoro (Lead guitar and Vocals), Buddy Zabala (Bass and Vocals) and Raymond Marasigan (Drums and What not). It's been several years since they disbanded and all of the ex-Eraserheads are with amazing bands and side projects nowadays. But we always come back to the band's debut which I believe, a lot of people would agree with me and regard this album as a real timeless classic.



Eraserheads - Ultraelectromagneticpop!
(CD / BMG Records (Pilipinas) / MRCD 032 / 1993 / PH)

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1. Easy Ka Lang
2. Maling Akala
3. Pare Ko
4. Shake Yer Head
5. Ganjazz
6. Toyang
7. Ligaya
8. Tindahan ni Aling Nena
9. Honky-Poinks Granny
10. Shirley
11. Walang Hiyang Pare Ko
12. Combo On The Run