oUr PeBoRiT PiNoY P!O!P!

Thinking....

2007-02-21T14:18:00.000-05:00

Mmmmm, are you still there? Yes, you!...how the frack have you been? (a little Battlestar Galactica profanity there...er, blame the TV coz the show is on while I'm typing this...now, you Trekkies and Jedis and Wookies don't get mad, and I'll try to squeeze a phrase from your sci-fi show in future posts!!). Anyways, after months of lazy, uninspired, blank stares on the computer screen, contemplating, thinking of what I'll do with this blog, I decided to write some stuff here (I--am--really--trying----again!)...It becomes too much work and crazy sometimes when you're updating two or three sites, I guess, and one can alway say, i'll do this later, mmm, tomorrow maybe...then tomorrow turns to a day, several days, and then it turns to weeks, months. Well, at least its not years, right?

Well, I'll give myself a bit of a push, kick myself in the bum or something (if that is physically possible!)...maybe I'll put in one or two posts before the month ends...and we'll see where it goes from there. Some pretty interesting music coming out of the motherland nowadays...well, not that it ever disappeared...but as a music fan and collector, you just have to get your hands a wee bit dirty and dig a little deeper than what the radio, TV and CD stores want you to hear (and buy, ofcourse) in order to find some of the hidden gems...

...back from the Twilight Zone...

2007-01-17T23:25:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...I guess, I just have to write-off the whole of November and December 2006...(except for that itsy bitsy one about the band, On Petals, which was from the former month). Hey, even part time bloggers are allowed to be, um, lazy, busy, lazy, indifferent, er, lazy, distracted, lazy,...okey let's just stick with lazy. There were too may unfinished ideas that never materialized so my apologies for that...but since I wasn't sure if anyone was reading the entries here, then I guess it's just like saying an apology to myself for being lazy...hahaha!

I really wanted to post a lot of alternative Christmas albums last December...but, oh...December was so 'yesterday', or should I say, um, so 'last year'! Hopefully, 2007 brings in new energy and new entries here...well, I guess we'll just have to see, and do it one day at a time. It seems like there has been a great deal of new OPM releases last year that warrants attention...but I'm not really concerned with the current, latest, trendiest, famous releases...so, you should still (eventually) see postings about a lot of classic stuff...indie, unreleased, commercial, old, major, new, never heard stuff, whathaveyous in future music entries.

Distant greetings across the ocean from a band called On Petals

2006-11-12T22:29:00.000-05:00

Once in awhile an album comes out of nowhere and causes a bit of a buzz with online indiepop music fans. This album was "released" a few weeks ago...and a lot of people started asking questions about this band and where they came from. Is the band based in Manila, or somewhere in Asia or in North America? Anyway, before anything else, the band that I'm referring to is called On Petals and their album is called "Distant Greetings". I guess the individual members would have started their roots in Manila, then for a time, some of them were in Guam before eventually moving to the U.S. West Coast. The band was formed around late 2003 and now they are actually based in Stockton, California (just outside San Francisco).

Initial listen to the album (i.e. the first track, "Day Light Punch"), you would have thought of early 90s lo-fi indiepop ala Confetti or Tramway, or a thousand and one songs with girl-boy twee vocals and instrumentations but then you will notice the sneaky, cranking-up of the guitar on this song and this would slowly prepare you for the sound of the other tracks in the album. From the 2nd track onwards, the band would show that it wears its influences proudly on its sleeve and you can hear some great power pop moments here, not much in the 1970s Big Star or Badfinger era but in a more late 80s~early 90s Teenage Fanclub country or like lo-fi recordings of Yo La Tengo and The Lucksmiths or slow stripped down Jesus and Mary Chain.

The band combines distorted guitars, excellent harmonies and blissful kind of refrains on their songs and would start with an ever light mood and in a blink of an eye they'll just crank up the guitars and surround you in a wonderful wall of various textured music.

On Petals is made up of Christian Dasmarinas on vocals and guitars, Francis Samson on guitars and bass, Maria Redulfin on vocals and keyboards, Noel Dasmarinas on drums and guitars and Gaudy Glindro on bass. This Do-it-yourself 10 track album is the band's debut output and for this release they decided to put it out online...the whole album as a FREE Download...complete with matching CD artwork. Yes, Pepe, just go scroll down the page and click the links below...hurry, before it eventually disappears!

According to the band, aside from the obvious musical influences...they are also inspired by a lot of artists...from UK post-punk/New Wave bands like Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure and New Order to American College radio heroes like Sonic Youth, Matthew Sweet and Ben Kweller, to OPM heroes Eraserheads and 60s bands The Beatles and Velvet Underground and ofcourse, indiepop bands like Belle and Sebastian, (90s Guam Indiepop band) Lampas Landay, Apple Orchard and Sodajerk!

The band is already hard at work on their second album which they said would be released (hopefully) by early or mid 2007. Aside from this online release, I'm not too sure how many albums they actually printed and if they will be selling the CDs too...So if you like what you hear and you want to get more info on how to own the real deal, a physical CD album of "Distant Greetings" or to email your comments or just to say hello to them, then just click here to contact the band!

One more message from the band to anyone who will lend an ear...
"We're a bunch of rice-eating, coffee made, filipinos. thanks for listening!"

On Petals - Distant Greetings
(CD/Self-Released / Lotek Records Lotek003/2006/US)

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1. Daylight Punch (MySpace audio)
2. Lovewave Holiday
3. Tenola Art Show
4. XB.102 (MySpace audio)
5. Fastfood Trivia
6. Love Domestic
7. Atrolotek Melodrama
8. Toaster Minutes (MySpace audio)
9. Transport Fairywell
10. Fastfood Trivia (Alt.Ver.)

To Download the whole album and artwork click HERE!

Cover Kuber Cober Kuver CoversDayToday!!! Part 5

2006-10-25T00:45:00.000-04:00

Ahhh...How time flies, it feels like it was only yesterday that I was watching this band perform live in Club Dredd or in Mayric's or in the occasional University and College venues around Manila. Anyway, this month's covers posting is a cover of a 10,000 Maniacs song...as performed by the amazing band, Color It Red way back in the year 1991. The band have had it's fair share of revolving members throughout their 17 year existence but from 1989 up to early 1992 the original line-up of the band were Cooky Chua (vocals), Barbi Cristi (rhythm guitars), Maricar Florendo (keyboards), Hank Palenzuela (Bass), Edison Jovellanos (drums), Mike Villegas (lead guitars). This makes this cover song a more enjoyable listening experience since this will be one of the few times that you can actually hear the band's original members playing live and you can hear Color It Red's tight and powerful music. I'm pretty sure there are still a lot of untapped, undiscovered bootleg tapes of demos and live materials somewhere.....most likely with their old management, friends or old band members....but I really doubt it if they'll ever re-surface for music fans to hear...by the way...listen closely at the end of the track and you'll hear CIR's current keyboardist, Sam Salazar, shouting out a song request...anyways, enjoy it...while it's still there...

Color It Red - What's The Matter Here?
(10,000 Maniacs Cover)(streaming audio)
- Live, November 1991

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Were you first in line?.....Remembering the first (or was it the second?) single of After Image

2006-10-19T20:15:00.000-04:00

After Image came into the Manila music scene around the late 80s but they actually released their debut album around 1992. Aside from the new wave and rock covers that they played in their gigs like Bolshoi's "A Way", U2's "With or Without You" Or "Pride (in The Name Of Love)", REM's "The One I Love", The Chameleon's "Tears" even GNR's "Sweet Child Of Mine" they also played a whole bunch of original songs. One of these songs called "Next in Line" was eventually released as their first commercial single under Dyna Records. A fan favourite in their live repertoire, sometimes you can even hear an occasional version of this song with a full band setting (Yes!...with drums and loud guitars and not much synthesizers...) with matching segue into "Baba O'Reilly" or "Love Will Tear Us Apart". I also remember that radio station 99.5 RT was always playing a very early demo-sounding version of this song that was really great, mind you this was a few years before any official release from the band. The song arrangement was totally different than the commercially released single.

Aside from "Next In Line", before the hullabaloo of major label life came to the band, they were also known for playing a great, highly addictive, fast original song which, before the onset of the 90s and if there was an alternate reality or world, this would have been the band's very first single. This song was called "Let It Go". A song made with the band's original guitarist named Francis Reyes aka Francis Brew aka The Dawn's main guitarist. This song also had a lot of airplay in the radio in the late 80s and was also a fan favourite when they have their concerts. Unfortunately with the parting of the guitarist and the band due to their own reasons (band infighting or not, I don't really care much about the politics and rivalries among band members!)....all the originals were also dissolved, so songs like "Let It Go", "Dogs", "Stay/I Wanna Live"(?), etc. was scrapped and shelved into the forgotten songs bin. "Let It Go" still remains as one of my peborit After Image song...it had just the right mixture of everything that the band can offer at that time...one amazing and brilliant Pinoy p!o!p! moment!

After Image - Next In Line
(7" single/1992 /1 track Promotional Copy
/ Dypro-Dyna Records/PH)

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After Image - Let It Go (streaming audio)
(unreleased / 1988-1989)

Cover Kuber Cober Kuver CoversDayToday!!! Part 4

2006-09-25T01:41:00.000-04:00

Here's another CoversDayToday for this month...blame the batteries on my lazy watch for the delayed posting (again!) or the occasional lazy~bug~flu or something, hahaha!

Anyways, The Mongols were comprised of members of The Eraserheads and Teeth...so it was great to hear them cover an old song by Teeth with Ely Buendia on vocals! I heard a rumour that they recently covered "Laklak" also in one of their live gigs! Mmmmm, that'll be a great bootleged song to hear if anyone bothered to tape it!

Anyways, here's an old live radio session from The Mongols...enjoy!

The Mongols - Shooting Star
(Teeth Cover)
-from a live radio session

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Get your music fix from The Sleepyheads' debut!!

2006-09-23T23:33:00.000-04:00

It's 2006 and this is the long awaited debut album of The Sleepyheads called "(Don’t let our) Tuneless Moaning (go to waste)". Wow, to start off this CD with a song called "Addiction" and then finding yourself getting hooked on the whole album's music is just pure poetry. Most of the 14 tracks in this disc (except for 2) only clocks in at just over 2 minutes long, some even less! Most of the songs can definitely be tagged as classic, brilliant three minute pop songs -- short, perfect, melodic, to the point, fun and snappy would-be hits!

The Sleepyheads formed around the year 2000. From a quartet to a tight-sounding trio, they have had their share of revolving personnel, but that's another story. The current members on this release is Jayvee Del Rosario (drums and vocals), Marvin Justo (guitars) and Erick Encinares (bass/organ/backing vocals). Tomas Jalina played guitars on two tracks, "Mystery Plunker" and "Monotone Melody". Having released an EP or two plus some occasional track in some compilations, they opted to go the DIY~way and independently self produced their debut album which is limited to 500 copies, as of today's date there are less than 100 CDs left (!)....so go hunt down a copy for your collection! Check their My Space Site here.

This is a video of the band playing live...the sound is a bit low so TURN IT UP...AND PLAY LOUD! Thanks to the band for posting and sharing this!
The band's main influences are Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, Velvet Underground with a combination of 60s and 80s lo-fi pop sensibilities. They traded the extended solo-riffs, the wah-wah pedals and the fuzzboxes for honest to goodness, straight up rock and roll with just the right combination of snap, pop and crackle drum beats, boom-boom bass parts and strummy, jingle jangle guitar parts, brilliant monotone vocals and their occasional use of their organ (er, no pun intended!). In short, just think of their words of wisdom -- "Ethnic Faces Rock And Roll!" -- Pure underdogs of our current musical sunshine BUT definitely Purveyors of great music!

The Sleepyheads
(Don't Let Our) Tuneless Moaning (Go to Waste)
(CD / 2006 / Independently released / PH)

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1. Addiction
2. Can't Go To Church
3. Dead Poet
4. Excitement Calls
5. I'm Not Good Enough (Listen in MySpace)
6. Janitor Fate
7. The Man Who Wasn't There (scroll up
& watch the video)
8. Monotone Melody
9. Mystery Plucker
10. Nature (Love Is Like)
11. Positive For Negative (Listen in MySpace)
12. Rescued
13. Tuneless Moaning
14. Underdogs of Sunshine

Lovely, fluffy songs and Soft Pillow Kisses

2006-09-18T00:18:00.000-04:00

I first heard the band Soft Pillow Kisses through a Philippine indiepop compilation CD called Mutual Admiration Society which was released back in 2001. The band's songs always reminded me of beautiful, melancholy, girl-boy indiepop music much like the classic releases from the houses of Sarah, Siesta and Summersound. They have appeared on several compilation CDs in Manila and in the U.S. but still no album was in the horizon until this year.

I always wondered these past few years when I can finally see a whole album's worth of Soft Pillow Kisses songs. Just like what wise people sometimes say that "patience is a virtue", I think my long wait might just finally pay-off because it looks like their debut album is just around the corner.

Here's a great sampler DIY video from the band...a great teaser called "Just Like The Sky" from the upcoming album of the same name. Thanks to the band's Allan Montero for making this and uploading it for everyone!

You might want to know that even though the band was not releasing any official singles or albums since their formation in late 1999, they were still sharing their songs via the internet to anyone who's interested to lend an ear. So listen to the 5 songs that they posted in their Soundclick site which were part of their sessions from 2000 in lieu of waiting for the album's release. I'm just not sure if these are the same songs that they included in their ultra limited DIY Cassette Tape EP entitled "As You Whisper In My Ear" that they only sold while on a small summer gig in Cebu on the same year.

Hopefully within this year we can finally see the full length debut album of Soft Pillow Kisses. Check out some more of the band's history and members in their Soundclick page here and see an early, rough artwork for the upcoming album and stories, lots and lots of stories in their blog. By the way, just a reminder....the upcoming album will have a very limited number of copies (last time I heard it was less than 1000 pieces)...so better be nice to the band, contact them and say HELLO! and have your copy of the CD (or make that two CDs!) reserved, this one will surely be a keeper.

Soft Pillow Kisses - 2000 Session
MP3s/2000/Online Downloads via Soundclick/PH)

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1. I Don't Know What To Say
2. I Was Right
3. Harsh Words
4. Stolen Flowers
5. Candy Bar

Smart, Brilliant Pop with The Dorques' EP!

2006-09-17T15:59:00.000-04:00

I just got this new CDR-EP by a band called The Dorques that includes 5 tracks with a lot of Euro and indie influences. They kind of remind me of a lot of the new and great upcoming flavour of the month Brit bands, songs with bouncy beats and upbeat, boy-girl vocals and dance rock with just the right occasional jangle, pop hooks and twang. The band was only formed around late 2005, and so far they've had several personnel changes...but the songs in this release still remain consistently good. Although there's not much info regarding the band in their site, the songs in this EP speaks for itself, 3 english songs, one cool instrumental and the last song is in French which sounds like a lo-fi demo / practice version but you can hear a clear - studio copy through their MySpace page -- click here for more info on how to get this release and to listen to more of the band's songs!!).
The band members are Joff Cruz (guitars/vocals), Aimee Marcos (drums), Aless Tinio (vocals), Arnel (bass) and/or Pimee Ayala (guitars - not really sure is she played guitars on the songs on this release).

The Dorques - The Dorques
(CDR-EP/2006/Independently Released/PH)

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1. Murasaki Blue
2. Waltzing Away
3. Sun Just Feels
4. Cretins & Prudes
5. Le Metronome

Something About 5 Bands and 10 of Another Kind!

2006-09-16T22:36:00.000-04:00

Back in the year 1989, it was almost the end of the 80s era and the start of a new decade...and just before the jump to the great unknown, another great compilation was released in Manila that year called "10 of Another Kind". This compilation featured 5 bands with 2 songs each. This was originally released in vinyl and cassette formats under WEA Records Inc. but was eventually re-released by Universal Records in CD format after a few years (unfortunately, no specific year was indicated on the CD version except for the original LP release-date, although I'm betting it was around 1994 or 1995). Having appeared in different independent compilations and performing in non-commercial venues, the bands that are featured here can be described as underground music veterans.

The First band on the compilation is Deans December. They originally released a cassette only album called Chemical Wedding in 1986. The two songs that they featured in this album are "Healing" and "I Read The News". The band's members on this release are Binky Lampano (vocals), Richard Cabauhatan (guitars), Jun Lazo (bass) and Pol Benitez (drums).

The second band is another one of my personal favourites. A band called Ethnic Faces. The band is made up of Jack Sikat (vocals), Rhany Torres (bass) and Jayvee Torres (drums). Even before this compilation was out in the market, the band had already produced and released their very own original 7" single and on this album they will feature 2 more original songs called "Golden Boy" and "Balikbayan". Combining new wave, post-punk, and jazz influences they would make more songs that are featured in other compilations and they would eventually release an album by mid-90s. If the ending phrases of the two songs here don't stick to your sub-conscious then there is definitely something wrong with you.

Under Blue Skies is the third band, featuring two great, upbeat post-punk songs, recalling early New Wave called "Falling" and "Under Blue Skies". Band members are Nathan Miguel (vocals), George Arguelles (guitars & keyboards), Dennis Ramos (bass), Robert Salva (drums) and Edwin Vergarra (guitar). Unfortunately, this is the only band in the compilation that never released a full album, but never say never because a collection of old and unreleased songs can always be compiled for a release (I'm hoping for one in the future anyway!) .

Violent Playground is also a veteran band in the underground music scene. Here they have two great songs called "Never the Bright Lights" and "Tupperware Party. They'll re-release these songs in their full length debut album by 1996 but the versions will be totally reworked songs. I'd still prefer these versions or their rougher, faster versions that were released a few years earlier. The members were Jeoffrey Roa (vocals), Raton Del Gallego (guitars), Mali Andres (bass) and Boom Jose (drums).

Last of the bands is Introvoys, this compilation contains two of their early songs called "Just A Dream" and "Lullabye". They did release a 7" single of "I Go Crazy" (a Flesh For Lulu cover) during their initial formation but they would eventually make several albums during the 90s. Members are Jonathan Buencamino (vocals), 3rd-G Cristobal (1st guitar), Ira Cruz (2nd guitar), Jobert Buencamino(bass)m J.J. Buencamino (keyboards) and Paco Arespacochaga (drums)
All five bands toured Manila's Colleges and Universities to promote this album and I saw several of them but unfortunately I haven't personally seen or heard any live recordings from that tour. I'm pretty sure some wise music fan eventually videotaped or made copies of the songs during those college heydays.

As much as this album was hailed as a good sign that the major labels were finally taking notice of Manila's underground music scene at that time, some music fans still preferred the original independently released raw versions of some of the songs that were featured here. Some found the production of the songs here as too slick and commercialized especially after hearing some of the songs in their original release specifically in another classic cassette compilation of Manila post-punk bands called Subterranean Romance. Songs like "Tupperware Party", "Golden Boy", "Falling" and "Healing" were featured here while "I Read The News" was originally released in the band's album and "Never The Bright Lights" had a raw, faster demo version that they used to play in DWRT 99.5 FM in the mid to late 80s.

Various Artists - 10 Of Another Kind
(LP/1989/WEA Records/P-94569/PH)
(Cass./Universal Records/M5P-94569/PH)
(CD/Universal Records/CDP-94569/PH)

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1. Healing - Deans December
2. Golden Boy - Ethnic Faces
3. Falling - Under Blue Skies
4. Never The Bright Lights - Violent Playground
5. Just A Dream - Introvoys
6. I Read The News - Deans December
7. Balik Bayan - Ethnic Faces
8. Under Blue Skies - Under Blue Skies
9. Tuppeware Party - Violent Playground
10. Lullabye - Introvoys

Cover Kuber Cober Kuver CoversDayToday!!! Part 3

2006-08-25T14:02:00.000-04:00

My apologies for the backdated postings...I had a lot on my plate these past few weeks and never had the chance to finish off on some postings. I eventually missed out on putting up the covers song on the 25th of this month...so thru the magic of blogging...I just have to back date the damn thing...so here we are...back to the previous day of the 25th...who said you can't travel back in time?...you just did...anyways, I just saw this on the net today via a posting by Jim Ayson of PhilMusic...and checking out the links from that link and er, a few more links I then I ended up in a band's page! The band is called Squeezers...unsigned, melodic and upbeat and they sound like a lot of fun...and the first song was a cover! so I might as well post this for this month's coversday song...enjoy it like I did! Hey...I'd love to get a copy of their CDR-EP!....it's out there...somewhere....

Squeezers - Iskul Bukol
(Tito, Vic And Joey Cover)
(from cyberspace....check out more songs from the
band here!)

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It's a Sweet Twee-ng with Spring Boutique!

2006-08-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

The 4 songs in this EP mixes classic semi-jangly guitars, melodic girl vox and upbeat indiepop instrumentations (try doing your best uber cool pap-parara-pap-paps while listening!!)....the songs are reminiscent of Swedish Pop bands like Club 8, The Charade or Acid House Kings and a touch of bossa nova and 60s pop influences. This CDR-EP, entitled "It's A Sweet Thing!", was released by U.S. based Indiepop label, Shelflife Records back in 2003 and was part of Shelflife's CDR Series (all releases were limited to 100 copies only) and quickly sold out. Although this DIY CD-R was limited, I still see a lot of indiepop kids around the world via blogs or forums (from Japan, Sweden, UK, US, Germany, etc.) who has Spring Boutique songs in their set list and song recommendations. That goes to show the power of the internet...keeping songs alive even if it's been out of print for a few years.
Spring Boutique hails from Manila and Bulacan and is made up of Anthony "Antz" Agarpao on guitars, Precious Agarpao (guitars), Lorelie "Lei" Landavora on vocals (pre-Under Shooting Stars), Basil James Silva on drums and Caleb Domingo on bass. They used to be called Creamy Bicycle around 2000 but changed their name after releasing their debut album via Philippine indiepop label, Dorothy and later on via the Japanese label Quince Records. The band has been on hiatus for several years but they have recently re-emerged and have been playing some udnerground gigs in and around Metro Manila although this time with a totally different line-up with only Antz remaining from the original members. Email the band here for more info.

one of the different DIY covers
of the EP...

Spring Boutique - It's A Sweet Thing!
(CDR-EP / 2003 / Shelflife Records / CD-R Series #9 / Ltd. Ed. 100 Pcs./US)

*********************

1. I Thank You
2. So Twee
3. Your Lips + My Lips
4. Happy Song

...and the land of rubber shoes and dirty ice cream and debut album and Orange and Lemons and...

2006-08-16T19:56:00.000-04:00

It was December 2003 when the very first release of independent label Terno Recordings was unveiled to the public. The initial release was "Love In The Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream" and the band is called Orange and Lemons.

The band's debut album was only packaged in a simple cardboard type CD sleeve made out of recycled paper but packed with ten melodic-pop goodies. Some might have called this music as new wave, some might call it guitarpop, janglepop, neo-aco by our Hapones friends or gitarrenpop by the Alemans, songs that could have been played alongside mid 80s UK indie guitar music but the songs in the album had the undeniable OPM touch by passing through to the roads leading to the music of Rey Valera and APO Hiking Society while doing a long stretch via, er, Northern England as it was heavily influenced by a lot of 80s bands (i.e. The Smiths, The Housemartins, The Wild Swans etc) and some 60s music (i.e early Beatles).

Although the band has been playing gigs since around 1999, they have always been under the music collectors' radar for most of their early years. With the release of this 10 track album, the simple, wonderful melodies, great vocal harmonies and catchy lyrics and upbeat instrumentations pulled in new people into their musical pop filled world, whether the listeners are from different generations or different nationalities. This is just one of those albums that you have to play and listen to as a whole so you can get some additional practice on your head bopping, head shaking, your unstoppable finger taps, wild air guitar strums and equally fast air drumming and foot stomps.

The band is made up of Clem Castro (Lead guitars-vocals), Mcoy Fundales (Acoustic guitars-vocals), JM Del Mundo (Bass) and Ace Del Mundo (Drums). Clem and Mcoy take turns in filling-in the lead vocals of the songs...one odd and one even...better than doing jack-en-poy (um, rock, paper & scissors for you non-Pinoys...) before shows and recordings! Hopefully we'll be hearing their third album by the latter part of the year.

Check out the DIY video of "Days and Nights". this was was made by one of the band's close friend which captures some of the early gigs (and antics) of the band...this is better than any official video from this debut. Thanks to Tonet M. for making, posting and sharing this!

I also recently saw the Terno Recordings website and the shop section had a picture of the CD but with a different art work, so i'm not too sure if the label had changed it recently for their re-pressed CDs.

Orange And Lemons - Love In The Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream
(CD/Dec-2003/Terno Recordings/TER001/PH)

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1. A Beginning Of Something Wonderful
2. Just Like A Splendid Love Song
3. Kailangan Kita
4. My Butterfly
5. Armageddon Is Coming To Town
6. She's Leaving Home
7. When I'm With You
8. Isang Gabi
9. Hey, Please
10. Days And Nights (scroll up & watch the video again)

Here's an extra fruit serving...an early pre-Terno radio session...um, about a few years earlier than their debut album...when no one was listening (circa 1999 or 2000). Enjoy!

Kailangan Kita - Live Radio Session

A Fraction Of A Second with The Mongols

2006-08-11T19:31:00.000-04:00

Here's another EP...this one came out in Mid-2003. The CDR-EP is called "A Fraction Of A Second" and was released by the band called The Mongols. After the implosion of two bands called Eraserheads and Teeth, some members of both bands decided to form The Mongols. Initially they played cover songs of both their former outfits plus the occasional Velvet Underground songs but eventually they made several original compositions and like the songs in this EP, the songs are a bit louder and hard edged melodic rock. This CDR-EP was independently produced by the band and all the CDRs had different hand-made designs of sorts...DIY and released under their own RedRum Records.

The members of the group are Jesus "Dizzy" Ventura aka Ely Buendia on vocals and guitars (ex-Eraserheads), J "Astro" Velasco aka Jerome Velasco on guitars (ex-Teeth, Daydream Cycle & Slave Drum), Bogs "d lite" Jugo on drums (also of Daydream Cycle) and Yan Yuzon on vocals and bass. Although short lived, the band made some great songs and would eventually lead up to the current band called, Pupil.

here's a video of "Keeper" which was released in their debut album, "Buddha's Pest".

Thanks to one of the co-Directors, Manie Magbanua Jr. for posting this in YouTube!

The Mongols - A Fraction Of A Second
(CDR-EP / June 2003 / Self Released-RedRum Records/PH)

*********************

1. Case Logic
2. No
3. Tomorrowland
4. KSP
5. Abstraction Of A Second

Good vibes & intentions with Kala's RockEdition CDEP

2006-08-09T01:53:00.000-04:00

This 5 track CD-EP was released around 2004 with the purpose of informing people about the work and projects of RockEd Philippines. This release is a combination of Funk, Soul, Rock, Acid Jazz and 70s sounding fusion...all jumbled up, fused together, blurring musical genres but at the same time presenting some pretty funky and modern, catchy songs. Kala currently released their full length debut album this year called "Manila High" but not too many people know that they were playing their cosmic grooves for several years now.

The band members are JP Tanchanco aka "Funkfly" on guitar, Raymond Daylo aka "D'lo" on drums, William Gabaldon aka "Gabal" on bass, Mike Grape aka "Grape" on vocals and harmonica and Brian Tanchanco on keys,synth,back-up vox. Their influences ranges from a lot of artists from the 60s to the 90s...from Led Zeppelin, James Brown, Warren G, Earth,Wind & Fire, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix, Jamiroquai, etc. etc. Please visit the band's website here and if you want to get more info on RockEdPhilippines and their projects please click here.

Also note the the tracks on the latest album are slightly different versions than the initial recordings on this EP.

Kala - RockEdition
(CDEP/2004/DIY Release-RockEd Phil./PH)

********************************

1. Pulis Pangkalawakan
2. Piso Pisong Paraiso
3. Southside
4. Salamin
5. Bakbakan Na

...Tale of Two...A Tale of Identity Crisis' debut...

2006-08-07T12:41:00.000-04:00

The year was 1988 and fresh from live performances, underground club gigs and Beer sponsored major concerts in Manila, comes an upcoming black-clad band called Identity Crisis. Aside from performing great live versions of their favourite new wave songs, from Siouxsie's "Cities In Dust", "Israel" or "Happy House", to X-Mal D.'s "Matador", to "Two Rivers", "Suffer The Children", "China", "Ink and Paper", "Duel", etc.etc.etc. the band was more popular for creating some classic originals like "Imagining Oktober", "Requiem", "Sumigaw, Umawit Ka" and the ultra cool "My Sanctuary".
um, did i say black clad? well, I meant most of the time....

In that same year, the band took their goth/4AD-influenced fashion sense and their new wave, darkwave and rock influences into the studio to hammer out their debut album called "...Tale Of Two" under Dyna Records. When the album came out, this was one of the best packaged vinyl LPs that I've ever seen in Manila. Jet black with silver logos, goth themed and look, complete with inner sleeves and lyrics, picture vinyl labels and all the goodies you'll find in foreign pressed LPs, they actually set a high bar for other record companies to hopefully imitate with this release. Unfortunately no other vinyl LP would come out with so much eye candy after this one. My only complaint is the different sequence of the tracks from the LP cover and the actual vinyl...

The vocal duties on the album were shared by the band's two lead vocalists, DWXB Radio DJ 'Cool Carla'* and 'Buddy Boy'*...who both provided exceptional range on their respective songs while also providing additional melodies and back-up vox. Lenie* provided the delicate noise from her synthesizers and piano. Both Cool Carla and Lenie would eventually form the band/s Mariya and then Mariya's Mistress after a few years. The pounding drums and percussion was done by Marvin* while Resty* contributes the ethereal soundscapes of his electric and acoustic guitars and Bogs* completes the band with his thumping bass guitar licks. This debut album was a solid release, full of great singles and album tracks...although I'm just wondering why the song "One Day" was never included here, Im not too sure if that song was ever released officially. Any info on this song would be greatly appreciated.

*the band members were always known by their nicknames only (they never printed their last names on their albums) so even though I managed to get all their full names, i'll just respect their wishes to keep their God-given names off the blog.

The band was supposed to play a reunion of sorts with The Late Isabel backing them up....this was about a year or so ago but nothing materialized. This was due to the former band members' busy personal schedules as their other alter egos (identity crisis?) as Chef, Flight Officer, Architect, etc, etc got in the way of comeback performance...hopefully, one day they can grace us again with more of their original and powerful songs as Identity Crisis. Mmmm, when that happens please make a bootleg copy for me. For sure Dyna Records is contemplating on re-releasing this album...I hope they add extra tracks, outtakes and some goodies...um, anybody out there who knows someone from Dyna??? Maybe a bigwig, big cheese in the company?...go tell them...sell the idea of a great packaged re-issue complete with extra goodies...

Identity Crisis - ...Tale of Two
(LP/Tape/1988/Dyna Records/DYP-86-10/PH)

**********************

Side 1
1. Imagining Oktober
2. Whispering Castles
3. Blank Pages
4. Sumigaw Umawit Ka

Side 2
5. My Sanctuary
6. When The Son Will Shine
7. Requiem
8. Anthem

Shifting music with Cambio's Excerpt EP

2006-08-03T18:40:00.000-04:00

Cambio's debut CDR-EP was released in mid 2003. This was called Excerpt, basically a sneak peek into their music and their 2004 major label debut album under Universal Records. Eventually, this 7 track DIY output was remastered and re-released again in the latter part of 2003 under Vin Dancel's record label, Guilty Pleasure Records. This time around new artwork and factory pressed CDs were made. You can say that the band is composed of a who's who, a smorgasbord-of-sorts, of Manila's Indie-Alternative community, starting with Raimund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala (both former Eraserheads/Eheads, aside from producing the EP, they also played drums and bass, respectively), Kris Gorra-Dancel (from Fatal Posporos/Eheads doing lead vocals and guitars), Ebe Dancel (Sugarfree on vocals/guitars) and Diego Mapa (Monsterbot/Pre-Pedicab on lead vocals and guitars).

5 of the 7 songs here would make it to the debut album, although the track "Witchbaby" will be renamed as "Which Baby". There's also 2 versions of the song "DV" which were both exclusively remixed/rehashed/reworked by Electronica Manila artists, Morse and the late-Wolfmann. The song "DV", um, this is one of those songs that will just stick like sweet bubblegum to your mind when you first hear it. Not since Juan Dela Cruz sent us around the Projects of Quezon City or when Hotdog made us miss and long for the nooks and crannies of Manila, that a song comes along and takes us on a whirlwind tour of places that have been part of most people's lives in and around the Manila area. I've probably visited all those places in the song one time or another whether stuck in traffic, out shopping, sabit sa jeepney, missed a turn, got lost, etc. Definitely a classic and essential track. Having three enjoyable versions of "DV" is definitely the icing on the cake on owning this CDEP. Anyway, get more info about Cambio's upcoming gigs and releases by visiting this site.

here's another "slightly" longer video version of "DV"...thanks to Badburn for posting this...

The initial CDR release...thanks to Andrew R. for the EP scan...

the official re-released CDEP

Cambio - Excerpt EP
(CDR-EP/Jun-2003/Self Released/PH)
(CDEP/Oct-2003/Guilty Pleasure Records/PH)

********************

1. Autopilot
2. Patlang
3. DV (scroll up and watch the video)
4. Lihim
5. Witchbaby
6. DV - Wolfmann Remix
7. DV - Morse Remix

Cover Cober Cover Kober KubersDayToday!!! Part 2

2006-07-25T00:43:00.000-04:00

Well, like I said about a month ago...I am tracking down some covers made by Pinoy bands...whether they covered a Pinoy song or an English song by a local artist or even an English song by a foreign artist and I'll post it here on the 25th of each month (yes, including Christmas Day!)....so anything goes...as long as the artist(s) is/are Filipino. Maybe you've got some gems in your music collection...feel free to share them with us...especially the bands, maybe you have some outtakes and covers that you'd like us to hear...just send me an email, a jpeg, a music file and we'll post them here....I was actually looking for obscure music, demos, heck even pictures/scans of your pinoyrock concert ticket stubs and posters from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Please get them from their old boxes, wipe the dust off and send them in! Please check also for Radio Sessions...! This is a call to ,Ermm,....Music!! More music!!

Anyways, back to our KubersDayToday!...here's a special treat for you, guys...this is Mutiny in Manila...(before they joined forces with the guys of Anno Domini to become MUTINY)...doing a classic Rock cover of Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll"...enjoy and please...PLAY LOUD!

Mutiny In Manila - Rock And Roll
(Led Zeppelin cover)
(unreleased live bootleg - November 30, 1991)

********************************

The punk band called College

2006-07-24T19:39:00.000-04:00

Okey i'll be honest with you, I don't have the slightest idea on the history of this punk band called College. My limited knowledge of them is that this was Arnold Morales' first band right before they formed The Urban Bandits. I've only heard one of their song, "Manila Girl", which eventually became a hit via Morales' other band in the 1990s called Put3Ska. An old magazine article by Didits Gonzales names the band members of College as Arnold Morales, Enggol, Ric and his brother...which is not much help...unless all four are online and can shed some insight on their old punk band. If anyone knows...feel free to tell us some stories via the comments page. Anyway, here's the picture of the band and their great song...I'm also wondering where this song came from and if they ever had any more original songs...was it from a compilation album or was it a DIY release? I can only guess...um, we might as well guess who plays which instrument.

College - Manila Girl

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Punk and Hardcore Rules with Betrayed's debut album!

2006-07-23T16:49:00.000-04:00

This self titled album by Betrayed came out originally around 1985 under a label called DMZ. They say that this was the fastest selling independently released recording at that time. How many copies were produced and sold by DMZ? I haven't the slightest idea since I never saw one with this label imprint. The ones that I've seen are the cassette album re-issues released in 1986 under Tommy Tanchanco's infamous and legendary TRC label, that's Twisted Red Cross for you acronymn haters. While local releases at that time were putting their artists' images on their albums, Betrayed's debut was the complete opposite and I'm telling you, this classic tape boasts one of the coolest covers of that time, a People's Tonight Headline and ofcourse, a picture of Vivian Velez which I bet you the punk kids didn't even notice tsk tsk tsk!
This 14 track release has two different recording sessions...the "And Then" side and the "Now" side...One side was recorded by the first Betrayed line-up with Eddie Siojo doing vocal duties.....while the other side, the vocals were done by Dominic Gamboa (aka "Papadom", pre-Skavengers and Tropical Depression), although one song called "Fight! Fight!" had Buddy Trinidad singing. Even if I read their changing line up over and over again, I still get confused. Since the band's formation in 1980, Betrayed had a revolving set of members...they've changed personnel thoughout their long history but their current line up is Buddy Trinidad (vocals and rhythm guitar), Dennis Maniego (ex-Private Stock on bass), Boyet Miguel (ex-Tame The Tikbalang on lead guitars) and Manny "Pagz" Pagsuyuin (drums since 1984). Check and bookmark this site to read the real deal, the whole story, their history, straight from their drummer's "mouth".
Also check out their current recording session for an upcoming new album which should hit the streets within the year or early next year. So aside from this seminal, classic debut album, expect more new music from this legendary Pinoy band. Email the band for more infomation and updates and let's hope to hear their full songs in MySpace soon.

Betrayed - Betrayed
(Cassette Tape/ 1986/ Twisted Red Cross /
TRC-08 / PH)

**************************

NOW
1. Kids Will Unite
2. Caught In The Crossfire (edited sound sampler only)
3. Urban Assault
4. Hardcore Rules
5. Where has Love Gone
6. Military Rule
7. Fight! Fight!
8. Betrayed By You

AND THEN
9. Never Meant To Be This Way (edited sound sampler only)
10. When I Met You
11. Roots Reggae (edited sound sampler only)
12. To Jamming
13. Love Song
14. Punk Reigns

Fresh new music from this 8 Track Cartridge

2006-07-15T05:28:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, the wonderful world of 8 Track. What??? You've never heard or seen an actual 8 track cartridge?? I guess most passenger jeepneys nowadays have CD players instead of the old worn out 8 track players playing M.O.R. music and Classic Rock ballads, with all the cartridges stacked up like mini skyscrapers on the jeepney's dashboard with a little bit of space inbetween so the driver can see the road and the pedestrians crossing the street. Well, not to worry...this 8 track compilation came in an almost identical sized packaging...but it contains a great CD safely tucked inside.

8 Track, the cd, was released independently in mid 2005 and features 8 bands that have been playing regular gigs in and around Manila for the past several years. This compilation brings together the assorted musical genres of new music that's been spreading like wild fire in the different clubs and concert halls in Manila since the mid to late 90s. Use this link here to see where this limited album is available. Hopefully, each band will have their own individual 8 track cartridge soon.

Kicking off the CD is the alternative music of Dream Kitchen with a song called '16 Hours' which incidentally has an DIY video that's been nominated in MTV Pilipinas in the Favorite Indie Video category. Learn more from this site. Catch the tragic video below, starring Iman, lead singer of the band Prank Sinatra.

Next on the bill, is the infectious ska musings of Mobster Manila with a song called "Happy To Take You". Their music is heavily influenced by the two-tone bands like Madness, The English Beat, The Selecter, and The Specials. Get more info here.

The Sleepyheads are next on the tracks...playing their uber-cool lo-fi, raw, garage-punk sound with a song called "Excitement Calls" which matches your wild head bops and pogos...."Rock and Roll is Dead and we're still Alive"....They also just released their debut album...learn more here.

Next stop is a contribution from Cebu-based band, Sheila and The Insects, which just recently celebrated their 10th year anniversary in 2006. Their song "Lemerson" is a cross between post punk and alternative music. Check out more music from them here.

Food, Shelter & Clothing (I'm not too sure if they're Bacolod based) comes in with a synth-pop song reminiscent of 80s new wave bands like Heaven 17 or Blancmange. The band's music is actually a smorgasboard of genres which they play in their DIY albums. Their song "Okey" was actually written and recorded as early as 1992 but they revamped it for this album. Hear some heavier sounding music from them in this site.

Camote Chunks is next with a rockabilly-rock and roll tune called "Miniskirt". This band has been in the music scene since about 1995 and will be marking their 11th year as a band! Check out more songs from their site.

Second to the last song is a contribution by Mang Temi's Canteen. A great, melodic, 60s sounding, power pop tune called "Do You Know". I was trying to find any info or contact website for them, but no luck. Did I tell you yet that this is a great song? Yes it is! "I'm not Abnormal...I was born this Way". I'd love to hear more songs from this band!

Last one on the cartridge is Names Are For Tombstones which is a one person band for Nono (aka Noel Acosta). This is a actually a longer remixed version of his song "Watari's Machine". The short version/demo version was featured here a few weeks ago. Check out the Electronica Manila:One Free download album. Aside from being a longer version, Nono added different elements on the song...which sort of sounded like having some Depeche Mode instrumentation in the background. Like I said before, you can't go wrong in using this music in a long road trip, great, catchy music. Get more info about Names Are For Tombstones here.

watch the video for Dream Kitchen's 16 Hours....

check more mtv stuff here.

Various Artists - 8 Track
(CD/2005/Independently Released/PH)

***********************

1. 16 Hours - Dream Kitchen (scroll up to see the video again!)
2. Happy To Take You - Mobster Manila
3. Excitement Calls - Sleepyheads
4. Lemerson - Sheila And The Insects
5. Okey - Food, Shelter And Clothing
6. Miniskirt - Camote Chunks
7. Do You Know - Mang Temi's Canteen
8. Watari's Machine - Names Are For Tombstone

Alternative Pop Recipe from Peach Fantastic's album, "100% Natural"

2006-07-13T22:52:00.000-04:00

As the 90's band resurgence was happening in Manila, a band based in Los Angeles was being formed. This band was called Peach Fantastic. Just like a lot of their Philippine counterparts, Peach Fantastic's music was influenced by their love for melodic pop of the 90s and late 80s new wave music. The core of the group is Joyce (Punsalan) Collantes on vocals and Benjie Collantes on drums, with original members Rose Santos on bass and Andrew Taruc on guitars completing the line up. By early 1997, they would record their original songs which were included in a compilation called LokalPinoy Vol.1 (I'm still on the lookout for a copy...so if you know someone who has an extra copy who's willing to sell it, please fire off an email to me!).

Right before the recording of their debut album, 100% Natural, their bassist and guitarist left and the band had to find replacements. By May 1999, their first (and only) album is released independently under their own label, PMI Records Ltd/Polluted Mind Independent. Unfortunately, after several live tours in California, the band called it a day and performed their farewell concert in early 2000. Email the band here and say hello and you can also check with them if they still have copies of their album!

Peach Fantastic - 100% Natural
(CD/PMI Records Ltd./1999/US)

**************************

1. 100% Natural
2. Curly Tops
3. Play For Keeps
4. Intro - jd
5. Thousand Words
6. Only A Friend
7. Hungry For Your Love
8. Suppression
9. Far Away
10. All People
11. Only A Dub! (hidden track)
12. Dahil Sa Iyo (hidden track)

They are Twee as F**k with the Mutual Admiration Society compilation!!

2006-07-09T01:23:00.000-04:00

The amazing Philippine indiepop compilation called "Mutual Admiration Society" was released in 2001 through independent label Definition Records, which was a project of Toti Dalmation and his Groove Nation cohorts (pre-Terno Recordings). Just like what a lot of indiepop labels around the world were doing under the radar of commercial music shops and radio stations, Definition also gathered some of Manila's brightest underground indiepop hopefuls, which are at par with some of the best indiepop bands/songs in compilations released from the UK, Sweden, US, Germany, etc. This has 12 Vibrant, Sunny, Twee, Dreamy, Summer P!o!p!, Jangly,and upbeat ditties (plus re-workings of three bands' songs) all compressed in one cardboard packaged CD. I actually had a hard time finding an original copy of this album and I would love to own at least two more as back-up copies, but I did manage to find one in U.S. based indiepop label/online store, Darla or Claire a few years back.

Some of the bands in this compilation are still active in making music, some have already called it a day, while some disbanded and disintegrated and eventually became new bands. With the small, but ever expanding, indiepop community at that time, some of the members of these groups are also part of other indiepop bands, zig-zagging on musical duties and performing on each other's projects. It's a great loss that the label never made a second or third compilation, I'm pretty sure that each of these bands (a lot more that are not featured in this album) still have unreleased songs in their closets which should see the light of day.

Bands like Apple Orchard, Soft Pillow Kisses and The Fantasy Lights have consistently released songs in different compilations (some even EPs/mini albums) that were out locally and in different countries, they would have full albums released soon. I believe Skies of Ember also has an album out but I haven't had time to track down a copy. Muriel (having 2/4 of Violent Playground!) would be quiet right after this compilation. Colour Contest members I think are now part of two or more different bands. I have no information at all on some of the other bands, which adds to the mystery since not too many people had the pleasure of hearing their songs in this compilation or even seeing them perform live around Metro Manila on the latter part of the 1990s. Although demo songs of the bands were (are) in circulation among fans of the music, no official releases were ever pressed and distributed. I am still hopeful that some rich schmuck, er, what I meant was, a rich patron of the underground arts would come by, invest and release all these wonderful songs and eventually dig out some of the bands' unreleased songs to properly present them to our hungry ears! It might take a long time for these songs to be released but eventually they will see the light at the end of the tunnel and when it does, it will be a brighter day for sure.

Various Artists - Mutual Admiration Society
(CD/2001/Definition Records/PH)

*************************
1. It Will Never Last Last (Forever) - Soft Pillow Kisses
2. Wide Awake - Apple Orchard
3. In The Meantime - Colour Contest
4. You Let Go - The Fantasy Lights
5. By Way Of Echoes - Skies Of Ember
6. Little Nothings - Superminty
7. Small Town - Dorian Of Juniper Bells
8. This Gentle Feeling - Soft Pillow Kisses
9. Me & Your Melanie - Colour Contest
10. Glitter In A Moon - The Fantasy Lights
11. What We Now Know Of Heaven - She Came To Stay
12. Effect - Muriel
13. You Let Go (Version) - The Fantasy Lights
14. Small Town (Instrumental) - Dorian Of Juniper Bells
15. In The Meantime (Dub) - Colour Contest

Unreleased music worth having!

2006-06-27T20:08:00.000-04:00

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...

2006-06-25T00:52:00.000-04:00

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!!!

********************************

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

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

2006-06-24T10:22:00.000-04:00

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)

***************************************

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!!

2006-06-18T00:44:00.000-04:00

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)

*********************************
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 !

2006-06-17T16:57:00.000-04:00

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)

**********************************

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!

2006-06-11T19:29:00.000-04:00

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)

**************************************

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!

2006-06-09T19:27:00.000-04:00

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)

************************************

A Side - Radical

B Side - Radical II

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

2006-06-02T21:02:00.000-04:00

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)

****************************************************

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

A fun and juicy track from Pupil and Barbie Almalbis called "Nakakabaliw"

2006-05-30T23:33:00.000-04:00

Hey, here's something to chew on...um, no pun intended. This is a song that promotes a commercial product, Juicy Fruit and their mixed flavoured bubblegums. The song "Nakakabaliw" was performed by Pupil and Barbie Almalbis for the gum company's Rockoustic Mania promo...I'm not sure if this is the first of many Rock/Acoustic combinations or a one time project. Great idea from the company though at least they are producing some good music as a by product of their promos.

They're even producing a limited edition CD for this promotion. I'd really love to get my hands on one of those CDs but I'm still not sure on how to get one...there's no available info yet....and I don't know how many tracks would be included in the finished product...maybe some different versions of the song? Will it be a freebie or will it be for sale in your nearest sari-sari store?...like I said the song has a catchy melody, um, nakakabaliw actually, and it's quite enjoyable to listen to.
Anyway, to see additional pictures (like the ones I picked up from the site) and get more info on Pupil (Ely Buendia, Yan Yuzon, Bogs Jugo and Dok Sergio) and Barbie Almalbis, please check out the Juicy Fruit promo site here. There's also an upcoming video, too. Well, you'll probably see it in YouTube sooner or later...very nice Sgt. Pepper's spoof. What the heck, it's still one good song, really.

Nakakabaliw - Pupil and Barbie Almalbis .

Get High With the Music of Peacepipe

2006-05-28T17:51:00.000-04:00

This band was formed during the early 90s but had just recently released their 12 track debut album in 2005. As per their record company press release, it states that the band's name was derived from the traditional Navajo tobacco pipe given by the Native Indians as a peace offering. Well, with this album, not only did they come bearing peace....but they also came with sunny, joyous beats, socio-political lyrics, under the guise of groovy reggae and ska-influenced songs.

This CD is a keeper and will make you think and dance at the same time! You'd definitely play all the songs in this album...from the amazing song that opens it, "Drop Your Gun" , up to the Dub Versions of the album tracks at the end, PinoyReggae at it's finest. Also, take note that this album was produced by another great PinoyReggae pioneer, Tropical Depression's Dominic "Papadom" Gamboa, who definitely sweetens the magical reggae cake for us natives so we can roll into the rhythm and feel Irie now.

The band is made up of Jerico Pilpil (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Marlon Legaspi (lead guitars), Rani Caldoza (vocals, percs), Cesar Ian Suratos (bass, vocals) and Goodwin Aguirre (drums). Check out their MySpace pages, unfortunately, a lot of American bands are also named "Peacepipe"...so just dig through it and you'd find their pages under "jahlive"...or if you're a bit lazy just click here. The CD album is widely available right now in most music stores in Manila, so make sure you grab yourself a copy or two. And on a last note, please send some love to the gentleman from Maguindanao, er, shatup!

Peacepipe - Peacepipe
(CD/Galaxy Records/GRPCD 101/2005/PH)

*********************************************

1. Drop Your Gun
2. Mr. Politician
3. Rain Dance
4. Kulay Ng Kalayaan
5. Boracay Sunrise
6. Get High With Me
7. Free Your Mind
8. April Fools
9. Ngiti
10. Why?(Do We Say Goodbye?)
11. Dub Your Gun
12. Dub Politricks

The Dawn's sophomore album, "I Stand With You"

2006-05-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

By 1988 The Dawn released their 2nd album with a heavy heart. As the band was about to unleash their sophomore output to the masses, their charismatic guitarist, Teddy Diaz, was murdered on August 21, 1988. The band would still push through and would give us some of the most amazing songs co-written with their late, great friend... from an old favourite song, The Moon, to newer club and arena anthems, "Love Will (Set Us Free), "Mga Kuya", "I'm Not Hurting Anymore" and a great rock rendition of an old Filipino folk song, "Magtanim Ay 'Di Biro". Teddy Diaz was a rock Icon for most of us who grew up in the 80s. I still remember the October Storm concert in Araneta Coliseum back in 1987...about 15,000 or so stomping, shouting fans waiting for the band to appear on stage and later on they would be awed by the scene stealing guitarist when he stood in front of the audience and stared at them like a silent mad-man and then he took out a stringbow and started playing his guitar like a violin. He is still sorely missed and next time, when you hum one of The Dawn's old songs...think of the Dawn's first great co-founder, guitarist and writer, Teddy D.!

The Dawn - I Stand With You
(LP/OctoArts International/ORI-828/1988/PH)

********************************************

Side One
1. Magtanim Ay 'Di Biro
2. The Moon
3. Let Me Dance
4. Wish You Were Here

Side Two
5. Love (Will Set Us Free)
6. I Stand With You
7. Mga Kuya
8. I'm Not Hurting Anymore

Here's a nice find for anyone who is interested...The Dawn (Mk.III with Francis Reyes) Live performance in a jam packed Club Dredd in Timog, August 1991...singing one of the album's best songs, Love (Will Set Us Free).
Reminisce, remember the sweat and the beer and enjoy!

Pure indiep!o!p! picks with Apple Orchard's Paris Was A Daydream

2006-05-23T20:16:00.000-04:00

What if...you take two people...lock them in a room with a guitar, a casiotone, a bass guitar, some amps and a four track recorder...both of them itching to make lo-fi-melancholy indiepop gems...well the result might as well be early versions of Australia's The Sugargliders (both brothers!) or the UK's Field Mice or Blueboy (er, unfortunately, not brothers!) or luckily for us, we have Apple Orchard which is made up of brothers -- Ryan and Dale Marquez. They are based (sometimes) in Manila and (most of the time) in San Francisco.

Ryan actually started "Apple Orchard" in 1999, supposedly a solo project of sorts, just him toying around different instruments i.e, the casiotone and some generic drumbeats plus his guitar, he started collaborating with his brother, Dale, right before recording some songs for their first compilation in Manila in 2000.
They eventually ended up recording some songs which attracted some interest from several indiepop labels in Manila, in the US and in Italy.

In the next few years, Ryan and Dale would collaborate as Apple Orchard and at the same time play individually in different projects and various bands, with different musical styles, from Carnival Park, Sonnet LVIII, Dorian of Juniper Bells, Sodajerk, Soft Pillow Kisses, The Haircuts, Wadaiko, etc.

As Apple Orchard, the duo released "Paris was a Daydream", a cassette EP via the Italian Indiepop label, Best Kept Secret back in 2003. This tape EP has 7 tracks of pure unadultered indiepop, lo-fi bedroom-pop, tweepop, Sarah-esque music, or whatever you might feel like calling it...I'm pretty sure both of them would wear the badge with honour and would probably sing you a lullaby or two while you're at it. Anyways, get more info on the band on their website!

Apple Orchard - Paris Was A Daydream
(Cassette EP/Best Kept Secret/ LIE076/2003/ITALY)

************************************************

Side A
1. (When Everything Is) Safer
2. Don't Pretend
3. Midnight Stars and Kisses
4. A Glance At Sunday

Side B
5. It Took You By Surprise
6. Scenes From The Sky
7. Autumn Kiss

Ride on the slick music of Pedicab's Tugish Takish

2006-05-21T11:34:00.000-04:00

The songs in this album are so damn catchy. I don't think you'll end up sitting down if you place this dics in your player...ok, if you're not the dancing type, like me, then you'd probably stomp your feet, tap your fingers on the table or start nodding your head back and forth to the beat. It's like hook laden drone music, with big beats, repetitive guitar lines and quirky lyrics that would convert even a non-fan to their musical assault on their ears.
They have a wide range of influences which you can hear in this 10 track debut album...from the post-punk riffs of Gang of Four, even Britpop Wire-influenced band, Elastica to newer so called New Wave of New Wave bands with 80s influences like The Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand or Interpol, etc.

This band was formed back in 2004 and released their debut album called "Tugish Takish" in 2005. The band is made up of --
Mappy aka Diego Mapa (lead vocals)(Monsterbot and Cambio)
Masterbeat (extra Service) aka Mike Dizon (Drums)(ex-Teeth and Sandwich)
J.Sonic aka Jason Caballa (Guitar)(ex-Twisted Halo)
Just Tony aka RA Rivera (Visuals and Multimedia)
Sugar Raims aka Raimund Marasigan (Keyboards, Synth, Backing Vox)(ex-Eraserheads, Cambio, Sandwich, Squid 9, etc.)

Find out more about the band here!

Pedicab - Tugish Takish
(CD/Vicor Music Corp/RCD-168/2005/PH)

*******************************************

1. Dizzy Boy (streaming audio)
2. Ang Kailangan
3. Dito Tayo Sa Dilim (streaming audio)
4. Bleached Streaks
5. A Stormy Night
6. Bukas
7. I Want It Now
8. Konti Na Lang
9. Giving And Receiving
10. Sagot Kita

plus:
Videos of
1. Dizzy Boy and 2. A Stormy Night

Wake Up! Get a dose of Caffeine...and The John L.Session CDEP

2006-05-16T19:55:00.000-04:00

If there is low-fi bedroom pop, then I can safely say that this one can be called backyard pop or living room pop at its finest. When I say backyard and living room pop...I meant it literally! For their debut CDEP, this band had a magnificent DIY moment one hot labour day in 2004 and decided to plug in and record some of their original songs in their singer's house. The band had set up and practiced on their backyard for most of the day and later on they set-up their equipment and recording gear in the living room in between beers and jokes. What some might think as a recording that's lacking in studio wizardry and effects, I can actually say that it captured the magic and spontaneous music of Caffeine. The songs from this recording spawned "The John L. Session EP" (in honour of their friend whose name is...er, John L., who did the production and mixing of the songs...a nice take on the title...ala John Peel Session...).

Caffeine is made up by Edward Luna (vocals), Malvin Magnayon (lead guitars), Emil De Leon (acoustic & rhythm guitars), Ludwig Valenzuela (drums) and Rommel Gonzales (bass). The band has been doing gigs in and around Manila and Makati since 2000 playing a good cross of new wave and guitar driven songs which leans towards their influnces -- mid-80s bands like The Ocean Blue, The Wild Swans and The Railway Children. You can say hello to the band here.

Anyway, the band produced a limited number of this 3 track CDEP and gave them away during their gigs. I hope to get a stronger dose once I hear their new songs and (hopefully) an album that they've been brewing for months. Since the band is currently in a short hiatus and its really a bit hard to find the original CDEP, here are two songs as samplers and appetizer...remember it's only here for a few days...so c'mon...go get your Caffeine fix....its good for you.

Caffeine - The John L. Session EP

(CDEP/Self Released/2004/PH)

********************************************

1. Stay

2. Call

3. My Tagalog Song

The Dawn - Enveloped Ideas (7" and 12" singles)

2006-05-14T09:49:00.000-04:00

You know what the most famous and much loved music format was during the decadent 80s ?? It's the mighty 12" vinyl record! Most international bands had different versions of the songs from their albums, opting to sell more units by releasing it in a 12" format. They would have Dance Mix, Long Version, Extended Version, Dub Version, Re-mix, Instrumentals, even classic Live B-Sides, Etc., Etc. Etc. I don't know any band in Manila who used this format except for The Dawn. Their first single, Enveloped Ideas, was released as a 12" record and contained different versions of their hit song.

Most singles during that time were also released as a 7" single and were given to radio stations to promote their songs. Unlike today wherein they just choose a song and they tell the radio stations to play them, before a physical 7" single was pressed and distributed making it a much sought after collectible for music enthusiasts. Here is the 7" single of Enveloped Ideas which contains an instrumental mix or "music minus one" version of the hit song.

The Dawn - Enveloped Ideas
(7" single/OctoArts International/OCTO-046-A/1987/PH)

A Side - Enveloped Ideas
B Side - Enveloped Ideas (Music Minus One Version)

*******************************************

The Dawn - Enveloped Ideas
(12" single/OctoArts International/ORI-EP-763/1987/PH)

A Side 1. - Enveloped Ideas (Extended Remix)
B Side 1. - Enveloped Ideas (Radio Edit)
B Side 2. - Enveloped Ideas (Dub Version)

Waiting in Anticipation...for New Music...

2006-05-11T09:47:00.000-04:00

I was just thinking of some upcoming or future releases and re-issues and recent albums and EPs and wondered about the music...will the songs sound great?...will the artwork be nice?...How will the inner sleeves look? Will the music be memorable?

Anticipation for new music is always good for a collector...it keeps you on your toes. At times, some of the releases are very hard to track down. Even if you live in Manila, when there's no distribution for the band's albums or EPs, you just have to ask around and sometimes go directly to the band and get a copy from them. Also, networking with other collectors works wonders, unless they're the secretive type and brags about having a copy but never helps other music aficionados acquire a copy, which in my book is a bit stupid. How can they help the artists sell more music if you don't tell other people where to get them, duh?!

Anyway, these are the ones that I came across through emails, gossip, eavesdropping on some birds chit chat or official and unofficial emails from all over...some were released last year but I never had a chance to hear or buy them...write some of the titles down and hunt with me soon...buying all of them in one go is next to impossible so anticipating on its release and getting a copy one at a time is the best way to go....

- Tribute album to Apo Hiking Society
- New Material/Music from Julie Plug
- Debut album from Soft Pillow Kisses
- "Imperial", 2nd album in the making from The Late Isabel
- Juan Pablo Dream's Debut album under Terno Recordings
- New album from punk legend, Betrayed
- the rumoured/almost confirmed Eraserheads Box Set from BMG
- Cambio's Sophomore release
- Half Man, Half Elf's debut EP
- 3rd album of Orange and Lemons
- Songs from Melody Del Mundo's music projects (Red Lily and solo stuff)
- Stella's Notch EP and upcoming album
- the new Dongabay album, Flipino
- the return of Spring Boutique or its reincarnation
- The Pencilcase EP..."We Are The Walrus and They Are The Eggman"
- 2nd and new EP from Pepsi Paloma Experiment (I really like the new song!)
- Childhood Dilemma's album
- The Rain's Debut Album
- Philippine Violators's 20th Anniversary Collection 1984-2004
- Sound's Sophomore release
- new songs from Caffeine
- BMG Phil.'s 2 in 1 Re-issues of 90s albums (Sugar Hiccup, Color It Red, Yano, Wolfgang, Sandwich, Razorback, Etc...)
- Sonnet LVIII's upcoming album
- Introvoy's debut album re-issue
- The Haircuts - Sorrow Is The Way To Love
- re-release of Prettier Than Pink's "Chop Suey" album
- Eric Gancio's "Ito Muna, Dito Muna" (never heard if this was ever released)
- Earthfishfish EP
- The Pin-Up Girls' new Sony-BMG album
- Pepe's Smith album, "Idiosyncracies"
- Locomotiv's Album, "Rock N' Roll Death Toll"
- the next NU 107 Rock Awards Freebie Live CD (or CDs)
- 1st Haymarket Recordings debut album compilation
- Dominion's "Paralyzia" album and "Hand Of Cain" EP

There should be more releases that i'm not aware of....if you think that there are some stuff that people should know about just leave some info on the comments or email me...and, um, start, saving some of your allowance now....

Newflash from somewhere...anywhere...

2006-05-08T00:19:00.000-04:00

I just heard thru the grapevine that Sony-BMG (Phillippines) has been or will be "re-releasing" some 2 in 1 albums...namely from Sugar Hiccup (Oracle and Womb)...Color It Red (first two albums? not really sure which ones...I need to confirm this)...Yano, etc....Now this made me think of what Morrissey was singing in The Smiths' song "Paint A Vulgar Picture" --

"Re-Issue! Re-Package!
Re-Package! Re-Evaluate The Songs --
Double Pack With a Photograph,
Extra Track and a Tacky Badge..."

I'm just wondering if they're just releasing these cds because some of the bands, after a long hiatus, recently released new, "come-back" albums this year or it's just a cash grab because of the interest in band music nowadays...? who knows the real deal? Anyway, I featured Sugar Hiccup's ORACLE here a few weeks ago and mentioned that the album was already out of print, and now it's not! Yipeee...so that's great news to the people who are still on the hunt...for the people who missed out buying the CDs the first time it came out...or the people who just bought a cassette version of the album (time to let your tape rest). I just hope they make great CD covers and sleeves...with a bit of materials in it...not the cheesy, simple, bland sleeves they've been coming out with for recent cd re-issues...i.e. no info whatsoever...

I hope I see these 2 in 1 re-issues soon...er, if you don't like em, well, just put them aside in your shelf, together with Re-Issued New Albums with Extra Tracks (definitely a fan-alienating cash grab idea!!) or don't buy them at all...BUT if you're missing out on some of the old albums or missing some songs....then this is a good set to buy! more bang for your money...2 birds with one stone...how can you go wrong with that?

Outerhope's Strangely Paired...Strangely Beautiful Bedroom P!O!P!

2006-05-07T11:04:00.000-04:00

Just like the bedroom pop musings of The Kings of Convenience or the slow, brilliant moments of The Blue Nile or the twee girl fronted bands from the influential Sarah Records, Outerhope delivers soft, lo-fi indiepop melodies! Their self-produced, DIY album was released last year and the songs are lush, serene, beautiful and melancholy. You'd definitely want to listen to this album on a lazy, cloudy or rainy day when you need to get away from all the craziness and stress of your day...trust me it works.

Outerhope is made up of siblings, Michael and Michaela Benedicto, playing guitars and keyboards, respectively while alternating vocal duties in their songs. The last song, "Final Hour", sounded so familiar when I finally had a chance to listen to this album. It turns out that I've had this in my computer since about a year or two ago c/o A Shorcut of Mushroom's Soundclick website. One and only upbeat tune in the whole album, a collaboration with Joon (aka A Shortcut...) and Outerhope...more on him later on.

Say hello to the band and check out the their website HERE. You can also hear their album in streaming format, but what the hell, just go buy their album, ok?
It should give you some links on where it's available.

Outerhope - Strangely Paired (CD/Self Released/2005/PH)

*************************************

1. Learning to Rollerskate
2. Morning After
3. Race To The Sky
4. Boy Who Could Fly
5. Another Daybreak
6. Five Miles
7. Moving Away
8. Makisama
9. Sky High Blue
10. Nth Noon
11. Final Hour

Isampol mo to...Dong Abay's CD

2006-05-06T13:48:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting release from last year...Dong Abay's SAMPOL. I thought this was only (like what the title suggested) a sampler EP, a teaser for his upcoming album but it turns out it has about 8 songs. A full album that has Dong Abay with his acoustic guitar doing socio-political folk songs.

You can never go wrong with Dong Abay's songs, he is a poet and a great lyricist and commands respect, not only from different music fans, but also from fellow musicians. You have to listen intently to his songs and for sure you will be thinking about the issues he's trying to tell you. He is half of the writing duo of Yano and Pan, and he is at ease whether he is in a band or doing solo stuff like this CD and I can say that all his work is essential no matter what critics might say. I believe that he just came out with a new album under the name "dongabay", and most of these songs on the SAMPOL CD would appear on the new album but with full band arrangements. This new group that played in his new album has 2 ex-Eraserheads/1 ex-EHeads (one from The Dawn and one from Sandwich and one more from Cambio/Fatal Posporos). So it should be an exciting new album to check out. Now if only I can find someone to buy me a copy...
Please email Dong Abay HERE.

Dong Abay - Sampol
(CD/Self Released/ 2005/PH)

*************************************
1. Awit Ng Kambing
2. Kukote
3. Perpekto
4. Tuyo
5. Ay Buhay
6. WWII
7. Solb
8. Segundo

Questions and Questions....and, um...more Questions....here are some Answers...

2006-05-06T11:17:00.000-04:00

Mmmmm, I received several emails regarding this blog....first of all I don't do music reviews....I don't believe in reviews and for one thing anyone can criticize somebody else's work...unless you're related to the band (i.e. family, friends, etc) your best bet is to listen to the songs...if you don't like it then toss it, if you do...well, tell your friends about it. How can someone, or anyone for that matter, put a freaking numerical number or alphabetical standing or a set of stars to a musician/artists' work? So for those who asked to have their album or ep reviewed...sorry, I can't do it -- BUT -- I can listen to it...if I like it I'll post something about it, no great expectations from both of us.....that's the simplest way to do it. And for those people who like to have someone tell them what they should be listening to or not and makes other people decide for them, then this blog is not for you, there's a whole bunch of review blogs out there...

Imagine this, if I was living in the same area as you...most probably I'll be rummaging through your record or cd collection and find a new sound...some "new", interesting, never heard music...when I say "new", it doesn't necessarily mean that it just came out a week or a month ago, but "new" in the sense that it's the first time I heard it. You'd probably do the same to my collection. So forget about old school, new school, indie or major brouhaha! doesn't work here...good music stands the test of time...so you will definitely see more or less anything that I listen to and everything that catches my attention and music that I will get to discover in the future.

For the song downloads, okey, some of the them you can actually just go to the song (just the ones in RED) and right click and do "save as", BUT due to some limitations, most of them are posted in Rapidshare...so what you have to do is right click and OPEN in New Window...go to the bottom part of the Rapidshare page and click FREE, wait for a few seconds and it will give you a LINK that you can CLICK then you can start downloading it. Again, as I said, these are for sample purposes only and will be here for a very limited time only (it expires too!)...so please check them out and go and buy the original EPs and albums...if its deleted...go hunt for it...that's part of the fun! and email the bands and artists and say THANK YOU for the music...believe me, not too many people do.

And about doing more postings everyday? Nope, I only do this when I feel like it...I wouldn't have time to listen to great music if I'm always thinking of something to type! So drop by once in awhile...you might find something that you might like.

With regards to trading music, to be honest with you, I don't have time to do it. I know a lot of people out there who are great music collectors (Pinoymusic etc.) and the ones outside the Philippines are more fanatics for some reason, so try to find these people and trade original music with them (some are generally hoarders of CDs! so for sure they will have some multiple copies of old favourites...so there is still a chance for you to find that old album you're looking for.

By the way, I might be disposing some stuff in the next few weeks...so leave me your email address by clicking HERE if you want to receive the list that I'm compiling...its just some double copies that I have and some odds and ends...I still have to sort them, very limited copies and first come first served, ok?

And lastly, that's not me on the picture...just something great that I found in a magazine...I still believe in the power of VINYL! anyway, enjoy your visit...

Wowowow Kalabaw!....Wowowow Surfernando! Belma and Luis or American Gurl EPs

2006-05-05T22:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, when I saw the cover art of this EP, I wondered if there was a hidden meaning to it...A Mongol Pencil, with an Eraserhead, stuck in one's nose...mmmm....maybe...who knows...well, I don't. I just like the music! Surfernando is the new project of Marcus Adoro who is an Ex-Eraserhead ....This Limited Edition EP was actually released last year as "Belma And Luis" in the Philippines and as "American Gurl" in the US...check out the different covers! The only difference, aside from the covers, is the additional live track in the US version.

The band is made up of Marcus, Popoy, Orville and Dempz....I don't know which one's which and who plays which instrument...as there's not much info available. I hope someone can enlighten me on this and email me the info. Anyway you can email the band here.

Surfernando - Belma and Luis
(CDEP/ Room Service Records / 2005 / PH)

Surfernando - American Gurl
(CDEP / Room Service Records / 2005/PH for US Distribution)

****************************

1. Wow Kalabaw
2. American Gurl
3. Drivethru
4. Long Ride
5. Batch 88
6. Am Gurl Live (in US Version Only)

The Dawn...Rising...

2006-05-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

In 1987, The Dawn released their self titled debut album at the height of the local new wave scene in Manila transforming them from underground favourites to mainstream rock band, selling out venue after venue, from small clubs to big arenas.
The band started out as a trio in 1986 and after a personnel change and getting a singer and new bassist, they finally came out with their classic line up of Jett Pangan (Vocals), the late, great Teddy Diaz (guitars), JB Leonor (drums) and Carlos Barcells (Bass).

One of the concerts that I remember was their performance at Concert at The Park which was televised in a local TV channel. The band was just in their 1st or 2nd year yet you can see that the crowd that was watching them were a mixture of both young and old, from different backgrounds, all enjoying the original new music that they were performing.

By now the band has a long history of revolving members and a number of albums and hits through the years and 2006 actually marks the band's 20th year in the Philippine music scene, but with their debut album, they brought in a fresh air of original new music on a rather stale scene peppered with a lot of ballads and easy listening music on the radio.

The Dawn - The Dawn
(LP/OctoArts International/ORI-778/1987/PH)

****************************

Side One
1. Enveloped Ideas
2. Dreams
3. Give Me The Night
4. Living Seed

Side Two
5. Sing Me (A New Song)
6. Mad Game
7. Behind Shadows
8. Susi

The 1996 NU 107 Rock Awards CD - the first of a cool series of live music promos!!

2006-04-29T00:20:00.000-04:00

In 1994 the very first NU 107 Rock Awards was launched in Manila. NU 107, being one of the leading alternative music stations in the country, would start an event that would become a yearly shindig for a lot of the commercial and indie bands / artists in the Manila/Cebu music scene. Although there will still be way more bands that are still classified outside the mainstream radio music that people listen to, it would still showcase upcoming bands to a wider audience. The first awards event was a small gathering of music industry people in The Music Hall in Greenhills and due to the 90's band explosion a lot of the great bands that sprung up around 1993-1995, having signed to different major labels, played their own brand of alternative music. But that small event would take off and by the 3rd year of the NU Rock Awards, they would give out freebie CDs to the music industry people, the DJs and artists....and unfortunately, only to a very few (!!!) select members of the public....

The first of this freebie CD, would commemorate the previous year's performances. It would take the cooperation of about 6 major labels to allow their artists' music to appear on this CD and this being a showcase of LIVE music became one of the best CDs that music collectors are looking for, PROMOTIONAL COPY ONLY-NOT FOR SALE, not commercially available to music fans and the buying public! If they account for all the copies that they gave out through the years, I bet most of them are in some big wig label person's drawer or music shelf gathering dust. You can probably get a digital copy of the yearly LIVE albums if you check out all the internet forums and file sharing sites, but to actually own a original freebie copy would still be way more satisfying. Unfortunately this is the one and only original copy that I have so I wouldn't know the artwork of all the CDs that were given away afterwards. If any of you have the originals of the rest of the yearly series please feel free to email me a jpeg of the covers so it can be posted here....at least we can see it...um, look but don't touch...

Various Artists - The 1996 NU 107 Rock Awards

(CD/Promotional Copy/1996/PH)

*****************************

1. Teeth - Laklak
2. True Faith - Shotgun Baby Bang! Bang!
3. Color It Red - Hand Painted Sky
4. Put3ska - Put3ska Medley
5. Rivermaya - Hilo
6. Yano - Coño Ka Pre
7. Alamid - Sasama Sama
8. Wolfgang - Semelin
9. The Youth - Tao Po
10. Rizal Underground - Rizal Underground Medley
11. Eraserheads - Alapaap

Sama na!...Take Out some Chillitees...

2006-04-23T23:16:00.000-04:00

About mid last year I received this great looking promotional Limited Edition MP3 Digital Release from a band named Chillitees. If you see the packaging/artwork you would think the same way as me...well, it made me hungry and I ended up literally buying some take out Chinese food before listening to it!

The MP3 EP has 7 songs...all of them in Tagalog. The band plays an exceptional blend of soul/pop and acid jazz-sounding beats....with an added spice of 70's era OPM jazz coolness. It also helps that the singer, Uela Basco, has a voice that sounds like a refreshing cool breeze on a damn hot April day. You will probably be humming some of the songs for days.

The band started around 2001/2002 and is made up of individual members who are also part of other bands or played with other bands in Manila...from Sun Valley Crew, Kulay, Sound, Cambio, If Disco Is A Crime, Forgetting Luna, Murder Of Crows, Helen, Twisted Halo, Etc.
To be honest with you I've never had the pleasure to hear all these bands (most of them anyway...especially the indie bands). But together as Chillitees they have great sounding songs leaving most of their assorted influences by the door and creating something different for this release. The band members are : Uela Basco (vocals), Dan Gil (guitars), Ryan Armamento (flute +vocals), Gino Cruz (vintage keys), Jon Jon Jose (bass), Jon Padilla (guitars), Tim De Ramos (drums) and Paolo Lim (drums).

Prior to the release of their debut album, the band also invited their fans late last year to download the music elements of their song "Sama Na" and asked them to make their own remix. The winning mix of the song will be included in the band's forthcoming album...

...and around February of this year the band independently released their debut album called "Extra Rice"...and included two of the winning remixed songs on the album (It was a TIE!). Anyway, you can get a copy of their album directly from the band. Please check out the details on their official website here.

Chillitees - Take Out MP3 EP
(Business card type CDR/Self released/2005/PH)

************************************
Sample some of their songs and go buy their album..

1. Sama Na
2. Tanong
3. Parang Bula (Liquid Spot Live Mix)
4. Ex (Studio Live Version)
5. Nagsasawa Ka Na Ba?
6. Sumayaw
7. Sumayaw (DJ Patch Hustle Vox Mix)

Also check out the freebie mp3 demos
that they posted on their website and email the band and say "Thank You"!

Things Are Getting Complicated in 1986 - The Arrival of Dean's December's Debut Album, "Chemical Wedding"

2006-04-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

In late 1985, Deans December was formed by members, Binky Lampano (Vocals), Richard Cabahuatan (Guitars), Jun Lazo (Bass), Mike Cerrada (Drums), Edsel La Rosa (Keyboards) and Gregson Castillo (Guitars) to join an audition for the Brave New Bands at Katrina's. By September of 1986 they would independently release one of the best New Wave / Alternative album from Manila's mid to late 80's local underground music scene. This cassette album was produced by Nitto Palacios (Integrated Circuit) and Engineered by Jim Sarthou (Urban Bandits). By 1987-1988, two of the original (recording) members would have left the group...giving the remaining 4 piece a chance to have a different and harder, edgier sound shifting more on guitars unlike in the album where it was a mixture of a lot of synth/keyboards woven intricately with the guitars/rhythm/bass and drums and Binky's words that were full of social message being preached in an entertaining medium.

Ofcourse this album also contains the classic track "It Doesn't Snow In Manila" which was described in a concert review by Cymbush in The Score (a mid 80s New Wave/Alternative magazine) as "a famous anti-"pa-sosyal-sosyal na social climbers song"...with lyrics like this...

"You who dine with silver spoons
Do you see us cry?"

"If you can only see the face
behind the smile
It only snows in America not in Manila"

"There's sorrow overflowing
It doesn't snow in Manila
Where are you going?
The Children Are Dying
Where are you going when sorrow's overflowing"

...it made this song a favourite among the band's fans especially when it's played live in their gigs. A few years ago, radio station NU 107 had a live broadcast of a Dean's December gig in Mayrics...sad to say that the DJs were all yapping on the air even while the band was already playing the songs...and when they played "It Doesn't Snow in Manila" the Dj had to cut it or splice it into a shorter song...totally making it the worst sounding live version of this classic track that was caught on tape or aired on the radio. Ahhh, I wish they can rebroadcast that show without any cuts.
It was always a great treat to watch the band perform live, especially when you see and hear Binky Lampano's antics and adlibs and his rants and messages for the audience...I even saw them perform one time with him literally kicking off his Military boots and sent it flying into the audience..."Sa inyo na lang boots ko...." exclaimed Binky, I just hoped he didn't have to walk that far to get to his ride!

Maybe one day in the future we can finally see a remastered version of this album, together with extra tracks but for now enjoy their music because it might take another decade or so for that re-issue to materialize...now if someone has a copy of Deans December or Binky Lampano performing live...whether a bootleg, a soundboard quality recording or a video, I hope it re-surfaces to the public, somewhere, somehow...now that would be a treat for any music fan so more people can appreciate the band's contribution and won't forget the music!!

Deans December - Chemical Wedding (CS/Counter Culture/Self released/1986/PH)

***********************************

Tracks:

1. Things Are Getting Complicated

2. A Meeting Place

3. First Light

4. Through The Eyes

5. It Doesn't Snow In Manila

6. Manimals

7. If I

Scarlet Tears' Sampler and EP

2006-04-19T20:11:00.000-04:00

"Scarlet Tears" by Scarlet Tears, this one track CDR sampler came out either late 2004 or early last year. This is a great upbeat track with big and catchy sound reminiscent of classic New Wave/Goth music like Siouxsie & the Banshees, Ardourn Delirium, All About Eve, Miranda Sex Garden or Ghost Dance with a dose of X-mal D. and Identity Crisis....

Last year also saw the release of the band's first independently released 5-song EP called "Beneath A Crescent Moon". Aside from "Scarlet Tears" and the title track, there are 3 more great songs in the EP.

The way this was produced one would definitely appreciate not just the songs but also the artwork of this Digipack and its CD sleeve...which is way better than most major releases nowadays. Check out some of the inner sleeve artwork in this picture, they are simply amazing! The Artwork by the way was done by the band's vocalist, Katrina Pallon!

As per the CD sleeve, one song called "The Chalice" was left out of the EP because of certain reasons and they would include this on their next release...hopefully this will come out soon.

Scarlet Tears - Scarlet Tears

(1 track CDR-promo/ Self- Released/2005/PH)

Scarlet Tears - Beneath A Crescent Moon

(CDEP / Self- Released / 2005/PH)

****************************

1) Scarlet Tears

2) Beneath A Crescent Moon

3) Adele Walking on a Spiral Highway

4) Hear Me Out

5) Cold Blooded Lover

Learn more about the band members and check out their current gigs and the stores that are selling their indie released EP here .

check out this song from CDR sampler...SCARLET TEARS

Sugar Hiccup's Mysterious, Beautiful Oracle

2006-04-17T22:31:00.000-04:00

In 1995, the major label debut album of Sugar Hiccup was released under BMG Records (Pilipinas). "Oracle" was composed of 10 songs of classic music with wide ranging influences...from Indie, some would say bordering on shoegaze and dreampop, and Cocteau Twins' atmospheric 4AD sound. The band was made up of Melody Del Mundo on Vocals and Keyboards, Czandro Pollack on Guitars, Vocals and Keyboards, Russel Dacasin on Bass and Mervin Panganiban on Drums. One thing that I didn't notice when I first got this more than a decade ago was that the album was produced by Ely Buendia and Raimund Marasigan from Eraserheads.

The CD is currently out-of-print, and I'm not too sure if even tape copies are still available in the stores...but I hope they can re-issue a remastered version of this album with extra tracks and live cuts because I know that there is still a demand from new fans. The band would eventually release another album by 1998 and after that the original line-up would cease to exist. The band would come back by 2005/2006 with their new lead singer, Bea, and a new independently produced album under their own, Ballyhoo Records.

Check out and email the band in their official website HERE
and go out and see their gigs and buy their new album, "Of Tongues and Thoughts"

Better check you neighbour's or older cousins' cd collections and you might get lucky and find a copy for yourself...check out the music from this album....

Sugar Hiccup - Oracle

(CD/BMG Records-Pilipinas/MRCD-67/1995/PH)

****************************

Tracks:

1) Mikaela

2) Sigh

3) Moden De

4) Heoowa

5) Little D

6) Five Years

7) Don't Leave Me

8) Love endowed Intimately

9) Death

10) Us

Music For The Masses

2006-04-16T02:48:00.000-04:00

14 months ago, I tried to make a blog about Philippine based music...due to conflict of schedule and plain laziness, I never even got around to the 2nd page of that blog.

I wanted to sort and update past and recent discographies of old and new bands so it will be easier for music collectors like me to hunt down and discover past and present music gems.

Anyways, the music scene in Manila is a mixture of all the genres you can imagine...from Rock, Reggae, Alternative, Folk, Indiepop, Electronica, New Wave, Hip-Hop, Goth, Punk, Jazz, etc...and ofcourse the Pop ballads that seem to make it to the radio and TV stations playlists.

"Pop" music....if you check it on some dictionary, would mean music produced commercially for profit or some music that would appeal to everyone's taste....so how come the music that I grew up with are not the ones that are popular to the masses? the record companies won't even re-issue the classic music that should have been played in everyone's household...from the underground bands that played in the wee hours of the morning in shady and smoky clubs and the bedroom pop music produced DIY by the indiepop underground youth from the suburbs?

Hopefully these bands can take back the word P!O!P! and be the ones that become popular to the masses...because their music should be the ones to inspire the next wave of musicians....I hope I can post in detail some of the best music from the past and present and future music scenes, may it be from the major label bands or the unknown indie band who can't even get their music played in a decent radio station or club. May all their respective tribes and followers multiply. Please leave your politics, egos, musical biases by the door...and play it LOUD.