Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
voice of Barbie Almalbis, Barbie's Cradle injected a new
note of realism into OPM songwriting, with lyrics - in both
English and Tagalog - that spoke not of love and happiness,
but of vulnerability and dysfunction. Highlights include
“
Money for Food
”, a musical poem about poverty, and “
It's
Dark and I Am Lonely
”, a personal and frank assessment of
modern life for young people.
Grace Nono
Isang Buhay
(1997). Quintessential Nono,
this is an album of sometimes strident but hypnotic
tribal rhythms and original tribal songs blended with
additional lyrics drawing attention to the plight of the
tribes, the environment and the avarice of the country's
rulers.
Isang Buhay
means one house; the title track is
Nono's plea for unity.
Pinikpikan
Kaamulan
(2003). Psychedelia meets tribal
tradition on this, Pinikpikan's third album, released in
2003. The band's influences are eclectic and worn on the
sleeve, from the Hindu overtones on “
Child
” to the flute
solos - inspired by the wooden-flute music of the Manobo
tribe of Mindanao - on “
Butanding
”, a haunting stream-of-
consciousness piece about the endangered whale shark.
said to me/Just confess and you'll be free/Sit yer down
upon me lap/And tell me all yer sins”) - but
Ultraelectro-
magneticpop
will always be special because it blazed a trail.
Gloc-9
Liham at Lihim
(2013). The seventh album (“Letter
and Secret”) from current godfather of Tagalog rap sees
speed-rapper Gloc-9 collaborating with Rico Blanco and
even veteran chanteuse Regine Velasquez.
Kamikazee
Romantico
(2012). If you want to get a taste
of current Tagalog indie rock this is for you, with the catchy
riffs and jangling guitars on the Manila punk band's fourth
album reminiscent of Green Day.
Kitchie Nadal
Kitchie Nadal
(2004). The debut album of
the soulful Filipino singer-songwriter Nadal, featuring the
award-winning “
Wag na Wag Mong Sasabihin
”, an indie
anthem worthy of Coldplay.
Martin Nievera
Live with the Philippine Philharmonic
Orchestra
(2000). Two-disc set recorded in Manila
that captures some of the energy of Nievera live, when
he's a much greater force than on many of his overly
sentimental studio recordings. A master of patter and
performance, Nievera sings in English, in Tagalog, on
his own, and with guests including the popular Filipina
singing sisters Dessa and Cris Villonco - and his dad, Bert.
The highlight is a mammoth montage of Broadway hits
from
Carousel
,
West Side Story
and
Evita
, the nadir a
self-indulgent spoken preamble to one of his signature
songs, “
Before You Say Goodbye
”.
Rivermaya
It's Not Easy Being Green
(1999). Rivermaya's
audience is unashamedly middle of the road and so is
their music, an amiable blend of guitar-driven pop and
laidback love songs for twenty-somethings. This album is
typical, suffused with British influences ranging from the
Beatles to Belle and Sebastian. The highpoint, however, is
pure pinoy, the ironic ballad “
Grounded ang Girlfriend Ko
”
(“My Girlfriend's Grounded Me”), which owes more to
Eraserheads than Britpop.
Sponge Cola
Ultrablessed
(2014). Fifth studio album of
the award-winning Pinoy rock band and the much-awaited
follow up to 2011's bestselling
Araw Oras Tagpuan
. It
includes the single “
Anting-Anting
”, featuring Gloc-9, and
plenty of the band's trademark smooth pop-rock.
Regine Velasquez
Unsolo
(2000). This was the album
that marked the beginning of Velasquez's attempts to
become an international star, or at least a pan-Asian one,
raising her profile with duets featuring the likes of David
Hasselhoff - for a syrupy rendition of “
More Than Words Can
Say
” - and Jacky Cheung. There's only one song in Tagalog.
ROCK, POP AND HIP
HOP
6cyclemind
Project 6 Cyclemind
(2009). The last album by
the popular alt-rockers before the controversial departure
of lead singer Ney Dimaculangan is primarily a collection of
thoughtful tunes and ballads, though the band still gets to
rock out on tracks such as “
Mahiwagang Pag-ibig
”.
Abra
Abra
(2012). First solo album from the gifted rapper
of Pinoy hip-hop group, Lyrically Deranged Poets, his
trademark lyrical style and humorous raps in full effect -
the smooth R&B-inspired hit “
Gayuma
” (featuring the son
of Freddie Aguilar) has over 27 million hits on YouTube,
a record in the Philippines.
Bamboo
Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday
(2008). Bamboo's
fourth, final and best album: intelligent and thoughtful
indie rock in Tagalog and English, with everything from
acoustic ballads to hard rock anthems.
Eraserheads
Ultraelectromagneticpop
(1993). Thoroughly
enjoyable debut album featuring spirited Beatles-inspired
pop, novelty pieces that poke fun at everyone and
everything, and the brilliant “
Pare Ko
” (“My Friend”), which
had the establishment in a spin because it contained a
couple of swearwords and gay references. The band
matured after this and even got better - their second
album,
Circus
, includes the track “
Butterscotch
” which takes
a not so gentle dig at the Catholic Church (“Father Markus
