Tuesday, November 11, 2008

ALBUM REVIEW

Giving you your very own theme song

By Angelique P. Manalad, Contributor
 
Giving you a musical journey that is distinctively Pinoy, Ang Bandang Shirley guarantees everyone who’ll listen will definitely love their music without any exaggeration as they give their first installment Themesongs.

Influenced by local bands and other artists they describe their music as that of Broken Social Scene if they listened to the Eraserheads, a happier Jeff Buckley with Dong Abay’s street smarts, Sugarfree’s heart inside the baby of Radiohead and Feist. But they were able to imbibe their own flavor making it uniquely their own.

Owel Alvero, Selena Salang, Ean Aguila, Joe Fontanilla, Jing Gaddi, Heidi Pascual, Zig Rabara and Kathy Gener makes up the band with Alvero being the chief lyricist together with Gaddi and Aguila. Composed of 11 tracks sure to give you a dose of feel-good vibe, the eight-member band opens the album with the infectious “Kagabi Natulog Si Morrisey Na May Nagmamahal Sa Kanya.” It talks about a common dream for all the loveless out there, making you feel that Morrisey is your real name.

Even the not-so-happy song “Masamang Damo” is delivered in an up-beat manner that will surely make you keep your cool even faced with that person you both hate and love. Bringing that Oh-so-OPM feel are their tracks such as “Patintero/Habulan/Larong Kalye” which transports everyone back to those afternoons playing in the streets with that kababata you secretly had a crush on. “Ang Pag-Ibig Alinsunod Sa Karanasan Ng Isang Pangkaraniwang Jeepney Driver A.K.A Tsuper Duper” is a catchy song where you’ll find yourself singing along with that repetitive line, “Basta driver sweet lover yeah,” there’s definitely a song for everyone.

”Maari ba kitang makasayaw? O di kaya kahit upo lang muna tayo habang inaantay yung ating magiging themesong?”—lines from the title track “Themesong” makes you reminisce that awkward moment of the most awaited night of JS prom or other dances that you’ve been to. Summing up the emotions of uncertainty and the beauty of young innocent love was captured by Alvero.

The comic “Sasamahan Ka Pa Rin” describes the foolish side of love that most people are guiltily of. Most of us experienced those cold Yuletide seasons that Bandang Shirley sympathize with their song “Xmas lights” to expertly describe that longing feeling during those twinkly nights of December.

“Sa Madaling Salita” which was used as the soundtrack of the independent film Endo, a love song that’ll make you swoon with the sincerity overload with the vocal arrangement given by the band. Salang and Alvero were able to blend the contrast of their voices resulting to that harmonious end that love can definitely bring.

“Bato” is a song that talks of that last moment where the clock is ticking towards the end of the relationship making it the perfect selection as the parting track of the album.

Themesongs is made for every Filipino out there who has experienced the joys and sorrows of love, a must-have for anyone searching for that perfect theme song to accompany you at that certain moment of luck or mishap in the game of love.