New Christmas albums

Siakol, well-known exponents of Pinoy Rock, bring their own brand of Christmas music to the airlanes with the release of Karoling. In keeping with the band’s image, the contents of the album are simple rock tunes laced with abundant touches of pop, punk and the blues. Surprisingly, this mix results in music that sounds young, very trendy and at the same time, very Filipino.

Now, do not let the name Siakol or the Pinoy Rock classification fool you. Siakol’s work is very melodic and its music more pop than rock. As I am sure you will soon find out, Karoling does make for very pleasant listening. The sound of the album evokes images of the old days with istambays sa kanto and the easy kind of music they make while strumming the guitar and singing their hearts out. Of course, it also helps and it is most laudable that the band’s leader and songwriter Noel Palomo wrote 12 new originals that speak of beloved Filipino Christmas traditions and sentiments that we hold dear.

"Naitayo mo na ba ang Krismas tree?/may pangregalo ka na ba sa inaanak mong marami?" he asks in Maligayang Pasko. "Kahit umulan pa ng yelo/kung ikaw naman ang kumot ko/kahit makagat ako ng aso/basta’t h’wag mo lang saktan ako," they sing in Hiling. "Ikaw na ba yan o santa?/matagal na rin kitang gustong makita," goes a song about a strange kind of Santa Klaws. There are also references to Sanggol sa sabsaban, anghel na nag-aawitan and the tatlong hari in Sa Pagsapit ng Kapaskuhan and other bits about the native Christmas celebration in the other songs in the album.

These tunes that make up Karoling are Maligayang Pasko, Hiling, Simbang Tabi, Yan ang Pasko, Pasko ang Araw ng Pag-ibig, Santa Klaws, Tayo Na, Tayo Na!, Sa Pagsapit ng Kapaskuhan and Ngayong Pasko and the title track. Closing the album are two songs about the New Year, Ano ang Babaguhin Ko Sa Bagong Taon, and Bagong Taon Na Naman.

Siakol is known in the local music scene as that other band from UP. As most of you already know, the other one is no other but the Eraserheads. Siakol is made up of Palomo on vocals and acoustic guitar, Miniong Cervantes on guitar and back-up vocals, Wowie Flores on bass guitar and Oyie Bunao on drums and percussion. Karoling is the group’s fifth album. Before this, there were Tayo Na Sa Paraiso, Rekta, Pantasya and Sa Pag-ikot ng Mundo. Among Siakol’s better known songs are Peksman, Biyaheng Impiyerno, Sistemang Bulok, Islang Puting-Bato, Tsismis, Ingay and Galit.

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Still on Christmas music. For those quiet, prayerful moments, there is Matins, the latest in the series of music for meditation albums from the Jesuit Music Ministry. Released earlier were Lauds and Vespers. Like these two, Matins is made up of modern compositions arranged as chamber music. In keeping with the Holiday mood though, these were given a Christmas hue through the use of classic carols and new works that resound with the age-old Christmas message of peace and love for all men.

Performers are Ariel Arambulo, Dino Decena and Val Cad on violin and viola, Cecile Alegre Coo and Mayos Esmilla on violin, Bong Rodriguez on cello, Rommel Cruz on double bass, Jedidiah Roque on guitar and Jay Gomez on flute. They do Silent Night, Adestre Fideles and Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring alongside compositions by some of the best-known songs in the country today like Ed Hontiveros, Villancico and A La Nanita, Manoling Francisco, Paglamig ng Hangin, Arnel C. Aquino, Inay and Bituin and many others.

Many of us still have to become familiar with most of the cuts included in the album but as the term Matins implies, this is prayer music and the interpretations do have the effect of cooling down the tired body and the harried heart. Let Matins put you in the mood for harmony with God and his creation. As Psalm 150 so aptly says: "Praise him with blasts of the trumpet/praise him with lyre and harp/praise him with drums and dancing/praise him with strings and reeds/praise him with clanging cymbals/let everything that breathes praise Yahweh." I am sure you too will find that thanks to the hope and joy of Christmas, things can be right again in this world.

Remember, there are now only seven more days to go until the Big Day.