Renz Verano stages a comeback

Because like food, music tastes vary from person to person and place to place, there is always room for every artist who can move listeners with his music no matter what this happens to be. This is the reason why amidst the current fascination with acoustic sounds, big band ballads, hip hop, R&B, pop love songs, plus the novelties like The Spagheti Song and Mr. Suave, there still remains a place for the plaintive laments of Renz Verano.

Renz is an A.B. Economics graduate from the University of the Philippines and a successful businessman who owns a bakery that supplys bread to 40 stores in Pasig. If I remember right, he is best known for his cover of the Rico Puno big seller Together Forever. The strange thing about this is that Verano’s version also turned out to be a huge hit. This rarely happens with newcomers who decide to take on a song first recorded by a popular singing star.

Some of Renz other popular recordings are Lorena, Remember Me, You and I and Ilang Taon Akong Umaasa, all of which have that distinctly Filipino blend of kundiman and pop rock. It is to Verano’s credit that although new music trends often entered the scene and placed his singing style in danger of being booted out of the charts, he remained true to his own sound. This then must be the reason why his fans all over the country have also remained faithful and eagerly await his every new album.

Those who enjoyed Verano’s earlier releases will not be disappointed with his new album titled Everyday, which is his first for Universal Records. His other albums were all done for OctoArts. Although the songs and arrangements are more pop than his usual, Renz made sure that he retained his own style throughout. Produced by hitmakers Vehnee Saturno, Papa Zu and Lito Camo, it will not be a surprise if this one also yields several hit singles.

Probable sellers from Everyday are Isang Libong Dasal, a new composition by Arnie Mendaros and Arnel Layug, Ba’t Hahayaan Ka a new original written by Vehnee Saturno, Baby Come Back, from Lito Camo and Keep on Loving You, an English adaptation of I’m Sad (Wo Nan Quo, a hit by that other Taiwanese boy group 5566. Renz also revives Tanging Ikaw, a song first popularized in the ’70s by Zander Khan.

The other songs included are Hindi Siya Kundi Ako by Edwin Marollano, Malay Mo also by Mendaros, Walang Paalam by Raymund Ryan and two Tagalog adaptations of Japanese tunes by Saturno, Friend and the album’s title track Everyday.

Just a thought, does the inclusion of these Japanese melodies in Verano’s album, mean that Filipino music will soon be turning back the clock to the Ted Ito era? I sure hope not.

Mel Ragaza’s debut album

Anyway, those of you who relish wallowing in the sadness of Filipino songs as interpreted by Renz may also want to check out new artist Mel Ragaza’s self-titled debut album for Alpha Records. Showcased here are compositions by Boy Christopher, another known expert in hits once classified as the jukebox variety. The lead cut is Nagkamali Ako, which is sub-titled Bawal Na Gamot 2. For those who do not remember, this song was inspired by the big hit of the same title, which was recorded by Willy Garte, the blind singer who was tragically killed in a hit and run accident in Parañaque some years ago.

Ragaza does a good job with his own Bawal as well as Christopher’s other works like Sana’y Maging Tayo, Please Naman, Ikaw Pala, Isang Salita, Baby, I Miss You, Panyolito, Sinayang Mo and Nang Iwan Mo. Also included are Buhay Ko’y Ikaw, which was composed by Narding Valdez and Bakit Ka Kumaliwa by Luisito Sibayan.

Favorite songs

Meanwhile, here are the current favorites of Pinoy music lovers, the tunes you seem to hear everywhere and which might turn up as classics in the future. Forever’s Not Enough by Sarah Geronimo; Mr. Suave by the Parokya ni Edgar; Bigger Than My Body by John Mayer; Broken Vow by Lara Fabian; Why by Avril Lavigne; Perfect by Simple Plans; The Spagheti Song by the Sexbomb Girls; To Love You More also by Sarah Geronimo; Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas; and I’ll Be by Edwin McCain.