Noel Cabangon goes medyo jazz

Despite many years spent performing as one of Pinoy Rock’s leading artists, Noel Cabangon is still not as easily recognizable as most of the so-called pop idols in town. That is unless you have been a habitué of folk houses and a regular at rallies for various causes. If you are then you must know that he is one guy who can sing circles around almost everyone.

Thankfully though, that is beginning to change as a lot more people are now finally becoming aware of how he looks and sounds courtesy of the new McDonald’s commercial which uses a new version of that old hit from the ’90s Kanlungan. Composed by Rom Dongeto, it was originally recorded by Noel and Rom when they were still the duo called Buklod. They have since gone their separate ways but Noel kept on making music and recently got the chance to do Kanlungan again as a solo artist.

The use of Kanlungan in the McDo commercial comes at just the right time. Noel is now busy promoting his new album titled Medjas and it sure helps a lot that people are able to relate him to something as famous as a fast food jingle. That way, they will surely put more than passing interest on the contents of Medjas and then maybe they will appreciate more what Noel has to offer. Then they will surely find out that this is one talented musician with one of the most versatile and most expressive voices they have ever heard.

Medjas should make them aware of this quite easily. For one, while Kanlungan has that folksy feel to it, the contents of the new album has Noel doing his usual "relevant" lyrics against melodies that may be pop, gospel, folk, lullaby, romantic ballad, anthemic folk and some jazz. In fact, the title Medjas was actually coined from a combination of the words "medyo" and "jazz." The result is Medjas, or "a little bit jazz." There is nothing "medyo" or little about it though. Medjas is one of those albums that I describe as satisfying. What you get is Cabangon singing 16 songs that are as varied as can be but are united by his distinctive style.

Kanlungan is unfortunately not in the album but Cabangon serves up some future classics that might land in other McDo commercials. He composed most of the songs included in Medjas. These are Love’s So Beautiful, Samu’t Saring Larawan, Children of Tomorrow, Pauwi Na!, Kalingain ang Mundo, Hanap-hanap Ka, Tinitiis Ko, Handang Maghintay, Ikaw Lang, Tinamaan Mo, Kapayapaan Para sa Mga Bata, Kapayapaan sa Sanlibutan and Thank You, Lord. What he did not write are Awit ng Kagampan, by Lilia Quidoza-Santiago and Stay and Lullaby by Ma. Cristina Balajadia.

A Kringles Christmas

Welcome the first Christmas release of the 2003 season. And what do you know? It is the music of the Sexbomb Girls given the Yuletide touch. Performed by a girl group called the Kringles, which may actually be made up of session singers whose faces we will never see, the album is titled Apir Tayo! Masaya ang Pasko. As most of you probably know, Apir Tayo are the first words of the phenomenally successful Spagheti Song popularized by the Sexbomb Girls. This time around though, the music and the lyrics provide the motif for the lead cut titled, what else but the Spagheti Christmas Medley.

So old Holiday favorites like I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Jingle Bell Rock, Blue Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Winter Wonderland and We Wish You a Merry Christmas are presented in this album with the Spagheti Song. And that is not all there is to it. Other Sexbomb hits like Pretty Little Baby, Bakit Papa and the Sexbomb song have also been arranged into Christmas medleys for nonstop dancing a la Sexbomb.

Can you just imagine all those kids going into the "spagheti pataas, spagheti pababa" motions with a Christmas twist from now until the New Year? But that is how enterprising the Filipinos are. They find something that makes a lot of money and you can bet that they will milk it for all it is worth until the cash cow shrivels and dies. Maybe that is just what we need to get Spagheti off our backs, or I should say ears, so that our producers can put their brains to work finding something new that will sell. And the cycle will begin again.