De Walden back for recording with Pinoy artists

Hollywood record producer Christian de Walden is back in town with top Italian engineer Luca Vittori for a series of recording sessions with Filipino talents. De Walden, one of the most in-demand producers in Europe and the Americas, came up with If You Walk Away, the power ballad that gave Rachelle Ann Go her latest Gold Record Award for the album I Care. He was also behind You Win the Game, Mark Bautista’s hit single included in the album Dream On.

De Walden is now recording a new album by Posh star, Nikki Bacolod, new singles again for Mark and also for new Viva Records artist Jimmy Marquez. He is also scheduled to do another album of all new materials by Rachelle Ann Go, which is earmarked for international release next year. The latter includes songs written by Latin composer Tony Ramirez and Filipino hitmaker Jimmy Borja who is now based in the US.

Incidentally, Borja also wrote I Still Believe in Loving You, the first single out of Becoming, the new album by Star for a Night champion Sarah Geronimo. Also produced by De Walden with Vittori as engineer, Becoming has an international edition that will be released in several countries soon. Aside from Jimmy, the album, made up mostly of works by foreign musicians, also features new songs by Filipino Cecile Azarcon. De Walden and Vittori were present at the launch of Becoming, which was held last night at the ballroom of Crowne Plaza.

Albums by indie bands

Speaking of album launches, several indie bands are set to launch their albums tomorrow. Leading the list is S.A.B.A.W. An Anthology of Noise, Electronic and Experimental Music 2006. This will be launched tomorrow night at 9 at the Future Prospects, located in Shop 62-63 at the Marikina Shoe Expo in Cubao, Q.C.

S.A.B.A.W. is made up of assorted tracks by experimental musicians and sound artists who have been part of the underground scene in the past 20 years. The event will feature performances by Elemento, Inconnu ictu, Nasal Police, Arvie Bartolome and Tengal from the S.A.B.A.W. CD. Also included in the album are works by Ascaris, Autoceremony, Blend:er, Blums Borres, Children of Cathode Ray, Conscript, EAT TAE, foodshelter&clothing, Insomnia, Pow Martinez and Teresa Barrozo. These artists represent a cross section of the underappreciated, underfunded musicians and artists from all over the country.

Also set for launching are the solo albums Head Ego by Arvie Bartolome, Drones for the Bored by Tengal and ZPE (Zero Point Energy) by Elemento Mastermind Lirio Salvador. A limited number of copies will be sold to the public.

Top videos for the week

Meanwhile, here is the Pinoy MYX Countdown of the top videos for the week of July 15 to 21. Martyr Nyebera by Kamikazee; Dahil Ikaw by True Faith; Blue Sky by Hale; A Promise by Chicosci; Walang Kadala-dala by Sandwich; 241 by Rivermaya; Wait Forever by Gary V; Endless, A Silent Whisper by Urbandub; I Care by Rachelle Ann Go; The Ordertaker by Parokya ni Edgar with Kamikazee; Jeepney by Kala; Pwede Ba by Soapdish; Manila by Amber; Tinig by Join the Club; Jeepney by Sponge Cola; Stars by Callalily; Ngayong Wala Ka Na by Kyla; Sayang ang Lahat by True Faith; Kung Maalala Mo by Erik Santos and Sa Aking Panaginip by Jennylyn Mercado.

From the mail: Dolly Patricio, a university professor-turned-housewife and piano teacher, expressed her frustration over our readers’ song choice. This is a reaction to a few messages I received with lists of the most beautiful Filipino songs ever written. Dolly thinks there is something very wrong with these lists.

She wrote: "I accept that we all have our own favorites but what I cannot understand is that the songs often mentioned come from 30 or 20 years ago. It seems as though people have already forgotten that we also have beautiful songs from the 1940s or even earlier like Nasaan Ka Irog, Bituing Marikit, Sa Libis ng Nayon, Anak Dalita and even folk songs like Sarung Banggi and Lulay."

I understand your frustration, Dolly, but do take note that those songs are now seldom played on the radio or TV shows and younger people may not have heard of them. Besides, I do not really believe songs can be ranked as the best or the most beautiful. It depends on the listener and his memories, cultural biases, environmental influences, etc. Thanks for writing and I wish you’d send me your own list of favorites.