Bringing back the romance

Sharon Cuneta’s first Isn’t It Romantic? album went several times Platinum, so more of the same was certainly in order. Besides, her list of sweet, make-out songs from the past that she wanted to record had already stretched to almost a hundred. It would be such a shame to let that go to waste. So with Eloisa Matias once more as producer, Isn’t It Romantic? 2 was recorded and released into the stores early this month. A week later, thanks to Sony Wega’s decision to make a present of a special edition version with a bonus DVD of the CD to its Wega customers, the new Isn’t It Romantic? was proclaimed a Double Platinum seller.

Expect it to continue selling. We Pinoys are big suckers for romance and the songs that go with it. We are ever in need of our own romantic soundtracks and Sharon has assembled a near ultimate line-up here. Hold tight lest you get swept up in the deluge of memories. That combined with her singing, which I am sure you have already realized is unlike anybody else’s make up a surefire formula for a hit album.

Aside from her wonderful alto, Sharon’s most distinctive feature as a singer is the huge degree of feeling she puts into every song. Once again, she sounds like she means every word in her new album. She is as romantic as romantic can be. Not bad for somebody who in the past has discovered that handsome princes were actually ugly, warty toads who shredded her heart to bits. Now healed and whole, though forever scarred, she continues to believe in love, true and unconditional. Like what she quotes from Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Love that is not madness is not love. That sentiment is what she conveys in these songs.

Included in Isn’t It Romantic? 2 are I Wish That I was Making Love to You, Love Me Again, The One You Love, Getting to Know Each Other, If I’m Not in Love with You, Oh Lori, Dream of Me, Caught Up in the Rapture, Miles Away, Looking Through the Eyes of Love, Lead Me On, I’d Really Love to See You Tonight, Torn Between Two Lovers, How Do You Keep the Music Playing? and Falling.

But best of all, I love it that she included Do You Wanna Dance? Blame it on listening to too much Cliff Richard in the past, but this song is definitely one of my favorites. Simple but sexy, this Bobby Freeman original, has also been covered by John Lennon, The Beach Boys, Bette Midler, the Ramones and others. Aside from Cliff though, the real reason I like this song is that it has the most perfect grooves ever. It sets a rhythm and stays with it throughout. Nice to finally get a Sharon version.

MYX’s top videos

Today’s hits. You will not find any Sharon song in these lists. The Megastar sells by the CD. These are all about videos and singles. From the hit chart of music channel MYX, here are the top videos of the week. Ikaw by Sarah Geronimo; Love Will Lead You Back by Kyla; Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus; Jenny by The Click Five; Magsasaya by 6Cyclemind; Sanctuary by Callalily; Hot by Avril Lavigne; So Perfect by M.Y.M.P.; Gimme More by Britney Spears; Headlines by the Spice Girls; Somewhere Down the Road by Nina; Is It Over? by Jaya; Ngayong Pasko by Erik Santos; No One by Alicia Keys; Sigaw by Slapshock; Guillotine by Urbandub; Hate That I Love You by Rihanna and Ne-Yo; He Said, She Said by Ashley Tisdale; Home by Westlife; and Inconsolable by the Backstreet Boys.

Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is also doing extremely well on radio. You hear the tune everywhere these days. The other songs by which you will remember the last weeks of 2007 are Won’t Go Home Without You by Maroon 5 who will perform here in March; Love Will Lead You Back by Kyla; Sa’n Na Nga Ba by Spongecola; Ikaw by Sarah Geronimo; Jenny by Click Five; Patcha by Mocha; Is It Over? by Jaya; Gimme More by Britney Spears; Magsasaya by 6Cyclemind; Kamusta Ka by Blue Ketchup; Dulce Tira-Tira by UD4; Hard Habit to Break by Jed Madela; Hate That I Love You by Rihanna and Ne-Yo; Clumsy by Fergie; A Little Too Perfect by Sam Milby and Ikaw Pa Rin by Acel Santos.