Sandwich still rocks with good quality music

Most of the pioneering bands of the ’90s Pinoy Rock revival movement have now hang up their guitars. The old Rivermaya, actually the band’s second incarnation is no more. Bamboo, whose frontman, Bamboo started out as a Rivermaya, has disbanded. Do you think Eraserheads will ever reunite and record a studio album of new materials soon? Not likely. It would do wonders for the local music scene but I do not think Wolfgang is also cooking up anything new. True Faith is still going great but then the group is more pop than rock.

Even the newer rock bands are saying goodbye. Sugarfree staged its final concert a few weeks ago. Champ ended Hale last year and then went solo. We had better hope for a new CD from Kamikazee soon and then thank the heavens that Parokya ni Edgar has remained intact, Tanya Markova is showing great promise and that Sandwich is still around to provide Pinoy Rock with music of good quality.

Sandwich has a new CD out and the single Pera Pera is getting very good airplay. I guess this means that the album titled Contra Tiempo will soon follow in the footsteps of the band’s last releases. Sandwich is back after two consecutive big-selling albums, Five On The Floor with the hit singles Sugod, Sunburn, DVDx and Walang Kadala-dala; and S Marks The Spot which contains Procastinator, Betamax, Selos and Manila. And now here they are with 12 new originals.

Movement of all sorts, on foot, aboard something, things to avoid en route and other related things seems to be the theme of Contra Tiempo. As always, the strength of the band is on the music. At a time when the band scene is showing deterioration because of inadequate musicianship, these guys know what chords go together, what radio likes to play and how to really rock.

Sandwich is made up of ex-Eraserhead Raimund Marasigan on lead guitars and keyboards; Myrene Academia on bass guitar; Mong Alcaraz on guitars; Diego Castillo on guitars; and Mike Dizon on drums. I know they are passed their pop idol period but if you want good music then they are among the most reliable.

Contra Tiempo remains strong but is lighter than the usual Sandwich output. Putik inspired by the Ondoy disaster is the best of the lot. I do not know how they did it but the song is one of their best ever. There is an unexplainable bittersweet, quality to the music that moves the listener. Also included are Lapit! Lapit! Lapit!; Lakad; Takbo, Dispalinghado; Sugatan; Sulputin; Bisikleta; Downhill; Stranded Sa Airport; Siesta and current single Pera Pera.

Sugarfree is now no more. The pop/rock band was composed of Ebe Dancel on vocals; Jal Taguibao on bass and vocals and Kaka Quisumbing on drums. Thanks to hits like Hari Ng Sablay, Makita Kang Muli, Tulog Na and their cover of the Apo Hiking Society’s Batang-bata Ka Pa, Sugarfree was one of the most successful bands in the country during the past 12 years. Ebe is said to be working on his first solo album.

Along with the goodbye comes the compilation CD 100% Greatest Hits by Sugarfree. The big hits are all here plus more. Also included are Burnout, Mariposa, Telepono, Sinta, Prom, Kwarto, Dear Kuya, Kung Ayaw Mo Na Sa Akin, Nangangawit, Wag Ka Nang Umiyak, Hay Buhay, Feels Like and Hang 0ver. This is the ultimate souvenir for the Sugarfree fan and also the ultimate companion to the band’s landmark live recording from the Music Museum, Dekada: Sugarfree With The Manila Symphony Orchestra.

Those interested in the future of Pinoy Rock might want to check out the following: The resurrected Siakol, coming back in a big way with two strong singles, Ituloy Mo Lang and Asahan Mo; a new Rivermaya, with all-new members, is there another Bamboo or Rico Blanco in the line-up with the first single Remenis; Kiss Jane, one of the best among the newcomers with its latest hit Lagi; and Spongecola, which has so far remained one of the most stable among last decade’s batch, with the song Tambay.