Intriguing, new albums to check out

MANILA, Philippines - Four acts — two bands, a duo and a solo singer — are hoping to catch up on the Holiday gig stretch with albums showcasing some distinct character they’re proudly promoting. Here they are.

Chicosci may have gotten the inkling that some buyers of its albums purchase them essentially due to the band’s name and not really because of the content. Thus, the band has consciously titled its newest album This is Not A Chicosci Record as a kind of dark humor in the hope of encouraging rock fans in general to buy CDs for the main purpose of hearing what’s in it regardless if it’s from a known artist or not.

“It shouldn’t be important who the artist is. We hope people will like this because of the music, not because we are Chicosci,” explained vocalist Miggy Chavez.

The group, currently signed to MCA Music, recently launched its 14-track album, now being promoted through its first single Stealing Kisses. Most of the songs logged in less than four minutes though the last piece Secret Weapons is a 10-minute showcase.

“We have matured in the sense that the recording process now is more efficient and organized. Before it’s more of our gung-ho attitude that was leading the way,” said guitarist Mong Alcaraz.

Meanwhile, the 2009 Muziklaban-winning band Hatankaru takes a step higher towards popular acceptance after recently launching its debut EP at Cubao Shoe Expo, with great support from marquee rock figures The Youth and Pepe Smith who both performed during the occasion.

Guitarist Gilbert Pacariem shared in an interview, “Mas maganda kung mas maraming makakarinig sa music namin kaya blessing ito. We’re open to all challenges, kasi yung nangyayari sa mainstream is also a challenge, like how will you shorten a 10-minute track to three minutes para maging radio-friendly.”

The six-song, all-original CD light contains a track called Hoy featuring Smith as collaborator. Other songs are Lakip, Bawal, Kipot, the radio-released Larawan and current single Hipo.

The self-titled package, produced by Rookie Records, is a big jump for the quartet, which began performing in 2004. The name Hatankaru is a play on Karuhatan in Valenzuela where they all came from. Vocalist Roy Elinzano noted, “Dapat talaga mahal mo ang ginagawa mo para magtuloy-tuloy.” Completing the group’s personnel are bassist Michael Villaflores and drummer Elmer Glino.

Polyeast and Galaxy Records may have realized the demand for sister acts in the local scene that they came out with their own, The Dans, which is comprised of sisters Stephanie and Kim Dan. The two recently sat down and entertained a small press pool to promote their album An Acoustic Journey where they interpreted in laid-back form familiar tunes of late.

“We’re really excited about this album. We believe we have this connection and we want to show that through music,” noted Stephanie, the younger of the two who previously did records with then Sony-BMG.

The 13-song CD is powered by the sisters’ version of Selena Gomez’s hit I Love You Like A Love Song. They’ve also done their take on songs such as Call Me Maybe, God Gave Me You, their personal favorite The One That Got Away and Why Can’t It Be, a ’90s classic that Rannie Raymundo originally sung and wrote.

Interestingly, the lone non-revival track The Way I Remember You promises to be a dark horse among the list, with its engaging tune and arrangement. The piece is written by David Dimuzio.

Kim, who did back-up singing in a 2001 New York gig featuring Mary J. Blige, said, “Our album is about how it is being young and in-love.”

The Dans belong to a family of musicians as proven by the thought of having their other siblings join them into a Corrs-like ensemble. The others apparently decided they couldn’t commit themselves to it due to schedule and priority concerns.

Markki Stroem, on the other hand, is the face behind the FM radio-rotating jazzy interpretation of Carley Rae Jepsen’s massive hit song Call Me Maybe. That means the jazz community has gotten someone who can attract the crowd instantly without having to intimidate anyone of the genre’s high-end nature.

Featured at the recent Cosmopolitan Bachelor Bash, Markki launched last month his debut album, Thousands of Pieces, at Bonifacio High Street to the delight of invited guests and strollers-turned-spectators. The 10-song album produced by Cornerstone features both the songwriting skill of the Pilipinas Got Talent star and his ability to create interesting renditions of previously released songs, especially those originally recorded by female singers. At the launch, he did his interpretation of Britney Spears’ Toxic.

“I really consider this as my baby because I have been a part of the whole creative process,” he said.

The ASAP performer will appear as Joe Jonas in the musical Camp Rock and star in an indie film called Slumber Party. Two of his interesting compositions are Illicit Activities and Iron Curtain.