A sentimental True Faith

The latest album by True Faith is titled sen+imen+al and I find it most apt. Not only because after over 25 years in the music business, the well-seasoned band certainly has a lot of experiences to be sentimental about. It is also because senti, as we Pinoys have shortened the term, is what I would use to describe the music of this band True Faith.

Think of songs like Perfect, Kung OK Lang Sa Iyo, Kung Di Rin Lang Ikaw, Huwag Na Lang Kaya, Muntik Nang Maabot Ang Langit, Alaala, Dahil Ikaw, Sa Puso Ko, Sumasarap Ang Gising and others that the group popularized. All of them are characterized by a sweet bashfulness that is most endearing. So just like we describe the music of Coldplay as emo, True Faith’s so laid back with emotions bubbling just below the surface is senti.

It was the lilting Perfect that first brought True Faith to the top of the hit charts in 1992. In a sound universe filled with the devil may care bravado of the Eraserheads and the anthemic plaints of Rivermaya, Perfect, with its mix of New Wave and jazz, came across as the cool alternative. Thanks to the success of Perfect, True Faith was set for a life of hits and true to that promise, the band delivered a number of big sellers over the ensuing years.

And so here now is sen+imen+al, the 10th studio album of originals by True Faith. I say that it is the band’s all-time best. Not in terms of the number of potential hits, although, I heard several, but in the quality of the music. This is a band that does not depend on its tried, fail safe sound. Here in this latest collection is the obvious effort to learn, to be better musicians, to bring a new and better listening experience to the listeners.

The pop jazz outing Cool Lang (On & Off) which opens the set and the second cut The Rain are musically the best I have ever heard from the band. These songs are portents of great things to come and I look forward to hearing more experiments in melody and arrangements by True Faith in future albums. In an interesting move, The Rain is also featured in a Brian Cua Club Remix which comes off very well.

Now, now, there is no need for True Faith fans of the past 25 years to be scared that the group is now moving into jazz or club territory in an effort to be different. The familiar sentiments, or I should say the senti love songs are still very much around. Listen to the tale of enduring love in Uwian Na, the longing in Paano Ka Magiging Akin or the joys and hurts in the mundane things of life in Dyaryo’t Kape.

Sen+imen+al is a neatly produced package that should be listened to. Hey, there is indeed more to Filipino music and to Filipino musicians than the imitative stuff we have lately been getting. The album also includes Kahit Na, Isn’t It Strange, With You, Consolation For A Fool and Ako At Si Michael.

True Faith is made up of Allan Elgar on lead guitars; Macky Macaventa on bass; Jake Lumacad on piano and keyboards; Eugene Marfil on acoustic guitar; Kaka Quisumbing on drums; and then there is the face of the band, the head songwriter, the prime mover, the guy who created True Faith and literally fought hard and is still fighting hard to keep the band and the music going, Medwin “Meds” Marfil on lead vocals.

Incidentally, Meds is taking a rare solo outing away from True Faith on March 1 when he joins the Playlist: The Best of OPM, all hits concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at the Araneta Center in Quezon City. He will be performing with Joey Generoso, Ice Seguerra, Jinky Vidal, Juris Fernandez and Jay Durias, who like him did the vocals for many of the songs that Pinoys love best for the past three decades.

That is just for one show though. The rest of the time, Meds remains True Faith.