William Elvin launches album

The only thing I know about William Elvin is that he composed the music for the well-received musical Mula Sa Buwan. That was a Filipino adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac that was successfully staged here a few years ago. I think that is the reason why I think that the songs included in his album Sacred/Profane/Mundane come off as little narrative songs, vignettes that can be part of a full-length musical.

Elvin was a composer for musical theater moonlighting as a singer of folk-rock tunes in clubs in Metro Manila some years ago. But then, he decided to get serious about his future and left to work in Hong Kong. I do not know if he continues to maintain his office job but he now spends time in the Philippines performing and working on his music. Sacred/Profane/Mundane is a product of his double life.

The album is made up of songs Elvin recorded at home in Hong Kong with the help of Pinoy musicians. These are all pop rock ballads of a timeless quality, doubtless the result of listening and imbibing the influences of assorted artists. It is also obvious that he stuck to simple arrangements for the music, which I like, because these made the songs accessible.

Accessibility of the music is important in Elvin’s case because the sacred, profane and mundane of the title abound in his lyrics. That means extra effort from the listener to fully enjoy and understand his songs. Here is what he has to say about them.

“(I Will Be) the Happy, Shiny One (For You) is a country-folk inspired duet with Maita Ponce, a Filipina stage actress who is now in Mainland China. Written for a friend who suffers from severe depression.

“Tomorrow’s Left Behind is written like a conversation between one half of myself who’s always afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone, and the other half who’s willing to just risk it all and ‘throw the map out the window.’

“The Last Lovers on Earth tells of when two people are in love, they may feel that they are the only ones alive who can feel a love that is pure and strong. Relationships are always uncertain, but we all risk it anyway. Such is the nature of our emotions.

“How’s the Bed, Sandy is a song about a man waiting for his wife who is a prostitute, to come home. An easier version is recorded for my first solo album released in 2013, but I love this song so much that I wanted to do a more mature, more emotional version to include here.

“Alon ng Pag-ibig is a song I wrote based on Jose Rizal’s poem about Josephine Bracken, which is also a good, simple and effective love song. Would have been perfect if ‘harana’ is still a thing today.

“Miss Elizabeth is about a young starlet thrown to the showbiz life and allowed herself to be a victim of the limelight. She is now realizing how fleeting fame, fortune and beauty really are. My favorite track in this album.

“2020 is a tribute to David Bowie, one of my biggest songwriting idols. This song paints a picture of a world with no respect or regard for art and the small beauties of life. And sadly, this vision can come true as soon as 2020.

“Pause for a New Beginning is a love song written for my wife. I am a very cynical, almost pessimistic person and we’re almost exact opposites in this regard. I do not believe in a lot of things she believes in but I’m willing to believe that there is true love, which is the one thing that is divine in my life.

“Ang Sabi Nila is the original, recorded in 2009. This wasn’t supposed to be included in Mula Sa Buwan, which we still called Cyrano: Isang Sarswela back then, but Pat Valera convinced me to include it after hearing this in my old car after one writing session.”

I am glad that Elvin allowed himself to be convinced because the soulful Ang Sabi Nila is such a lovely song for the broken-hearted.

Elvin will perform Ang Sabi Nila and other cuts from his album at the Black Box Theater of the PARC Foundation at 494 Lt. Artiaga, San Juan tomorrow, June 25 at 7 p.m. It will also be a chance for his fans to score their copies of Sacred/Profane/Mundane. Tickets are available at Ticket2Me.net.