Noel Cabangon makes tribute album for APO

MANILA, Philippines- There have been a lot of tributes already for the OPM group APO, yet Noel Cabangon’s tribute could be considered a special one since he’s an “almost APO.”

The album is named “Throwback: Ang Songbook ng APO.”

Cabangon explained that his “almost APO” tag started many years back when he performed for the group when Danny Javier left. Jim Paredes and Boboy Garavillo was pleased with the outcome of the performance that they called him an “almost APO” member.

So it was no big deal when Cabangon told Paredes about his tribute album for the group.

“Magkasama kasi kami ni Jim Paredes sa OPM, sa FILSCAP, so sinabi ko, ‘gumawagawa ako ng tribute sa inyo,’ na-excite siya,” he said. Paredes has requested to hear the songs, yet he kept it a surprise until the album was done.

The album contains 16 tracks, which was carefully chosen by Universal Records Philippines and Cabangon himself.

“When we were discussing it sabi ko, ‘paano ba natin siya gagawin?’ Kasi it’s a tribute, siyempre medyo kakaiba,” he recalled. “So ang ginawa namin is the romantic APO, the novelty APO, nationalist APO, APO na maraming mga values.”

What made the tribute album more special is that he was able to do a duet with his son Gabriel in the song “Batang Bata Ka Pa.”

He also had a collaboration with Ogie Alcasid and Dingdong Avanzado for the song “Awit ng Barkada.”

Noel Cabagon performing Awit ng Barkada.

Here’s the album’s track list:

1.Awit ng Barkada
2.Yakap sa Dilim
3.Kabilugan ng Buwan
4.Nakapagtataka
5.Pag-ibig
6.Batang Bata Ka Pa
7.Kaibigan
8.Pumapatak Ang Ulan
9.Lumang Tugtugin/ Salawikain Medley
10.Tuloy ang Ikot ng Mundo/ Amercian Junk/Bawat Bata/ Medley
11.Ewan
12.Panalangin
13.Paano
14.Wala nang Hihigit Pa
15.Kumot at Unan
16.Tuyo na’ng Damdamin