I first heard of Isang Bandila on Abs-Cbn’s Bandila newscast program. And
from the start, I knew it was from Rivermaya. Isang Bandila is one of
those signature Rivermaya tracks that we have been hearing for decades. It
kind of reminds me of Awit ng Kabataan for its Battle Cry type of message,
and Alab ng Puso sound wise. And I was immediately hooked. As for the
following songs… A little disclaimer must be put in place first. I have
always been an advocate of original songs. I really don’t appreciate bands
covering songs from other bands and have it released and be included in a
band’s full-length album. Well, tribute albums are an exception, because
it’s a tribute album. And to know that Rivermaya’s next full-length album
would consist of roughly 93% of cover songs, I was a bit disappointed at
first. Because the band has been making excellent songs for decades now,
and I believe for sure that they are still capable of making a new batch
of excellent songs (well not unless they are in an artistic rut and their
creative juices have been sucked dry). That was my initial reaction when I
first heard of the album’s concept. Then I came across what Mark Escueta
posted on the Ground a couple of months back that the reason why the
concept was such would be explained in the album. This made me more eager
to purchase their album at the soonest time possible. I spent two weeks
since the release date was announced scouring the record bars here in CDO
which unfortunately still did not carry the album. I got my copy from
Cebu.
What followed next was one of the most liberating musical experiences that
I have ever had (one was the between the stars and waves album). Rivermaya
selfishly released their own tribute album in a market flooded with
tribute albums (Eraserheads and Apo anyone?), and I meant it in a good
way. Eraserheads and APO have been time and again a commercial success.
Reaping the monetary rewards with their excellent music and songwriting
creations. But for the bands whose songs Rivermaya is covering for their
new full-length album, they are the exact opposites. Most if not all of them
are not heard of for such a long time already. They in a way represented
the underground music scene of the 80’s. An era where bands struggled
to have their music recorded and released. The underground scene
where excellent bands came into existence but eventually died down
as a result of the young artistic spirits moving on to seek greener
pastures in the corporate world because their music never put food
into their mouth. I personally never heard any of these songs before.
I don’t know of any of you have heard them before (siguro yung
mga nakakatanda, you’ve heard them na, but don’t admit it lest you
want people to know you are old hehehe). But this is the reason why
I am now appreciating the album very much. These are songs that are
in a way new to me because they were never really big mainstream
successes. They were raw 80’s underground music. Listening to them
is just like listening to a new song that Rivermaya has penned. Each and
every song was a mystery waiting to be unlocked. And just like the
previous musical liberty that I have experienced with Between the stars
album, I am now looking forward to knowing and hearing more about
the bands that Rivermaya has chosen to cover. Hoping that this
effort by Rivermaya would in away reawaken the bands’ Young artistic
spirits and just for the fun of it and for the love of music, Reunite and
record one reunion album for this generation to hear and discover.
I am elated to know that Rivermaya is not just a band who creates their
own music for other people to consume. But they are also a band willing to
humble down and rework, rerecord and unearth old classics that never saw
the light of day during this new generation. Songs that had began to die
down and never to be appreciated, never to be heard of again. We are a
lucky bunch. We are a lucky generation that Rivermaya is doing this not
for them selves, but for us, and for the bands that had their songs
included in Rivermaya’s new album.
I can’t comment much and compare the songs with the original versions
because I never heard any of them. But I totally enjoyed each and every
song. Makes me feel the reemergence of 80’s music once more. Tracks that
stood out for me aside from Isang Bandila were Golden Boy, a reworking of
a song by Ethnic Faces. Things Are Getting Complicated and Healing by
Dean’s December, Ilog by Joey Ayala (which also featured Rico’s cousin,
Kitchie Nadal), My Sanctuary and Sumigaw, Umawit Ka by Identity Crisis,
And lastly, Things Within by Silos. I’m looking at this album as a tribute
album. And what makes this tribute album so special is that it came from
the heart. This was no marketing gimmick that a recording company had
thought of in order for them to cash on. This was no project wherein the
hottest and the biggest bands of the current year were grouped together,
and in a way using their popularity to give life to classic surefire hits.
This was a project that Rivermaya had only originally intended to be for
their listening ears only. Well, not until they made a realization to
share these songs to the new generation, songs that influenced them and
made them who they are now. And guess what? The album is one big Jammingan
ng Rivermaya as fans! With that being said. Rivermaya’s Isang Ugat, Isang
Dugo is hands down the best tribute album ever released. Way much better
than the Eraserheads and Apo tribute albums!
Jasper Lloyd Tan
Lyricists, Thoughts And Notions
P.S.
Just as these bands influenced Rivermaya, I have also started my own band
under the influence of Rivermaya’s intoxicating music. We have an album
out under Praise Music and is available at all House of Praise outlets
nationwide. My band is called Thoughts And Notions, and our album is
called “In Awe of His Amazing Love.” We are an Alternative/Pop/Rock band
in the mold of Sixpence None the Richer and Jars of Clay.
Sana you guys will support us din…
Check these sites out to know more about my band
www.freewebs.com/thoughtsandnotionswww.thoughtsandnotions.blogs.friendster.com for stuffs about us
www.purevolume.com/thoughtsandnotions for song samples
www.fliptunes.net for online song purchasing
thanks!
