"self-titled" is not a self-titled album...

...hindi naman talaga e. dahil as in "self titled" talaga 'yung pangalan ng 3rd album ng itchyworms. nung nalaman ko ngang released na 'yung album from the itchy's yahoo! groups, sinabi ko agad ang unang tumakbo sa isip ko. naimagine ko na naman ang banda kung sakaling magge-guess na naman sila sa kahit anong noon time show sa pilipinas.

aanga-angang host: please welcome, the itchyworms with their brand new 3rd album - the self-titled "itchyworms!"
itchyworms: ay thanks a lot!
aanga-angang host: why just after you had already your third album tsaka niyo lang naisip na magpangalan ng "itchyworms" as the album name?
itchyworms: huh?
aanga-angang host: di ba kadalasan sa mga unang album pinapangalan 'yung band name as the album name?
itchyworms: aah..."self-titled" po 'yung album name.
aanga-angang host: oo nga... "itchyworms".


a basta! when i saw the album name, first past album which came to my mind is the youth's ang album na walang pamagat. kung bakit, because if ind it pretty similar that both titles were somewhat puzzling for beginners, corny for emos and cute for the itchy listeners.

it's just an album name, anyway...


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kanina bumili na ako nung album. pagkakita ko sa album, grab agad! naghanap ako ng ibang kopya nito, pero wala kahit sa new release section. sold-out ang kopya, o isa lang ang kopyang inorder ng odyssey, alin lang siguro sa dalawa 'yung rason.

tinignan ko 'yung likod ng album. pucha 16 tracks. sabi ko sa kasama ko, "kung isang oras ang running time nitong album, ibig sabihin, walang gaanong fillers. this is a must buy then!". 'yun e dahil ang mga huling albums yata na nakita kong may 16 tracks and above na hindi ako inantok sa dami ng fillers at paulit-ulit na tunog e nung panahon pa nung sticker happy ng eraserheads.

bago ko bilhin, naghalughog muna ako dun sa Sale section. mga P99 na lang pala binebenta 'yung rocksteddy (tsubtsatagilidakin), join the club (nobela) at pupil (beautiful machine). pero ang binili ko e 'yung soundtrack ng Pamana. ewan ko kung bakit. basta binili ko na rin 'yun, punta ng counter, nagbayad. nag-ikot sa SM, at umuwi. pinakinggan ko 'yung album habang naglalaba ako.

comments or reviews?

actually alinman sa dalawa, hindi ako marunong gumawa. pero hindi pwedeng wala akong masabi:


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kung iri-recap ko ang naunang dalawang album ng worms, ang una (little monsters under your bed) ay PAMBATA. ang ikalawa naman (noon time show) ay PANGMASA. ngayon, ang album na ito ay isang TUNAY NA RAKENROL. kulang na lang umindak ako habang nagkukuskos ng underwear.

itchyworm's "self-titled" is actually one of the true rakenrol albums this country has produced. softer than narda's "discotillion", harder than ciudad's "is that ciudad? yes son, it's me!". ang album na ito ay naglalaman ng mga pinakanakakaindak nilang kanta, pero hindi pa rin nawala ang itchyness nila. humorous pa rin. comic pa rin. makulit. hindi na mawawala 'yun. pero malayo pa sila sa na iisa ang chord pattern ng mga kanta.

hindi naman rakenrol na tulad ng wolfgang o queso na headbangan mula umpisa hanggang huli. i can sense a blend of eraserheads & beatles influence. may pagka-APO din, epekto siguro nung dalawang tribute covers nila para kila jim, danny & buboy. may mga kantang tugtog retro. may tunong 80's. merong mala-NTS pa rin na akala mo e sequels nung stalker song. may kwenta ang mga fillers, 'yung tipong hindi mo ii-skip sa cd players. at kung may kwenta ang fillers, then we shouldn't call them fillers (like what eraserheads did with "fill her"). astig ang album. it was actually a mix of rock evolution in OPM music. halo-halong genre, pero rakenrol ko pa ring matatawag. it should last for the next generations.

(as i make this post, natapos ko na namang patugtugin 'yung album. it was only the 2nd time i heard it fully. medyo nabitin ako, dahil i was supposed to make a track-per-track reaction of the album...siguro play ko na lang uli mamaya.)

pambihira ang pagkakagawa ng album, dahil sa panahon natin ngayong kabilaan ang mga bandang itinatayo ng mga papalaos nang artista (na wala namang ibang style na ginawa kundi mga mushy tunes, love songs at emoetic lyrics), nakuha pa rin ng worms ang tunog na hinahanap ko - 'yung tunog na tipong alam mong hindi sila nakikisabay lang sa karaniwang tugtugin ngayon. hindi sila gumawa ng tugtog na halatang kumukuha lang ng simpatya sa mga nakikinig para sumikat ang banda. marami kasi akong gustong mga musikero na nadisappoint lang ako after releasing their next albums. pero ang itchyworms, mukhang hindi talaga ako madi-disappoint sa tugtugan nila. they're going against the usual flow, but at least maintaining the essence of rockology.

at isang oras din ang album! bukod kasi sa 16 tracks na bihira na ngayon, hindi na rin karaniwan ngayon ang mga tugtuging umaabot ng isang oras. kadalasan kasi ngayon 10 tracks lang, o kaya 40 minutes running time. at kakasabi ko nga lang, nabitin ako, to think isang oras na 'yung album. meron din kasi akong nabiling album from another artist (na okey ang tugtugan), pero 'pag kalahatian na pinapatay ko na 'yung player dahil sa boring at paulit-ulit na tunog.


anyways, here's my detailed say on each track. (note: hindi ako parang si lastdodobird kung magkomento dahil hindi naman ako nagre-review ng album. kung panay "maganda" ang mabasa mo sa mga isusulat ko, 'yun e dahil simula umpisa hindi ko nakitaan ng kapangitan ang bawat kanta nila...simula nung high school pa ako...)

01) penge naman ako n'yan - no exact theme but simply tells the listener to be happy. pwede kong icompare sa mga compositions ni ely na akala mo e walang mensahe ang mga kanta na basta nicompose na lang, pero sa loob e simple lang pala. despite the rock tune, there is you know a happy message behind, something you need to decode for yourself. pero alam mong hindi ka palulungkutin nung kanta.

02) bugbog-sarado - a rock love song, just like what the members used to compose and sing. it depicts a scenario of a boy vs. girl lovers, in their expiring relationship. sinisisi ng worms ang mga babae dito. somewhat.

03) gusto ko lamang sa buhay - a wishing song, but still a song of love. "gusto ko lamang sa buhay ay yakapin mo ako. hindi naman ako milyonaryo. basta't araw-araw yakap mo ako. feeling ko ang yaman-yaman ko." giving up all the things to wish for, just fo the hug, love & kisses. i used to wish the same things before...

04) sino ka nga ba? - wah...tunog "two of us" 'yung intro. but the lyrics and message, more of a combination of eraserheads' minsan, kilala, and tama ka.

05) nahuli mo na ba ako? - the message is in its lyrics, "hanggang tingin na lang yata ako, isang sikreto ang pag-ibig ko". a type of admiring someone in a torpe mode.

06) freak-out, baby - eto naman mala-parokya sa kulit nung voice-over & epal moments. tungkol sa mga selosan at keridahan moments. tunog jamiroquai, parang lulutang ka sa outer space kapag pakikinggan mo. soothing & retro.

07) suplado ka pala sa personal - para ba 'to kay jel? xP ewan ko lang ha...pero one of the composer of this track is kelvin. meron kasing naging isyu sa groups na may nagsabi kay kelvin na masungit daw siya at hindi namamansin. kaya nung one time na nagkita kami, sinumbat ko sa kanya 'yung "argumento" nung nagrereklamo. sabi ko, "ano'ng masasabi mo, ang sungit mo daw?". sinagot niya ng "masungit naman talaga ako 'di ba?". may halong patutsada din 'tong kantang 'to sa mga pulitika, bukod sa mga karaniwang criticisms na natatanggap ng mga bandista. sarap!

08) isang al frescong takip-silim sa cafe francois - this is a wow! this is not a formal song but definitely a great track!!! "welkam to cape prankoys!" pa ang pronunciation...ahahaha... parang gusto ko ngang ipunin 'tong mga filler tracks na kaganay nito (together with boldstar's condiment symphony, eraserhedas' 3 punk zappa's, parokya ni edgar's karaoke ni edgar, etc.) at iburn. pakikinggan ko kapag sawa na ako sa mga CD's ko.

09) pataasan ng weewee - a critic song for useless competitions. the title itself implies the message.

10) tuksyude! tuksyude! tuksyude! - kumbaga sa 7 foot jr, eto 'yung "suck up my gut". pero hindi ko alam kung ano 'yung "tuksyude".

11) steady lang tayo - a song telling us to relax so often, at maging easy lang sa lahat ng ginagawa. nananawagan ang kantang 'to sa mundo nating masyadong abala na ngayon, na magpahinga naman.

12) awitin para sa mga nagmumuni-muni - pucha 'to...mala-parokya na naman 'yung intro. tapos biglang magiging datu's tribe. tapos dahil sa paulit-ulit na reksli, naging parang orasyon ang kanta sa hulihan. merong nagli-lead, tapos merong sumasagot, na parang 'yung angelus na naririnig ko tuwing madaling-araw (na ayon naman sa utol ko e mala-children of the corn daw). basically, the song is about balancing diet & being health conscious. siguro dahil tatlo sa apat na itchyboys e matataba. idagdag mo pa si kuya kerwin (manager) na tumataba din.

13) sana naniwala sa'yo - a song of regret about something that is until now i'm still searching for. but basically a song of regret. applies to all matters.

14) yokonakitamakita - somewhat going onto a hatred song, na biglang naghahabol pa pala. mixed love emotions - from hating to hopeful to wishing to worried.

15) misis fely nimfa ang pangalan - this is my favorite in the album! masarap pakinggan ang isang paboritong kanta lalo't nasa hulihan pa ng pila - para napapakinggan mo ang mga naunang kanta at nasusulit mo ang buong album, at higit sa lahat para sulit ang paghihintay. tungkol 'to sa isang babaeng maraming naging kinasama. actually, labinglima lahat ng kinasama niya - Tan, Mercado, Dela Cruz, Garcia, Gomez, Ong, Bermudez, Anderson, Lopez, Perez, Chung, Padilla, Robles, De la Rosa, Bautista. dati pa ako nakakarinig ng kantang ganito ang mensahe, pero ngayon lang ako nakakita ng ganitong lyrics. galing talaga!

16) para sa pinakamatangkad na tao sa buong mundo - hindi ko alam kung bakit o kung para kanino, dahil instrumental na lang ang track na 'to. parang si mike elgar 'yung tumutugtog katulad dun sa last tracks sa between the stars and waves album. at dahil nagtapos sa isang instrumental, sigurado akong 'yun ang dahiulan kung bakit ako nabitin sa album na 'to...


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uulitin ko, hindi ako nag-a-album review. hindi ako marunong gumawa nun. aaminin kong bias ako dahil kung ang sa lolo ko ay asin, ang sa tatay ko ay banyuhay, ang kay kuya ay eraserheads, ang sa akin naman ay itchyworms.

pana-panhon ang pagkakataon, sabi ni cabangon. sa henerasyon ko, sila na ang nagpatugtog ng musikang pinakikinggan ko't hindi ko na yata pagsasawaan.


sa 4th album, siguro marunong na ako mag-review.





--peso--

sing or shine?

PDA sucks. it stinks and smells fishy. i said this so because my bet is now in danger of not qualifying for the 16 dreamers. i may be bias. but the competition/show/drama is much unfair.


my bet is Engr. Lamberto Reyes. he is a graduate of FEU-East Asia College (my school), a classmate and friend of my brother, a board passer and licensed ECE engineer, vocalist of the independent band Blue Cheese, a dreamer, and one of the best musician with the friendliest attitude i had ever encountered.


already months ago, i had been posting the petition of supporting this man, but nobody would listen, simply because the show isn't airing yet and the search is still on-going. i was amazed when my brother told me lambert is already then one of the audition passers of the competition. that was the time of PBB CE2, and we can no longer wait and watch for his possible success in the field he chose.


a wise man and a good musician. he already composed songs, recorded some of them, and actually performed them on battle of the bands. fortune it was, they already won on some of the battles they've joined. to think, he is a board passer with no failing grade, a licensed engineer. magka-batch sila ni kuya, pero si kuya nadelay pa ng isang taon dahil sa mga bagsak. but lambert immediately took the ECE board exam and passed it. sisiw lang.


but according to my brother that according to lambert, though he was already an achiever, if your passion is music, then you will still be craving for the drink which would purge your thirst. he is not like the trying-hards i know, because he's trying hard on the things he's good at.


now, what's his status? he is in danger right now. no, not the danger daboy faced in his deathbed.


i watched the show yesterday night. it was the proclamation of the 16 dreamers who would be the "scholars" of the academy. the 16 chosen would be taught more everything about music and singing (i don't exactly know for i never watched a single episode of yeng's era).


so one by one they were called. until they were already 15, lambert is still on the waiting list. according to panga, the 16th dreamer already backed out because of her illness, that's why the academy admins decided to give the 16th slot to one of the waiting dreamers. BUT! in a condition...which after i heard...i wished lambert did not join the competion anymore.


cayabyab called four persons from the waiting list. the last person called was lambert. surprisingly, he was lucky enough. these four are the top perfrormers amongst the must-be-non-anymore-scholars. and these four is where the 16th dreamer would come from. how? you know how. you have a cellphone i know. and these will all result again to these falkin' txt votes! same rule: no friends and riches and looks - no vote!


now what am i trying to say? many of us here in our house have different reactions towards the show we'd watched:

"malas ni lambert. sayang."
"hindi sayang 'yun. swerte niya, at least na try niya."
"pangit nung rule, ang daming ipapasa, tapos pamimilian pa, sana ibinagsak na lang 'yung mga bagsak na talaga!"
"hindi na siya dapat sumali diyan e. hindi niya kailangan ng dream academy para sumikat. hindi niya kailangang kumanta para sumikat."


is it singing out your music and your voice or is it shining and selling out your pride and face? for me, the former is the long-term goal, and the latter is not even a goal. according to my friend programmer, kuya cybon: aanhin mo 'yung pagsikat ngayon, e kung after mo naman magretire maraming banda 'yung naimpluwensiyahan mo?


in the case of lambert, i really believe this is not the end for him if ever he won't be qualified for the show. he is a good performer, and i believe he can top those chosen good looking guys with lonely life stories and desperations. my suggestion for lambert is continue dreaming without relying anymore to such shows. i suggest he just make good music. i actually heard his compositions already. classic.


and in the case of the pending 16th member, the show sucked because of it. i may want to exclude caybyab for the blame for i believe it's not his decision. but being a part of the show, if i am on his feet, i may have walked out of the scene if i am seeing the loss of the credibility in choosing the best music.


the idea is simple. it was very easy for them to choose the 16th dreamer, but because of business, the station has to earn more money and txt vote is the key. put stories on reality shows, and a bit of dramatic ending, simply treat the aspiring innocent dreamers as circus clowns, is a very good style in earning income.


in the end, i pity the final four who would be contending each other in order to take the last slot. naaawa ako sa kanila dahil matapos silang paglaruan at paglaban-labanin, isa lang din naman ang mapipili, bakit 'di na lang agad piliin e sigurado namang alam ni caybyab kung sino ang karapat-dapat dun sa apat? unbiased, lambert is the best of those four, and probably the best in the whole batch. but they chose to select the lovers, the husband and wife, the matiny idols, and the rest of the goodlooking-guys-with-lonely-stories to join the academy.


more of my best wishes and lucks to the final four, especially to my dear friend. i believe he actually don't need to sing to shine.


he just needs to sing. because that's what music is meant for.







--peso--