Sugar Hiccup

Closure

 

Side A
Andaluscia
Saturnine Nevermore
Forbid Me Lullabies
Angels
Dolour

Side B
Brushed Away
Silly
Lala
Ascend
What's Inside






Dream pop band Sugar Hiccup released the vinyl version of their fourth and last album “Closure”, last Saturday, June 1, at 70s Bistro in Quezon City.

Closure was released on December 30, 2017, at 12 Monkeys in Pasig City, supposedly, the last show ever by Sugar Hiccup. The sales from the compact disc and the merchandise funded the production of the vinyl version that was pressed in Ohio, USA.

The quartet—guitarist and vocalist Melody Del Mundo, guitarist and vocalist Czandro Pollack, bassist Iman Leonardo, and drummer Mervin Panganiban—have returned for their last set of shows before the band’s official retirement from the music scene.

“It’s not only a bucket list thing for us to release Closure on vinyl,” explained Pollack. “We realize how weird it sounds, we released an album on the second to the last day of 2017, then, disappeared. The sales of the album that day aside, it isn’t the best way to go out.”

“This is the best way,” he added. “With a series of shows (at 70s Bistro, Route 196, and in Cebu) with the vinyl, compact disc, and merchandise for the fans. And the album sounds really great on vinyl with all our music really coming more alive—or so Iman tells me.”

It seems that the stop-starts have been a part of the band’s history. Sugar Hiccup released two best-selling and critically-acclaimed albums in the 1990s—Oracle in 1995 and Womb in 1998. The band, however, seemed to end at the height of its popularity when Del Mundo went to the United States.

Eight years later, in 2006, the band returned with their third album, and a new lead singer in Bea Alcala, for Tongues and Thoughts. Not soon after the album was released, the band went through another implosion with some internal issues and the album.

The reunion then came with Del Mundo and new bassist Leonardo and Closure.

“This is really it though,” pointed out Pollack with a smile. Whether the tone is with finality is anyone’s guess. After all, just when we thought we had seen the last of Sugar Hiccup, they returned.

“But I am working with Melody on some new things.”

Pollack says the music they are making is quite similar to Sugar Hiccup, but it has a different twist.

Saturday night at 70s Bistro, the vinyl flew off the tables with fans packing the venerable old rock club along Anonas Street.

“Three hundred records were pressed, and we hope that we have enough for the remainder of our shows,” said Del Mundo.

One new fan, Reddy Galang, who literally lives a stone’s throw away from 70s Bistro, went home to listen to the record and returned to have the band sign the album jacket.

Beaming, Galang gave it a quick review, “I went there to buy the record for my brother who couldn’t attend. I can hear some ticks and pops and the volume isn’t that loud. Other than that, I like what I hear. Bass is tight, especially on ‘Brushed Away.’ Vocals are at the center of the mix, and all instruments are balanced. Overall, a very good pressing…I decided to get one myself.”

When told of the fan’s reaction, Pollack smiled back. “Then, this is a really good way to say goodbye.”


-Rick Olivares
 https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/06/09/sugar-hiccup-finds-closure-with-vinyl-release-of-last-album/

Bong Gabriel

Gabriel

Side A
Dancing In The Night
Save The Last Dance For Me
Kerry
Never Thought I'd Say It
Ang Aking Awitin

Side B
Greyhound
Start of The End
Melynda
Tossed On The Wind
Come Sing With Me
Ikaw Lamang (Just You)

The Strangeness

Scorned As Timber, Beloved of The Sky

 

Side A
Ramblin' Man
Twist The Knife
Nuanceeasy Boys And Easy girls
Josephine
Maybe That's Just Love

Side B
Trouble
Liliw
Empty Caskets
Borrowed Time
The Devil Did Me Wrong



The Strangeness:
Francis Cabal - vocal, guitar
Bijan Gorospe - vocals, bass, guitar harmonica
Ivan Brosas - vovals, guitar, synth, melodica, glockenspiel
Jayme Ancla - vocals, guitar
Paolo Arciga - vocals, keyboards, guitar
Erwin Hilao -vocals, drums

Taken By Cars

Plagues

Side A
Floods
Turn of The Tide
All Nighter
Neon Dreams
Soothsayer

Side B
Plagues
Crowes
Truce
Threshold
Nomads




Taken by Cars, usually referred to as TbC, is a Filipino indie rock band composed of Sarah Marco on vocals, Bryce Zialcita on lead guitar, Derek "Siopao" Chua on rhythm guitar, Isa Garcia on bass guitar, and Bryan Kong on drums and sampler. They describe their sound as a mixture of electro, shoegazing, and new wave.

Taken by Cars returned to the studio in 2015 and released their third album, "Plagues" digitally in March 2017 and in vinyl in September 2017. It was recorded in Kodama Studios, engineered by Shinji Tanaka and produced by Raymond Marasigan. It was mastered by Grammy-award winning Mandy Parnell in the UK. The album explores slower tempos, moving into the shoe gaze territory, with certain tracks still nodding at the band's distinct dance-rock anthems.

"If you look at many bands that came up during the New Wave era, for many of them, for their third album, they ditched the old sound in favor of something different yet was arguably their best.

“Plagues” falls into that same category. Taken By Cars doesn’t live in their past and strikes into a different sound without sacrificing their identity. It’s an introspective album where lyrically, the band is at a crossroads. It revolves around themes of conflict, faith, and life, lead singer Sarah Marco sings of wanting to be free of something (Soothsayer), wanting to belong (All Nighter), wanting to get somewhere (Nomads), and looking to have more faith (Turn of the Tide).

Musically, the band doesn’t deviate from its Alt-New Wave roots. “Soothsayer” reminds me of something out of Slowdive’s majestic “Souvlaki”. “Crowes” takes me back during my New York City days frequenting the rain-swept streets of the Bowery with the music of an early Interpol playing in my head."

-Wikipedia
-Rick Olivares, ABS-CBN.

Holmes

Ray Dee Oh

 

Side A

Doin' It
Lost & Found
Not Going Home
I'll Never
No Other Love

Side B
Ray Dee Oh
It's A Wrap
69BPM
The Road
Remedy For The Blues




The band (vocalist Ortega, bassist Louie Talan, guitarists Marco de Leon and Joko Reantaso, drummer Ciro de Leon, keyboardist Ken Carandang, and saxophonist Ronald Tomas) recently dropped their independently released debut album on vinyl, "Ray Dee Oh," and the record has done pretty well in terms of sales.

Ortega, along with frequent collaborator, Talan, worked on the album for the better part of the last two years and the former describes the album as close to a labor of love.

“Your proverbial blood, sweat, tears, and hard-earned money were put into Ray Dee Oh,” revealed Ortega. “We painstakingly paid a lot of attention to detail and instrumentation. It took us almost an entire year to mix before we shipped it to Nashville, Tennessee for mastering. Even then, we still had to re-master three tracks.”

“It costs more to produce and record and album with international quality,” Ortega made sure to emphasize with regards to the cost. “That includes the fees to the musicians including several sessionists, studio time, and others. Furthermore, it comes on pink vinyl with a six-page booklet inside. These are the realities of creating something that isn’t half-assed.”

Holmes is one of the few bands to get it right. It has been frustrating to see many local artists re-release or put out new albums on vinyl but omit inserts. Some have done so with gatefold jackets that include the lyrics, photos, and other related information, but most do not. They have gone for the format (which is expensive) and yet, still don’t go all the way. That is what you call fan service.

While Holmes’ music is a mix of funk and soul, the influences are diverse. On the second track, “Lost & Found,” the R&B of Bell Biv DeVoe influence kicks in. The eighth song, “69BPM” has New Wave band Depeche Mode all over it. There are hints of Daft Punk, Jamiroquai, Hall & Oates, Lenny Kravitz, and Maroon 5 as well.

And the band name is as close to what Ortega, Talan, and company wanted to achieve.

“Groove-based and sexy stuff,” cooed Ortega albeit rather mischievously. Undoubtedly, also paeans to Sherlock Holmes and John Holmes. In the vernacular, “medyo maginoo at medyo bastos.”

And "Ray Dee Oh" through 10 tracks achieves just that, innuendos and all. It is a solid debut for Holmes. And it adds to a soul, funk, and R&B scene that is buzzing with artists like the Chillitees, Flippin’ Soul Stompers, and Apartel to name a few that are carrying the torch.
 
-ABS-CBN news, Rick Olivares

Ang Bandang Shirley

Themesongs

 

Side A
Kagabi nanaginip Si Morrisey na May Nagmamahal Sa Kanya
Masamang damo
Patintero / Habulan / Larong Kalye
Themesong
Together Forevers

Side B
Sasamahan Ka Pa Rin
Sa Madaling Salita
Di Ko Ma-take
Ang Pag-ibig Alinsunod Sa Karanasan Ng Isang Pangkaraniwan Jeepney Driver aka Tsuper Duper
Xmas Lites
Bato




Ang Bandang Shirley (or Shirley) is a Filipino pop rock band which started in 2003, with Owel Alvero and Emmanuel (Ean) Aguila as the original members. With the eventual addition of other band members—Joe Fontanilla, Zig Rabara, Jing Gaddi, Selena Salang, Heidi Pascual, Kathy Gener, Enzo Zulueta, and Debb Acebu—Shirley is seen by peers and younger artists as one of the most influential groups in the Filipino independent music scene, being dubbed as "masters of romantic songcraft".

The band's name came from one of the b-side songs of fellow Filipino band, Eraserheads, entitled "Shirley". According to Alvero in an interview, the song was chosen to represent their group as the lyrics of its chorus pretty much reflect their music and their personalities. "Ang Bandang" was affixed not only to put the band's name on top of any list arranged alphabetically, but also to add spunk to its sound.

As many feature writers quite unanimously put it, Shirley's complex yet relatable music can be described as having "catchy" beats and "infectious" tunes while still having that ability to sing one's heart out and convey one's innermost feelings, may it be due to a heartbreak or a surge of infatuation. Lyrics laced with colorful and empathetic metaphors, live audience and record listeners are often left more in touch with their feelings after having listened to a song or two.

Shirley has released three full albums since their conception, Themesongs (2008), Tama Na Ang Drama (2012), and Favorite (2017). They usually perform live in local bars, such as Route 196 and Mow's Bar in Quezon City and Saguijo Cafe in Makati City. Currently, the band is under independent label Wide Eyed Records Manila; previously, the band was with Terno Recordings.

-wikipedia

Lady Viel

The Medley Sounds of 
Sue Thompson, Brenda Lee and Patti Page

 

Side A
All Alone Am I
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
My Prayer
Fly Me To The Moon
Love Letters
Have A Good Time
I Can't Stop Loving You
Sad Movies
If The Boy only Knew
Dear Heart
Yesterday's Gone
La Vie En Rose

Side B
Instrumental version