Jackie Dosmanos

<figure class="op-social"><iframe frameBorder="0" height="383" src="~//www.youtube.com/embed/Fsxac8Rf21Q" width="510"></iframe></figure><div><strong>Sam Concepcion<br/>&quot;Bago&quot;</strong></div><div style="width:30%;background:#cccccc;margin:5px;padding:5px;float:left"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/entertainment/03/21/sam_032116.jpg" width="100%"/></div><p>The new album by singer-actor Sam Concepcion makes a strong bid to hit the domestic dance-pop market. After five albums, he now wants to reinvent his music saying, “This (album) presents a new me. It’s more truthful to what I want to make and where I wanna take my music.”</p><p>Lead single “Kalsada” is one soulful track. Backed only by joyous synths and an insistent electro beat, Sam evokes the happy disorientations of new love. He sings, “Saan man mapadpad/Ikaw lang at ako at ang kalsadang ito.”</p><p>“Di Mo Pa Alam” is something the APO would have written if they ever fancied doing an electro-dance tune. The ubiquitous disco beat, funky guitars and rap in the middle resound with ’70s music relocated for today’s multi-faceted OPM.</p><p>The title track reminds of The Stylistics while “Isang Daan” is loaded with EDM textures and layered production. “Easy To Love” boasts of smooth R&amp;B bravado in the mold of Ne-Yo and Bruno Mars.</p><p>Overall, the newness can jar on first listen. Give this cool album another spin and be entranced once more by the song and dance of contemporary OPM.</p><p>*****</p><div><strong>Lapis<br/>&quot;Mag-alay Sa Bayan&quot;</strong></div><div style="width:30%;background:#cccccc;margin:5px;padding:5px;float:left"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/entertainment/03/21/msbayan_032116.jpg" width="100%"/></div><p>It’s that season once more when competing political agendas are being thrown into the ring of public opinion. Lapis, a coalition of progressive-minded musicians, hopes to add a new voice to the loud rhetoric of entrenched trapos and their dynasty of aspiring sons, daughters and close relatives.</p><p>“Mag-alay Sa Bayan” is a compilation of songs whose themes go back to what Lapis’ Gary Granada describes as recurring issues and problems that continue to hound the motherland. If that sounds like activist-speak, so be it.</p><p>Lapis actually means League of Authors of Public Interest Songs and most of the tracks on the album talks about empowering the disenfranchised. Women, children, OFWs and indigenous people are central to the album’s thematic arc. As expected, two cuts, “Bayan Muna” and “Bangon Pilipino” speak of unshackling the reins of domination and rising to the call of independence and nationalism.</p><p>The accompanying music ranges from pop-rock to rock and roll and jazz fusion. Oddly enough, “Paskong Biyaya,” composed and performed by Chickoy Pura, radiates with the cathartic feel of personal liberation. It’s an affectionate counterpoint to the The Dawn-like decibel of the title track and the rugged almost grunge rock of Pol Torrente and Plagpul.</p><p>“Mag-alay Sa Bayan” is evidence that the music can still set us free.</p><p>*****</p><div><strong>Stories Told<br/>&quot;EPonymous&quot;</strong></div><div style="width:30%;background:#cccccc;margin:5px;padding:5px;float:left"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/entertainment/03/21/eponymous_032116.jpg" width="100%"/></div><p>OPM five-piece Stories Told brings together a theater actress, a jazz rocker, and a grunge bassist, to name three of the members’ previous affiliations. Stoked and pureed, those influences unleash some of the freshest pop-rock this side of 1994. Female fronted acts like Belly and Veruca Salt are obvious signposts but the band crackles with enough creative energy to make you forgive the recall factor and enjoy their EP for what it’s worth.</p><p>The tough and swirly standout track, “Sydney,” is almost grungy in its initial attack. Twinkling chords borrowed from U2’s The Edge signal the descent to a quieter pace.</p><p>It’s the same soft-loud-soft cadence that kicks off the pop-rocking “Surprise” at the starting gate followed by the Barbie Almalbis sound alike of “Elephant in the Room (Make a Move),” all breezy melodies punctuated by busy guitars and synths gently playing in the background. With “Phantom,” the band then demonstrates every alt-rock muscle in their musical cache.</p><p>This young band shows a lot of potential.</p><p>*****</p><div><strong>Explosions in the Sky<br/>&quot;The Wilderness&quot;</strong></div><div style="width:30%;background:#cccccc;margin:5px;padding:5px;float:left"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/entertainment/03/21/the-wilderness_032116.jpg" width="100%"/></div><p>One-time Manila visitor, Explosions in the Sky, continue to explore the instrumental post-rock space they helped spawn. Where other groups such as another Manila performer Mogwai add punk and noise to their atmospherics, Explosions in the Sky maintain a seeming allegiance to space rock that rises and falls like orchestral pieces.</p><p>What sets their latest album apart from their massive discography are tracks propelled by a sense of agitated unease. First single “Disintegration Anxiety” lives up to its title, grafting The Cure with Eno’s ambient experiments with U2. “Losing The Light” starts with horror-core ambience and keeps up the dread till its conclusion. “Colors in Space” moves to electronic experimentation after 30 seconds of organ-fueled dub.</p><p>The rest of the cuts build up to a triumphant crescendo, which have always been the Texan band’s bread and butter routine. It’s likely that this time around, Explosions in the Sky are hand holding their fans to the next phase of their sonic adventure.</p>

The new album by singer-actor Sam Concepcion makes a strong bid to hit the domestic dance-pop market.

Music reviews: Sam Concepcion, Stories Told, Lapis compilation

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Music reviews: Sam Concepcion, Stories Told, Lapis compilation

Jackie Dosmanos

Published Mar 21, 2016 08:54 AM PHT

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Sam Concepcion

Stories Told

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gary granada

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