Written by Louis Pelingen Country music is the genre that has received some weird looks from a lot of people due to its traditionalist thematics and usual country twang that may put the listeners into a narrow perspective of the sound unless they dig into the scene itself. It can intersect itself with different genres such as folk, hip-hop, and rock which can expand the style of this genre effectively. And while a lot of the themes relate to an older audience, they can still resonate with the younger audience provided that the tunes, instrumentation, and songwriting can elevate themselves to grab them. The fact that some of the country artists today represent the People of Color and the Queer community that is creating outstanding country records that tell their own stories shows that the genre is evolving with time. In the Philippines, It’s a genre that you may not hear that often in the bustling cities but you can hear more of them once you’re in the provinces, specifically in the mountainsides. The genre does overlap with the Philippine folk scene where the themes of traditional values as well as methodical melodic compositions slip through from time to time. There is one band that does try to explore the genre in interesting ways, and that band is Cowboy Country Club. As the name suggests, they’re essentially a 3-man band that dabbles in folk and alt-country. Their debut record in 2017 showcased an interesting balancing point, where the front half dabbles in animal collective-esque folk landscapes filled with sharp synths, eccentric vocal takes, and guitar textures that ramble and spike across the songs, wherein the rest focuses closer on rollicking country melodies that still keeps the eccentric synth choices. It’s a debut album that has interesting compositional and production choices which do lead to some conflicting issues, where the vocals bring volume but not enough charisma, the synth work that can get garishly annoying quickly, and the sudden split between freak folk and alt-country tracks implies whether or not the band wants to indulge in its freak folk compositions or the alt-country compositions. 5 years after that record, Cowboy Country Club has answered that lingering question with their newest album, ‘Signs You’re Getting Older’. As the title suggests, it’s a record that shows the band maturing not just as musicians, but also as explorers in the country genre that they’re prominently showcasing in this album. This sign can be seen in the presentation of the sound of the record, where the synths and eccentric vocal plays of their debut are pushed away and give way to the intimate and stomping country styles that the band is riding on. While not expansive and risky in sound as their debut, it’s more consistent and more polished. There are issues that are both new and old, the vocals can still have their overpowering moments that focus more on volume rather than tone, some synth textures used still do not fit with the rest of the instrumentation, and there are instances where melodies could’ve used more punch and wonderful transitions, especially in some of the guitars and drums. Issues mentioned beforehand do show up on a couple of songs, but it’s pretty present on ‘Chances Go By’ where the overpowering vocals and unfitting synths that are both sharp and farty just make the song pretty difficult to get through. For a record that focuses on the trek of getting older and the aspirations of trudging forward amidst all odds, the band manages to stick the landing, giving a wonderful array of tracks that touch upon different country sub-genres while also improving on their vocals, melodies, and production work. ‘I Am The Only One’ showcases the country twang and rock smolder playing in different worlds that coalesce in an explosive finish, ‘Dyson Sphere’ goes into Honky-Tonk with the shuffling grooves, ‘Immaculate’ takes off with an upbeat tone from the vocals and the glimmering tone of the guitars, ‘King Sheep’ goes for a Nashville Sound style where the acoustic guitar twang and shuffling bass and drums are complemented nicely with the sweeping strings, ‘Lie Awake’ with its rumbling guitar melodies amidst an understated tone of the vocals, and ‘Squirrel On The Line’ that goes into Neotraditional Country may as well be their best song to date with the spare piano, pleasant guitar strums, and the additional strings and synths help out complement one of the best choruses they’ve put together in a while. Songs like ‘Truckin’ and ‘The Devil Will Always Be Watching’ are decent enough songs due to the country-rock smolder on the former and the impactful hook on the latter, but they don’t stand along the rest of the tracks besides those qualities. While this record does not exactly showcase any creative risks in the country scene that they are pulling from, the maturity, consistency, and improvement from their debut record to this record are enough to acknowledge the journey and the growth that comes from it. There might be disappointment towards the band for not going deeper into the freak-folk eccentrics, but there’s also an audience for leaning into country music that tends a bit more intimate and a little bit older. I suggest giving this a shot, for there might be songs that may resonate with you. And if it does, it may show the signs of growth you’ve had over the years, and it will make you go back to these songs for the rest of your lives. Support the art & the artist:
Author: TFL
TRACK REVIEW: Nikki Nava – Ephemeral
Written by Elijah P. The last we’ve ever heard of singer-songwriter Nikki Nava was at her quietest and her most reflective. This was years before the world had its audible reset. Now, in the year 2022, Nava is at her most ambitious and the loudest she’s ever been in songwriting. In “Ephemeral”, it’s evident how the emotional value in her tracks added more instrumental nuance than most of her contemporaries. The nuance in question: melodies that struck a chord beneath its beautiful guitar strings above multitudes of other ideas thrown in the mix, Nava’s introspective glare that combines a lot of potent melodicism some singer-songwriters lack. “Ephemeral” is an exercise of her growth as a singer-songwriter, punching upwards in writing catchier lines than making emotive vocal droning and sparse instrumentals. There’s an element yet to be seen in Nava’s songwriting, which is still invisible throughout her tiny single discography. A sense of promise is what’s to be seen in her works soon; let’s just see if she could break the ceiling once again. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
ALBUM REVIEW: TNG – GAD
Written by Elijah P. TNG is a six-piece post-hardcore-slash-screamo outfit that doesn’t mince words, not for their track titles at the very least. They are the Bulacan locals ready to bring you into their communal experience – a phrase that’s always been highlighted via their socials ever since the inception of their formation. Composed of members from seasoned math-rock and easycore bands from their neighboring towns, TNG released “GAD”, their highly anticipated debut ever since they’ve teased the recordings in live shows. The experience is what sells the band properly. If it weren’t for their live appearances, then TNG would be just another screamo band circulating in the ether, lost in translation. “GAD” acts not only as mere evidence of their live shows but also as permanent imprints of what they could leave in the scene alone. As a six-piece, they’ve been known to cross paths in many music communities in just a span of one casual gig weekend after the other, this album is a 10-track course meal of what they could offer week in and week out. If their live shows wouldn’t convince you enough, then “GAD” acts as proper anticipation for the celebration: build-ups that don’t pull their punches, crescendos that don’t bore, and poetry that keeps you on the edge of your seat while in uncontrollable tears. Tracks like “now (end)”, “eve”, “orb” and “oui” experiment with emotional threshold; Their lead vocalist Alden trading vocal barbs with the rhythm guitarist and lead guitarists intense progression, may it be a quiet preface to an explosive climax or a haunting radio transmission by the outro. Wherever you look at it “GAD” knows when to stop, listen and observe everything that surrounds them sonically. With every minute that passes by their debut record, a memorable guitar bursts through a flammable moment of catharsis: “cty” short for “close to you” is a callback to the classic Carpenters track and their eventual recontextualization of the iconic intro riff; “fee” without any hesitation starts and stops the aggression, ends with a hopeful note for a lover waiting to see the sun shine again, only to realize that they are the beacon of hope they were looking for. The overlooked theme of optimism not only slightly manifests in TNG’s ethos but also in the band’s entire definition of their following moving forward. Seeing “GAD” in its most raw, authentic, and complete form, is a celebration that deserves a warm embrace after listening to the entire album from start to finish. The end product of this album is nothing short of an experience wrapped with so much weight and assurance all at once. Support the art and the artist:
ALBUM REVIEW: ena mori – DON’T BLAME THE WILD ONE!
Written by Elijah P. “There’s a fire in my kitchen” Ena opens the album with arms as wide as an eagle spreading across the pop concrete. Then all of a sudden, the album now opens a portal. To what seems to be an unintentional anachronism, Offshore Music‘s Ena Mori isn’t a fool to trick us into such sonic nostalgia. Saying that this release is a statement has already run its course in many other publications. “There’s a fire in my kitchen” Ena sings wickedly for less than a minute. It says more than just a “statement”, but rather, what comes next is an experience succeeding many pop records’ longevity. It’s a sure shot from the get-go. “Don’t Blame The Wild One!” is an album that succeeds sonic barriers never before bent in any album ever locally from both an emotional and production standpoint. It asserts pop dominance. Ever since releasing her debut EP at the start of the lockdown, her debut album this time around is expansive, more fruitful, and less banal. By the time this writing is published, the debut project has already gone outside of streaming platforms, acting as a nomad in territories where it was never before tapped by Ena’s refreshing brand of pop music. Performing the songs live all over the Luzon region, the last leg of her album tour stops right at her hometown of Las Pinas. This alone proves that Ena’s not playing around. Not for the rest of “Don’t Blame The Wild One!” 10 tracks at the very least. As the pop-sphere is still in this state of stasis post-Sarah G’s Tala, the well ran dry, and the arrival of Ena Mori’s debut “DON’T BLAME THE WILD ONE!” is an impactful listen from start to finish. But like her album tour, there’s a lot of territory waiting to be uncovered in each listen. Highlights like “TALK! TALK!”, “OH, BLEEDING HEARTS?” and “A HIGHER PLACE!” begs the question that pop structures are supposed to be limitless. With the assistance of her producer Tim Marquez – his production works like a surgical music technician, making sure that there is indeed no musical template to abide by. Symphonic soars and flutters — rhythmically in motion — corresponding to every hook. Ena responds by shouting, yelling, harmonizing and screaming at the top of her lungs to achieve such lengths; Vocal gallops over crushed mallets of kick drums and time reversed-ocean-wave synths; Lyrical phrases calculated over every left turn in the production. What the listener would pick up from all of these spots is that Ena Mori is a jack of all trades. A pop star whose moments are savored by devils in the detail – the devil being a random plugin avoiding a pop cliche. Recently released singles like “RUNAWAY HOLIDAY!” and “SOS” have monumental hooks and driving melodies — the usual boxes that are already ticked, only to be boosted by Ena and company’s envelope-pushing production. But as the highlights glossed over in the debut album, there were moments where the second half of the album starts to slightly go downhill. Lowlights like “WHITEROOM” and the reimagining of “FALL IN LOVE” are tracks that meander after the fantastic 4-5 track run midway in the album. Arguably, these might be track arrangement issues, but by the end of the day, these are tracks that could’ve been emphasized as pop bangers rather than straight-up non-single filler. The last half of “A HIGHER PLACE” ends abruptly, heading straight into “SOS” with no prelude or any build-up whatsoever. If the result was truly intentional, then some listeners would beg to differ since it had the most invested Ena has ever been in terms of vocals. Regardless of whatever intent and purpose this album delivered, it has heart, if not value to Ena’s moment of solidifying her identity as an artist. The debut project has a lot of sonic territory covered, layer after layer, production texture overlapping the other. It achieved something great, but there needs to be more than what was already out. Like any other listener’s natural curiosity: will there ever be more to hear? more to hear besides what was already done? The answer to that query is simple: Don’t blame the wild ones for pushing what’s new. Ena’s only burned the kitchen, she has the rest of her house left to bring it all down. Support the art and the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Clara Benin – Affable Dork
Written by Elijah P. The colorful and sparse career of Clara Benin hasn’t gone unnoticed. Releasing a single or two every year, earning a spot on intimate shows in familiar places, translating one of their oldest tracks into a different language, it’s always likely to think that her career has been stable – as in steady, but hardly ascending quality-wise. “Affable Dork”, her not-so-new yet recently reincarnated material has unearthed the details of a relationship painted like a movie, whereas Benin’s fiction becomes stranger than reality. The “Affable Dork” in the protagonist’s head is another red flag waiting to reveal itself. The emotional weight that describes the heavy romanticization of the character comes in the form of an underwhelming figure of speech. Her vocal performance has trudged through glossy yet skeletal percussion, string sections, and the likes that would attempt to alleviate Clara’s fairytale forewarning. She’s displayed her greatest strengths – both in a vocal and production sense – only to be executed straight-faced with little to microscaled conviction. But for what it’s worth and its reference to Ruby Sparks, Clara’s 7-year journey of rom-coms and imagined situations has, unfortunately, reached its due date years before folk-pop’s inevitable peak. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Andrea Obscura – Can I Try Again?
Written by Elijah P. Traversing drum machines, lone guitar work, and messages for the messenger crying themselves to sleep, Devices’ very own Andrea Ramos has worked on a promising solo project that equates to a warm summer hug in their fantastic debut single “Can I Try Again?”. Before Andrea Obscura, Ramos has dipped their toes on a new wave to boom-bap and this is far from the Lower Myth we knew back in their Soundcloud days. Riding along the tricks of the trade seamlessly as a producer can be a rewarding journey as an artist, but taking the helm, in the recording booth, and soloing a green screen is another achievement in itself. This is easily Ramos’ most conversational and honest work to date, and sometimes dating back the years of relearning and unlearning your past self is, nowadays, a cliche; It might be a slog to read but Ramos does it in the most melodically faithful and emotionally genuine way imaginable: A biographical moment was sung captivatingly, verses were intertwined in clever beat switches. “Can I Try Again?” is downright a quarter-life-crisis themed-single for folk wanting to hit the restart button, but to us, it’s a 3-minute audio diary filled with memorable lines, instrumentations that swap dexterously, and melodies that hit close to home. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST:
ALBUM REVIEW: Basalt Shrine – From Fiery Tongues
Written by Nikolai Dineros With towering layers of distorted guitars, a consuming diabolic ambiance, and the seething, almost theatrical, vocals – Basalt Shrine paints a gloomy backdrop of the occult through a mix of funeral doom, sludge metal, and many more. Basalt Shrine is a five-person supergroup consisting of members from Dagtum, The Insektlife Cycle, Surrogate Prey, Abanglupa, Malicious Birth, Imperial Airwaves, and Kahugyaw – some of which have their own share of crossovers among members, like the Vivo Brothers Ronaldo and Ronnel, who are widely known for their joint works on Dagtum, The Insektlife Cycle, Imperial Airwaves, and most recently, Abanglupa. With them are Bobby Legaspi and Rallye Ryan Ibanez, who have shared the studio as members of Surrogate Prey. ‘From Fiery Tongues’ marks Basalt Shrine’s debut album release. The album, in a way, highlights many of doom metal’s rudimentary concepts all the while crossing boundaries through well-paced progressions and abrupt switch-ups. The transition from the opening track ‘Thawed Slag Blood’, a dark ambient tone-setter to the record, to ‘In The Dirt’s Embrace’, a stoner-ish black metal and drone fusion, is a prime example of the former. There is nothing particularly new to this structure in metal-based projects across the board that it has almost become customary for just about any band nowadays to feature a slow-burning opener. It is also worth noting that ‘In The Dirt’s Embrace’, while it is diverse in style with elements of stoner, drone, and black metal simultaneously thrown into the mix, the song is more of a 12-minute odyssey compartmentalized into two different chapters, each with their own cohesive song structure enough to make for a separate track, than a long-winded melting pot of the same two or three doom riffs that loop ad nauseam. The transition is abrupt, but it gels nicely, somehow. ‘Adorned For Loathing Pigs’ shares many similarities with ‘In The Dirt’s Embrace’ and the title track that comes after it. But unlike the other two songs, it has a more cohesive structure akin to a progressive metal song with a continuous flow. The title track, ‘From Fiery Tongues’, on the other hand, is more traditional in design with an infectious riff so well put together that it will linger on the right side of your brain hours post-listen. It easily has the catchiest – and therefore most memorable – riff in the entire record. And because of that, ‘From Fiery Tongues’ is a personal favorite of mine – quite the ingenious decision by the band to name the entire project after this song, actually. And while I do not recommend listening to an album by bits, ‘From Fiery Tongues’ is what I would consider a good starter to any newcomers to the heavier sides of metal, whether it be doom, sludge, or black metal. In contrast, the closing track ‘The Barren Aftermath’ is just that; a barren aftermath. In my defense, after three hard-hitting, bloodcurdling songs, it’s hard to top what the band has already showcased three songs prior, as far as my expectations go. The album closes out in a calm and collective manner and it seems like the proper way to go. A lukewarm reception seems expected. Who knows what coaxed the Vivo brothers, Legaspi, and Ibanez to start a new band to add to their already expansive backgrounds of projects they’ve started or worked alongside with? For all we – the spectators, the regular consumers of their media – know, they might have just decided it on a whim, perhaps over a bottle of beer. But Basalt Shrine is certainly one band to look out for. What a kickoff that was to one of the Philippines’ most ambitious crossovers in the underground metal scene in 2022! Support the art & the artist: https://basaltshrine.bandcamp.com/album/from-fiery-tongues-2?from=embed
TRACK REVIEW: Sunday Stallone – Saving Face
Written by Louis Pelingen From a distance, there is something fascinating about Sunday Stallone. They’re a 5 man band that was formed in 2018, mostly putting out covers from a few years back. Those covers showcase their musical influences, from DIIV and their dreamy brand of indie rock to Yung Lean and his hypnotic brand of cloud rap and hypnagogic pop. Additionally, their Spotify profile mentions their merge of genres such as shoegaze, IDM, and ambient. The influences and genre meshes mentioned prior do knot together with how they put up those covers, hazy textures with washed-out aesthetics to create a vibe that will leave you floating, especially with how the songs are paced to glaze and echo through the mix. Once you get closer to their debut single, there is a risk that the band pulls through with its wall of sound from the guitars and drums that coast through misty synth patches that elevates even further in the chorus sections. This kind of mixing and maximalist production touches do work well with the intended theme of the song, pushing through times of frustrations and yearning to move forward despite it. However, once you get the scope of this single, it’s just unfortunate that the rest of the song just ends up being limp. As much as the risk from the band trying to make a stunning debut single is appreciative with its maximalist approach, if maximalism is being pushed here, there needs to be robust melodies and effective performances to carry that maximalism to a potent degree because this just does not have both of these factors. Besides the chorus with its decent maximalist swell, the verse melodies on the instrumental and vocal sides need a bit more crunch and flair to them to act as necessary building blocks to the chorus. Give the drums some engaging rhythms, the guitar and bass some diverse licks, and the keyboard some glistening presence that will make the verse melodies feel rich and buoyant. And when it comes to the performance, even with the backing vocals that show up from time to time do add to the yearning of the song, the vocalists on the first and second verse just lack the tone to sell it. And with the vocal melodies on both verses sounding stiff and bland, their performances just drift further away, feeling one note and numb as a result. Despite all of those criticisms, there is still work to be done. While this maximalist approach in the genre-fused music landscape has been made before, Sunday Stallone has the texture and spark to fill in the gaps in that maximalist niche. But the lack of fulfilling melodies, transitions, and performances crumble the maximalist mix and textures to the ground. It’s a notable debut single from the band that may be flawed all around, the chorus does save face from this single completely falling apart. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: Dilaw – Kaloy
Baguio’s very own Dilaw – consisting of rapper/singer Dilaw and instrumentalist Vie Dela Rosa – is one of those acts where they are taking the internet and their face-to-face show attendees by storm. After signing with Warner as of late, the duo’s byproduct of animated rap-rock and ukay culture prop up folk-rap are shaking up their entire roster in terms of uniqueness. But as their output becomes more prevalent and as well as their said live performances, Dilaw Obero and company haven’t exactly reached their X-factor just yet for a couple of reasons. “Kaloy”, their latest single, breeds a new kind of hybrid genre that’s equal parts enticing and questionable: It’s enticing in a way where their superstar of the duo Dilaw Obrero, just doesn’t pull back from their lyrical and vocal punches; But it’s questionable in a sense that their head-scratching sonic choices are outdated and quirky for the sake of being quirky. In short, the rest of their output – including “Kaloy” and other of their unreleased material – has been painfully shallow and derivative thus far. Obrero’s vocal performances have cringy twee-styled screeches where his vocal prowess doesn’t reflect the promising licks in the instrumentals. Their performances overall puts the political undertones buried way down by prioritizing style over actual substance. And “Kaloy” is evident of their troubling, overindulgent renditions that, let alone, become a hindrance to their yellow-hued branding. Support the art & the artist:
TRACK REVIEW: rienne – Honey
Virginia isn’t too far from home, at least for power-pop solo project rienne. Born and raised in the Philippines, bridging together their fixture for local sensibilities and Western-influenced pop songwriting is their specialty. In the universe where pop acts could exceed amp volumes and the overwhelming college parties, rienne’s isn’t just another act that’s stuck in stale lyricism, or rather tethered in bland sentimentality. “Honey” is one of their standout tracks after several trials and errors balancing the rawness of cool lo-fi and Filipino-branded ‘hugot’ in their previous singles: rienne’s not like the others. The track blemishes in catchy harmonies peeking during the choruses while their vocal work, besides the hook-y climaxes, transcends another plane of tweeness to the mix. This is an edge to Virginia’s rich punk history in the course of their hometown’s wispy yet emotive singing. rienne’s “Honey” might be one of your favorite tracks to send your crush to at a party. SUPPORT THE ART & THE ARTIST: