I will not say we’ve had a strong year in quality OPM, but we still had great output. Here’s three records of note, in order of release (earliest to latest):
Taken By Cars – Endings of a New Kind
Read my review of the album here.
Ang Bandang Shirley – Themesongs
My album review post is still on draft mode, so I’ll just quote the first part:
Its hard trying not to fool myself into dancing silly to Ang Bandang Shirley’s Debut album, THEMESONGS. It all starts with a slight head-bob to the first track Kagabi Nanaginip si Morissey na may nagmamahal sa kanya, but its all a struggle from there.
Masamang Damo follows with jangly guitar’d verses and a standard pinoy-pop chorus, then its off to a personal favorite Patintero/Habulan/Larong Kalye. There’s the girl-boy vocal harmonies between singers Owel and Selena that doesn’t aim to impress, and never imposes, and there’s the joyful musical air of painted gumamelas around. Or something like that. Epic by Shirley standards, at almost 5 minutes long, this is ditty is a definite bookmark to this 11 song, 35 minute album.
Here’s hoping that will come out soon. The album’s a keeper, just buy it.
Up Dharma Down – Bipolar
Read more from the Up Dharma Down’s BIPOLAR Album Launch.
The most progressive band in the land (without being annoyingly prog-rock, a music genre I just don’t get). The album is superb, epic, wonderful, and, unarguably, the best release from last year.
Great list. 🙂
Hey thanks!