IV OF SPADES
Clapclapclap!
THE first album of highly touted IV of Spades comes amid surprises. It reportedly dropped “in the middle of the night” early this month. The four-piece ensemble is now down to a trio, after former member Unique left and released his own solo album.
There are 15 original tracks on the new album—an impressive feat in itself since the typical route of aspiring OPM bands is to produce an EP to introduce themselves to a wider audience.
Prior to their debut album, IV of Spades is reputed to be the most-sought party band in the metro. The new album entitled “Clapclapclap!” reveals that the trio is far more than the disco boys du jour. The dance rhythm is in most of the tracks and the remaining threesome of Zild Benitez, Blaster Silonga and Badjao de Castro exploit their disco-funk influences to fashion their own take on indie pop (My Juliana), electro pop (Take That Man), singer-songwriter tradition (I Ain’t Perfect) and psychedelic rock (Sweet Shadow).
Everything hangs together beautifully in Come Inside of My Heart, whose topnotch hooks, ass-shaking propensity and air-guitar fillip makes it the first great single of 2019. I Ain’t…, with its hints of country rock and warm Beach Boys harmonies, is a close second.
That’s not to say IV of Spades’ debut deserves a standing ovation. The trio occasionally stumbles in the lyrics department, especially when they try for poetic sleight of hand. For instance, a line in “Bawa’t Kaluluwa” goes: “Ang araw ay maghihintay sa sinag ng buwan…” Science says otherwise.
IV of Spades has opened up a wide sonic space where they can play around with fresh ideas. Their live performances will be eagerly awaited from now on.
DOK SERGIO
Like There’s No Tomorrow
PUPIL and Teeth mainstay Dok Sergio unleashes quaint yet magical songs every year or so. “Like There’s No Tomorrow” is his latest offering which on the whole belies the desperation intimated in the album title. Instead, each track on the album appears to embody the present state of Sergio’s pop-rock mindset, which is happily on the hunt for the Big One.
Of course, the ultimate goal of any artist is to craft the perfect pop song. In his current search, Sergio begins with the title track that leaps out without introduction, builds addictive riffs then at the final minute fades out to a psychedelic rumble. Amplified rock fuels Say Hello to an inspired chorus, while In Utopia posits that the truth becomes a lie when looked straight in the eye over Husker Du guitars and heaving drums.
There’s late ‘80s Swedish pop-rock simmering in the velvet guitar tones of Before You Go. On the other hand, Upside Down is one excellent radio-friendly song that proudly unfurls the very best from Orange and Lemons. Tonight whoops it up in anticipation of a massive score in a run of rock and roll jangle, hot Latin horns and chunky soul rhythms.
Once more, Dok Sergio sends out songs suffused with melody, empathy and above all, a firm commitment to a unique vision. Hooray for the indie aesthetic!
WEEZER
Teal
A COLLECTION of more popular ‘80s and ‘90s international hits, the latest from pop punk pioneers Weezer goes sing-along for the alternative set. The instrumentation is spot-on, and lead singer Rivers Cuomo maintains a noncommittal, almost unsympathetic treatment of the materials.
In a weird way, Rivers’ “duh!” vocal approach appeals to the non-singer in all of us: the other self who sings only in the showers. Suddenly, beloved songs like TLC’s No Scrubs and Tears For Fears’ Everybody Wants To Rule The World are worth bashing out without shame at the next drinking binge with friends and officer mates.
Fans will naturally gravitate to the cover songs that are now gathered finally together under one release. Weezer performs Toto’s Africa to open the album, but it comes off fey to ears accustomed to the original big sound. The Euthrymics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) and ELO’s Mr. Blue Sky fare better, despite their—or because of their—saccharine pop undertones. In Weezer’s post-punk remake, even Black Sabbath’s blues metal originator Paranoid comes off ready for an alternative fun remix.
JOSH GROBAN
Bridges
CLASSICALLY trained singer-songwriter Josh Groban returns with his eighth album of original compositions and a slew of collaborations. It arrives at a time when his chosen genre operatic pop is apparently on a hiatus on the hit chart, which to be fair, is a mess of pop, funk, and rock pretenders with nowhere to go but one hit wonderland.
There’s much to be said about Groban’s enduring career. Upon the its release, he told the press the new album took him back to the spirit of how he made his first batch of songs. As it “bridges” both his old and new worlds, the operatic singer hopes it plays a part in connecting people through music.
The hope for connection is, in fact, all over the album. Symphony lays down the premise that the melodies and words are written from the heart. Despite its rather trite lyrics, River passes on that communing with nature can be a source of healing at a time of deep personal crisis.
Groban’s impressive voice, however, makes a sappy interpretation of Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. He’s more comfortable jamming it up with the likes of flamenco bigwig Vicente Amigo, opera stalwart Andrea Bocelli and the MIA pop siren Sarah McLachlan. He gives rising country star Jennifer Nettles a huge lift with a pretty country-pop crossover in 99 Years. His vocal signature is completely his own that it can only be interpreted as sincere and coming, as Bryan Adams once sang, straight from the heart.
Hear more from Josh Groban when he performs live for a post-Valentine concert at the Mall of Asia Arena on February 22.