ALU
Integral
As a testament that Pinoy jazz is actually alive and kicking, a visit to Tago Jazz bar in QC has been recommended by well-meaning friends. Little is known about ALU yet by the sound of their impressive fusion of jazz and electronica, they should be able to wow audiences at Tago’s renowned stage.
ALU’s album “Integral” hums with the creativity and imagination often associated with such Tago bar live regulars as Noli Aurillo, Rey Infante Trio and Pete Canzon Group. But, unlike those big-time jazz cats, ALU’s improvisation is a tad low-key: no bold strokes in their execution.
In “Seventh Night Out,” a curt shout-out leads to a rollicking piano that in the final 2 minutes gets hounded by the howls of an angry wrecking machine. “ZMBNL” relocates Van Halen in the xylophone tinkles and wind instrument blurts of a hot marching band. A cascade of sultry Latin rhythms introduces “Fineliner Days” that gets broken in spots by ‘80s videogame gurgles. ALU reprises jazz using hip hop and experimental rock techniques without losing the surprise turns that are innate to jazz.
THONYRAY
Hallow
In an email message, Thonyray described himself as a solo musician hailing from Angeles City where he learned his ‘90s rock/metal chops. He created “Hallow” by his lonesome and the first three tracks “Strange Town,” “Are You With Me?” and “Yellow Tipsy,” constitute a 1-2-3 punch for positive post-rock. The sparkling guitar tones, pushed by ‘90s thrash backbeat, constitute a neat digression from the usual doom and gloom template of post-millennial post-rock. Further on in “Modern Highway,” the sunshiny day feel of the instrumentation evokes the openness of expressways and country roads, as well.
Thonyray also said there was no specific genre he latched on while producing “Hallow.” He even explained that a little pop, a bit of death metal, a salute to Steve Vai and a few old melody notes in his head came handy during the recording. As it is, you’d be surprised by the riot of upbeat vibes emanating from a solo instrumental effort.
WIRE
Mind Hive
Post-punk co-architects Wire (via landmark albums Chairs Missing and Pink Flag) continue to uncover hidden potentials in the genre they helped create along with contemporaries Joy Division. The Fall and Public Image Ltd. In their more recent albums, the Brit foursome has been reformulating their so-called unconventional if groundbreaking music into a thing of all-embracing pop beauty. To paraphrase vocalist Colin Newman, the ultimate cult band now wants to come out of their shell and be heard far and wide.
Their latest release titled “Mind Hive” should inch closer to the hysteria for a debuting indie band with nuggets of collar-grabbing melodies in “Primed and Ready” and R.E.M sound-alike in “Off The Beach” plus a charming folk rocker in “Unrepentant.”
But darn if these intellectuals refuse to shake off of their anxieties. Each of the aforementioned outstanding cuts carries subtle messages of impending troubles and dread. “Off The Beach” is about the fate of refugees while “Primed and Ready” brings up anxious moments in the course of scoping the future, getting ready to fail or simply opening a door. The final cut, “Humming,” in billowing Pink Floyd-ish amplification, calls up geopolitical issues including the alleged intervention by a world power in the last US elections. Wire remains mental in their music-making aesthetics and the rest of us can only hope to finally keep up with them.
BILLIE EILISH
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
This 17-year old teenager hauled four major awards at the 62nd Grammy Awards last January, including Best New Artist. Her winning though weirdly titled debut starts innocently enough in a short friendly banter. Then “Bad Guy’ slithers along like slow rock done by the late Amy Winehouse.
“You Should See Me in A Crown” and “Wish You Were Gay” must play to Billie’s strengths that earned the 2020 Grammy’s nod. She uncages a deadly whispery drawl in the slowly moving though quite sinisterly Crown” and presents her sensual croon in the blues jazz atmosphere of “Gay”
They’re not the stuff for chart-bound hits with a bullet but they assure that the future has ample room for the talented Ms. Billie Eilish to grow. Here’s a toast that her unique gifts may endure for a long time.