AUTOTELIC
Takipsilim
THOSE who enjoy the various formations that emerged from the local indie underground will take very well Autotelic’s new EP for a mainstream label. It comes out five years after their self-titled debut EP in 2013.
“Takipsilim” has a balanced approach to mass appeal and adventurousness. That is, across-the-board attraction in the dance pop of the titular track and “Hindi Alam,” which draws inspiration from the Side A/Labuyo playbook.
It’s interesting to note that the underlying funk in hands-in-the-air raver “Huli” suggests exciting things to come from this outfit. “Papunta Pabalik,” while burdened by lyrics that could use some edits for fluid delivery, projects potentials of an unforgettable pop-rocker.
LAVOS BEACON
Wars Fought With the Heron-Marked Blade
THIS four-piece outfit describes themselves as dark, epic and heavy metal band from Quezon City. Their debut album came out originally in April 2012. The band says a couple of videos of their performances in Davao made the rounds in digital music platforms last year, as the ensuing hype revived new interest in their first release.
The renewed excitement is justified. While to discerning ears tracks on the debut might instantly insinuate influences from the ‘80s British new wave of heavy metal like Iron Maiden, contemporary metal artists also figure in Lavos Beckon’s craft. Dragonforce’s pop-metal bliss is all over The Halting, right down to the hyperventilating vocals. Post-rock meets glam in the atmospheric metal that’s The Duel In The Sky, while the band mixes Scorpions and Queen in the thrash rave-up of Tears from Silver Eyes.
In a short private message, the band says Filipino metal bands have the chops to make it on the global stage. Lavos Beckon certainly has what it takes. Their sophomore album will be out in 2019.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY
Living The Dream
TAKE a break and put away Guns n’ Roses (GNR) at the back of your mind. They’re performing later this week at the Philippine Arena, and most of you know their hits anyway.
Let’s give GNR’s guitarist Slash, reputed to be today’s greatest rock string-bender, some space outside of his better-known band’s erratic body of work.
He just released a new album to celebrate his dream job.
Meanwhile, GnR’s 2018 tour is breaking records worldwide, and Slash’s current net worth of $32 million will increase by a few million dollars more. That said, his side project with vocalist Myles Kennedy of Alterbridge allows him the luxury to take up other pursuits.
Living The Dream, the third and latest release from solo Slash featuring Miles Kennedy, isn’t a complete departure from the hard rock/metal volume of GnR. In the absence of Axl’s Rose’s invasive, abrasive vocals, Slash is able to flesh out a guitar-centric vision beyond an appetite for destruction.
The one-two punch of The Call of The Wild and Serve You Right starts the new album on a bright Aerosmith-alike mode. From there, it’s a freewheeling electric boogie ranging from an old school rock ripper in The Antidote, the mid-tempo thrust of Driving Rain, to the funky boogaloo of Sugar Cane.
Lost Inside The Girl is not some X-rated violation, but an affecting big ballad about the precious one who slipped away. Its twin, The One You Loved Is Gone, is a tender compassionate reflection on the same theme. In these two tracks, Slash and company tread into the blues-rock terrain of Alice In Chains.
Slash with GNR bring their “Not in this Lifetime” World Tour to the Philippine Arena on November 11.
PATTI AUSTIN/JAMES MORRISON
Ella & Louis
‘70s/’80s jazz fusion diva Patti Austin pays tribute to the greatest jazz singers of all time, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, live in cahoots with Aussie trumpet great James Morrison.
The result is a well-crafted album that reflects the skill and conviction of both main artists, with Austin navigating seamlessly across covers with jazzy aplomb and occasional pure pop brilliance. She’s consistently fascinating working up a steam with the up-tempo How High The Moon and turning emotions down low with bluesy Miss Otis Regrets.
Morrison matches her vocal pyrotechnics with subtexts of energy and calm. As the old cliché goes, there’s real chemistry at work here. And above all, it’s the outcome of two unique voices finding common ground.
Patti Austin jazzes things up at the Solaire Resort on November 10, also featuring soul diva Jaya.
ANG BANDA NI KLEGGY
Mandirigma ng Pag-ibig
‘EVERYBODY loves Ang Banda ni Kleggy.” That’s the opening sentence of an article about the band five years ago. Since then, “Kleggy” would carve out a musical presence in OPM that’s simply adorable.
Their latest album “Mandirigma ng Pag-Ibig” is a marriage of two previous releases: “Medyo Serious” and “Semi-Formal.” On this new record, the universal affection may be turning into doubt. It’s not easy to totally embrace a 15-song album with four real songs slotted between mere sketches that should have never seen the light of day, even in Anne Curtis’ perfect timing.
The final track is three minutes of silence, concluding with: “Sabi ko sayo eh, hidden track…” followed by a retardate snicker. “Singtunado” offers two minutes of out-of-whack singing, and another two of tuneful rocking. Spanish guitars frame “Suki,” but they’re wasted in ersatz “Balagtasan” rhymes about, “Kailangan pa ba ng talong?”
“Simplekado” is a dumb ass conjugation/portmanteau of “simple” and “kumplikado,” while “Kurakot” features power-metal riffing in the service of the usual vignettes about corruption in high places. Do these guys even care about relevance?
It’s the same deal with the better sounding tracks, like opener “Radyo,” the balikbayan blues of “Nasasaktan,” and the happy jamming in “Parang Birthday.” The music hardly deserves lyrics that seem to be afterthoughts, and that’s being charitable given the wasted opportunity to make good sense of the pop-punk in “Shot,” or turn a collaboration with the phenomenal Bayang Barrios into something memorable.
Warriors of love? There’s not one track on the album that suggests they have the balls to be more than foot soldiers in a dying scene.