PlayBack: The Strangeness - Easy Boys and Easy Girls

2/29/2016 7:54:29 PM

I first heard them as part of that indie music program established and sponsored by a popular whiskey brand. They were listed track number 4 at the CD of Jack Daniel’s On Stage released on 2015.

The Strangeness is something I have never seen live; but one thing that impressed me most about them is they can make old school music sounded like new. The first thing I heard about them was a cover of my favorite Eagles song on YouTube.

But covers aside, Paolo Arcega and his crew was splendid in creating an Jose Mari Chan-inspired video for Easy boys and Easy Girls. Though this 3.5-minute length track had shades of that old Christmas In Our Hearts-quality image, The Strangeness shied away from being the obvious copycat. Like, their song is something you’d like to hear on when you drove out of the metro, be it on a breezy morning or a hot afternoon (well, as long as the rays are complimenting the auditory part well).

As much as the pop scene (specifically, the mainstream) winds back to its retrospect, the alt-rock scene can do so in their own way, to say the least. As tito music as it sounds, this is sometimes, what we need; we might have been missing them from those iconic groups we once heralded before.

Kinda strange, but right.

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

Upcoming: Farewell Fair Weather SAKALI Music Video Launch

3/11/2016 11:09:52 AM

Farewell Fair Weather, one of the top bands in the current music scene, is up for a big night as they will formally launch a music video for one of their notable songs Sakali.

The soul-fusion band, now on their fourth year of existence, has made waves through their previously released singles “Rough Skies,” “What Lies Behind” and “Beyond,” with the latter once rocked the charts of Jam 88.3’s Fresh Filter last year.

They also clinched the title distinction of being “The Chosen One” at the recent Jack Daniel’s Philippines On Stage Indie Music Awards held April 2015 at Makati City. From there, they had a chance to perform in front of a worldwide crowd at Music Matters in Singapore.

While Rough Skies signaled their first entering step via their signature, and Beyond told their journey since then, Sakali, once known as their only Filipino-written song, will tell a story of not just being an emotional force, but also a collaborating effort through director Mr. Melvin Dantes and its visual concepts; something that Mic Manalo describes as a fun-filled one.

As for the auditory part, Manalo and her company also got help from Josh Villena on making its new version, as reported by IndieManila.

The music portal also featured the event as the Gig Of The Month for March, with Autotelic, SUD, and Tom’s Story also performing during the evening. Farewell Fair Weather will also see their merchandise there.

Sakali Music Video Launch will be happening on Saturday, 12 March 2016, at 70s Bistro, Anonas Ave., Quezon City. Show starts at 8:00 PM. Entrance is priced Php200 which comes with one free shot of Jack Daniels. This event is made possible by Jack Daniel’s Philippines, eo+, Teamworks Studios,

See the official press release here.

RSVP on their official event page on Facebook.

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: Silakbo MV Launch

1/17/2016 1:14:10 PM

There are so many gigs during Saturday, 16 January 2015. You have the rescheduled Rakrakan Festival at Circuit Makati, Terno Inferno at the famous SaGuijo, and a cover night that served as a prelude for an upcoming concert by the trio of Bullet Dumas, Ebe Dancel, and Johnoy Danao.

And also, there’s a music video launch for the upriser called MilesExperience, and it was held at Mow’s bar in Quezon City.

The show started quite on time with Maude being the first act. Then, December Avenue also came to join the party, instant fire-hazard place in the process. Well, if we're talking about the crowd and the atmosphere inside.

Things got even rowdy wild as fuck when popular names also hit the stage to perform: Tanya Markova, Autotelic, Ourselves the Elves, and Jensen and the Flips. It was actually the first time I watched Tanya Markova live, though it was kinda short-lived since they will also be performing for Rakrakan Festival later that evening. But hey, the moment was worth it after years of hearing the likes of Picture Picture, Disney and Linda Blair on the airwaves. 

Plus, they are back with an album and two music videos directed by Jiggy Gregorio.

Then, came another highlight moment of the game: the music video itself, which depicted the UST-laden band into some sorts of outburst and extremities. Perhaps, you better check their music video on video channels like MYX very soon!

I can’t prejudge the other happenings, but if we're talking about indie scene here, I can tell that Silakbo topped the evening either. It’s not just about having heavyweight shits on the night’s roster of musicians; but witnessing the ocean of people inside and outside Kowloon House’s underground bar gave me one thing in mind: that’s the support for the music. Imagine having 350-450 people in attendance. Guido (their keyboardist) even told me all the 400 printed tickets they have during the gathering was totally sold out. Tim (their drummer) noted it exceeded the bar guarantees way more than expected (I suspected that’s somewhere between 300-400%).

While the air conditioning unit was a downisde (taking photos on a low light can be another, but that’s what makes Mow’s bar an intimate place on live music), it can never outnumbered a lot of good stuff that happened during the night.

With that being said, congratulations to MilesExperience for a very successful event. Hope the success will paved an even longer way for you guys in the independent music scene.

Also, shoutouts to the creative director of 9Roots and the man behind Love Supreme and Sikalbo music videos Mr. Jiggy Gregorio. Nice meeting you during the evening.

(Photos from Mr. Boco Jones)

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

Playback: Jensen and The Flips - Dangerous

1/22/2016 7:17:21 PM

Perhaps it’s no surprising why Jensen and the Flips were one of the notable names in the scene right now. You got a talented musician in Jensen Gomez himself, plus you add a people who can do baby-making music in such a very impressive mixture of soul, alternative, rhythm and blues, and even Motown pop.

Their 2015 album Honeymoon proved them all. And imagine having four singles to date; that includes their latest one called Dangerous.

Quite funny; the music video may have shown glimpses of those not-so-gory torture yet-a bit fun scenes. Like a tragedy-wannabe out of revenge a la Fifty Shades of  Grey (wait, not even close but there's still glimpses anyway) amidst sensuality.

But certainly, the song is something you like for a slowdown atmosphere, especially on Sunday nights where either romantic ballads or those rnb playlist are filling your listening senses. It’s as sultry as it gets as if the dim candlelight is accompanying

I quite wonder, though, who’s the female-sounding vocal right there? It complimented so well that it reminded me of a bit-upbeat Make U Say by Sud -- Sexually arousing as fuck. (no dirty pun intended)

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

Playback: A Perfect Christmas

12/13/2015 9:21:14 AM

I wouldn’t be surprised when Christmas was the season of romance. Well, with the advent of those holiday-timed love songs and several gimmicks (and that includes SMP right there), let’s face it: isn’t that lovely when you had your very “loved one” beside you during the time where you will be opening presents, gather together for Noche Buena or by just simply attending Misa De Gallo?

Of course since childhood days I heard a lot of this kind of anthems, both English and Filipino-written tracks. And I’ll say a Jose Mari Chan classic suited best.

Part of the 17-tracked Christmas In Our Hearts album, Jose Mari Chan describes A Perfect Christmas the literal way; the obvious lovely wish of being with someone else not just for Christmas, but for a lifetime. That being said, in a romantic’s eyes, is a perfect (not better) gift one can receive albeit Santa Claus or even the One up there.

This clip may look very old-fashioned by quality. But heck A Perfect Christmas has this kind of vibe which actually sounded not totally new, but not so very primitive either. I guess it’s just as timely as fuck.

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions

Playback: SUD – Sila

11/30/2015 9:03:37 PM

There are lots of wonders in this song the first I hear them live. But moreover, there is something magical on its music video. Forget the typical concept where musicians flaunt their stuff as if they are performing on a small gig or a big concert.

This one—Sila by SUD—is way too different. Not sure if there’s a glimpse of scenes from the Cinema One Original entry Baka Siguro Yata here (correct me if I’m wrong). The story may be quite generic, but you just can’t question how Sindikato Productions consolidated a single ‘unbidden-the-forbidden love’ story in five minutes and twenty-seven seconds.

Decibawl was right when she described SUD’s latest ballad as “a loving ode to the telltale pain and bliss of love, in spite of circumstances, and gambling on consequences.” I could to agree more. The straightforward approach tells everything about what the two characters are about to undergo.

My buddy from Definitely Filipino Sherald Salamat can only make romantic analogies when he told me his feedback about this song (hey, I never even expected he will appreciate such indie-produced love anthems in the first place).

But hey, I am still thinking about what happened to the ending. As much as I was entertained by the music video, I liked puzzling myself on watching some “mind game” scenes like what happened at the ending.

If you got a guess in mind, feel free to let me know.

Meantime, this deserves a massive rave and views on YouTube. Heck, if radio stations here have the guts to play quality music, I suggest talk to Warner and get this record on your playlist—be it a pop one or love-song driven. Here’s Sud Ballacer and his band with the music video for Sila.

More of Decibawl’s review on this article from Vandals On The Wall.

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions