Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Join the Club? Not just yet First posted 09:14pm (Mla time) Nov 11, 2005
By Noelani Torre Inquirer News Service Editor's Note:
Published on Page A3-2 of the November 12, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE success of neo-rockers like Sugarfree has spawned more than just hit singles--it's also given birth to a plethora of new bands, all seemingly eager to jump on the sensitive rock bandwagon. One group that sound like they want to be the genre's next big thing is a band with the--you have to admit--quite apropos name of Join the Club. Made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Biboy Renia, guitarist Migs Mendoza, bassist Congie Lulu, and drummer Pao Santiago, Join the Club specializes in lovelorn lyrics, driving bass lines, and an energetic showing at the drums. It's not a combination you haven't encountered before, but, in the interest of fairness, let's take a closer look at their music:
Morose sentiments
After only one listen to the band's debut album "Nobela" (Warner)--and a flip through the inlay--you can conclude that every song in it is about love. Lost love, scorned love, cruel love--you get the picture. Despite the songs' morose sentiments, however, Print this story Send this story Write the editor Reprint this article View other stories in the main they sound upbeat. A closer listen to the lyrics themselves is not recommended, though. To put it plainly, they sound like they could've been written by your 12-year-old brother. The lyrics are in Filipino and English, and though those in the former could use some editing, it's the English songs that are downright painful to listen to. Case in point is the refrain from the song "Love Is" which goes "Love is: what's keeping me this solitaire/ Someday I wish that I can find you there/ And still/ Waiting for a brand new day/ What's keeping me from causing this pain." Pain is caused, indeed.
Sound-wise, the songs have an unfinished feel. They sound unpolished, not in the edgy and intriguing mode, but in the I-don't-really-know-what-I-want-to-sound-like sense. They seem quite enthusiastic about what they're doing throughout the album, but they're hardly original and they don't even copy well. There is little coherence to this album, belying its title--"Nobela"--which implies structure and unity. In fact, once you get to listen to all 50-odd minutes of this disc, you'll find that the title has nothing to do with the content. If there's anything at all holding this record together, it's the theme of love lost. That, and the fact that sooner or later the songs start to blend into one another, until you're left with one homogeneous mass.
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is a competent enough singer, but you need more to make material like this sound better than it actually is. He just doesn't have the kind of pipes that can capture a listener's attention--and keep it from focusing on, say, the lyrics. And, for a group that fancies itself to be a rock band, Join the Club certainly doesn't make much use of its guitars. Oh they're there, but you won't find any pyrotechnic guitar-playing here. These guys still have some musical maturing to go through. Join the club? Not just yet.
my comment:
well i think the one(NOELANI TORRE) who wrote this so-called-very-nice-but-stupid article was just:
- jealous
- stupid/tanga
- probinsyano/probinsyana pano walang alam! (hehe!)
- and has that crab mentality (am i right?)
what is their problem! shit! i don't know! sheesh! all i know is that jtc rock! poor you writer! boo!
i reacted late i know but atleast i did! haha err.. just, rakenrol! \m/
the girl scribbled at
9:58 PM
i reacted late i know but atleast i did! haha err.. just, rakenrol! \m/