I haven't found much time updating this blog in the past month. Been busy with promoting our songs on the Social Media landscape as our Debut Album's digital music release and the succeeding singles that I released (which is also part of this upcoming album) were taking too much of my time. I still have a lot of backlog stories to share, currently on draft. These were stories mostly from 2006-2007 which I wasn't able to upload in this blog. I used to frequent the defunct Social Media site Friendster before, but then lost all of my blog when it shut down. So I'm currently reconstructing those stories and transfer it here in this blog. But I guess those will have to take a momentary backseat in favor of the upcoming release of our sophomore album, which happens to be released tomorrow by the way. So this blog entry will be a retrospective on the lead up to the recording and the production of the sophomore album. Though you can read the very old stories of our journey right here in this blog too. The lead up to the release can be read here. CD Packaging concept, which I carefully planned to incorporate a more environmental friendly product can be read here. A store SKU promo display which I personally made can be found here. And lastly an early review of the album which can be read here. So now, let's get to the retrospective.
For those who are familiar with our origin story, Thoughts And Notions was really an unplanned project beyond the confines of our Church. It was just our way of contributing to our Church's fundraising project, as well as my personal therapy from a heartbreak that I was nursing. But then God had other plans for us. Praise Music signed us to a contract and asked us to form a band so that we could further promote our music to a live audience. This we did as we pursued in making sure that our songs would be heard by a larger audience. So as the debut album was released (which you can now hear on Digital Music apps like Spotify and Youtube by the way), we spent more time honing our skills to prepare us in bringing our songs to a live audience. But beyond a couple of mall shows and album launching, we basically operated as an independent band. We played in small shows to build our reputation as a legitimate live gigging band playing original and cover music. As well as playing as support front acts to various popular bands and artists that visited Cagayan de Oro City where we were based. And like every other bands out there, we endured numerous line up changes as some moved on from the band. It probably took us a year or so before we finally settled as to who would be the personnel behind the band. Of course, the music and sound behind the debut album was a solo effort by my songwriting partner Wilbert Tan. And the arrival of new band personnel would mean that I will have a host of new musicians who could help bring a new sound to my lyrics. So basically, the follow up album would mean a newer sound of different varities, and a more youthful sound overall.
 |
| That one time we had Wilbert join us on stage for our Anniversary Concert |
But this does not mean a complete departure from Wilbert's influences. He is still the main arranger and the final mixing and mastering still went through his hands before the songs is fully finished after the band recorded it. The debut album was mixed and mastered by a still developing Wilbert, and some improvements had to be made for the sophomore album. Thank God though, Wilbert was more experienced this time around as his stay in Manila would further train him to hone his skills after serving stints with various bands of different musical styles. His stay with Drizzle, an acoustic/pop/alternative band, as the lead guitarist would train him to have more pop sensibilities to his ear. Serving as the lead guitarist to Ram Chavez's Band, an Original Pilipino Music friendly alternative rock sounding band, would also train him to find a more Filipino flavor to his sound. And as part of the Industrial Rock duo Switch, his influences on Alternative Rock music would marry with the Synth Rock laden music of Switch. This is on top of his various musical influences that trained him to become one of the most prolific but underrated songwriter from Cagayan de Oro. For this sophomore album, he would be responsible for the music and sound of six songs in this album. Namely Runaway Angel, When, Like A Child, A Promise (which by the way was a solo effort by Wilbert), Like Heaven, Pagsapit ng Panahon, and a collaboration with the entire band in the song called Stronger, Higher, Further. His newfound influences are littered all over the aforementioned songs.
 |
| Thrina's Vocal Recording for the second album |
Thrina meanwhile had also started to hone her vocal work in the lead up to the recording of the album because by this time, she was already exposed to singing solo more to a live audience rather than as part of our Church's choir. The debut album was really her baptism of fire as a recording vocalist. And her inexpreience I guess were evident in some of the songs. So the live singing experience with a band prepared her in such a way that she now had more chemistry with a band rather than doing vocal work through a pre-recorded finished song. I'd probably say that she's not perfect when compared to more established artists but the improvement from the debut album is clearly seen. And I have always believed that our sophomore album clearly had a lot of potential as the song Runaway Angel was even picked up by NU 107, Philippine's biggest Rock Music station back then, and got us nominated for College Band of the Year. Of course we didn't win that award. But to be nominated was already a feat, specially considering that we came from a far flung city in Mindanao. Thoughts And Notions is basically Thrina's journey and development as a vocalist. So whatever you hear from Thoughts And Notions is basically a snapshot of a bygone era of how someone got dragged along to sing for a recorded album, and never thought the songs that were recorded would ever travel outside the confines of the Church that she was singing to. Of course these recordings were some 10 years ago or so. And we are plotting to release one more album of songs that we hope could feature Thrina's familiar vocals once more. And that is with two kids later. So how would an older Thrina sound like?
 |
| Thoughts And Notions line up that recorded our sophomore album |
As for the rest of the band members, Adonis Berongoy (drummer), John Erickson Gloria (guitarist), and Doris Bangot (bass/backing vocals). The sophomore album was their debut in the recording circuit. I took them in and exposed them to the world of recording. And their contributions as part of Thoughts And Notions is forever engraved in the band's history. I had some very productive collaborations with the band in the songs Arise (to which the composition of the sound was a band effort). Safer in My Heart (a collaboration with Adonis Berongoy), as well as giving them their own showcase of the songs that they wrote and composed in the songs Cloudy Day (Erickson/Adonis), Beloved Savior (Adonis), which was a favorite in Adonis' Church before he contributed the song for our sophomore album. I have also handpicked the song Beloved Savior as the carrier single for this album's Digital Music Release. Even back in the day, this song was the band's favorite because not only is it a Praise and Worship song, but the entire band also felt that everyone was at their best and was greatly inspired to record the song as our way of honoring God and giving him thanks for the talents that he gave us as well as all the blessing that he showered us with in the lead up to the recordings. Post Thoughts And Notions, the three of them (along with Thrina) would form their own respective bands and further explore the other facets of their talents. And they would earn even more accolades in the local music scene in Cagayan de Oro. But as for this moment, we are also working on some new songs. Exploring the possibilities of coming up with a follow up album. Though distance and work demands might be too much a challenge to make things work again, most specially that some have moved on to explore their respective musical passions. But it will probably push through with God's blessing.
 |
| Self-Made Shelf Display as our album is being sold at one of the record bars in CDO |
Originally, the album was released simply as a self-titled album on CD format. Simply Thoughts And Notions. But for this digital release, I wanted to change things up. There was actually an alternative title for it. And that's what I'm using now. Naming the album as Love, Faith, Hope, Redemption. I feel that this is a much better suited title for this Digital Music release. Back then, I wanted to move away from wordy titles as the Debut album had a wordy title. It was also a debut of some sort for the band. So Thoughts And Notions was I think the better choice. It was also a safer choice when the album gets picked up by the mainstream audience. Somehow, Christian Contemporary Music is not yet that well accepted in the Philippines. So that was part of the challenge back then. But now, I think making those decisions was a mistake. Because we never should be ashamed of our Christian Faith. I know it was made with a "marketing" mindset. Especially for us who operated as an independent band treading the lines between mainstream independent music and Christian Contemporary Music. The thing was, the first album sounded very Christian Contemporary. This second one veered away a bit from it. Though it was made with a strategic decision in mind. However, every Thoughts And Notions album will always come with a Praise and Worship track. That is an uncompromisable stance that I choose and will continue to choose. That is non-negotiable when it comes to releasing an album done by Thoughts And Notions. I feel this second album was the best that we have ever done at that point. For one, to be nominated in a prestigious national award giving body was something we never thought of. Secondly, there was already one recording company that was ready to offer us a distribution contract for the second album. All it took was my signature to finish the deal. But then we went our separate ways. Maybe because we all had some growing up to do. Or maybe it wasn't part of God's plan anymore. To this day, I really felt it was a missed opportunity for us. But we can never go back in time and try to undo some mistakes. All we can do is to learn from it and move forward with the lessons. I even thought that was totally the end of Thoughts And Notions. Until God nudged me back to this Music Ministry.
 |
| The Original Environment Friendly Album Packaging as designed by Jenipur Wapano |
This is the last Thoughts And Notions album under my possession. And finally, it will see the light of day through its availability in various Digital Music Apps. I'm anxious if this could still be appreciated by our listeners who already grew older and have moved on to other musical tastes. I'd say we've lost a fan base that really supported us from the beginning. We've been hibernating for so long that I don't know where to find them. But this digital music beginning is bringing us new fans and listeners nevertheless. And I'm praying and hoping as this album gets released, we'd be appreciated by a new generation of audience who continues to seek positive Christian Music to help them get by. And with this, let us share again the story of God's LOVE. Let us continue to grow our FAITH in him, no matter the circumstances that we are in. Let us HOPE that there will always be a brighter tomorrow. And finally, let us find the REDEMPTION that we so deserve after holding on to God's Promise, and putting our entire TRUST in him.
Pre-Save our album now by clicking the link below:
https://bfan.link/love-faith-hope-redemption
And for those who are joining us in our new journey to share our music in the Digital Music Space, thank you for your continued support. We hope that our songs would mean something to you. As it used to have to those who fully supported us back then.
No comments:
Post a Comment