Thoughts And Notions Plus: A Collection of Collaborations!

So how did we ever get here? We've pretty much decided that we'd go on a hiatus for this year. And we did take a long vacation from releasing any new songs. But then, as we were looking at our song catalogue on various digital music streaming platforms, we realized how disorganized it had become. Under album releases, we had two full length albums that featured our chief vocalist Thrina Dimaano-Escaño on vocals. With the music genre predominantly being pop/rock. But then since she's not yet ready to go back to her vocal chores yet, we decided to continue writing and releasing songs but decided to collaborate with different artists to do the vocal work instead. This venture allowed us to experiment with our music as based on the chosen artist that would be interpreting the song. The end product would be a number of single releases that would each feature a different sound from each other and from our usual catalogue (you can get back to reading about those releases on this link). This resulted to a confusing song catalogue that is now inhabited by a mix of various music genres. And because of this, we're kind of worried that when new listeners would discover our songs, it might confuse them as to how to appreciate our songs. Would they prefer to listen to our old songs when we were more of a pop/rock sounding band? Or will the new genres that we were exploring with would be their preferred thing? It was because of this thought that we decided to compile our recent releases and release them together and come up with a compilation album. Just so we can put into context all of our song releases and make them more organized.

Cre8Music Records artist Soleil Misalucha

But then again, we wouldn't have decided to push through with the compilation album if Cre8Music Records' top boss Calvin Anchores; didn't pitch the possibility of using one of our songs as part of the featured cover song for the newly created Cre8TV show called Soleildified on YouTube. Soleildified is a concept show that features Cre8Music records artist Soleil Misalucha doing her own cover rendition of select songs but giving it her own twist. And Calvin happened to suggest to me that he would like to have Soleil cover one Thoughts And Notions song of my choosing. So, I thought it had to be a ballad. And the choice came down to the songs "Earthbound Angel" or "Safer in My Heart". I eventually chose Earthbound Angel as I feel that the song didn't reach the expectations that I have when it made its digital music debut. You see back then; the song experienced some sort of popularity when we first released it in our hometown's local radio stations. So, I'm thinking maybe it's worth a shot to have this song redone by Soleil. Besides, Safer in My Heart had already reached more than 100,000 streams and continues to be one of the more popular songs in our catalogue. Soleil's version of Earthbound Angel will also premiere on her show Soleildified a week or so after this album's digital music streaming release this July 26, 2026. You can actually watch the previous episodes of her show on this link. Soleil is one of the most versatile and talented artists from Cre8music Records' pool of singer-songwriters. And it is a great honor of ours to have her interpret one of our songs and give it her own spin. (Soleil actually appears in another track in this album, the previously released OPM Bossa Nova Christmas song that I co-wrote with her).

Wile Lile, the musical engine behind our songs

However, Soleil's Earthbound Angel won't be the only new song that you would be hearing in this album. Because for the first time ever, we'll be releasing one of our old songs that we had kept in our vault all those years ago. This song has been our well-kept secret, that only the band members of Thoughts And Notions had actually heard of this. Long before we invited Thrina to become our chief vocalist, we actually were able to record a song with Wile Lile on vocals. You see, the song "My Love Song" was originally recorded with Wile Lile doing the vocal chores. But we decided to ditch it in favor of letting Thrina be the sole vocalist of our debut album. That decision actually led to the fortuitous happenstance of us getting signed by a record label and have our debut album released nationwide. The two versions of the song diverge from each other in such a way that Wile Lile's version veered more towards the acoustic pop genre. While Thrina's version was done in the pop/rock genre. And it was the guitar riff intros of the pop/rock version that drew the ear of the record label's A&R guy. I don't know if in another alternate world wherein we released Wile Lile's acoustic pop version instead, would get us signed to that record label. You'll have to hear it for yourself and let us know which version you like better. But this I can say as much that the band dig the song so much. And they have been egging me to release that version of the song. I guess their request is finally granted. So, you'll have to watch out for it.                          

But before I end this post, let me reveal to you the entire track listing of the soon to be released album:

    1  Iglap (feat. Novelista Pasta)       

    2  Heartbeats (feat. Rochy Dadivas)         

    3  Kusog nga gi hinumdom (feat. Oquilla)    

    4  BNR (feat. Kai Huyno, Dud Lemon)       

    5  My Love Song-Alternate Cut (feat.Wile Lile)    

    6  Earthbound Angel-Soleildified (feat. Soleil Misalucha)   

    7  Brand New Reason (feat. Kai Huyno)    

    8  Mighty (feat. Ben Oribe)    

    9  Sentro ng Pasko (feat. Soleil Misalucha)   

    10 What Real Christmas Means to Me (feat. Tirada, Elvis Roca, Wile Lile, AJ Alburo) 

    11  Kusog nga gi hinumdom-Radio Edit (feat.Oquilla)   

    12  BNR-Radio Edit (feat. Kai Huyno, Dud Lemon)   

So after the long winding road, our "unofficial" third album is finally set to be released! 

Why unofficial? Because this is just a slight detour of our planned trilogy of albums. We have always reserved the seat for Thrina to one day record a new album with us. But for this project, this is me and Wile Lile plus a host of up-and-coming artists that we have met along the way. Collaborating on this project where Thoughts And Notions features new voices, experimental sounds, and genres we dared not go into during our band days.
 

It's like listening to a playlist. Different voices, different genres of music, but all bound together by Thoughts And Notions' distinct words.
 

This is Thoughts And Notions Plus: A Compilation of Song Collaborations!
 

Coming this July 26, 2024
 

Be sure to hit the Pre-save link!
 

https://bfan.link/thoughts-and-notions-plus

Rocking Out in Cagayan de Oro - Part 2: Tabularaza, Thoughts and Notions, Drizzle, and more

 

Originally published in Philmusic.com 

Wednesday, 18 July 2007

(Updated 7/12/24)

Continued from Part One.  

 

As of the present times, there are a couple of CDO bands that just came out with an album under respectable recording companies (Record companies that could bring their music outside CDO). One is Tabularaza, who is signed under Cebu's Daybreak Records. Tabularaza is a power alterna-pop band that has catchy songs at par with other well recognized bands. They just recently released their official third album called Shewowah bannered by their single of the same name “Shewowah”. They also recently concluded a nationwide tour in promoting their album which gave them rave reviews from those who were able to come across their music.

Tabularaza’s album has a lot of potential sleeper hits that are just waiting for a decent radio play in order for it to be appreciated more. While not entirely a new band (they have produced independent albums in the past and even made it to NU's In the Raw radio show), it is just now that they are getting the good breaks. Tabularaza even became the first band from CDO to entirely shoot a music video here in the city and have it released in major music video channels nationwide. The band has also been getting media mileage from various national magazines such as Pulp and Fudge. Tabularaza is well recognized as the leader of the pack of fresher new generation of CDO bands who are trying to invade the nation’s consciousness.

 

Another one is Thoughts And Notions, a female fronted band, which recently released their debut album "In Awe of His Amazing Love" through Christian Music record label Praise Music. The band is CDO's 1st ever-Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) Pop-Rock band. The band is highly influenced by Jars of Clay and Sixpence None the Richer, both giants in their country's CCM scene. The band's carrier single “My Love Song” is being played on NU 107's Against the Flow radio show as well as other radio stations in Manila, Cebu, and Davao (Like The Edge Radio, a Christian Music radio station).

Basically, Thoughts And Notions’ songs are best described as songs that aim to help uplift wounded souls, like how their debut album’s songs talk about their faith, Christian Faith to be exact. While there are common stereotypes about Christian bands and Christian Music, Thoughts And Notions has surprisingly blew their audiences away with their refreshing take of their self written Christian themed songs. Their music is best described as a cross between Pop Rock, Alternative Rock, and Acoustic Music. Fish Magazine (a Christian magazine published by Bo Sanchez) had even began comparing them to other well recognized female fronted bands such as Moonstar88 and the Craeons and has acknowledged the band as someone who shows a lot of promise. The band is currently busy preparing for future gigs and Mall tours that would put them on the consciousness of Kagayanons before jumping on to other places.

Still, another CDO band that made waves in the nation’s music scene is the Pop Rock band named Drizzle (formerly called Coffee and Cream). They began their storied career after releasing an indie album that contained 10 tracks of brilliant Pop-rock tunes which topped the charts in local music stations here in CDO, before flying to Manila to gain more exposure. The band members are grizzled veterans in CDO’s local gigging circle which would conveniently give them the much valued experience in surviving Metro Manila’s fast life.

The band had recently released their album under Galaxy Records entitled Love without Logic. They are best recognized for their songs “Number 3” and their recently released second single “Ikaw Lang”. Drizzle is currently recognized as the biggest band that CDO has ever produced as they were able to crossover to mainstream media with their various appearances on National TV. They also have a music video out for the song Number 3 in top music video channels across the country. Drizzle’s music offers a fresh take on the marriage of Pop Music and Alternative music as evidenced by their lead guitarist, who formerly was from the legendary CDO rock alternative band called Oblivion. Drizzle is on its way to creating a storm as they currently moves around Metro Manila doing mall tours in promoting their album.

CDO also has their own Jason Mraz/John Mayer influenced solo artist by the name of Fayeed Tan. Fayeed Tan is credited to be the man responsible in birthing CDO’s newest catchy nationalistic anthem called “Chuy” which is currently being used as the theme song of a locally produced entertainment show from ABS-CBN. Fayeed Tan had recently released his debut album called Di Na Magiisa under his own indie label Mindatone records. Several of his songs in this album topped the local radio charts here in CDO and are still being played massively to date. His live sets are also fun to watch because his energy is infectious. And just like Tabularaza, he was also able to release a music video that was shot entirely here in CDO with no less than former Miss Teen Philippines title holder Stephanie Sol (who also hails from CDO) playing the female lead to Fayeed. Fayeed’s musical skills are also one to hear for because of his uncanny knack of creating beautiful sounding arrangements to his songs that are rare nowadays.

While his album might not have been massively distributed nationwide as of this writing, I am sure that before the year ends, it will eventually get picked up by an interested label to give it a fighting chance to be distributed nationwide. So as of the moment, the only way to hear this musical gem is to watch his music video on your favorite music channels or visit his Friendster account.

There’s also this versatile rock band that has an assortment of repertoire which includes Classic, Pop, Alternative, Screamo, named Southrace. They were able to release their Independent debut album locally called Freshwound with the help of a local Radio Station. Although their album is so “Do It Yourself”, the band has a lot of potential. They even have several Bisayan songs that can surely give Cebuano BizRock (Bisaya Rock) bands a run for their money.

What makes this band impressive is that they could shift from one particular rock genre to the other with relative ease. They also remain proud of their Mindanaoan roots that they intentionally named their band Southrace as an ode to their hometown. The screamo song “Day You Fade Away” stood out among the rest of the songs in the album with its well thought off arrangements.

 

2007 will also going to be a big year for CDO bands. With the upcoming release of perhaps the most anticipated album of the year. CDO Industrial Rock band Switch is set to release their debut album within the year under Lighter Records. Switch is currently the most talked about band from Cagayan de Oro as evidenced by their full packed gigs and S.R.O crowds in Metro Manila’s gig spots. Switch has effectively pierced the nations ears with their synth induced music and electronic setup (think Nine Inch Nails). The band is one of its kind as it consists of only two members, both local legends in their hometown (One of them is also that guy from Oblivion and Drizzle).

Pulp Magazine has been raving about their music and has even surprisingly featured the band in their Magazine with a Six-page spread, by far, the largest exposure ever for a CDO band in a national magazine. And they were given that warm exposure despite not having released an album just yet. People will best remember them for their song “Reconnect” from the World Battle of the Bands Pulp CD giveaway that came free upon purchasing a copy of Pulp Magazine months back. Switch had also been lined up to play in this year’s edition of Pulp Summer Slam, making them the second CDO band to play in such a huge event (the other being Nuncyspungen).

And what even makes Switch more inspiring for CDO bands is that they recorded their album entirely at a newly opened recording studio here in Cagayan de Oro City, which is slowly defining the city to become the music capital of Industrial Rock as some pundits are beginning to say. Switch is definitely the band to watch for this year.

And of course the band highly touted and considered to be CDO's hottest band of the moment, Gasulina, a dance rock, alternative funk outfit that is set to fill the airwaves with their songs that are local hits like Fueled and the Pill. These guys are just waiting across the bend to be discovered by a major recording company. (They were recently featured on Fudge Magazine).

They recently concluded their Manila tour of duty wherein they were able to amazingly hold their own against more popular bands. And how could they not? When the band members came from different veteran CDO bands themselves? Notably with the two of them being ex-members of that CDO band that started it all for CDO bands, Nuncyspungen. Think of it as the coming together of local legends to form a superband (Traces of Velver Revolver and Audioslave anyone?) They are definitely CDO’s next big thing. Record execs should give these guys their ears before other get to them first.

And more from the local front, there are a host of a dozen bands all waiting for their turn to have their music recorded, produced, and be heard. Some of them have even independently produced and is selling their own albums like Peachfuzz. There's also a tight group of SKA/Punk/Emo bands that meets and plays regularly such as the Superflirts, and Kaapin which are heavily supported by the underground Corridor Music Group. There’s the recently re-energized Swerve, which is now being fronted by a female vocalist who was a classmate of mine from way back in high school. The Nirvana sounding grunge rock band called Twin Chickens, which is incidentally managed by a good friend of mine. Screamo act K9 which sounds like they came from the United States. Folk Pop Tribal outfit Grupong Laya, who are giving tribal music a new lease of life here in CDO.

All in all, the CDO music scene is quite vibrant and well. I guess it only takes a matter of time before we could duplicate the success of Cebu's local music scene. All we need is more unity from the bands and more love from our fellow Kagayanons as well as more genuine support from the Radio stations and DJs (no favouritisms please) and a well-managed Band organization (I have some ideas on these). But that is for another story.

And oh yeah, before I forget, I invested on recording equipment and currently setting up a studio (with my lifetime savings) that hopefully would be able to help the local music scene's voices be heard! This is where Switch will be recording their album.

 Check out this auto-generated SPOTIFY playlist featuring the best CDO artists of today.