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.
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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.
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