New from Pinoy pop bands

With names like Grace Nono and Bob Aves at the helm and a title like Session Road, I expected to hear some new take on World Music with a strong influence from the native tribes up in the Mountain Province. But no, although bits and pieces of rock and R&B are present and there is some hint of an alternative bent, the sound of Session Road, which is also the name of this new group, is still basically pop.

It was in a way, a disappointment, because the local music scene has been in dire need of something new for quite sometime. On the other hand though, it is just as well. The best way and in most cases the only way to get your music heard hereabouts is to cater to the biggest portion of the market, which in the Philippines, are the pop music listeners. Then after you've made it big it would be easy to go into the new and the different because it would be fairly easy for a big name act to still win acceptance.

As the name suggests, the members of Session Road come from Baguio City. The group started out as a duet made up of the sister and brother team, Hannah and Chavi Romawac. Hannah sings and plays the rhythm guitar. She once fronted the group Hannah & Sunflower. Chavi plays the flute, guitars, drums and other percussion instruments. He has done session work for Grace Nono and was the percussionist for the world music group Jun Lopito and the Bodhisattvas. They performed regularly in local clubs and were an important attraction in local musical events during their pre Session Road days.

The duo became the Session Road when Hannah and Chavi decided to add band personnel. Their brother JV took on percussion and back-up vocals. Coy Placido took on lead guitar, Jal Taguibao came on for bass and Jesse Hoover became the keyboard player. Then with some melodies and arrangements by Chavi and lyrics by Hannah, the help of the other members plus friends like Bob and Grace, Session Road embarked on its first album.

The resulting Session Road is made up of 13 light and breezy originals. Alone is the first single release. The other songs comprising the album are Orion, Hintay, One Fine Day, Yellowed Pictures, Kailan, Gusto Na Kitang Makita, Superstar, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Walang Lungkot, You Lied, Wink and Sa'yo.

Lighter still in sound and even lighter in concept is the engaging first effort by Fourmula One. Think Jeremiah meets Rockstar. The approach to material is that commercial. And no wonder, the man behind the group is singer, songwriter and producer Larry Hermoso, who formed the group Jeremiah two years ago and came up with the big, big hit Nanghihinayang. Sad to say though, Jeremiah was killed with hardly a whimper by the merciless sophomore jinx. So Larry is now giving another group his songs and a chance at stardom. Hopefully, he'll have better luck with Fourmula One.

The members of the group are Mike Gatdula, Glenn Bonifacio, Francis Resentes and Larry himself. The 10-track self-titled album is made up of love songs that Larry composed, but there are some interesting surprises in it. There is a patriotic composition by Angel Panti, Proud to be Brown, another one by ex-South Border Brix Ferraris titled Heaven's Cry, and in true Pinoy fashion, a remake of an oldie, in this case, I Don't Want You To Go.

The album's initial single is Kunin Mo Na ang Lahat Sa Akin. The others are Tingnan Mo ang Ginawa Mo, Saan Ba Ako Nagkulang, Kung Nandito Ka Lang, Nagmamakaawa, Only You, and Baby Don't Cry. If Fourmula One wants to ride on the enthusiasm once Jeremiah generated, then maybe Nagmamakaawa would be the logical choice as second single.

Meanwhile, here the tunes dominating the airlanes these days; Everyday I Love You by Boyzone; Sex Bomb by Tom Jones; Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely by the Backstreet Boys; Back at One by Brian McKnight; I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden; Before I Fall in Love by Coco Lee; Make It Easy on Me by Steps; On the Wings of Love by Regine Velasquez; Feelin' So Good by Britney Spears; and the remake of the '70s hit Seasons in the Sun by Westlife.