Siakol continues to rock

What I find most amusing about the rock band Siakol is its penchant for using now seldom-heard Filipino terms as titles of songs or of their albums. Do people still say Peksman when they try to stress a fact or a promise? Not as much as they did in the ’60s probably but that is the title of a Siakol song. What about saying Tayo Na Sa Paraiso, or calling something like the SARS epidemic as Salot? They also have songs titled Lagim, Biyaheng Impiyerno, Huling Halakhak, Pantasya, Rekta, and Sa Pag-ikot ng Mundo.

The words, when read, do seem a trifle quaint but they take on a whole new sound when they come with the hard-driving music of Siakol. One of the groups that emerged during the band explosion of the early ’90s, Siakol makes music that is a raw, grating, free-wheeling kind of Pinoy rock that echoes an unpolished Juan de la Cruz. The fans who saw the Eraserheads falling prey to the vagaries of fame eagerly welcomed Siakol, crudeness and all. It has been more than 10 years since but Siakol still continues to rock. Their language is still poetic and their music is still an ear-blaster. And because Pinoy rock seems to be in a state of neglect these days, local rock fans couldn’t be happier that Siakol is still very much around.

Hiwaga is the title of Siakol’s latest outing. In keeping with its image, there is no attempt to smooth out the rough edges in the album, so be prepared for searing anthems that will churn your insides when you put the CD in the machine. There is a great deal of enthusiasm throughout, the kind one only expects from new groups angling for that first hit. Truth to tell, the only telltale thing in the album that says, hey, this is a band that has been around for almost ages is soloist Noel Palomo’s powerful vocals. He carries the day in every cut and he does it with the confidence of a rocker who has been through everything but has survived with his music and principles intact.

The group, if I remember right, has also remained intact. That is, save for the drummer which was once James Rodriguez and which is now Oyie Bunao. Miniong Cervantes still plays lead guitars and Wowie Flores is on bass. These two sound great. Aside from being the main singer, Noel is also Siakol’s songwriter and he came up with 12 new ones for Hiwaga. The group’s followers from years ago will love Matulog Ka Na, which certainly sounds like vintage Siakol. Those who like their rock enigmatic and dreamy in a nightmarish way might take to Hiwaga.

But no matter what your rock tastes are, you are assured of lots of hardrocking sounds with Hiwaga. Other cuts in the album are Malapit Na, Huling Halakhak, Walang Hanggan, Katapusan, Dulo, Umayos Ka, Iniwan Mo Akong Nag-Iisa, Ikaw Ba Yan? Kung, Sa Isang Boteng Alak, Manibela and Hardin.

Benefit concert

Visiting Broadway tenor Jose Llana makes his Philippine concert debut with a special performance at the Gourmet Café in Tagaytay on Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. The show is a fund-raiser for the Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Seminary so that means Jose is doing a good deed on his first time out in the country. He has prepared a varied repertoire that includes Broadway tunes from Flower Drum Song and The King and I, of course, well-loved standards, current favorites, including some popularized by Josh Groban and recently-learned Filipino songs now sings as though he has lived here all his life. A trip to Tagaytay is always invigorating, more so when it comes with dinner at Gourmet’s and the wonderful voice of Jose Llana.

Top hits

Females are Pinoy pop music’s best bets as local divas dominate the hit charts this week. Leader is the sensational Sarah Geronimo, the 14-year-old winner of the Star for a Night talent contest, whose cover of Celine Dion’s To Love You More is the biggest selling song of the moment. Coming in Sarah’s wake are: Foolish Heart by Nina; Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka by Regine Velasquez; Kung Ako Na Lang Sana by Bituin Escalante; Walang Kapalit by Sharon Cuneta; Spaghetti Song by The Sexbomb Dancers; Can’t Stop Thinking About You by Trisha Sephora; Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala the latest by Ogie Alcasid, one of the few males on the list; Sana Mama by the Masculados; and Long Distance by Salbakuta.