Cambio rocks real hard

After staying underground for a spell, Pinoy rock music seems to be taking its place in the mainstream again. Credit this to the release of products from high-profile acts like Bamboo with the hit Noypi, Rivermaya, also with a hit single in Balisong, Sandwich, Chicosci and others. Does this mean there will soon be another resurgence like what happened with the arrival of the Eraserheads 14 years ago?

I do hope so. Pinoy pop music has been in a rut for quite sometime. There are flashes of talent from time to time. The talent contest winners lifted the quality of the singing among our new recording artists. The kids today sound better than ever. There are Lito Camo’s novelties, which help keep the industry afloat. On the opposite side are the likes of South Border’s Rainbow, which says we are capable of something musically better than Spagheti. These though are not enough to bring in another golden age. So maybe a band like Cambio will help.

Cambio means change and if a group like Cambio makes it to the top, we will also get big changes in the face of Pinoy rock and maybe even in the local charts. As can be seen from the contents of the first album release titled Derby Light, the music of Cambio is not only original, it also rocks really hard. And no wonder, take a look at the members: Kris Gora-Dancel on guitar and vocals, Diego Mapa on guitar and vocals, Ebe Dancel on guitar and vocals, Buddy Zabala on bass and Raymund Marasigan on drums.

I am sure those names and faces that make up Cambio are familiar to any Pinoy rock buff because they were all once part of other big name groups. Buddy and Raymund were original members of the defunct Eraserheads. The group, one of the greatest in the history of Philippine pop music, officially disbanded two years ago. Kris was founder of another great group, the all-female Fatal Posporos. Diego comes from Monsterbot. Ebe Dancel founded Sugarfree. They are all adept songwriters and Derby Light is made up of 14 cuts with all-new materials.

The best picks are Raymund’s driving Autopilot, Ebe’s multi-faceted Patlang and the by now familiar DV by Diego and Raymund, which is the first single release. Other songs in the album are Elastik, Ledgeboy, Lihim, Get It Right, Photostatik, Dina, Corporate Attire, Guniguni, Help Yourself, Which Baby and Waterproof.

Derby Light is sleeker than the Pinoy rock productions we usually get. Maybe this is because the members are already experienced musicians completely aware of the finer points of the genre. I do not know how the youth market who put a great store on garage sounding rock music will react to this. But no matter what happens, it is about time for Pinoy rock to grow up or I should say, mature and Cambio should be able to pull off the trick.

Still on Pinoy Rock and speaking of the Eraserheads, BMG Records has released Anthology, a two-volume collection of the best and the biggest sellers from the group’s 12-year career. There are rock bands and there are rock bands but I like the E-Heads best because they refused to take themselves seriously and brought an incredible sense of fun to the music. Maybe it was because they started taking themselves seriously later that differences became too much to patch up for Buddy, Raymund, Marcus Adoro and Eli Buendia, who has gone solo.

Almost everything is here including two cuts from the Christmas release Fruitcake. Greatest hits collections tend to put Christmas songs aside but I am glad this one includes Fruitcake and Trip to Jerusalem because the Eraserheads’ take on Christmas is good for the whole year. There is also the group’s version of Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka, recorded for an album of Ryan Cayabyab compositions. The rest of course span E-Heads’ output from ultraelectromagneticpop to Aloha Milkyway.

So sit back, listen and smile as you remember. Here goes: Ligaya, Pare Ko, Toyang, Minsan, Overdrive, Kailan, Sembreak, Ang Huling El Bimbo, Alapaap, With a Smile, Magasin, Superproxy, Torpedo, Huwag Mo Nang Itanong, Kamasupra, Kaliwete, Hard to Believe, Para Sa Masa, Bogchi Hokbu, Maselang Bahaghari, Pop Machine, Huwag Kang Matakot, Maskara, Hula, Julie Tearjerky, Run Barbie Run, Police Woman, Tamagotchi Baby, Harana and Sa Tollgate.