Sugarfree turns on the ‘dramachine’

Sugarfree is back with a new album. Made up of Ebe Dancel on guitars and vocals, Jal Taguibao on bass and Mitch Singson on drums, the trio made a laudable debut last year with Sa Wakas. The all-original set was a big hit and won for the group the Best New Artist and Album of the Year trophies at the NU 107 Rock Awards. It also set the tone for the youthful, melodic kind of pop/rock music that Sugarfree is now identified with.

Dramachine is how Sugarfree chose to call its second album release. The title is a combination of the words "drama" and "machine" and I believe refers to each one of us who are all walking drama machines. It is an astute observation because we play out our personal soap operas every second of our lives. Of course, we always play the lead role. These can be sad, happy, funny, difficult, pathetic, etc., etc., and can at times be more riveting than any we have seen on television.

Sugarfree owes the title Dramachine to co-producers Raimund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala who both earned their chops as musicians with the Eraserheads, one of the greatest rock acts in local pop music. I believe that it is also because of the presence of these guys that Sugarfree music is now more technically polished than before. I liked the spontaneity of Sa Wakas but who am I to complain about the fuller sound, smoother grooves, adroitly layered vocals and songs that segue from one to the other with ease. Besides I hear the echo of E-heads music in the album and that is certainly very welcome.

The contents of Dramachine live up to its title. Every cut in the album is a little story told in the laid-back manner reminiscent of Pinoy teen-agers. Although seething inside with emotions, they think that it is cool not to be gushy or to be melodramatic about anything. Not Sugarfree though, and certainly not Dancel, who composed most of the songs. Who knows? Each of them was probably based on his personal experience. The only one he didn’t write was Martir which is by bassist Taguibao.

Sinta, the bouncy first single release, is an all-out declaration of love from somebody who was once a "malungkot na bata." Listeners might see themselves in Prom another possible single, which goes "Nanginginig na mga kamay/ puso kong hindi mapalagay/ pwede be kita tabihan? Kahit na may iba ka nang kasama." Another one is the song of the eternal loser titled Hari ng Sablay, "Please lang wag kang magulat/ kung bigla akong magkalat/ mula pa nung pagkabata/ mistula nang tanga/ san san nadadapa, san san bumabangga."

The other songs are Kwentuhan, Martir, Tulog Na, Limbo, Kandila, Kwarto, Alinlangan, Tao and Dramachine, the title track which sums up the album. "Ayaw na nyang bumangon/ sa kama lang maghapon/ mukha nya’y parang langit/ na malapit nang umambon/ ayaw na nyang manalig, sa tunay na pag-ibig/ bakit daw ba kay bilis mawala ng kilig?" Bakit nga kaya?

The Ultimate Showdown

You loved the concert. Now you can own the album and enjoy listening to the songs again and again. This is the studio recorded Night of the Champions album which features the winning songs plus other hits by talent contest winners Sarah Geronimo, Erik Santos and Rachelle Ann Go plus contestants Mark Bautista, Raymond Manalo and Christian Bautista. Subtitled The Ultimate Showdown, this album is also the ultimate example of what the younger batch of singers today are capable of. They are very good and it is no wonder that they managed to steer music trends towards better sounding music.

Sarah does To Love You More, If Only, the original composition by Ogie Alcasid, Broken Vow as a duet with Mark and a medley of hits by Celine Dion that includes Because You Loved Me, The Power of Love, My Heart Will Go On and It’s All Coming Back to Me Now. Erik sings his I Believe I Can Fly. Rachelle has Through the Rain, You and Me (We Wanted It All), a duet with Christian and a medley of songs immortalized by Sharon Cuneta, Sana’y Maghintay ang Walang Hanggan, Ikaw, Bituing Walang Ningning and Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas. From Mark comes Ngayon at Kailanman and his own version of How Did You Know while Raymond contributes Kailangan Kita.

Get yourself a copy as this might be the only time these voices will ever be heard together in one album.