Euro pop by way of Bulacan

•Orange and Lemons, Strike Whilst the Iron is Hot

•Universal Records, 2005

I remember a not-too-distant Wednesday night at Gweilos in Makati when, upon the prodding of indie icon Toti Dalmacion, my girlfriend Joyce and I dropped by to soak in a set or two of this band that took their name from an album of XTC. By then we had already savored the first album of Orange and Lemons (O&L) – packed in non-descript recycled paper. But we wanted more.

The band – Clem Castro (vocals/electric guitar), Mcoy Fundales (vocals/acoustic guitar), JM del Mundo (bass), and Ace del Mundo (drums/percussion) – played originals and new wave standards – plus a few Beatles tunes – to a half-full house smelling of sisig. Some people were paying more attention to the beer, but Joyce and I were riveted.

We knew that a mainstream breakthrough was just a matter of time.

* * *

No doubt, sophomore efforts are always anxious affairs. After all, the second album is what separates the fluke from the genuine article, the passing fancy from, ah, true love. Too often these follow-up efforts are relegated to those much-lamented dustbins of musicdom, like the Vanilla Ice tapes you bought to prop up a wobbly table.

Some acts avoid this all-too-familiar pitfall by making the second album a mere extension of the first. So much so that you’d even hear the very same melodies as if the songs were cast from the same tired mold. Then again you can contend that similarities are but a manifestation of the band’s style and sound.

Well, whatever side you’re on regarding this contentious issue, you must sit up and take due notice of Orange and Lemons. Composed of 20-somethings from Bulacan who burst onto the scene via Toti Dalmacion’s Terno Recordings, the band keeps up the infectious danceable pace of its debut compilation Love in the Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream in 2003 even as it makes forays into more somber and downtempo ditties that explore different textures and crannies of the new wave domain.

There’s definitely a carryover feel from Love in the Land… along with a calculated spread of musical wings.

Which is well and good for fans, who must’ve alternately applauded and cringed at their band’s move to a new home in Universal Records. Okay, breathe in and say it: "Gasp! DIY by the wayside! What the…?" Indeed, O&L appears like a band possessed. Manager Bong Baluyot seems to have the boys on fast burn. O&L even hosted an MTV program– the newfound popularity sitting well with the foursome. They have indeed arrived in the biggest way. So now, O&L is no longer your best-kept secret. Deal with it.

Now that’s done with. Let’s move on to the music.

If some of you cocked an ear and exclaimed "The Smiths!" when you heard Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream, well you were spot on. These youngsters (compared to the lot of us when we were first getting turned on by Morrissey and Marr) tapped into the rich wellspring of pubescent European new age.

"The Smiths talaga!" I exclaimed when I heard Caught a Line. Same goes for the title track. "Strike while the iron is hot/before the flames die down/and everything’s forgotten" sings Clem. Other standout songs include the delicate and exquisitely sad Heaven Knows (This Angel Has Flown) and The Nerve.

Rock-A-Bye harkens back to the good ol’ ’60s and is testament to the pop sensibilities of Castro and Fundales, two long-time pals who share songwriting duties as well as the microphone. Castro has the Morrissey inflection down pat, while Fundales reminds one of Paul Simpson (Wild Swans) or even Peter Coyle (Lotus Eaters). Whatever you hear, it’s delightful ear candy that brings a pleasant sense of nostalgia to us 30-somethings weaned on Eurorock, and provides a fresh break to the younger listeners from the typical aural assault delivered by today’s driving rock.

As we got to press, the lavish love song Hanggang Kailan has climbed the charts – a la Just Like a Splendid Love Song of the first album.

Overall, this second effort soars with polish and without overproduction (good job by producer Robert Javier, a stalwart of the late lamented The Youth). The introduction of keyboards into the musical mix does well to enhance the project.

At the album launch of Strike Whilst the Iron is Hot in Gweilos-Libis a few weeks back, people stood armpit to armpit while nursing their beer in the smoky bar. The expectation and excitement were at fever pitch. When the band mounted the stage to play, this time, everyone paid attention.

Clearly, this is one act that’s no lemon.