Live Especially For You by M.Y.M.P.

Rachel Alejandro’s version of Nakapagtataka was a tough act to follow. For reasons you have the song’s history to consider. Composed by Apo Hiking Society member Jim Paredes, it was first recorded by Rachel’s dad Hajji way back in the ‘70s. So next to Jim and Hajji, Rachelle was the logical choice to record the female cover of the song. Then there were also Rachel’s vocals, which was one of the best we had heard during that time. She made Nakapagtataka a hit again and since then I had always thought that no female singers should dare record the song again. They will just pale in comparison.

Then some weeks ago, I heard a new version of Nakapagtataka and found it to be very good. The singer has the same clarity of tone I had always associated with Rachel and a charming naivete that is hard to resist. Even more impressive is the fact that the song was recorded live. Now I can name only a few among the younger crop of artists who can do a difficult song like Nakapagtataka live and get their notes right the whole time. So I thought that this girl must be very special.

So who dared to follow in Rachel’s footsteps? The voice belongs to Juris Fernandez, female member of M.Y.M.P. of the seven times platinum selling album Versions & Beyond and the song comes from a special two-disc video and audio package entitled M.Y.M.P. Juris & Chin Live Especially for You at the Music Museum. It contains selected numbers from the duo’s successful first concert and is a virtual showcase of the hits that made the M.Y.M.P., today’s most successful group.

The album sells for P350 and its main offering is the video disc with the live M.Y.M.P. performance. Juris and Chin, so relaxed and unpretentious on stage, are always a joy to watch and they do all their biggest selling songs in the show. These include the originals of the early years Talaga Naman, down to the phenomenal Especially for You, the new hit single I’ll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me and because it is all that their fans listen to these days, the upcoming Nakapagtataka.

The other songs in the VCD are Every Little Thing (He Does is Magic), Waiting in Vain, A Little Bit, If You Asked Me to, Kailan, Sa Kanya, Would You Be My Girlfriend, Inseparable, Too Many Walls and a medley of Get Me and Tell Me Where It Hurts. So you won’t feel so bad about the cost, there is a bonus audio CD with six cuts, I’ll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me, Sa Kanya, If You Asked Me To, Inseparable, Nakapagtataka and A Little Bit.

You doubtless know that M.Y.M.P. stands for Make Your Mama Proud. I am sure that the moms of Juris and Chin are very proud of what they have accomplished.

New CD from Michaelangelo

Incidentally, it may also interest fans of M.Y.M.P. to know that also available in the music shops is a new CD by Michaelangelo. The group is made up of the brothers Michael and Angelo. Fans of M.Y.M.P. will remember that Michael was once the third member of the group and he was also said to be sweet on Juris. The relationship soured after M.Y.M.P.’s first album hit the charts and Michael went off to go on his own. He is, of course, not really alone as he and Angelo now make up a duo.

Entitled Wish, the album mixes old favorites and originals that showcase Michael’s husky, wide-ranging vocals and Angelo’s soulful guitar. Cuts included are 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Abot Kamay, Wish, Trapik, Never Surrender, Rocketman, Collide, Freshmen, Interstate Love Song, Daughter, Space Oddity and Rainbow Connection.

Pinoy MYX Chart’s weekly choices

Here now is the Pinoy MYX Chart for the week just passed: Narda by Kamikazee; Invincible by Christian Bautista; Toll Gate by Hale; Papa Cologne by Parokya ni Edgar; Can’t Let You Go by Cueshé; First of Summer by Urbandub; Sugod by Sandwich; Jeepney by Kala; Minamahal Kita by Ogie Alcasid; Bakit Ba Iniibig Ka by Erik Santos and Regine Velasquez;

1 by 6Cyclemind; I Care by Rachelle Ann Go; Nakapagtataka by M.Y.M.P.; Hey Boy by April; Konti Na Lang by Pedicab; Scorpio by Syato; Tell Me You Love Me by Nikki Bacolod; Buwan by Wickermoss; 6 in the Morning by Dice & K9; and Complex by Dicta License.