A tribute to greatness

Once every few generations, there comes a musical entity that changes the entire landscape of the industry. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was The Beatles. In the early ‘90s, it was Nirvana. Towards the end of the millennium, boybands like the Backstreet Boys and ‘N’Sync ushered in a new pop era. In the Philippines however, very few musical acts can associate themselves with such industry-altering impact. Then the Eraserheads arrived, and OPM was forever changed. They are, in the words of Ebe Dancel from Sugarfree, "the greatest band the Philippines has ever produced." In fact, even if we’re around a decade removed from their last hit, I believe they’re so popular that I don’t even have to write anything about who they are anymore. They’re the Eraserheads. That should suffice.

In tribute of OPM’s most heralded child, The E-Heads, various artists pooled their talents and decided to create an album entitled "UltraElectroMagneticJam" featuring 17 of the most beloved Eraserhead songs. The different genres of the local music industry are well represented in this compilation. It features R&B hit-makers South Border, some young new rockers in Sponge Cola and Cueshe, guitar wiz Paolo Santos, the ever popular Orange and Lemons, Sugarfree, rapper Francis M., a couple of the Philippines top female artists Kitchie Nadal and Barbie Almalbis and old-time favorite Rico J. Puno, among others.

These artists recognize the contributions of the Eraserheads to Philippine music, and have joined forces to create one heck of a compilation album. Some of the tracks included are Ang Huling El Bimbo, covered by Rico J. Puno, Alapaap, done by 6 Cycle Mind, With a Smile, with an R&B twist by South Border and Huwag Mo Na Itanong, performed by MYMP. The eclectic nature of the CD is what makes it unique and appealing, as it’s very interesting to listen to our favorite E-Heads songs done in different styles. Each artist on the CD imprints his or her own signature style on each song. Alcohol, for example, is given the same spoken-word treatment that Radioactive Sago Project is famous for and Superproxy is rapped by Francis M.

My favorite tracks from the album are Magasin by Paolo Santos. The song seems to fit his style. His guitar echoes the longing tone of the song. Santos’ voice sounds a bit different from his other covers though. This version reminds me why this song was so popular in the ‘90s and why it’s the subject of many Filipino critical discussions for its lyrics.

Huwag Mo Nang Itanong by MYMP. They do a great job is stamping their soulful, emotional tone on the song. The vocals sound so heart-felt, giving life to the words of Ely and the gang.

Alcohol by Radioactive Sago Project. Just because they stick to what they know – a nice arrangement in the background and talking in the fore. This is probably the one song you can recognize who the artist singing is right at the offset. Their version of Alcohol is reminiscent of their hit Baboy.

Para Sa Masa by Various Artists. I like this song because (I think) everybody on the album sings in it, and each gives a wonderful rendition of each line. The song seems to have more meaning with all these stars singing in it. It’s also the last song on the album, a fitting finish to a great over-all product.

"UltraElectroMagneticJam" is an important piece of OPM history. It’s a tribute to one of, if not the, greatest local band ever, The Eraserheads. Anyone who enjoys any kind of Pinoy music should get a copy. The star-studded lineup does justice to some of the greatest OPM hits of this generation.

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For questions, comments or corrections, please e-mail me at emailcarlramirez@yahoo.com.