It was another typical monday morning in the office. I was just about to put down my laptop in my table and turn it on for another stroll in cyberspace when i noticed a sheet of newspaper (it was a Sunday issue, maybe the one who put it in my table was looking over classified ads section, ehem-ehem) informing about the release of a peculiar music album. I found myself asking, "ayos 'to ah, sino naglagay nito dito?" And I heard an answer from the other side of workstations, "Ako!" And guess who replied, tantananan (with drum roll?) ... it was Ambo! Yeah, right, he definitely knew that I also listen to such kind of music. Out of curiousity, I grabbed the paper and read it altogether. Answer this analogy test to know what I’m referring to-- American Idol: Pinoy Idol ; Gregorian Masters Of Chant: ___________. Lahat na yata may pinoy version, tsk, tsk…
I ‘m suppose to download the album but I cannot find any uploader around. Much of my considerable desperation in looking for downloadable mp3’s I ended up buying the CD from Megamall—that was when Ambo called me and apparently voicing out what he observed for one coffee shop in Tuguegarao: parang mas masarap pa ang kape sa bahay; he was on vacation then.
There are ten tracks in the album.
1. Anak - this internationally recognized piece of Freddie Aguilar is a nice pick for pinoy gregorian and it’s good that they have put it the first track in the album
2. Ikaw Ang Miss Universe - (R. Garcia) ...
3. Kung Kailangan Mo Ako - (R. Valera) ditto mark
4. Macho Gwapito – ( S. Rigor) I like the chorus, that’s all I can say, ha-ha-ha!
5. Masdan Ang Kapaligiran – (L. Carbon) nice try for another serious song
6. Ipagpatawad Mo - (J. de Leon) ...
7. I-Swing Mo Ako – (C. Agawa) ditto mark
8. Superstar Ng Buhay Ko – (C. Ilacad) another ditto mark
9. Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin – (April Boy Regino) good choice, somehow lively
10. You – (G. Paraiso) another ellipsis
I was expecting for some kind of collaboration like the one made by Sarah and Amelia Brightman with the Gregorian. I like the Moment of Peace, The circle, The Gift and Join Me. I think the songs are just statically rendered, of course , under the melodic chant way. No further dynamism, the tempo is also not much varied (comparing to the orig. versions). Effects are just fair; no significant add-ons. How about pinoy gregorian cover for contemporary pinoy music? I like the GMOC covers on Coldplay (Clocks, Fix You; I hope they will also make their version of Viva La Vida, ha-ha-ha, that would be awesome, oye!), Metallica (Nothing Else Matters, Unforgiven), Greenday (Boulevard of Broken Dreams), Enya (Evening Falls), Enrique Iglesias (Only You), Evanescence (My Immortal), The Rasmus (In the Shadows).
Speaking of Gregorian songs. ..
When I used the term Gregorian, in this particular self-proclaimed sensible blog input, know that I am referring to the Gregorian “band”, as Wikipedia described here-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_(band)
There was a time, during college days, that our instructor in Philosophy would play Gregorian songs to stir-up (daw) meditation among us. The first time I listen to Gregorian songs, parang tumayo mga balahibo ko. Whoa, that’s kinda tunog-simbahan! I find some of the tracks relaxing, though, and can surely take anyone to unique kind of music experience. For some, maybe, the gregorian costume, may appear a lil' bit unusual. Some people might even get an impression that Gregorian men belong to a "kulto". That might be disturbing mind-feed and may complicate one's act of embrace to the music.
Not few people used to judge others based musical preferences. If you listen to screamo, they'll label you as adik. Listen to rap/hiphop and you may hear someone say, COOL!. There are lots of labels! Now, try to listen to gregorian songs... I wonder what the label could be. :)
Download it here
you labeled me, i'll label you, so i dub the unforgiven... - Unforgiven, METALLICA (gregorian cover)----Dex
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