Though I've lived in America far longer than I have the Philippines, I still foster affection for the music of the homeland known as OPM (Original Pilipino Music). So when Introvoys (a mainstay band on the Filipino New Wave/Alternarock scene) released an anthology album, feelings of nostalgia and curiousity got the better of me. I suddenly remembered being fourteen years old, staring out a car window at the shanties of Commonwealth Avenue while "Line to Heaven" wafted over the airwaves. The memory was motivation enough to purchase the album.
After a good long listen, I found myself thinking about how to fairly review the work of group for which I fostered a degree of affection. After all, following the evolution of a band can in many ways prove fascinating. Sometimes clear parallel lines link a group's songs to their musical influences. In other instances, flashes of original brilliance laser through. Both cases apply with Introvoys' album "New Beginnings"-a collective I can best describe as endearingly frustrating. While I very much enjoyed many of the tracks, I all too easily identified the ghosts of inspiration who brought many of these songs into being. I'll address that subject a paragraph or two down from here, but we really have to start from the top.
Immediately noticeable was the much improved sound quality. Characterisically, songs recorded in the Philippines have an unnervingly muffled, unbalanced sound which I conclude is due to sub-par studio equipment. Many of these re-recorded tracks, by contrast, were impressively crisp. Effectively layered instrumentals held hands beautifully with the bell-clear vocals, enabling me to genuinely appreciate a good portion of the work. From a cultural standpoint, however, I did encounter problems with some songs. These issues primarily have to do with the manner in which identity and, in particular, language manifest themselves in the finished album.
Someone once fittingly said, "To be fluent in two languages is to be in posession of two imaginations." It's not surprising, then, that a bilingual band falls prey to a split perspective. The pitfall of having such a lush resource from which to draw ideas is finding a cohesive voice that lends consistency to the songs regardless of the language in which they are sung. While listening to the eighteen tracks, I detected an ease and flow in the Tagalog songs noticeably absent in the English ones. A case in point is "Just A Dream,"a lovely enough composition. The guitar solo is breezy and exuberant and the drumwork is fantastic, but what's off-putting is the singers' faulty British accent which I can only conclude is a washover from the Anglophilic wave which swept the Philippines in the eighties. To be overly referential of other more famous artists' works is tiresome and a common crime in the Filipino music scene and at times, I don't hear Introvoys when I really want to. On the English tracks, I hear a little Green Day, a little Counting Crows, a little Cure - which hardly comprises a proper retrospective for a band of this caliber. If an OPM group produces songs in English, I would very much like to hear a sound as distinct as what's in the Tagalog tracks. I mean, come on! Where's the "O" in OPM?
On the flipside (pun intended!), I found "Maynila" to be their best work. It charmingly extolls the fleshy pleasures of the capital city with a swagger and conviction that is endearing in its chauvinism. On this track, the lead singer sounds assured and celebratory. A loose translation of the refrain states, "In Manila, you will find the lovely ladies!" Perhaps the confidence comes from singing about not just what one likes but what one knows and IS. Manila seeps into the very marrow of its residents. The class tensions, cultural inundations, pollution, corruption, heat, sex, and burgeoning metropolitan skyline fuse into a sort of heady chimera that courts the collective consciousness of those who live in or explore the capital city. In the simplest of ways, the men of Introvoys suceeded in creating a song that is sharply evocative of a place held dear. The beer serenade, the anthem to the good old boys, the unabashed love of a city of startling contrasts all come together cleverly in "Maynila" and I'll be the first to applaud them for it.
Admittedly, I'm neither musician nor musical expert. My assessments are based on how songs speak to me, which may not be consistent with the intentions of whoever I'm listening to. Still, coming from a place of pure opinion, I found the album to be revived, though not necessarily inspired. While I understand and appreciate the pop aspect of Introvoys' new musical efforts, I can't help but wonder if originality was a dream deferred because of too much respect paid to the band's varied musical inspirations. While in America, most people aspire to escape the shadows of their parents, the Philippine culture sees no problem with the tendency to bask in glories handed down from generations past. The tradition of being introduced as "Ang anak ni ..." (translation: "The son/daughter of...") still holds power in the Filipino social structure so perhaps it is of no surprise that our artists all too easily reference their musical parents.
In an effort to rattle the cage, I want to say that I'm a little sick of the deja vu which plagues the contemporary Filipino music scene. We have a lot to write and sing about and it could all go to waste because of the willingness to be seduced by artists we think are better than we are. I demand less karaoke, more soulful creation. And to Introvoys, while I say bravo to your undeniable and all too enviable talent, perhaps it's time to spread your very capable wings and soar towards an identity more deeply explored. The outcome could be amazing.
