I'm listening to Ultraelectromagmeticjam. Kinikilig ako!
I was about 13 or 14 when I first heard Eraserheads. I admit, it competed in my head with Backstreet Boys and *cough* The Moffatts. But the Eheads proved to be more enduring than any manufactured foreign band or a group of gangly kids with instruments. No one compared to the Eraserheads, in their ubiquity or in their musical genius. No one in his right mind would dare to think he could surpass their level.
Which is why Ultraelectromagneticjam is a highly ambitious undertaking. How would you do justice to an Eheads song? Would you retain the original flavor or make it your own? Would you want to do better than they did? But it's an exciting task as well, and I presume the artists who performed their songs in the album did it in a heartbeat, with honor and perhaps nervousness (which, unfortunately, were evident in some songs).
It was off to a good start with 6 cycle mind's cover of Alapaap. Tama ang timpla. But Paolo's version of Magasin is a TOTAL flop. It sounds so...calculated, unlike the Eheads' spontaneous, light treatment of the song. Paolo sounds so boring. No humor, no irony. What was he thinking? Did he even listen to the Eheads? What were they thinking getting him, anyway? I used to like Paolo, until I had enough of people ripping off other artists' songs. But even for a guy who does that for a living--like Paolo does--well, maybe it's time to change careers.
Len was right, Imago's Spoliarium is splendid. Raw and honest. They knew what they were singing about.
Barbie was alright in Overdrive, but it was obvious that she knew she was doing a cover of Eheads and wanted it to be perfect. And I don't really like South Border's take on With a Smile. Too South Border-ish. Or maybe it's because I love the song and just want it to stay the way it was.
Sugarfree rocks! Sobra. The band to reckon with. So mature and so childish. Galing nila sa Tikman.
Kitchie was too sexy and pa-cute for Ligaya. Not good, because it just doesn't fit the song. Sana ibalik niya yung dati niyang normal na boses. I like Isha's Torpedo, though. Where did this girl come from, anyway?
Orange and Lemons sounds like Orange and Lemons on Huwag Kang Matakot. Hmm, bagay din naman. But I was most surprised at Francis M's treatment of Superproxy. I actually like it, and I hate Francis M, so that says a lot. Pare Ko is more angry than frustrated when Sponge Cola sings it. But that's Sponge Cola, right? Ganda rin ng MYMP version ng Huwag Mo Nang Itanong. I don't like Cueshe's Hard to Believe, sorry. I'm starting to think those fundamentalists' opinions about them have some basis.
Astig yung Alcohol ng Radioactive Sago Project. Their confidence and style is amazingly sexy. Damn.
We've already heard Brownman Revival's version of Maling Akala, so we'll leave it at that. And the reviews were right, Huling El Bimbo was made for Rico J. Puno.
The tribute ends with all of them coming together to sing Para sa Masa. It was brilliant. So heartfelt and genuine; you know all the people singing the song are there because Eheads were a part of their lives. And that is what makes the album so great. It's full of nostalgia, respect and love. It was dedicated to those four guys who made our world more livable when we wanted to hate it, who understood our frustrations and poked fun at daily miseries. And when we sing with them we agree that, hey, everything's gonna be okay.
I love the album, kahit may sablay. It was a risk coming out with a tribute like this in the first place, so hats off to all who participated. The album brings back memories of when we were looking for ourselves and finding something to latch our unspoken desires and hopes onto. A decade after I hesitantly opened my eyes to the Eheads (and consequently Parokya and all good things Pinoy) and became conscious of the possibility and beauty of expression (my then timid soul was previously unaware of this), here I am again, enlivened and hopeful. Indeed, we have come full circle. After all the changes, journeys, and maturity of mind and spirit, we manage to find ourselves at the beginning, right where it all began. We see things differently now, and yet there's a familiar sensation, close to home. Fuzzy feeling (Where's the sunset? Moment ito, shet).
No one will sound exactly like the Eheads. No one would really want to anyway, for fear and respect. But any decent musical artist today will always, always acknowledge Eheads in their own albums. Ultraelectromagneticjam is, by far, the biggest acknowledgement we could give to the greatest contemporary Pinoy band that ever was.
Para sa Masa
Eraserheads
ito ay para sa mga masa
sa lahat ng nawalan ng pag-asa
sa lahat ng aming nakasama
sa lahat ng hirap at pagdurusa
naaalala niyo pa ba
binigyan namin kayo ng ligaya
ilang taon na rin ang lumipas
mga kulay ng mundo ay kumupas
marami na rin ang mga pagbabago
di maiiwasan pagkat tayo ay tao lamang
mapapatawad mo ba ako
kung hindi ko sinunod ang gusto mo
la la la la la la la la. . . . . .
pinilit kong iahon ka
ngunit ayaw mo namang sumama
ito ay para sa mga masa
sa lahat ng binaon ng sistema
sa lahat ng aming nakabarkada
sa lahat ng mahilig sa labsong at drama
sa lahat ng di marunong bumasa
sa lahat ng may problema sa skwela
sa lahat ng fans ni sharon cuneta
sa lahat ng may problema sa pera
sa lahat ng masa
huwag mong hayaang ganito
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