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By Rome Jorge
DISCO punk revival is all the
rage, but most dudes just don’t get it. They rip-off the riffs,
ape the fashion and steal the sound. It’s like a theme park jingle
for them; welcome to New Wave Land with faux 1980’s sound replete
with retro sound synthesizers, drone guitars, eyeliner and other
cosmetic effects. Few capture the fierce vitality of a culture
rebelling against the self-indulgent heavy metal culture and the
failed hippie idealism of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s with
do-it-yourself aesthetics and sonic violence. Instead of world peace
and pot on a field of flowers, they wanted anarchy and coke on the
dance floor. That was their reality. Fewer still capture with
maturity and insight the pain of fleeting relationships in a
nihilistic and hedonist world of bright nights and dark deeds. That
was their life.
Narda, with their album
Discotillion, distills the essence of those heady days and serves it
to us straight in a shot glass. They got it right. And they got it
tight. What they got isn’t a put-on. They’ve jettisoned the
sweet pop sound of past efforts. This is punk 2.0 for 2007.
Their lyrics delve into the vivid
details of relationships on the edge. The sophisticated ear—those
schooled both by post punk music history and a life lived in the
Bohemian fray—will know this is potent stuff.
Gusto kitang sampalin dahil lagi
kang nambibitin. . .
Gusto kitang halikan kahit
ako’y iyong tinatanggihan. . .
Kay labo mo
“Kay Lab” by Narda
Bago tayo magtaksilan
Bago tayo magsakitan
Isang daang taon
“100 Taon” by Narda
And their edgy sound is just as
evocative as their words. Shrill distortions and killer vocals paint
a haunting aural landscape. With Katwo Librando on vocals, Ryan
Villena on drums, synthesizers and keyboards and Tani Santos on
guitar, the present is an edgy sound where the only discernable bass
is a baritone chorus. The medium is the message.
With Discotillion, the band
admirable sought to make a true thematic album with a complete aural
experience instead of a bunch of radio-friendly hits with tried and
tested hooks. Kudos.
Discotillion marks new level of
maturity for the band. It popped its cherries and sings about the
hangover and the heartache the morning after. Finally, punk music
for
grown-ups in 21st century
is here.
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