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Outside Café Rallos in Quezon City where the pop-rock dynamo the
Itchyworms had just finished rocking to celebrate the launch of
their new album, a friend commented how she thought the foursome
were essentially the same guys they were before they hit it big.
They still kidded each other around onstage and off. They recognized
the contributions of the many people instrumental to their success.
They were still pretty much the grounded, relatable,
can’t-help-but-love-‘em group whose music never fails to bring
not just smiles, but back-slapping, breath-catching, raucous fun.
In comparison,
she went on, she couldn’t help but notice how another band (now
defunct) whose music she has a fondness for transformed into
bigheaded lumps as soon as they got a taste of that sweet elixir
called success. Some guys just don’t know how to handle fame like
other guys do. To be more specific, not a whole lot of musicians out
there are quite as dexterous in dealing with their achievements as
the Itchyworms.
The Itchyworms’
distinct brand of Pinoy power pop rock infected mainstream music
with the release of their 2006 opus Noontime Show. It spawning huge
hits such as the charming and head-bobbing “Akin Ka Na Lang” and
“Beer,” the ultimate drinking session anthem. The album helped
propel the college project of Kelvin Yu, Jugs Jugueta, Chino Singson
and Jazz Nicolas into the big league.
The new album
promises more of the same kind of good fun from the band. Now signed
under Sony-BMG, the band released their third album, cleverly named
Self-Titled last week. Listening to it, I kind of got the sense that
the band were aiming for exactly the same formula that made the
previous effort click with mass audiences: easy, catchy lyrics
people will probably be singing within a month or two. (I imagine
advertising agencies will be scrambling to get first dibs on first
single “Penge Naman Ako Niyan,” which sounds tailor-made for a
campaign on something like cookies or snack chips). But the band’s
also going for a bigger, fuller sound this time around. “Freak
Out, Baby” has some obvious 1970s dance influences while
“Suplado Ka Pala Sa Personal” boasts an edgier loader sound.
The video for
“Penge Naman Ako Niyan” is one gut-busting laugh trip from
beginning to end. Things may continually evolve in this fickle world
of music especially in these parts. But it’s good to know that
some things just don’t change.
E-mail the author at pjcana@gmail.com.
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