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By Rome Jorge
Violins gives rock music a different vibe, be it
folksy fiddling, baroque grandiosity or gothic atmospherics.
Zelle’s Anthony Ramirez along with Silent Sanctuary’s Chino
David and the new Sugar Hiccup’s Jeanette Reyna are some of the
few violinists in the local rock scene who are making their
classical instruments rock. Listening to Zelle’s maiden album
Searching for Warmth, one can tell they have done it spot on.
The first thing that strikes the listener is the
excellent recording and mastering. It’s brilliant, intense and
definitely not tunog banyo [muffled], unlike many bane local
recordings. Kudos to the production crew.
The truly melodic ensemble efforts of Ramirez
‘s violin, Archie Salvador’s electric guitar and vocalist
Jaezell Grutas’ acoustic guitar will grab you and carry you away.
Much more than mere filigree, the violin play propels much of the
melody throughout the songs. One wishes though that the rhythm
section—Enan Cruz on the bass and Jasper Grutas on drums—would
be allowed to rise to the fore and rip it.
Having listened to the carrier single
“Sabihin” that’s on regular airplay, one will be pleasantly
surprised that the album as a whole is more melodic, folksy and less
angst-ridden than what “Sabihin,” or Jaezell’s punky body
piercings, will lead you to believe. Her voice is sweet and
brilliant. “Akala Mo Lang” and “Hindi na Sana” and all the
other songs from the album are easy to love.
Zelle has achieved its own signature sound—an
ensemble effort that is homogenously and masterfully blended. These
guys are disciplined. However, the drawback is that the album lacks
variety and edginess; many of the songs sound a bit alike. They
would benefit from going out on a limb and walking on the wild side
more often.
The album Search for Warmth from Zelle is worth
having. It hits the spot and gets under your skin.
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