October 8, 2010

STIR.ph | Imago’s Effect Desired None!

by: Justin John Mata | STIR Contributor
6 Oct 2010 | 10:23 AM



Twelve fruitful years in the music scene the band Imago, which composed of bassist Myrene Academia, lead guitarist Tim Cacho, drummer Zach Lucero and lead vocalist Aia de Leon, still in one piece in producing extraordinary songs that made us dumbfounded.

“We’ve had a fantastic journey where everything we did and achieved was a milestone, from our first rehearsals to our first gig, the friendships that we made along the way,’ described lead vocalist Aia de Leon.

Imago’s spanking new CD Effect Desired None, is the bands fourth album under Universal Records featuring the lead single “Huling Yakap Ng Mundo” which promises to follow in the footsteps of the band’s most popular ballads “Akap” and “Sundo.” “Effect Desired None” was produced by Buddy Zabala and Romel Sanchez and features album artwork by Cynthia Bauzon-Arre (whose credits include majority of the Eraserheads discography, among many others).

It has been a rollercoaster 12 years for Imago, who first came to prominence with their critically-acclaimed debut album “Probably not but most definitely”, which summed up the band’s early roots-influenced acoustic-laden album. The band then staked out and went indie for their follow-up album Take 2! Which had a more electric guitar driven; pop-rock/ alternative take on things. The album was also the first to feature Imago’s present line-up. The album was bolstered with the release of the hit single “Akap,’ which cemented Imago’s status as one of the most in-demand acts in the live circuit. Imago’s popularity skyrocketed with their album “Blush,” which featured a more youth-oriented, bubbly musical approach and the hits “Taralets” and “Sundo.” This was the first album with Universal records and also the first to hit Gold.

The most remarkable thing about this album is that it is a potpourri of the elements that made each of the band’s albums distinctive: a true barometer of where Imago is at after 12 memorable and hard-worked years. The clever lyrist and the powerful singing voice of Aia come through the solid musicianship of the rest of the band.

Opening track “Bawal” begins with a fast steady beat and made memorable by crystalline guitars and a driving chorus (“Masaya sa una/Madali kang sakyan/at ginto ang oras/ngunit nasan ka?’). The aforementioned single “Huling Yakap Ng Mundo” takes on a more contemplative and reflective tone to its hit predecessors which is a wise move considering the more heartbreaking and martyr-ish theme (“Kasama ba ako? /sa puwang sa buhay mo/itawid kita/sa dulo ng pangakong babasagin mo?). “Huling Yakap Ng Mundo” is followed by another martyr –themed song, the insanely catch and breezy “Sutil” (“Lasapin ang ligayang baon ko/kahit sutil ang pag-ibig mo”). “Sa Ngalan Mo’ begins with sparse guitar arrangement and is a conversational ballad of spirituality (“Pano mo iibigin/ang isang katulad kong marupok?). “Yahoo” follows in the upbeat tradition of classic Imago songs such as “Anino’ and “Taralets”, but it has that sense of urgency that begs to be taken more seriously (“madaling hawakan/ ang kamay ng tukso/kung di ka mag-ingat/ikaw ay malalagot”).

The sweet, spoken word bilingual title tracks “Effect Desired None” is hands down one of the catchiest songs in the album (“the fun stuff is in the trivial unpoetic/unsung moments of your life”). The breezy “premonition’ is about moving on with life (“what in a bruise that you can learn from/what’s in a scar and the story it tells of?)”. “Can I” is a cute song that somehow manages to show spirituality and puppy love at the same time (“Only if it’s your will lord/Keep him safe and steady/but please, please make him really love me”). The album ends on a high note with the album’s final two songs, namely “Sagad’ (“heto’t umaamin ako/sa di ko nakita/nahihibang at nahilo/sa pulsing madulas”) and “Spare Change Glitter” (“You keep on running but you never ever go away”), two songs that have great potential to be cult hits for Imago’s biggest fans.

As Aia would sing in the closing lines of the last song: “Things don’t come easy I know/Adjust your vision and your flow/don’t you get it/I still am running the show”, a fitting valedictory address for valedictory album such as “Effect Desired None.”

Source: http://www.stir.ph/LM/articles~level2/id-1286331558167_4/ai-null/article.html

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