Chasing the Sun by noted Japanese free jazz drummer Sabu Toyozumi who recorded this in December of 2018 at the Tago Jazz Cafe in Cubao (live) with American expat Rick Countryman on sax and our very own Simon Tan on bass.
Simon played with Lampano Alley and Peryodiko.
Happy to have this free jazz album (pressed in the United States).
By Rick Olivares
You can’t keep a good band or good music down.
Peryodiko’s self-titled independently-released album from 2009 (via Thirdline) has received the vinyl treatment and will be available to the public once more in about mid-April 2021.
When the band came out in 2008-09, they were a super group of sorts – vocalist and guitarist Vin Dancel from Twisted Halo, guitarist Kakoy Legaspi from Rivermaya and Barbie’s Cradle, bassist Simon Tan who played with Lampano Alley and Wdouji, and drummer Abe Billano who performed with Dong Abay and NuncySpungen.
Their self-titled debut featured 11 solid tracks of heartfelt songs.
And that album resonated deep within Robert Tuazon’s soul.
Tuazon, as a music aficionado and the man behind Backspacer Records, one of the top independent record sellers in Manila.
“I played the compact disc of that album endlessly,” recalled Tuazon. “In the car, at home. One time when we me Tasha (Robert’s wife_ caught them at Saguijo, I was able to get the set list and have it signed.”
As Backspacer grew, Tuazon wondered, “Anong OPM album ang dapat bigyan ng vinyl release?”
“The answer was quite obvious,” threw in Tasha. “Sometimes, I think he wanted to produce his own vinyl so he can play Peryodiko even more.”
“It’s just good music,” thought Legaspi when looking back at his one and only album with Peryodiko. “Vin’s Peryodiko songs had a few more years to mature after Twisted Halo was no more. By the time, he presented them to us, I am sure it was much refined already. And when we performed them, we sort of perfected them and worked out the kinks. So once we got to the studio, we were firing on all cylinders. It features four musicians having a good time in the studio. Ginawa namin ito as a group.”
Added Tan, “This is a personal sound na gusto namin ilabas nung time na yun. We did the songs in two or three takes although Kakoy and Vin stayed behind to do some overdubs. But Abe and me were usually done.”
Songs such as “Agawan Base,” “Tayo,” “Milenyo,” “Pikit,” and “Kumapit Ka Tuwing Lunes” became favorites.
Peryodiko went on to record another album, Cara Y Cruz, in 2016, albeit with Dancel the remainder of the crew that cut their debut.
While their songs from their second album are also just as popular if not more, the first album remains a favorite. Copies of the album are a little difficult to come by, hence, the vinyl release.
As such, it is the perfect time to re-release Peryodiko to a new generation of fans as well as those who grew up listening to it and record enthusiasts. The cool album packaging that resembled a newspaper has been faithfully restored and re-imagined.
Noted Legaspi, “I like that there is an element of preservation with this vinyl treatment. After all, it is a good album.”
“Karamihan ng nag pre-order hindi nila kilala yung band,” added Tuazon, “But nung pinakinggan nila sa YouTube, nagustuhan nila.”
Good music is good music and if you’re a fan of Peryodiko, then the record release of their self-titled debut belongs in one’s collection as well as turntable.
NOTE: For information on purchasing Peryodiko’s self-titled LP, go to Backspacer Records’ Facebook page.
Your Guide to Hunting for Records in Metro Manila
By Rick Olivares
With the resurgence of records, we’ve seen sellers and shops pop up throughout the archipelago. Outside the Metro Manila area, you will find shops in Cavite, Pampanga, Baguio, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Zamboanga City, and even in Pagbilao among many others.
Anyways, here is an updated March 2021 guide to crate digging in the Metro Manila area (with a few notable mentions outside Luzon) and we tried to mention the best and widest in terms of catalogue. You will also note that some shops appear more than once and that is because there are qualifiers for various categories.
And for newbies, it always helps to cross reference prices because they vary. Many shops carry the same titles, but others have cheaper or more expensive prices. Some have promos like the occasional free delivery or sale.
When we mention each store, you should look for them on Facebook or Instagram.
Happy crate digging.
If you’re looking for a wide-array of titles (brand new and sealed)
When we say this, it’s various genres that are brand new and sealed.
Grey Market – The biggest shop of them all with three branches (White Plains, Greenhills, and Salcedo Village). There’s a lot of vinyl gold here. Not everything gets posted on their social media and you’d be surprised at what you would find. The best is to head on over to their White Plains branch when their new crates arrive. Now, if they only arranged their records according to genre…
Backspacer Records – My how they have grown. And they have a physical shop in Kapitolyo in Pasig and have been producing their own records. Perhaps among all the top sellers, they are the most diverse and adventurous. You’ll find stuff here that many others do not carry.
Plaka Express – They have a physical store in the Project 6 area and you really have to frequently check out their site because they do get records that others do not get. And they do have promos as well.
Also check out: Spindle Hole Records, Riverside Records, M.E. Records, Noisy Neighbor, Blue Spin, Markarvin Records, and Jamfactory.
If you’re looking for a good selection of hard rock and metal albums
You have to check them out every so often because the stuff each store gets has differences.
Black Circles by Alice
Plaka Express
If you are looking for punk and hardcore records.
These three have reasonably-priced records whether new or used. Your best buy. Others outside this list sometimes have crazy prices.
Mutilated Noise - Every now and then they will post used but original presses of some hard-to-find and gold titles from legendary acts from the 80s and 90s. They also have a lot of obscure bands from all over the world. Their physical shop in Makati is a punk and hardcore fan’s treat. It will remind you of Bleecker Bob’s in New York.
Still Ill – These guys hold a torch for the fans of this music. Reasonably priced. Superb selections.
Roundabout Records – Well-curated in terms of the legends as well as up-and-comers. Lots of gems every now and then. Based in Cebu, but worth the wait.
If you are looking for reggae and ska records
Black Circles by Alice – Bob Marley might be reggae’s icon and global ambassador but the listing of titles is a dream.
If you are looking for 7-inch records
Treskul Records – Nice mix of OPM, Japanese pop, and US and UK singles.
VinylZone Wreckordshoppe – Located in along Marcos Highway in Cainta, the prices are cheap with the records in good condition. A sleeper of a shop and that means you have to constantly check them out because there are a lot of surprise goodies.
Jamfactory – Great selection by its friendly proprietor Jamie Lim.
If you are looking for bootleg records
Southern Groove Records – Love the selection of live bootlegs.
If you are looking for a nice selection of used 12-inch singles
MG Records – Best selection. They usually post new records for sale every 8pm.
Vinyl Wreckordshoppe – They oft place new records on their racks on a daily basis.
Bebop Records – Happy hunting here.
Also check out Plaka Planet, Treskul, Traxx Manila, and Music Depot.
If you are looking for indie.
This Is Pop – Eclectic is an understatement. And throw in the world “trailblazing” too. One of the coolest shops ever. Located along Legazpi Street in Makati, chances are you’ll come in not knowing what you want. Then you’ll be in trouble because there is a lot to like from 80s New Wave to 90s indie to dance music to Japanese City Pop to bands from Asia to even French and Italian bossa nova and soul. Always a fun visit here.
Analog Daily – A gem of a find. They specialize in getting indie stuff that also don’t show up on the catalogues of others.
On the Corner – They specialize in shoegaze, dream pop, and indie rock and pop fare.
Also check out College Dropout Records; an up and coming one.
If you are looking for second hand records
Northwest Estate and Collectibles – Hands down, the best in terms of second hand US records. Super wide collection with over 20,000 records on their shelves. Whew. Can’t go here without opening your wallet.
Music Depot – Located in Greenhills just a stone’s throw away from Greenhills Theater, it is a collective of various sellers and it’s a fun dig for brand new, second-hand, and OPM. With record fairs shut down because of the pandemic, this is the next best thing!
Traxx Manila – Located in the heart of Marikina, you’ll find good titles here and the occasional best buy.
Plaka Planet – Always a nice place to check out.
Vinylhead – One of the best. Good prices too.
New Vintage Culture – They have a shop along Maginhawa Street. Reasonably priced stuff.
AVCD – A good balance of new and sealed as well as used records. Always a pleasant transaction.
Also check out: Bear’s Den which you will also find in the Legazpi Street market and record fairs, Spins, Lahn’s Records.
If you are looking for Record Store Day releases…
Backspacer
Plaka Express
This is Pop
If you are looking for used and hard-to-find OPM
Without mentioning the reissues (because most people sell them), let’s define this as the old stuff from the 1960s-1980s. With of course, the newer indie releases of recent years.
Treskul
Plaka Planet
Spins Records
If Japanese vinyl is your preference…
Grey Market – Widest selection of Japanese pressed records.
N-Rich Vinyl – You have to love their bargains and selection.
Wilson Lim – He usually sells his stuff at Kagatan and other record fairs. But you’ll find him online as well. Well-curated too.
Also check out: VinylZone Wreckordshoppe and Lahn’s Records
Best curated used and occasionally new or sealed records
Treskul Records – DJ Arbie Won knows his stuff. ‘Nuff said. And you have eats and coffee and drinks while digging and grooving to the live spins. How cool is that?
Bebop Records – The granddaddy of them all. Still at Makati Cinema Square. Bob de Leon is not only a legend in crate digging and re-selling, but his shop is superbly curated with hundreds and hundreds of gems.
By Rick Olivares
In need of positive vibes that take you back to those Café del Mar and Ibiza chill out compilations days?
Then you must check out Natural Habitat by Filipino-American electronic dance music artist Mark Redito.
It is a spiritual cousin to Stevie Wonder’s Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants; an album released in 1979 that baffled critics and fans alike for its explorations of ecology and the African-American experience.
Forty-plus years later, with a diversity of music genres more accepted, Redito’s Natural Habitat should have no fitting into a variety of moods with its nine delectable dance tracks. They’ll fit into a literal house music atmosphere since everyone is mostly home in this pandemic. It’s works well with sun worshippers at the beach or those into sensuous night music. Perhaps fittingly given its botanical origins, contemplative for plants and gardening at night with apologies to R.E.M. Or maybe Tai Chi for plants.
Redito laughed at the latter assertion by this author. “Music is however you interpret it,” he succinctly put. “I believe in the healing power of music and harmony with nature.
For good measure, he included Italian musician and producer Simone Vitale who for almost two decades now, has been into the spiritual aspect of life and using voice and music as a tool for healing. Redito and Vitale combine on Side B’s “Anthurium” that evokes a sense of wonder and constant “woos” that sound like one is encouraging plants to grow.
The buoyant “Anne” open Side A and sets the tone for the wonderful listen. You’ll find the music nudging you into tapping your feet and nodding your head along to the beat. And mayhap, to dance along as well.
Redito slows it down a notch with “So In Luv With U” where indie artist Reese Lansangan lends her gossamer vocals in a slow, sensuous, and flirtatious dance.
“Watering Routine” has this jazzy dance vibe that Paul Hardcastle’s Jazzmasters popularized in the 90s and to borrow the title of Spyro Gyra’s classic “Morning Dance” in nourishing plants. Who would have thought that watering routines could be so much fun?
“Tropical Meditation,” the final song of the album is a lovely send off. Furthermore, it gets you standing up and flipping the record to play it all over again (Natural Habitat has a total run time of 30 minutes).
Redito admitted that making the album from the confines of his Los Angeles home was cathartic and fun.
“I’ve always been interested in plants, our environment, and the world around us. Making ‘Natural Habitat’ in this difficult time is a different perspective on life that while there are negative things brought about by the pandemic, you can also see the positive developments including having a positive mindset.”
Whether you like good music or you collect anything put out by Filipino recording artists from anywhere in this world, Mark Redito’s “Natural Habitat” is one you must have. Just be sure to share it with your plants.
The self-released album is available locally at The Grey Market.
Fil-Am recording artist Yeek looks to make splash in the Philippines with new album, Valencia.
By Rick Olivares
When you listen to Filipino-American recording artist Yeek’s new album, Valencia, or even his previous efforts, Sebastian and IDK Where, one’s first impression might be chill rhythm and blues with a dash of hiphop. Except Yeek will surprise you with a song – still in the same time signature – but with riffs and drums that harken back to his punk and hardcore days or alternative music. Or even 70s pop.
Yeek’s music has been best described as genre-less and he doesn’t mind the tag. “For me it’s all about roots,” says the Los Angeles-based musician.
And roots are important.
With his 2021 effort that he will release on vinyl in a few months’ time, it is also a means to connect with an audiophile audience as well as those from his motherland. “My last trip to Manila was in 2019 and it was to visit relatives and not to perform. Hopefully, when this pandemic is over, I can go there to the Philippines to perform.”
Reaching out to his motherland and doing this interview for abs-cbnnews.com is a way of reconnecting with the network as the late Henry Halasan, one of the main anchors of “The World Tonight” when it premiered in 1962 on the channel and who also served as a former news director for ABS-CBN is his grandfather.
“I was always learning something from him,” said Yeek of Halasan who passed away in 2013. “His having an opportunity to interview people like Muhammad Ali always intrigued me.”
With regards to his influences and punk and hardcore band days, Yeek says he either consciously pulls bits and pieces from his inspirations and draws from his emotions and feelings. “I was exposed to a lot of music so there are moments when I chose to express my emotions through them.”
The result is a music style that is steadily gaining popularity for its being genre-less.
“I love the mystery and anonymity of being genre-less,” enthused Yeek. “I don’t mind people labeling my music and label it on their own way. As much as I am a creator. I don’t mind because it is what they hear. As a listener, I am the same – music reminds me of this and that. Because I have an interpretation of music, it allows me to understand the music I am listening to more and build a relationship. I don’t want to take that away from the listener. Genre-less is a genre I like.”
And “Valencia” and its 10 songs of relationship woes and roots and family is something that Yeek believes will resonate with many people; Filipinos included.
The album features production from his cousin, Kevin Halasan, and mixing from Jeff Ellis, who previously worked with R&B artist Frank Ocean, Prince protégé Snoh Aalegra, and rising Mexican-American singer-songwriter Omar Apollo. Yeek’s vocals are stronger and more confident as opposed to his previous efforts; borne after a year of touring in the United States and Europe (pre-covid), and simply a product of honing his craft.
The first single is the title track that comes with a surreal neon-lit visual. Other tracks to give a listen include “Lumbago” that is an ode to Yeek’s younger and sickly days, “Overthinking” which is about the pressures of growing up, and “3,000 Miles (Baby Baby)” that sings of love across the miles.
“It’s my best work to date,” sums up Yeek.
“My music reaching the Philippines is very exciting to me. That is where my family and roots are from. I want to represent a new demographic of Filipinos and Americans who can show the world what they can do.”
