Ultraelectromagneticpop on Vinyl: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

February 9, 2019

I was plugged in to my phone when the news came crashing outside my window: on its 25th anniversary, the remastered version of Ultraelectromagneticpop would be available on Spotify and other digital platforms. And I listened to it on Spotify the same day it came out. What tiny tidbit I missed at the time, is … More Ultraelectromagneticpop on Vinyl: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Head Trip In Every Key (Superdrag, 1998)

February 7, 2019

Some said ‘Rock is dead’ in ’98 and electronica (i.e., Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers) is the next big thing. Well, Grunge died, sort of—after Cobain’s death, Pearl Jam’s No Code flopped, and Soundgarden split up. Unbeknownst to many, Pavement’s Brighten the Corners actually saved Rock n’ Roll in ’97. And paved the way for Superdrag’s … More Head Trip In Every Key (Superdrag, 1998)

Hebigat Sounds Volume One (Razorback, 1995)

February 5, 2019

Hebigat Sounds sounds fine–but Inuman Sessions Vol.1 would have been more apt for this debut from Razorback. From the opening motif of “Tabi Ng Bulkan” to that riff that’s played repeatedly and ends “Diwata,” Razorback delivers bad-ass goods—equal parts booze, rock & roll—but not much else. “Stand by…rolling.” Self-reflexivity: Check. I took one bottle, poured … More Hebigat Sounds Volume One (Razorback, 1995)

13 Reasons Why Deadpool 2 Is The Super Duper $@%!#& Superhero Movie of the Year

December 30, 2018

Not really a big comic book guy, but if you’d ask me who my favorite comic book characters are, top five would be, in no particular order: Spider-Man, Hulk, Punisher, Cable and Deadpool. That’s right, one from MCU’s Avengers team but not Iron Man, Thor or Cap and none from Fox’s X-Men. Wolverine? I like … More 13 Reasons Why Deadpool 2 Is The Super Duper $@%!#& Superhero Movie of the Year

Everything Wrong With ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’

December 26, 2018

How Epic Was Goyo‘s Epic Fail? TBA Productions and Jerrold Tarog reached a “new high” with Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral. It’s generally well recieved by both audience and critics. Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral is longer, bigger, slower, crispier, brighter, lighter than its predecessor—the flag-burning, blood boiling, gushing, fist-pumping, hatemongering, frothing at the mouth Heneral Luna. … More Everything Wrong With ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’

Foreign Languages (tide/edit, 2014)

December 6, 2018

Math makes the intangible tangible, defines the imaginary, helps explain what seems to be, well, unexplainable—like our universe. With Foreign Languages, indie-rock quartet tide/edit does something—not exactly opposite—different. The tunes in Foreign Languages, they aren’t easy to describe or explain—not that one needs to—yet they could easily capture one’s attention and/or imagination. tide/edit’s music has … More Foreign Languages (tide/edit, 2014)

Balikbayan Box: The 20 E-ssential Eraserheads Songs, Vol.2-Part 2

December 5, 2018

First, the images above. They’re from the inlay cards of Fruitcake album. Probably, cassette. Not my own, just found ’em on the inter-webs. Now, I heard there is a Fruitcake movie in the works. And it’s about a now grown-up Frannie Wei trying to go back to Fruitcake Heights. But before she could enter that … More Balikbayan Box: The 20 E-ssential Eraserheads Songs, Vol.2-Part 2

Goyo was the worst, ’til I saw BuyBust

December 4, 2018

Thought ‘Goyo’ was already the worst well-received movie of the year. But after watching Erik Matti’s latest, I guess we now have a winner. BuyBust/Anne Curtis rips Goyo/Paulo Avelino’s pretty face to shreds. Gloriously. Imagine that. Would probably make a good movie. Save for one action sequence fueled by a punk rock song, where Anne … More Goyo was the worst, ’til I saw BuyBust

Balikbayan Box: The 20 E-ssential Eraserheads Songs, Vol.2-Part 1

November 30, 2018

I spoke too soon. I took this raw recording clip from YouTube as proof of an on-going recording session and joined the #ultrasecret bandwagon. Last week, Ely Buendia surprised us with (initially) semi-cryptic posts on Instagram, then an announcement: they’re releasing a remastered version of Ultraelectromagneticpop for its 25th Anniversary. Digitally. ITunes, Spotify, and whatnot. … More Balikbayan Box: The 20 E-ssential Eraserheads Songs, Vol.2-Part 1

Khangkhungkherrnitz

November 22, 2018

Before comedy bars became the favorite hangout of your wannabe-cool titas, who were never really into bands, frats or gangs (and therefore, were never really cool in the first place), the bar/band shenanigans were exclusively aimed for drunk and stoned college kids who were into bands, strippers, and booze. They’re the ones who’ll later turn … More Khangkhungkherrnitz

Bukowski.

November 20, 2018

Go to Saudi Arabia. Ride a camel’s toe. Don’t bring a bible. Dye your hair yellow. Grow a beard and don’t pick the soap. Circle the globe with black felt tip marker. Subscribe to Skinemax HD. Bore a hole on your left molar. Don’t marry. Shave with a straight razor or Gillette. And carve your name on a tree.  Brush your teeth with kerosene; … More Bukowski.