My usual stack of music CDs are currently stacked in the car so for the entire week, I've been playing my "other" CDs, music I play about once or twice a year. Just this morning, for starters, I played "Rayyn" and now what's playing on the deck is Marty McFly. Other CDs in this second-choice collection include the E-heads' "Carbon Stereoxide" album, 7 Foot Jr's "Prick Me", Cover Me Quick's "Road Juan", Squid 9's "Ink Jet", Hemp Republic's "Welcome to Hemp Republic", Moonstar 88's "Popcorn", Urbandub's "Influence", among others.
Some of these CDs were bought eons ago, during the craze of bands but since then, my CD-buying has tapered off with me just buying one or two CDs a year. Like this year, so far, my only music purchase is the "Kontrapelo" album by Sandwich. I've lost my digital copy of their previous album so I'll likely be buying that CD as well this year. Last year, if I remember correctly the only album I bought was Ang Bandang Shirley's debut CD.
I have to admit I've lost touch of the local rock scene for several years now. In previous Desks, I used to be always tuned on NU 107 and back in college, I was a bit more hardcore, knowing when and where bands were playing. I remember I always had a portable radio on hand wherever I went (along with extra double-A batteries) and when I was still working for the pawnshop, I rigged a walkman to my PC's speakers and the whole marketing department (all four people) had no choice but to listen to NU 107 the whole day.
That was then.
Nowadays, I hardly listen to the radio anymore. With the transformation of NU 107 into the type of radio station I don't particularly prefer, I am left with just RJ 100.3. Even their sister UR station is closing (or has closed already) so there's not much option other than buying CDs.
However, my taste in OPM is quite discriminating. After feeling cheated out of several CDs (where I discovered I only liked 1 or 2 songs out of the 10 or so tracks) early on, I've since decided not to buy a CD of an artist unless I like at least three tracks. With lesser and lesser channels for you to hear a new artist's music, I'll even be more wary than ever.
Of course, there'll always be exceptions. Even if I just heard one track from a new Sandwich or Cambio album, I'm sure bound to buy it. If ABS's sophomore album proves to be quite as entertaining as their first, they could be added to that list. Other artists I would still consider buying their album's without actually even hearing any of the tracks would be Joey Ayala (been a fan since the cassette days), and most likely Gary Granada. Also, anything from Dong Abay will surely be something worth buying.
I've been hearing good tunes from many of today's players including Peryodiko (are they still together?), Menaya, and Tanya Markova but have been putting off buying their albums because I might just end up liking just one song.
Any recommendations?
