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Saturday, September 10, 2005
Pepe Smith releases new album
THE Villian is back! His "idiosyncrasies" place him in a high pedestal where no Pinoy rocker has ever gone before. He's meaner, nastier and he's got a whole lot of new songs for a rocker at heart. Smitten by the forces of original Pinoy rock music through ages, this legend rises like the phoenix once again to teach young rockers a lesson or two about the true meaning of the word "rock." Who's the guy? The reloaded: Pepe Smith.
Joey "Pepe" Smith comes back to recording with his musical arsenals, Jun Lopito as his electric guitarist and his all-time friend (bass guitarist, keyboardist, drum programmer and producer) Dondi Ledesma. Pepe's newest album, Idiosyncrasies, released by Alpha Music thaws the age from his hands as he fills it with old school rock n' roll, a few hits of Rhythm and Blues (RnB) and stunning instrumentals. That's probably the reason why his album is titled Idiosyncrasies (his way of entertaining). One cannot predict the attitude of this legendary rocker as he rocks the hearts of people with his loud music or as he serenades them with his RnB and slow music. But the question remains, can he still cope with the name he left many years ago as a rock idol?
His first song, "Eto Na Ako!" depicts Pepe, playing the acoustic guitar at first, with an artistically portrayed sound as if he was adjusting it, rewinding himself as the Pepe Smith. After a few seconds into the song comes his electric guitar, destroying sense of sound and making a stand again, with authority, that his music is die hard rock and roll! Shouting to the public that Pepe Smith is back! Yeah, Baby!
His next song Silver Whore is sang with an old school rock music ambiance about a whore. Don't know why she's called silver, though. Makes one remember about the Eagles and Queen by the way it is performed. Pepe surely is back from the ashes!
The Blessing is a true masterpiece. It synthesizes his true passion for rock music as he says in the song "So Give Me the Power. To rise from the tide." His ability to sing it strong makes one imagine that Pepe is singing before a live audience with a strong aura surrounding him, like the Metallica. This song is probably the song that explains who Pepe Smith really is. Another question pops the mind: "Is he really that old? How can he still sing those songs so powerfully?"
The Midnight Shuffle is an instrumental number with a few voice jabs, which transports the listener to a casino where Smith is performing. A mix of the keyboards and electric guitar complimenting each other makes the music lively and invigorating. Rarely does an album contain such a rich array of music.
In the instrumental Mescaline Lullabye, may think, "A rocker performs a serene acoustic like this? Well, that's probably Pepe's trademark. Pepe's attitude in singing is unpredictable. He can be loud one moment and mellow the next. Or is this just his interpretation of mescaline, a drug that induces hallucinations? But whatever the reason, the music's ambiance is "highly" enchanting and calming.
Hi-Tek Babe is a song about a particular girl that makes the person's world go around. Walang kokontra maybe compared to today's "tunog kalye" music. It's that usual "barkada" song that talks about drinking, gimmicks, etc. Pepe's song which he called Ihip ng Hangin somehow makes one remember the calmness of the river made possible by Barbie's Cradle's Tabing Ilog only this time, it's the breeze of the wind. It's about making one appreciate nature's beauty intertwined with life and with a little bit of love song for that special someone. This one is a true sleep waker for Pepe Smith fans.
Jueting Shed is another tunog-kalye featuring Pepe's uproarious performance. It talks about waiting for someone for so long. Pepe Smith is a legendary rock icon who has risen from the ashes of the musical world, bonafide singer who is dedicated to singing and will be "rocking till the wheels fall off," as one song says. The question in hand is really not how good he is after all these years. The answer is how he has remained dedicated to his work. With this album, Pepe Smith has proven he is really a master rocker, but an archetype to the young generation, who will surely adhere to his mantra, "Rock till your wheels fall off."
(September 10, 2005 issue)
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