Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia has been saying things lately—like setting the record straight that Spoliarium was not based on the controversy surrounding a starlet in the ‘80s and that his beloved band has gotten back for good, so there’s no point in doing reunions.
The latest of which? He says that Carbon Stereoxide is his favorite among the albums they made during their phenomenal run.
It’s not the album you’d think of if you’re a regular fan because there’s Cutterpillow and more. But there’s logic in his pick, considering it was their last, and musicians always think they’re better than their previous work.
At least for me, “Maskara” truly rocks, and “Playground” sounds like they recorded it specifically for Gen Zs.
That revelation from Ely made me think about the apparent lost allure of making albums—the fact that artists these days would come out with digital singles, which actually makes sense because it’s cheaper and keeps them from putting out gems as mere album fillers.
Despite that, it’s still a statement to produce an album, for it is a representation of a point in an artist’s run, a showcase of consistency and diligence, and a way for listeners to dig deeper into the soul of someone making music. It’s like coming out with a book—way more in-depth than a published feature. It’s like offering a full-length movie, beyond the limits of a short.
May the Filipino artists of today, and even those who have been around for long, make more effort in recording albums. You will be remembered for your singles. But you will be defined by your albums.
Since I am a Batang ‘90s music journalist, here are some of the best Pinoy rock albums from the 90s—a dozen of them. Only one from every artist in the list because I could put three albums from both Eraserheads and Rivermaya, and that would not look good for the others.
Sticker Happy (Eraserheads) – This is the album where “Spoliarium” can be found. My brother Rockefeller, who’s a hardcore fan (yes, he has all those tapes!), noted that this album sealed the group’s reputation as it came after “Fruitcake,” where the band experimented and essentially moved on from their wave of hit albums, namely Ultraelectromagneticpop!, Circus, and Cutterpillow. He said Ely and his pals had one more outburst of hits, with this one also containing “Kaliwete,” “Hard to Believe,” and “Para Sa Masa.”
Atomic Bomb (Rivermaya) – The better one that the quartet of Bamboo, Rico, Nathan, and Mark could offer—and I say better because this classic lineup only produced this and Trip. They had Perf de Castro on the first one, and Bamboo was no longer in the band when they put out It’s Not Easy Being Green. Anyway, this album explodes with non-singles like “Ballroom Dancing,” “Fever,” and “Wild Angel Candy,” which sound like single material for less gritty acts.
Gulong Itlog Gulong (Parokya Ni Edgar) – Arguably, a Pinoy band peaks on their third album, so this release was highly anticipated, and it did not disappoint, with numbers such as “Halaga,” “Inuman Na,” and “Wag Mo Na Sana.” Even Vinci Montaner, backup singer to Chito Miranda, shined in singing “Picha Pie” (a parody of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”).
Beyond Doubt (True Faith) – The follow-up to True Faith’s debut Perfect had four of its nine tracks becoming radio favorites—three of them standing the test of time: “Huwag Na Lang Kaya,” “Sa Puso Ko,” and “Muntik Nang Maabot Ang Langit.”
Breaking New Grounds (Introvoys) – Imagine when two songs from your album (“Di Na ‘Ko Aasa Pa” and “Will I Survive”) landed at one and two in the year-end countdown of the most popular FM station at the time. That’s how you really break some ground.
Album Na Walang Pamagat (The Youth) – You’d be perceived as insensitive to sing “Multo Sa Paningin (Multong Bakla)” in front of a woke crowd. But back in the 90s, that was the carrier single off a loaded album that also boasted “Mukha Ng Pera,” “Takbo,” and “Basura.”
Yano (Yano) – Ely Buendia is said to have felt insecure about this album. Going through the tracks, you can’t overrate the work, and by the time you hear “Senti,” you’d understand such a sentiment from a prolific hitmaker.
Panaginip (Alamid) – This is the album that opened with “Sama-Sama,” as the group also offered their heartfelt rendition of “Hesus.”
Wolfgang (Wolfgang) – I read that the band’s demos of “Left Alone” and “Darkness Fell” led to the recording of this album. In that context, some other tracks from this package were actually the ones that became touchstones of their legacy: “Arise,” “Halik Ni Hudas,” and “Natutulog Kong Mundo.”
Tayo Na Sa Paraiso (Siakol) – At some point in this album, you’d hear “Lakas Tama,” “Peksman,” and “Bakit Ba” in succession. That’s head-banging to contemplating in a three-song stretch.
Tag-Ulan, Tag-Araw (AfterImage) – More than half of this album’s content became part of our youth’s soundtrack: “Tag-Ulan,” “Mangarap Ka,” “Forevermore,” “Without You,” and, of course, “Habang May Buhay.”
FreeMan (Francis Magalona) – The King of Rap earned the respect of the rock community from here on with this release, with songs like “Jolog,” “Pen & Ink,” “Three Stars and a Sun,” and “Kaleidoscope World.”