Often the problem of a young band is the tendency to focus on the production of noises instead of creating ear-pleasing melodies from which musical elements take their route. Too much youth energy may affect group dynamics in unfavorable ways, resulting to acts with overloaded attitude but lacking musicality.
New band Zerise may have gotten the memo early on and was careful enough not to fall into such trap. It is evident in their song Wala that the group embraces a natural understanding of what good melody is. The words are, without surprise, pulled from the deep well of Pinoy hugot lines, yet possessing a strong recall that puts a set of words you’re familiar with in a colorfully new, radiating light.
Lead vocalist and songwriter Cerise Limueco, obviously the focal point of this quintet, is making effective use of her musical influences like Taylor Swift and Macklemore. That you can create melody runs that stand out means you have tinkered with music as a tool to make your messages get across listeners primarily by way of that. Isn’t that poetic passages become easily recallable when there’s a sweet tune carrying them through?
Zerise gathered friends and a select pool of music writers at their EP Album Listening Party last month at Archipelago 7107 in El Pueblo, Ortigas Center. There they performed songs written and lead-sung by Cerise herself. Her live act gets ample help from her skilled backing group of lead guitarist John Daniel Bardoc, rhythm guitar player Jared Isaiah Cortado, bassist Christian Maranan, and drummer/keyboardist Bryanne Tuazon. That slashed dual duty proved more spectacular when seen live. Bryanne’s the dude who has learned how to mix up the current technology and superb playing ability in really cool fashion his group doesn’t need a sixth member.
“We want to build a music career that we will be proud of,” noted Cerise whose voice on record boasts an emotional pull that matches her lyric writing.
Live-wise, she could get extra excited that somehow lessens the grip of the songs. Well, that matter is best treated by gig routine and years of public exposure which a band still looking for breakthrough would have to go through. Nothing’s easy in the music scene but an artist with a gift for melody-making and lyric writing always has an advantage in moving forward.
Producer Mally Paraguya, of P.O.T fame, is likely to have seen it that he got himself on board.
The band’s showcase of original songs displays their knack for Tagalog songs, all with refrains and choruses. Somehow the singer has a big dosage of bitterness over romance, with lines like “Kailangan kong tanggapin na hindi tayo para sa isa’t isa” or “Di na kita pipilitin pang manatili sakin kung di lang ako ang kaya mong mahalin” spilled all over her palette. Here’s to hoping their music will help in the process of healing. Besides, that’s what music is about.