In 1997, Philippine acoustic rock band
Hungry Young Poets released its debut album,
Hungry Young Poets. The band's sound is centered on the vocals of female member
Barbie Almalbis, who writes all the lyrics and also plays acoustic guitar. Much of the music takes its cue from such American folk-styled artists as
Joni Mitchell,
Paula Cole, and
10,000 Maniacs. The music and lyrics are poignant and sensitive, and
Almalbis sings with a fine, expressive voice. The accompaniment is attuned to her vocals, sympathetic to her needs and never overbearing. In the album credits, bassist and music co-composer Ricci Gurango is also credited with vocals, but his voice is virtually impossible to hear, and it's doubtful he actually sings here. There are several upbeat numbers on the album, including "Deep" and "Torpe" ("Shy"), which are two of the album's best songs. Another upbeat number, the closing "Radio," features an imaginative arrangement that includes various tempo changes, twangy guitar, and sound effects such as a whistle blowing. Most of the music on
Hungry Young Poets has a serious tone to it. This works fine for a while, but many listeners will then yearn for more excitement, as songs such as "Panahon" ("Time"), "Firewoman," "Personal Flirt," and "Rebirth" become weighed down by ponderosity. It might help if the arrangements showed more diversity and didn't rely so much on similar strumming of the acoustic guitar. The arrangement heard on "Radio," however, catches one's attention, featuring repeated ska-influenced passages as well as a twangy guitar line. The melody to "Radio" is also memorable and shows signs of life, which is sorely missing on other songs. ~ David Gonzales