In 1992, female Philippine singer
Geneva Cruz released
I Like You.... At the time of this release,
Geneva Cruz was in her mid-teen years, and she possesses a strong, impressive voice.
Cruz doesn't have the prodigal maturity of someone like teenage superstar
LeAnn Rimes, but she has the potential to become a great singer. There are times when she almost sounds like a talented adult, like someone at least in her twenties, as heard on "Seryoso Na Yata Ito" (It's Serious Now), but mostly she sounds like a very talented teenager. The songs on
I Like You... are more modern than most albums by Philippine solo artists. "I Like You," for example, is upbeat and dance-inflected, and
Geneva Cruz handles the sinuous twists and turns with panache and poise. The song also contains a rap performed by the album's producer, Jimmy Antiporda. "Pangarap Ka" (You're My Dream) is a pleasant, middle-of-the-road tune that has a modern sound.
One of the album's best songs is "Anak Ng Pasig" (Son of Pasig), which opens on a mysterious, Asian-sounding ambience, featuring a wooden flute. The melody has an interesting, ethnic sound. The meaningful lyrics tell of people who irreverently pollute the once beautiful Pasig River in the Philippines. "Anak Ng Pasig" is a welcome change of topic from the typical songs that concern love. The quality of songwriting by various Philippine composers on the album is above average; one feels
Geneva Cruz could handle even more challenging material. ~ David Gonzales