In 1996, rock band Black Rain released its debut album,
Save the Planet. As the title implies, the band is much concerned with the (deteriorating) state of the environment, and songs such as "Mother Nature" and "Bawal Magtapon Ng Basura Dito" ("Prohibited to Throw Garbage Here") decries the destructive, wasteful nature of man. The sound of Black Rain can be likened somewhat to the smooth pop/rock of
Bon Jovi or even
Survivor (of "Eye of the Tiger" fame). While these bands aren't exactly cutting-edge, the music of Black Rain remains substantive and enjoyable. The opening, "Vince's Dream," is a collage of sound effects depicting rainfall and thunder, providing a provocative backdrop for several measures of searing guitar. It is followed by "No Way Out," which laments the uncaring attitude men have toward one other, as well as the planet on which he lives. Not all songs on
Save the Planet have a didactic message, however, and "Baby I Miss You" is a tuneful love song with a catchy hook that immediately sears into a listener's memory cells. Not surprisingly, "Baby I Miss You" garnered much radio airplay. Other songs are similarly patterned (as "Baby I Miss You), including the emotive "Pangako Ko," which ends on an achingly beautiful piano line, and the passionate "Alay Ko" ("My Offer"), which incorporates a tender piano line. Throughout the album, the searing lead guitar of Vince Garay adds a vital, razor-edged touch to the music.
Save the Planet is one of the best Philippine albums of 1997. The album, puzzlingly enough, did not sell well. ~ David Gonzales