In 2000, Philippine male singer
Cesar Montano released
Subok Lang (Just Try).
Cesar Montano is a famous Philippine action movie star but is also known for singing acoustic ballads. His low voice is mostly unassuming, but he more or less sings on key, though he does miss a few notes.
He is accompanied only by acoustic guitar on nine of the album's ten songs, and the album has a quiet, mellow ambience. He sings a duet on the second version presented here of "Kailan Ko Lang Sinabi" (When I Just Told You) with his wife, Sunshine Cruz, who is also a famous movie star and recording artist.
Six of the album's ten songs are slow love ballads. Both the first version of "Kailan Ko Lang Sinabi" and "Ikaw Pa Rin" (Still You) utilize bossa nova-type rhythms. As said before,
Cesar Montano isn't the most talented of singers, but he seems to know his limitations and mostly stays within a comfortable range. He has a tendency to strain on notes outside of his range. Still, he performs better than expected on the ballad "Lumayo Ka Man Sa Akin" (Even If You Leave Me), where he sings for several measures in a register that is higher than usual. The spirited "Ikaw Lang" (Only You) is the only song to use other instruments besides the acoustic guitar, and drums and bass are also heard. In addition, the backing vocals to "Ikaw Lang" are inventive. This album is better than one might expect from an action star. ~ David Gonzales