In 1998, Philippine male singer
Von Arroyo released
Von Arroyo. Each of the ten tracks is a slow, easy listening love song, posing little challenge to a singer or listener.
Arroyo has an excellent, strong voice, full of depth and with a wide range. His voice soars majestically on "Please Don't Ask Me" where he easily segues to a strong falsetto. However, no matter how good his voice sounds, without good material and diversity the album is boring. Yet some moments are better than others. "Ika'y Magbalik" (You Come Back), for example, starts on an adventurous note, as a searing electric guitar line cuts a mighty path. The ensuing melody, however, is bland and easy listening, but the chorus has more substance.
"Di Ko Maintindihan" (I Don't Understand) contains a nice, pleasant melody that
Von Arroyo makes sounds better. "Hanggang Ngayon" (Up to Now) features a dramatic, minor-key melody that has some substance. Nonetheless, these songs get buried amidst all the other easy listening love songs here. One can easily imagine people singing these songs karaoke style. "Kung Alam Mo Lang" (If You Only Knew) doesn't sound much different than any other song here, and the same goes for "Bakit Minamahal Kita" (Why Do I Love You), "Why," "Hihintayin" (I'll Be Waiting), "Please Don't Ask Me," and "Di Ko Maintindihan" (I Don't Understand). The
David Pomeranz-composed "If You Walk Away" also sounds boring and gets buried here. ~ David Gonzales