Cueshe won the 2006 S.O.P. Pasiklaban Band of the Year award!

The winners of this year’s Pasiklaban were announced yesterday noon or thereabouts on a live telecast. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the 56th Anniversary of GMA-7.

To date, Cueshe has four hit singles to its credit. All these songs are part of their debut album, Half-Empty, Half-Full:
1. Stay
2. Sorry
3. Ulan (“Rain”)
4. Can’t Let You Go

Their fifth single, currently being subjected to heavy airplay, is 24 Hours.

However, my personal favorite out of all their songs released is Love Me Now, Hate Me Soon.

For more information on the band, visit the official Cueshe website, which contains lyrics, news, profiles and more!

Linkin Park‘s Reanimation is currently my heavy rotation album.

I must say that it is amazingly, delightfully innovative, even more electrifying than Hybrid Theory.

My favorite tracks are Enth E Nd (Kutmasta Kurt and Motion Man remix) and 1Stp Klsr (Humble Brothers and Jonathan Davis remix).

I practically melted when I heard Enth E Nd for the first time; I just loved the beat and Motion Man’s voice to pieces. The song is now number one in my street dance choreography wish list.

However, I am still madly in love with Korn’s Jonathan Davis and very nearly died when I heard his trademark fiery, grating voice in 1Stp Klsr. Imagine if they make a video for this track.

Here is an album review from Amazon.com that pretty much expresses my sentiments:

Reanimation is the evil twin of Linkin Park’s 2000 debut, Hybrid Theory.

While plotting their next studio album, the Southern California band enlisted some of aggro rock’s leading lights, as well as some of the more enlightened underground MCs and producers, to slice and dice all the songs on their debut (including a few bonus cuts that made it to their Japanese release).

Linkin Park allowed their special guests – including Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Staind’s Aaron Lewis, Orgy’s Jay Gordon, the Roots’ Black Thought, and Jurassic 5′s Chali 2NA – to run riot through their songbook, tweaking melodies, writing new lyrics, and sometimes changing the entire intent of the originals.

As a result, this collection of 20 songs is Mr. Hyde to Hybrid Theory‘s Dr. Jekyll.

Most of Linkin Park’s atmospheric and melodic moments have ended on the cutting-room floor – along with the self-consciousness that pervaded many of the songs – replaced with a brash impudence that’s more rap than rock.

Chali 2NA entirely changes the landscape on “Forgotten,” shape-shifting the song into an alien being dubbed “Frgt/10,” which takes you to a dark, desolate place with only your own disturbed thoughts and some electronic bleeps for company.

And that’s enough. This is a masterful art project that truly succeeds.

How do I keep my mud on my feet
It’s wearing me down, can’t stay
I’m praying too deep
It’s hurting my sleep
I can’t let you go away
Too late, you tried
Too late, you died

I don’t understand
There’s blood on my hands
I can’t have you as my own
Your heartbeat has ceased
I’ll leave you in peace
But haunt me inside my dreams
Too late, you tried
Too late, you died

This song is entitled Mikaela.

It is one of those short and sweet yet undeniably unforgettable tracks off Oracle, the 1995 debut album of the Filipino band Sugar Hiccup.

Mikaela contains arguably the best combined use of Melody del Mundo’s ethereal soprano voice and the darkly passionate guitar riffs of Czandro Pollack.

I have been playing this song repeatedly since the previous weekend, along with Moden De and Little D, both also from Oracle.

If you still have not heard anything by Sugar Hiccup, go hunt for a song of theirs – something from Oracle is best.

Tracks off Womb, the second album, are not bad, but the sound no longer has the uniquely dreamy, almost otherworldly, touch so palpable in the first album.

I was searching for a 1998 MTV techno-music compilation earlier this evening when I stumbled across my tape of Solid HarmoniE, the group’s self-titled album. It was released circa 1997, with the fairly successful carrier single entitled I’ll Be There For You.

Solid HarmoniE is, rather not arguably, a more sporty rip-off of the Spice Girls, like some other girl groups in the late 1990s when the cutesy Fab Five was in its heyday. What attracted me to the former’s brand of music was the blending of their voices. I do not know, but I really like it when four different tonal levels mix in one disco beat. It is not all shrieking, rapping and ranting.

They really are good singers, these four girls: Mariama, Melissa, Beki, and Elisa. Mariama quit the group in 1999 and joined The Honeyz, a group with a more R-and-B feel. Melissa opted for a solo career. The remaining two persevered on and even found a new third member, but until now I still have not heard about them coming up with anything. Perhaps they are stranded in no-album (or no-career) limbo.

My favorite Solid HarmoniE song is Walk Away, a sweet ballad. The lyrics follow. Try to find an audio file of it if you can. It is one of those highly underappreciated good love songs.

For more information on the group, check out this site.

Walk Away
by Solid HarmoniE

Walk away
Don’t turn around ’cause you may see me cry

I’ve never known a feeling so sure
You came my way and opened the door
I think of us and the love that we had
With half a chance I’d bring it all back
But I know
I know things always change
So I guess I gotta let you go

Walk away
Don’t turn around ’cause you may see me cry
Walk away
Don’t turn around, don’t even say goodbye
Don’t turn around until you reach the other side

Looking back, I have no regret
I tell my friends that you were the best
And as I stand just watching the rain
I pray that you were here once again
But I know
I know things always change
So I guess I gotta let you go

I know it’s gonna be hard this way
‘Cause I’ll be missing you everyday
Now I know you’re leaving
And it’s such a lonely feeling
That I know I’ve gotta let you go
I’ve gotta let you go

Walk away
Don’t turn around ’cause you may see me cry
Walk away
Don’t turn around, don’t even say goodbye
Don’t turn around until you reach the other side

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.