This month marks my first anniversary as resident music reviewer of Mabuhay, the in-flight magazine of Philippine Airlines. And happily it happens that this month's batch of CD reviews is bannered by my 4-star review of Hard Candy, the latest album from my all-time fave artist Madonna! Di ko naman pinlano 'yan, nagkataon lang. Happy!
Here's a glance at what I've said the past 12 months, in decending order from the highest rated.
Out of the Woods, Tracey Thorn, 4 ½ stars
“atmospheric…precious…get lost in these woods”
Beauty & Crime, Suzanne Vega, 4 ½ stars
“a beautifully haunted, haunting album”
It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, Maroon 5, 4 stars
“stylish, spunky, swaggering”
Matira Matibay, Parokya Ni Edgar, 4 stars
“scruffy production and loads of scrappy wit”
Bagong Liwanag, Rivermaya, 4 stars
“a breakup album that’s less about the break and more about the up”
Ur Luv Thang, Bituin Escalante, 4 stars
“a groovy, jazzy, R&B-flavored offering…as a neo-soul mama”
As I Am, Alicia Keys, 4 stars
“soulful, sophisticated, sexy”
RCS, Ryan Cayabyab, 4 stars
“sparkling…stellar”
Endings Of A New Kind, Taken By Cars, 4 stars
“11 propulsive all-English tracks…all warmed up and ready to go”
Hard Candy, Madonna, 4 stars
“fun, funky, flirty, and fierce”
Buhay, Rivermaya, 4 stars
“a solid mix, an enjoyable musical “life”
Soul In Love, Jay-R, 3 ½ stars
“quietly assured, intelligent but no less heartfelt”
Audio Day Dream, Blake Lewis, 3 ½ stars
“pops like no other CD that's come out of that popular [Idol] talent factory”
Hopia Mani Popcorn 2, Various Artists, 3 ½ stars
“very appetizing, highly satisfying”
Breakfast On The Moning Train, Stacey Kent, 3 ½ stars
“lovely, pleasant, delightful, and tasteful”
Blackout, Britney Spears, 3 ½ stars
“Britney’s best, most cohesive [album]”
Full Circle, Raymond Lauchengco, 3 ½ stars
“works both as a throwback and an of-the-moment record”
Because of You, Ne-yo, 3 ½ stars
“there’s so much here to love”
Fuschiang Pag-Ibig, Silent Sanctuary, 3 1/2 stars
“refreshingly easy vibe…hook-happy sanctuary”
Call Me Irresponsible, Michael Buble, 3 ½ stars
“a superb selection of sparkling standards and smart originals”
Amber Davis, Amber Davis, 3 ½ stars
“sweet, sexy, sophisticated”
Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna, 3 ½ stars
“pulsating, insanely catchy”
Greatest Hits Straight Up!, Paula Abdul, 3 ½ stars
“The first half of this collection is flat-out great”
Moonlane Gardens, Orange & Lemons, 3 ½ stars
“psychedelic, dream-world album”
Discipline, Janet Jackson, 3 ½ stars
“crisp, tight, cohesive…Janet’s best album in a
decade”
The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Dreaming, Club 8, 3 1/2 stars
“gorgeous, dreamy and transporting”
Coco, Colbie Caillat, 3 ½ stars
“musical concoctions don’t get any more charming,
sunnier, warmer, breezier, and lovelier than this”
Cool Change, Jaya, 3 ½ stars
“a well-chosen dozen that perfectly showcase Jaya’s
robust soprano”
Daughtry, Daughtry, 3 stars
“might be the best first post-Idol release”
In Love With Bacharach, Various Artists, 3 stars
“as easy as a summer breeze”
Elliot Yamin, Elliot Yamin, 3 stars
“sounds like a real, coherent, proper album, and not merely a ‘greatest moments’ set”
Spirit, Leona Lewis, 3 stars
“relentlessly tuneful, catchy songs…like a welcome
breath of fresh air”
Inside Out, Emmy Rossum, 3 stars
“all about pretty melodies and lovely vocal harmonies“
Real Girl, Mutya Buena, 3 stars
“a small step away from being a Sugababe, but it’s a step in the right direction”
Noel, Josh Groban, 3 stars
“pretty, elegant, and on the solemn rather than the spirited side of the season”
Heartfelt, Kyla, 2 ½ stars
“listless, like a heart that’s merely going through the motions”
My December, Kelly Clarkson, 2 1/2 stars
“makes Jagged Little Pill-era Alanis Morisette sound like one of Santa’s sunny, perky ‘lil elves”
Charice, Charice Pempengco, 2 1/2 stars
“’Mama’ and the midtempo High School Musical-esque “It Can Only Get Better” stand out for letting Charice sound more her age”
E=MC2, Mariah Carey, 2 ½ stars
“simply content to coast along”
Only Human, Jed Madela, 2 stars
“proves that Jed can do mellow as well as he can bellow”
iDream!, Various Artists, 2 stars
“sweet, pleasant”
Growing Pains, Mary J. Blige, 2 stars
“mostly finds the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul unleashing her
inner Oprah”
Taking Chances, Celine Dion, 1 ½ stars
“eclectic music mix is…a stretch”
And emerged OAAP (Overall Champion at the 1st Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines) Badminton Cup held last Saturday at The Zone. 
