Martin Nievera

It is quite obvious that Concert King Martin Nievera comes out with remarkably the same style of vocal performances album after album. He even keeps himself to reviving already popular tracks in recent releases.

Yet fans still keep on buying his CDs, critics stick to giving positive reviews, and his mother label doesn’t get tired of recording albums with him.

For artists wanting to unlock his door to success, here’s an important piece of advice straight from the horse’s mouth: “You gotta find your niche. Concentrate on your niche,” the sensibly talkative balladeer noted. Last Saturday, right before he performed live to a thrilled mall crowd at Robinsons Ermita, Martin reminded a pool of print reporters that his sophomore CD many years back sold poorly because he decided to change his now-trademark style to rock.

The Polyeast Records’ iconic act just released his latest offering simply called “As Always.” The 15-track finely packaged CD is once again a Martin Nievera set list delivered within his identified comfort zone. No worries for those banking on its sales, its song choices are as familiar as Martin’s singing or bullet-train speaking voice. 80s classics fill up plenty of the slots, while few 90s gems serve as toppings, including carrier single “You’re All I Need” – that memorable hit from band White Lion which also scored the cheesy but effective “Till Death Do Us Part.”

With touching love notes from Martin himself filling up the album’s glossy lyric sheets, “As Always” is another pirate-proof packaging from the durable recording artist who prolifically jots down his thoughts on paper in the same way that he loves to talk.

Knowing his words matter to upstarts and determined, he said, “You have to be willing to listen and learn. For someone like me, just listening and not talking at all is difficult. But as an artist you always have to know the value of listening, that what you know may not be enough.”

Martin is such a believer of keeping what’s good that it seems he will not work with another producer save for his favorite Chito Ilagan whom he believes “put his heart and soul into every song” in the album. He even mused, “If Chito decides to move to Mars, I’ll probably just have to move with him!”

The all-revival release which Martin recorded in just a week contains one duet performance which he did with R&B Princess Kyla. The song is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” (James Ingram), one of the finest deliveries of the album. Other standout renditions are “Honesty” (Billy Joel), “Fixin’ A Broken Heart” (Indecent Obsession), “More Than You’ll Ever Know (Michael Ruff), and Everytime You Go Away (Paul Young).

Next time Martin comes out with something not beyond expectations, it only means he doesn’t want to disappoint his ever loyal fans.