SIDE A is back to doing what they do best with new original single.
SIDE A has their first new song in a long while with “Clueless.” Written by bassist Ned Esguerra, the piano decked ballad is “about dealing with the difficulties of being in a broken relationship whose reason for ending remains ambiguous and unclear.”
The band has specialized in such themes since its founding in 1985. Fans of the band have loved SIDE A’s brand of love songs for over three decades. And the band has been a staple of the live band circuit, the local hit charts with their string of hits from memorable albums such as their self-titled ‘white’ and ‘blue’ albums and singles such as “Hold On,” “So Many Questions” and “Forevermore” to name a few.
The new single follows on the steps of those classics. “Clueless” is a fine-sounding love song--a sonic accompaniment for those trying to make sense of how they went from being in love, to broken-hearted.
SIDE A has always been good at what it does, and “Clueless” does harken back to the ballads from the 80’s and 90’s and even features a neat slide guitar solo from guitarist Leevon Cailao. The current lineup of SIDE A includes Esguerra, Cailao, vocalist Yubs Esperat, and original members Naldy Gonzales on keyboards and Ernie Severino on drums. “Clueless” is released by Widescope Entertainment under the team of supervising producer Neil Gregorio, Ebe Dancel (A&R) and Executive Vic De Vera.
Also returning is hit rapper Shehyee who drops a new one titled “Kuntento.” Rhythmic, melodic and borrowing from early 80’s pop, the track is Shehyee picturing what the world would be like if curiosity stopped. Necessity is the mother of all inventions and all that stuff, a saying which the rapper quotes. “Kuntento” is about ‘keep on keeping on, but delivered with humorous and thought-provoking Shehyee-isms which this track is chock full of.
BECAUSE has a heady-sounding new track in “Wow Baby.” This sexy, mid-eastern moody and beat-driven bop reunites Because with prolific producer and beat maker Emmanuel ‘NEXXFRIDAY’ Salen. Rap’s dynamic duo keeps the vibes going on this mid-tempo bop.
Newcomer Soy lays down some old-school rap rhyming on his song called “Bituin.” Here, he mixes ukulele acoustics, squiggly synths and drum beats to come up with a catchy tune about hopeful wishes and stargazing dreams.
A music act from the south, Al Moralde offers a tuneful new song in “Wife Material.” This pop R&B original is booty moving as it is catchy and is a bullet-point list of all the qualities he thinks would be good for a future wife. Al Moralde also sticks to his roots and sings this perky dance track in its regional tongue.
Ethan Loukas’ “BAHALA” picks up the pace for the “Sueño” singer-songwriter as he lays down an uplifting and reassuring song about admitting to oneself that it’s ok to ask for help during those trying times of personal lows. Ethan inspires and at the same time rocks at this ear-tweaking and surging new original of his.
Balladeer-songwriter Mark Carpio writes up an emotional new number in “Sabik.” This lively ballad starts off smooth and finishes strong as a power ballad as Mark sings “Dahil hindi ko na kayang pigilan pa’t maawat ang pusong uhaw at sabik / lagi na lang umaasa at nagpaparaya ligayang pinagkait / idaraan na nga lang ba ikaw sa dasal ng puso kong sabik.” Which sums up the theme of this memorable new song from this ballad specialist.