I learned three things about Marcus Adoro, erstwhile drummer of the Eraserheads, after listening to his band Markus Highway’s new album, “Behold, Rejoice! Surfernando is Hear Nah.” (That was not a typo)

1. He likes bonfires.

2. He was drunk/high/stoned out of his mind the entire time.

3. He really, really likes bonfires.

I’m sort of compensating, listening to Adoro’s album and Pupil’s “Wildlife” constantly these past few days. I probably won’t be able to watch the Eheads Reunion Concert this August 30, so I compensate by listening to their new bands’ respective albums.

That said, I suppose it’s finally time I admit this. Pupil’s earlier album, “Beautiful Machines”, sucked serious ass. I do have a copy of this album, since I never buy pirated OPM, and I am still completely in love with Ely Buendia. It’s the truth, though. I couldn’t listen to the entire album without falling asleep. I liked “Nasaan Ka”, but the rest really sent me to Snoozeville.

“WIldlife” is a completely different story.

Pupil maintains their futuristic rock attack but this time combined it with a more upbeat and enthusiastic beat. Of all the songs in the album, approximately two can be considered slow. The rest are just serious, all-out rock. “Monobloc”, in particular, sounds a lot like Ely of old.

Even the songs with vocals by Yoko … errr … Diane Ventura worked.

It’s hard not to compare “Wildlife” with “Surfernando”, especially if you listen to the two constantly on a shuffled loop every single day. I have to say “Surfernando”, despite its rather psychotic and disjointed lyrics, won’t lose points to “Wildlife” when it comes to musical prowess. Even with its laidback, DIY feel, “Surfernando’s” music reveals a band filled with raw musical power. Let’s just say both bands show just how far Adoro and Buendia have come from their early Eraserheads “can barely play” days.

The lyrics are an entirely different story.

Buendia penning great songs is no longer a surprise. The man is a frigging genius. But Adoro, well, I think all that I get from all the songs is that he was high the entire time. How do you come up with a song like, “wow wow wow, kalabaw”? Why is he singing in Japanese in “American Girl”? What is this obsession with bonfires?

Not that I’m complaining, though. I have malicious designs on Ely, but Marcus is my zen master. The man knows how to chill, and people who know me know that I’m seriously lacking in that department. I am never “chill”. I swing from paranoid to catatonic. No other emotions come in between.

Both albums merit a spot on your playlist. I highly recommend “Wildlife” to anyone who’s seriously into rock. This is Ely’s redemption; I think he finally got his mojo back. “Surfernando” is a must-have, too, especially on long, boring bus rides. Visions of joints and flowing booze can be quite helpful when you’re pissed and stuck in traffic. Let Zen Master Marcus show you the way.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 at 7:21 am and is filed under fangirl, music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.