08/29/2021 12:23:33 AM
As part of its 25th-anniversary celebration, The Itchyworms released a new song that celebrates their era-defining legacy.
Following the success of Waiting For The End to Start's vinyl launch and the country's firest ever stop-animation music video for The Life I Know, the formal release of new single Eto Na (Ang Maliligayang Araw) and the six-part Worms Upon A Time: An Itchyworms Podcast series also take part of this milestone.
With more emphasis on the new song, the multi-awarded Filipino band has dropped a call-and-response anthem about hurdling through the difficult times with a more hopeful mindset in life. Eto Na also saw the band returns to its signature sound of melodic pop-rock sensibilities with sharp hooks, bluesy guitar lines, and timeless lyrics.
According to drummer and lead vocalist Jazz Nicolas, Eto Na documents the feeling of being stuck in a challenging phase for a very long period while hoping that everything will be fine.
"You're not quite there yet, but you feel that things are moving up a bit," Nicolas emphasized. "Kel and I call this the dark ages; it's when all areas of your life seemed very bleak, and you always feel like there's no way out. In this song, you're not out yet, but you have a feeling that you will be."
Even before the pandemic happened, The Itchyworms have always wanted to produce a jam song that would make for a strong album opener. Most of the band's newer tracks gravitate toward the uncertainty of the future or the long-simmering anxiety brought by the lockdown.
Eto Na (Ang Maliligayang Araw), however, confronts the situation that we're in with the healing power of a catchy, upbeat guitar-pop tune. It's a perfect fit for what a 25th anniversary should be: a commitment to represent the band's music and the history held within it.
When the lockdown slightly eased, The Itchyworms regrouped into the legendary Big Baby Studios, where some of the alt-rock quartet's most notable hits were born.
"Big Baby was always home to The Itchyworms, especially to Jazz, because this was his father's original studio in their ancestral home," lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jugs Jugueta said in a statement. "I remember recording the first few demos of The Itchyworms there. I also remember Tito Sonny showing us all of his guitars, and Chino and I were just in awe. Now, it has come full circle: Jazz and Peavey and the worms continue Tito Sonny's legacy, and the fact that we recorded our 25th Anniversary single there means so much to us."
The Itchyworms reworked the early track version by adding lyrics that pay homage to their story together as a group and even referenced some of their old songs in the material. Mixed and mastered by Jazz's brother Peavy Nicolas, "Eto Na (Ang Maliligayang Araw)" finds the band experimenting with a Moog Little Phatty analog synth and a Yamaha Reface YC, bringing a unique twist on their classic sound.
"It's good that we finally got to go into the studio for this," Nicolas shares the process behind the recording. "We all recorded our instruments live in the studio. and all four of us sang on it." The Itchyworms' guitarist Chino Singson added, "Plus the outro or coda is unrelated to the tonal center of the song, but it adds a Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour vibe."
Then, coinciding with the single is the formal launching of the six-part podcast series that depicts the band's history and long-lasting appeal and impact. Produced by The Itchyworms and Sony Music Philippines, Worms Upon A Time: An Itchyworms Podcast fully uses Spotify's latest Music + Talk format, a new type of audio experience that brings together music tracks and spoken commentary, wrapped up into one immersive and interactive listening experience.
"I guess this is our version of the Beatles' Anthology series," Jugueta revealed. "Because that was the Beatles' story as told by the Beatles. This show is our story, our history, our legacy as told by The Itchyworms ourselves. Look forward to stories that have never been shared before!"
The Itchyworms will have important guests who will be joining them on the show. Jugueta added in explanation, "This project is very close to our hearts, and we would like to thank Sony Music Philippines for producing it and to Wincy Ong for directing it, and Peavey Nicolas for recording and mixing it."
In addition, the two and a half-decade old pop-rock act is also set to release a mockumentary that chronicles their 25 years in the music industry and a music video of their self-titled track "Waiting For The End To Start," whose visual narrative serves as an artistic take on the 'dystopian future post-pandemic life in the Philippines.
Author: slickmaster | © 2021 The SlickMaster's Files
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