Posts tagged ‘clem castro’
Cover Art by Mark Villanueva
Put on the headphones. Turn up the volume. Hit ‘play’ and close your eyes. Let the groove fill your head. A little scrappy, a little edgy, and a whole lot of attitude. The Camerawalls are back with a new single, “Boys in the Backroom.”
Photo by Angelo Maniquis
When last we heard from these boys, they had embarked in the direction of lush, beautiful harmonies and visions of love in exotic lands with “Wanderlust” released in August of 2012. Lead singer Clem Castro’s vocals remain perfect, pure and precise as they were back then, but this time, there’s a no-nonsense mature coolness to his delivery that goes deeper than his shades and his rock-solid rhythm guitar. With a wickedly delightful descending chromatic chord progression, Castro’s guitar matches bassist Law Santiago’s hard-hitting foundation while new Camerawalls addition (but old high-school band mate to Castro who also played bass on his solo Dragonfly Collector album, “The World is Your Oyster”) Venj Gatmaitan’s wah-sounding guitar fills wanders unapologetically all over the riff. An electric organ completes the sound of the ‘60s on top of Bach Rudica’s crisp, creative drumming – The Stone Roses, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf – it’s the leather pants-wearing, motorcycle diaries, magic carpet ride side of those butterfly-collar-filled flower child years. Gone are the twee peg-legged hipster Camerawalls. This new sound is big baggy blues and full of business. Catch and count all the literary references you can just for fun, and linger over the lyrics and the sly mysteries they hide.
Listeners can expect to hear more from The Camerawalls along this vein (think The Stone Roses or The Charlatans) as they prepare to release a new album before the end of 2017.
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Indie Pop Revisionists The Camerawalls Rise “Above the Weather” with Music Museum Concert
February 1, 2017
Christine Mazur
Lilystars Records proudly presents “Above the Weather,” the first major concert of The Camerawalls after a four-year hiatus. Backed by the strength and beauty of a 16-piece string orchestra, the thought-provoking melodies of indie pop revisionists The Camerawalls will fill the Music Museum on March 15, 2017.
Illustration and Design by Justine Basa.
Formed in Manila, Philippines in 2007, The Camerawalls served as the flagship band of Manila-based indie label Lilystars Records. The Camerawalls’ debut album “Pocket Guide To The Otherworld” was released in July 2008, followed by the release of digital single, “The Sight Of Love,” the EP “Bread and Circuses” in 2010, and the single “Wanderlust” in 2012.
All these releases garnered favorable reviews, with “Pocket Guide To The Otherworld” meeting with such critical success that demand continued for years after the initial print run of the CDs sold out. Finally, Lilystars produced and released a remastered version in December 2016, now available in both Digital and CD format.
The Camerawalls from L-R: Bach Rudica, Clementine, Venj Gatmaitan and Law Santiago. Photo (c) Angelo Maniquis.
The Camerawalls’ sound is characterized by a lyricism and melodic sensibility largely shaped by singer-songwriter and guitarist Clem Castro or simply known as Clementine, together with his fellow former Orange and Lemons bandmate, bassist Law Santiago, and other Bulacan-based musicians including drummer Bach Rudica, who also serves as drummer for indie pop band The Gentle Isolation and guitarist Venj Gatmaitan, who collaborated as bassist for Clementine’s critically acclaimed solo act, Dragonfly Collector.
Pocket Guide To The Otherworld – The Camerawalls (2016 Remastered Version)
The current members all share similar influences, such as The Beatles, The Smiths, XTC, Belle & Sebastian, The Pale Fountains, The Lightning Seeds, The Stone Roses among others. Clementine describes his songwriting as being inspired by poetry, life experiences, The Beatles and The Smiths.
At the concert, guests will be sure to hear all The Camerawalls’ most beloved songs, plus perhaps something new. The band intends to record and release new single in February, with plans for tour legs in Baguio, Cebu and Davao.
Fil-Oz singer-songwriter Bryan Estepa.
Special guest Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter Bryan Estepa returns to the country of his birth to join in the celebration. Bryan Estepa’s gentle voice and bright melodies have the power to lift the heaviest heart with songs both light and introspective in his fifth album ‘Every Little Thing,’ released in the Philippines in April, 2016. Based in Sydney, Australia, Estepa’s musical roots in Quezon City, Philippines, shine through in his Beach Boys/ The Beatles/ Wilco – influenced sound. His strongest feat of songwriting to date, ‘Every Little Thing’ holds appeal for lovers of thoughtful lyrics, memorable melodies and satisfying harmonies.
Every Little Thing – Bryan Estepa & The Tempe Two
THE CAMERAWALLS: ABOVE THE WEATHER is presented by Lilystars Records and sponsored in part by JAM 88.3, Loyal Clothing, Sonic State Audio, Jorge’s Portrait Studio, Ophelia & Co., Pinoytuner, Bandwagon Philippines, Rufo’s Famous Tapa, Uber and Aliya Surf Camp.
Balcony, Orchestra (Side & Center) and VIP tickets are priced at P1,000, P1500, P2,000 and P2,800 respectively. For reservations and inquiries contact 09987900125 or 09053849495. Discounted early bird tickets are available online at http://thecamerawalls.eventbrite.com/
