In 1999, veteran Philippine male solo artist
Marco Sison released
Memories, his first album for local independent Viva Music Group. As the title implies,
Memories is a trip down memory lane; it contains remakes of various Philippine and international hits. All 12 of the tracks amount to slow, easy-listening love songs, a style of music quite popular in the Philippines. One of the international hits covered by
Sison here is "Crazy," the
Willie Nelson-composed tune that was a hit for country singer
Patsy Cline in 1961.
Sison croons in a smooth, cool baritone that sometimes doesn't allow for much emotion or interpretational depth. Another international remake performed here is "Someone That I Used to Love."
Sison's interpretation lacks definition, however, and the beauty of the melody is dissipated. Overall, however, the singing is fine; it is not intended to be anything but easy-listening. One of the album's better songs, "Kung Malbabalik Ko Lang" (trans: If Only I Can Bring It Back) is a duet with Philippine female artist
Lani Misalucha, an outstanding talent and also a Viva Music Group artist.
The production values are all first-rate, and much care and attention was obviously invested in
Memories. However, the lack of upbeat songs and the predominance of slow, often bland material makes for a tedious listening experience. ~ David Gonzales