In 1998, Philippine singer Kathleen Roces released Kathleen Roces. The album is dominated by passionate, easy listening love songs, a style of music quite popular in the Philippines. However, the music doesn't pose much of a challenge to either performer or listener. Nonetheless, Roces sings the songs with passion and sincerity, and tries to make every word count. Most of the songs here seem derivative, as though heard before with slight variations on other easy listening albums. Not all the songs are derivative though, and "Kay Sarap Pala Ng Umibig" (I Realize It Feels Good to Be in Love) has a cute, innocent sound, seemingly straight out of the American 1950s, and Roces sounds appropriately cute and bouncy, too. "Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko" (You Sing, I'll Dance), a remake of a Philippine song first heard in the 1980s, is performed in an upbeat dance style, and is a dramatic stylistic departure from the rest of the album. Significantly, Roces performs this song with confidence. One of the better, least derivative easy listening love songs is "Mali Man Ang Ibigin Ka" (Even If Loving You Is Wrong), which has a nice melody and also features a stinging electric guitar solo and fills, giving the song a modern edge. Also nice is the remake of the American love song "How Long You've Been Waiting," which Roces sings in a high, innocent-sounding voice. The song is tender, as is the closing "Madaling Sabihin, Mahirap Gawin" (It's Easy to Say, Hard to Do), also a nice song, if a bit redundant. Despite the derivative nature of many songs here, the album also has some fine moments.