"The underground scene is healthier now," says The Go Signals guitarist Mel Maniego. "There's more buzz and kids are starting to pick up guitars and instruments. Thanks to the Internet, kids now also understand the music style that drives our music."
During Pinoy punk's mid-80s heyday, Mel played guitars for rockabilly poster boys Private Stock. Now, with the power trio The Go Signals, Mel provides slashing chords and short sharp solo turns in the wake of the sturdy backbeat from his mates. His brother Dennis is a steady presence on bass while Spyk Dennis' son and Mel's nephew is a workhorse on drums.
At the group's album launch at Skarlet's Jazz Kitchen near Timog in Quezon City, Throw's Al Dimalanta introduces them as "the best band in the land."
Hooks, power pop and best album of 2011
Performing tracks from their debut, "Secrets & Lies," The Go Signals channel the power and the riffage of The Jam and the Clash with the melodic appeal of the Kinks and The Beatles.
They open with "Time", a hook-laden firecracker that draws the punks and two punkettes near the stage. By the time the title track, "Secrets & Lies" rolls in, a small moshpit erupts and the crowd happily jostles and shakes to the rhythm and the beat.
"Bullet for Your Eye" bites like something borrowed from Hilera but the mass of slam dancing bodies hardly bats a critical eye. A bit of new wave power pop shows up in the winning "Never Ending Cries."
In fact, the debut is so winning, it was named by Philippine Star columnist and Esquire editor-in-chief Erwin Romulo as one of the best albums of 2011. He called it "a true sonic testament to his status as the Filipino Modfather."
To avail of their debut album Secrets & Lies add them up at their facebook page or go to Bad Omen's axeman Jon Fisbone in his shop called Middle Finger Clothing at Cartimar, RectoThis article was taken form Tony Maghirang's Yahoo! OMG Pinoy Rocks segment
