Kenyo
?Maharlika?
(Universal Records)

Kenyo is McCoy Fundales and Ace and JM Del Mundo?s post-Orange and Lemons outfit. And ?Maharlika? is their real debut as Kenyo, following last year?s all-covers CD, ?Radiosurfing.?

And if it wasn?t clear before, ?Maharlika? proves that Fundales has a gift for sweet melody, harmony and lyricism.

While ?Maharlika? features a diversity of sonic styles, Kenyo is largely a serenade act, practically following the Apo Hiking Society?s template.

But even as Kenyo is focused on love-related musings, it can make room for something like ?Alay na Alaala,? an ode to heroes.

All told, ?Maharlika? suggests that Fundales is something of a musical henyo?one his fellow Filipinos and not just his fellow Bulakeños (hence the band name), can be proud of.

The Dawn ?Sound the Alarm?
(MCA Music)

Even with ex-Eheads bassist Buddy Zabala and ex-True Faith guitarist Kenneth Ilagan (the latter taking over Francis Reyes), co-producer work by Sandwich frontman Raimund Marasigan, and with two decades? worth of experience to its name, The Dawn sounds like its best ideas are still enveloped.

?Sound the Alarm? is the band?s 11th album and the latest in four years. ?Fire Down Below? may have a hint of freshness, but otherwise the rest are typical Dawn: Anthemic crowd-pleasers that can inspire the birth of forgettable neophyte bands.

Does it seem like it?s all Dawn-hill from here? If and when the next album comes out, here?s hoping it?s something non-fans would not deem a false alarm.