MANILA, Philippines ? The release of the following three albums signify that bossa nova and samba have gone beyond their trendy phase in the Philippines these past few years ? after enjoying relative success via Bong Peñera and the Batucada in the 1970s.

Sitti
?Contagious?
Warner Music

?Contagious,? Sitti?s third studio album, has quite a varied repertoire of covers, including Sade (?Your Love Is King?), Culture Club (?Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?), Basia (?Promises/A New Day For You?), Hall & Oates (?One on One?), Annie Lennox (?No More I Love You?s?), plus a number of Jobim classics and a few more oldies.

One original track, ?Is This Love,? was reportedly written for Sitti by a group of foreign composers led by George Noriega; it sounds good and could soothe tired nerves on a quiet night. In fact the whole album is perfect for chilling out, which makes the effort of finding fault in Sitti?s limited vocal range unnecessary.

Sophia
?A Girl Meets Bossa Nova?
S2S

Likewise, Sophia?s latest CD, ?Girl Meets Bossa Nova? ? released exclusively in Japan but whose Asian version containing two originals will be out here next year ? is not meant for anything other than to put us in a relaxed mood. The singer?s voice is like a soft breeze which, combined with gentle acoustic guitars, stimulates bliss.

But is that all there is to this type of music?

What keeps it from getting boring, in Sophia?s album?s case, is the thrill of rediscovering the beauty of the lyrics in ?Don?t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,? ?Moon River? and ?Solitaire,? among others. It?s also here where ?How Deep Is Your Love? sounds new again ? in case one has overgrown Barry Gibb?s falsetto in the original version.

Guarana
?Spirit of Samba?
Viva Records

Yet the most convincing argument on why we should not take bossa nova, or its elder cousin, samba, for granted, is the existence of Guarana ? the local band fronted by singer and samba dance instructor Eileen Sison.

On its sophomore record, ?Spirit of Samba,? the group demonstrates how the music can be adapted to suit Pinoy sentiments and yearnings.

The album?s 10 all-original tracks utilize a hybrid of Brazilian, Latin and Western jazz forms as backdrop to express the highs and lows of romantic love ? in English and Tagalog, with an interesting ode to Pinoy culture, ?Tayo Naman,? right on the first number.

Sison leads an excellent band, some of whose members are highly regarded sessionists like Michael Guevarra (sax/flute), John Abundo (trumpet) and Arwin Nava (drums). The rest ? Richie Quirino (percussion), Ike Ijiran (bass) and Mike Ponce de Leon (vocals/percussion) ? are no less talented and complete the ensemble?s vibrant sound.

The result is a professionally competent, heartfelt interpretation of a festive, sometimes moody kind of music whose power obliterates cultural barriers.

Agot Isidro
?White Lace & Promises?
PolyEast Records

The public first saw Agot Isidro as a wedding singer on the TV broadcast of the Ryan Agoncillo-Juday Santos nuptials. Then the guys at PolyEast Records convinced Agot to seize the momentum and record a whole album of wedding songs ? or tunes that would fit that kind of milestone in one?s life. Perfect marketing idea? That?s already a given.

The more interesting question, as one listens to this 12-track CD, is: Which song breaks the monotony of reliving starry-eyed romance that ?Ngayon at Kailanman,? ?We?ve Only Just Begun? ?Here, There and Everywhere? (mistakenly credited to George Harrison), ?I Will? and the rest convey?

The answer is on track 4, ?This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)? ? a hot soul number originally recorded by Natalie Cole and which Agot covers with flying colors, right up to the last wailing notes. It?s perfect for the wedding reception.

Jaya
?Real. Love. Stories.?
GMA Records

One of the country?s best pop singers says she was several months pregnant while recording this album ? which she didn?t mind doing because she loved the songs. She does a fairly good job, especially in Kenny Rankin?s ?Hiding Inside Myself,? which evokes a sadder feeling when one realizes that the songwriter has died recently.

The only drawbacks to this record are: Jaya?s tendency to play around certain vocal parts in her typical R&B style that sometimes spoils the song?s momentum; and the recurring problem of producers employing lackadaisical backing tracks even when digital technology makes everything sound authentic.

Noel Cabangon
?Byahe?
Universal Records

On this major-label debut album, the venerable singer-songwriter proves it?s not a crime to do covers ? so long as the interpreter is able to take the songs on a new level of appreciation.

The result: Rey Valera?s ?Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko,? for instance, doesn?t sound like it was written for Sharon Cuneta, but for everyone past their middle age. There are several more good examples (?Ang Aking Awitin,? ?Ipagpatawad Mo,? ?Pinay,? ?Tao,? ?Pagbabalik?), each of them ?uncovering? a certain truth or beauty in the lyrics which one might have overlooked before.

The appeal of ?Byahe? lies in the tracks? spare arrangements; it?s mostly Cabangon?s acoustic guitar accompanying his husky vocals which, devoid of studio enhancement, packs so much honesty in its raw state.

A bonus treat is the inclusion of three original songs: the classic ?Kanlungan? (written by Cabangon?s Buklod band mate, Rom Dongeto, presented here as a duet with Imago?s Aia de Leon); ?Dito Sa Kanto? (Cabangon?s own composition, also featuring Parokya ni Edgar?s Chito Miranda); and ?Ang Buhay Nga Naman? (the theme song of the indie film ?Ded Na Si Lolo?).