MANILA, Philippines??You?d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs...What?s wrong with that?,? so sang Paul McCartney. Well, nothing really. In fact, if Pinoys had their way, they?d even fill the world with them?especially during the Valentine season. Some choice cuts from the recording industry?s latest releases:

?Next Big Star?s? champ, Frencheska Farr, sings up a storm with the other contenders in the radio-friendly ?Are You The Next Big Star?? compilation. She displays her star-making vocal power and polish in ?Twina? and the groove-rich ?Bakit Ikaw??

Range-appropriate numbers

During the show?s finals last year, Frencheska?s male counterpart, Geoff Taylor, underwhelmed viewers with his shaky performances, but in the album, he comes up with surprisingly charming and range-appropriate numbers.

Another talent search alumnus, Bugoy Drilon, is still riding high on the well-deserved success of his breakout hit single, ?Paano Na Kaya?,? which is also included in his self-titled second album. Other hit-bound cuts: ?Hindi Na Bale? and ?Lumayo Ka Man Sa Akin.?

Trust Christian Bautista to get you in the romantic mood: In Jim Brickman?s ?Beautiful World,? the balladeer?s smooth vocals and overt sentimentality are showcased in the pop-jazz hybrid, ?Never Far Away.?

If Charice?s cameo in the recent ?Alvin and the Chipmunks? movie sequel left you wanting more, the hit movie?s Billboard-charting soundtrack contains the teenage belter?s spruced-up revival of Alicia Keys? ?No One??with the Chipettes backing her!

Melodic charmers

In Hanna Flores? eponymously titled album, the pretty newcomer proves that she?s got what it takes to make it in the competitive world of recording. Her hitbound ?Love Me, Hold Me? and ?Munting Hiling? are melodic charmers that will have pop-music aficionados singing and swaying along.

In ?Byahe,? Noel Cabangon shines in a beautifully ruminative rendition of Sharon Cuneta?s ?Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko,? while Cadio delivers solid, full-voiced covers of ItchyWorm?s playful ?Akin Ka Na Lang,? Joel Navarro?s ?Swerte-Swerte Lang? and the Apo Hiking Society?s ?Mahirap Magmahal ng Syota ng Iba? in his latest album, ?Klasik.?

Effusive renditions

Joey Albert?s ?Songs of the Heart? treats the new generation of music lovers to a 14-song compilation that boasts of carefully rendered covers of hit songs from the 1980s and ?90s. Her repertoire is a mishmash of romantic schmaltz, but it will nevertheless draw you in because of the songstress? still lovely pipes, effusive renditions and the album?s timeless OPM tunes.