LIKE Piolo Pascual and Jericho Rosales, Aljur Abrenica also wants to have a two-pronged career as actor and singer. But, does the hunky heartthrob have what it takes to hurdle?and conquer?the tricky melodies in his eponymously titled debut recording? Yes and no.

We were impressed the first time we heard Aljur sing: In Lovi Poe?s album, ?Bloom,? his restrained but unmistakably masculine baritone complemented the singer-actress? sweet alto in the harmony-fueled duet, ?Save The Sunlight.?

But, in his first album, Aljur begins Panji?s ?Sayang Sayang,? the jazzy, guitar-driven carrier single, with a gangly rendering, then puffs it up before it ends with a fuller albeit padded sound.

In his revival of Fra Lippo Lippi?s ?Beauty and Madness,? sustaining the notes with confidence is a problem?Aljur hits the melodies correctly, then shakes and wavers within them.

The 20-year-old actor displays more pluck and spunk in Michael V?s ballad, ?Kailan Kaya?,? although in its more vocally demanding portions, he teeters between being pitchy and sharp.

He comes off better in banda-sounding, pop-rock tunes?like Jude Gitamondoc?s ?Iisa Sa Magkabilang Mundo? (about opposites attracting each other)?which utilize lyrics that require a more casual and conversational delivery. And, his cover of Introvoy?s ??Di Na Ako Aasa Pa? will likewise please his young revivals-weaned fans.

But, Aljur and his handlers should realize that the trick to a successful and sustainable recording career is in the way a singer chooses his repertoire: A smart performer doesn?t just sing any song he likes, but picks tunes that will showcase his strengths?and does away with those that expose his weaknesses.

Revival

If there?s one song whose release we?re pleased about, it?s ?Pyramid,? Charice?s collaboration with Iyaz?and the second single from her anticipated US solo album after her traffic-stopping revival of JoJo?s 2006 hit song, ?Note to God.?

Finally, the teenage belter gets to act her age in a track that doesn?t require her to channel Whitney Houston or Celine Dion. We?re happy to note that ?Pyramid? is indubitably Charice?s song from start to finish?fresh and youthful?and that?s such a relief!

Auto-tune?s hip sound and sleek finish add relish to Charice?s steely pipes in ?Pyramid,? a tune that puts the singer?s youthful exuberance and positive energy to good use, and smartly utilizes the phase-vocoder technology to enhance her song?s catchy groove and stubborn, our-love-is-sturdy sentiment? though, the pitch-perfect Charice will do just fine, with or without the contentious auto-tune technology.

Curious about the auto-tune sound? In 1998, shortly after Antares Technologies created the Auto-Tune audio processor, Cher surprised dance aficionados when she invaded dance floors everywhere at age 52 with ?Believe,? the vocoder-assisted monster hit that opened doors for R&B/hip-hop artists like T-Pain (?Reverse Cowgirl?) and Akon (?Right Now Na Na Na?).

Among irresistible vocoder-backed artists or singles these days: Adam Young?s synthpop-electronica project, Owl City (?Fireflies?), and ?Like I Never Left,? Whitney Houston?s duet with Akon.

However, artists like Jay-Z, Wyclef Jean and Christina Aguilera are rallying behind the Anti-Auto-Tune Movement, which frowns at pop music?s increasingly ?processed? (or unnatural) sound, and aims to ?bring integrity back to genuine artists.? Jay-Z even recorded a song about it: ?D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tube).?

Concept album

Another interesting tidbit: Former Talking Heads front man, David Byrne, has just released his latest concept album about?hold your breath?Imelda Marcos: The two-disc ?Here Lies Love? pays tribute to the life and times of the controversial former Philippine first lady.

In a glowing review of the album, the Associated Press said, ?You don?t need to know the tale of this fallen shoe maven to love the tracks she inspired.? Byrne joins Fatboy Slim and 22 other guest vocalists, who deliver ?hair-raising harmonies, sumptuous beats and unexpected duets.?

Natalie Merchant renders a haunting tune about martial law in ?Order 1081,? while Cyndi Lauper and Tori Amos? quirky but complementary singing styles make ?Why Don?t You Love Me?? memorably bittersweet.