Truefaith
?Love Parade?
Viva Records

It?s been ages since this Truefaith?s heyday (?Perfect,? ?Alaala,? ?Huwag Na Lang Kaya?), but what?s admirable about the pop band is that it never stopped recording new stuff. Its 10th and latest studio album, ?Love Parade,? is filled with happy, romantic tunes ? starting with the opener, ??Yun Lang? (featuring Up Dharma Down?s Armi Millare backing up Medwin Marfil), whose lyrics relate amorous feelings with one?s sense of smell.

The other tracks (?Mountain Wind,? ?Hurray,? ?Strange Flower?) are interesting as well for their upbeat rhythms; most notably, ?Tonight,? which calls to mind Joe Jackson?s ?Steppin? Out? and a bit of Style Council, is a good mood-enhancer even during hot weather.

Truefaith is not known for making heavy statements in its songs, but its attempt at metaphor in ?Parada,? which compares life with the flow of a festive celebration, is worth a listen.

Curiously, the band is self-admittedly pop, but it rocks out towards the end of one track, reminiscent of The Jerks? live sets at the old Mayric?s.

Benj
?Benj?
PolyEast Records
A veteran front man of several bands, Baguio-born Benj (full name: Benjamin Cruz) strikes out on his own with this self-titled debut CD. His handlers are hyping him as a rock balladeer, and the first move was to get radio airplay for his cover of Rod Stewart?s ?I Don?t Wanna Talk About It.? He sounds eerily much like the raspy-voiced Brit singer-songwriter.

But the good news is, Benj also writes original stuff, and they?re mostly about his real-life, heartbreak experiences. He sounds convincing in ?Don?t Cry? and ?Sana Ako Na Lang,? although his lyrics need some tweaking.

Another song, ?Ride On,? belies his rock balladeer image because it?s fast and intense.

In any case, it bears watching how he would follow up this debut release, which is definitely bitin ? consisting only of five tracks, the rest being minus-one versions. Pocholo Concepcion