Freestyle releases
third studio album
Posted: 5:45 PM (Manila Time) | Nov. 08, 2002
By Jocelyn Valle
Inquirer News Service

IT has taken quite a while for Freestyle's third studio album, "I Wanna Get Close," to materialize. "Because we've been traveling to the States for shows," explains the band's vocalist and lone female member, Jinky Vidal.

Fortunately, music buffs can't seem to get enough of their version of Ogie Alcasid's "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang," which they performed with Pops Fernandez in their Araneta Coliseum concert. It's now heard on CDs and cassettes, so their fans are reminded of Freestyle although they're often not in the country.

"We started recording in April," shares Jinky about making "I Wanna Get Close." "But recently lang na pukpukan sa recording, mga two months 'yun."

Top Suzara, Freestyle's other vocalist, agrees. "We faced a lot of trials and challenges while making the album," he recalls. "There were nights when we even slept in the studio just to finish the recording."

"This album," he continues, "is about looking at another perspective in our lives as musicians. We believe that there is a lot more to explore when it comes to our music, and we're taking off with this album.

"There's a bit of experimentation in terms of sound. We incorporated different types of sounds here-R&B, acid jazz, alternative and pop jazz. We didn't really follow any particular concept. We just wanted to give our fans a variety of songs with the Freestyle touch."

Jinky adds that people who fell in love the band's hit tunes "Before I Let You Go" and "Slow" are in for a surprise. "Adult contemporary ang dating nga mga songs dito," she allows. "Sa lahat ng mga projects namin, we really try to experiment. We want to try something new everytime."

"I Wanna Get Close" is also the product of events in the band members' lives in the past few years, particularly the untimely demise of their manager Bolix Suzara, who was also the father of guitarist Tat and the uncle of Top. "We would never have come this far without your guts," writes Jinky to Bolix in her list of thank-yous.

"Maraming nangyari at nag-reflect 'yon sa music namin. I'd like to believe that as we get older, we also get better," shares the 26-year-old singer, who's been singing for nearly a decade, starting in Davao.

Two cuts in the 10-song album (plus a dance mix of "I Like The Way") are already popular. The title track is the theme of the current Close-up TVC (with Kyla sharing vocal chores with Jinky and Top).

"Paano" is a remake of a Gary Valenciano original. Although the band is a fan of Gary V, they didn't really plan to include the song in their latest recording.

"I did a duet of that song with Janno in his 'Divas and I' album," explains Jinky. "E, sa mga gig namin, parating nire-request 'yan, so we decided to do our version of 'Paano.'"