September 09, 2005

Orange And Lemons: Rock With A Tangy Twist

By Clara Enriquez

Orange And Lemons is one grand and swift crossover story, as indie-to-mainstream success stories go. Composed of Clem Castro (electric guitars/vocals), Mcoy Fundales (acoustic guitars/vocals), JM del Mundo (bass) and Ace del Mundo (drums), Orange And Lemons used to be an act that we only heard on the alternative rock radio. Now the quartet, which was featured as the MTV Rising Star last June, is sweeping the mainstream airwaves and making its mark as the band to watch.

Their mainstream debut officially makes Orange And Lemons an "indie-pop" band. This makes most listeners wonder what the band was like before their debut song "Hanggang Kailan" started topping multiple charts, from the NU 107 Weekly Midnight Countdown to RX 93.1's weekly countdown, all the way to MTV Diyes.

Orange And Lemons broke into the indie music scene in December 2003, when they came out with their independently produced first album titled Love In The Land Of Rubber Shoes And Dirty Ice Cream under Terno Records. Being an underground album, the first outing did not receive any marketing blitz or airplay. Apparently, though, there was no need for these, as the group's live performances were enough to drum up listeners' interest in the fresh act.

In no time, Orange And Lemons gained a strong following among local gig circuit habitués who found the group's music-a fusion of influences including Pinoy rock, The Beatles, The Smiths, Dave Clark, Fra Lippo Lippi, and other English guitar pop and indie pop acts from the '80s-a whiff of fresh beat. The following year, Orange And Lemons won the NU Rock Awards Best New Artist plum. Their song, "Just Like A Splendid Love Song," and their album were both nominated in the Song of the Year and Album of the Year categories, respectively.

After the publicity that the group single-handedly generated, going mainstream became inevitable. Indeed, before the band knew it, they were already signing up a record deal with Universal Records. And in May of this year, their second album titled Strike Whilst The Iron Is Hot -- their first mainstream opus-was finally released.

Aside from "Hanggang Kailan," other tracks in the album include: "Pabango Sa 'Yong Mga Mata," "Lihim," "Cycle Of Love" and "Rock-A-Bye." At the rate that Orange And Lemons' songs are climbing up the charts, we are wont to believe that listeners will be clamoring for more of the group's tangy, juicy brand of rock.