Filipino classic rock band, The Pub Forties, launched their first-ever EP, ‘DocumentAries (Demos and Outtakes)’ on Monday, January 31.
From releasing their original tracks since 2017, such as Road Rage, Stop the World, and Nung Tayo Pa, to name a few, the four-piece ensemble, mainly composed of established journalists, finally debuts their first EP.
DocumentAries (Demos and Outtakes) is a 6-track compilation record of each band member’s musical compositions that showcases the artists’ varying musical styles while simultaneously exhibiting their sound as a group.
“Each song represents a facet of the writer/composer’s creativity, sentiment, and world view,” says Aries Espinosa.
The Story Of Life is a David Bowie-inspired track that talks about the mystical nature of life; I Will Be True is a Bebop jazz song that sings about the pledge of true love; Sakaling Di Dumating is a ballad track that depicts the narrative of a fleeting or forbidden love; Tigas Ng Ulo is a blues-rock song giving voice to pandemic frustrations where people tend to break protocols.
The EP is published under O/C Records and includes previously released tracks distributed by the same label, namely Next Big Thing and Last Time I Saw You. The former is a pop-rock song inspired by sports anthems and is Yugel Losorata’s song for his basketball aspirant-son. The latter features a three-part harmony among Yugel Losorata, Aries Espinosa, and Vince Borromeo — an elegy song that pays tribute to someone who passed and is inspired by The Beatles’ Eleanor Rugby — remembering a beloved in his happy times.
The Pub Forties’ passion for music and belief in its power to serve as instruments in sharing their accumulated wisdom in life cultivated the production of this EP. The pandemic may have halted the group from physically gathering together and continuing their musical endeavors, the restrictions unsuccessfully hindered the rock band from rendering a record packed with compelling stories.
“We could have called it quits. But I realized we’re making some demos at home, so why not just gather them as it is, warts and all, along with a couple of outtakes of our previous OC-released tracks,” says Yugel Losorata.
Aries Espinosa adds, “Music and musicality find a way to be expressed, no matter the circumstances. The present social setup that prioritizes the health and safety of citizens might suggest that the collaborative pursuits of a musical group such as our band would most likely be halted. But, here we are, through the magic of technology, our band was still able to put out an EP.”
With their debut EP, The Pub Forties, heavily influenced by classic rock tunes and composed of Aries Espinosa (lead vocals), Yugel Losorata (bass guitar, back-up vocals), Vince Borromeo (acoustic guitar, back-up vocals), and James Casas (drums), prove how the classics go beyond any musical evolution.
“Our message to young listeners is this: We can’t offer you any extra dosage of youth, but we can provide some shots of wisdom. That wisdom is where the beauty of the classics resides.”
DocumentAries (Demos and Outtakes) is now available for streaming on all leading digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
