Sa'yo Pa Rin

In 1997, Philippine female singer Odette Quesada released Sa'yo Pa Rin (Still for You). Quesada has made a name composing songs for other artists, and she is also making her own albums. The music is pleasant and tuneful and is based more on American middle of the road music than on the easy listening love songs so popular in the Philippines. The songs on Sa'yo Pa Rin have substance. The acoustic guitar and the piano are the dominant instruments on the album, although a string section and horns are heard in some songs. Quesada seems to take inspiration from American singer/songwriter Carole King. "Sabi Nila" (They Say), for example, is an upbeat mover in the mode of King's "I Feel the Earth Move" from her 1971 album Tapestry. While most songs are ballads, there is also welcome diversity. Aside from "Sabi Nila," "Be With You" and "Swept Me Off My Feet are also upbeat songs. The ballads are interesting and have substance. It's possible to imagine a respected international singer such as Patti Austin performing "Beacon in the Night" and "Maybe" from this album. Odette Quesada has a pleasant voice, but it's also somewhat weak, and she sometimes sings off-key. The sinuous twists and turns of the upbeat tunes pose a problem for her, and she sings off-key in parts of "Be With You." Still, the album and the singing is mostly passable, and the songwriting is good.