Say It Again

In 1996, Philippine female singer Roselle Nava released Say It Again. The album is dominated by passionate, easy-listening love songs, a style of music quite popular in the Philippines. Two notable exceptions to the easy-listening fare are the upbeat "Higit Pa Sa Isang Kaibigan" ("More Than a Friend") and "Woncha Dance With Me." "Higit Pa Sa Isang Kaibigan" is vivacious and spirited, with an opening that's reminiscent of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade," while "Woncha Dance With Me" is a funky, R&B-styled outing on which Nava really cuts loose. Most of the album is easy listening and doesn't pose much of a challenge, though "Say That You Love Me" has a measure of drama, and "Habang Narito Ako" ("While I'm Still Here") is adorned with a searing guitar line, which adds a bit of adventure to the proceedings. Otherwise, songs such as "Say It Again," "How Can I," "How Many Ways," "Maniniwala Ba Ako" ("Will I Believe in You?"), and others are pleasant and based on pure melody, with not much emphasis placed on the accompaniment. While Nava's voice isn't the strongest of vehicles, she carries herself well and seems assured throughout. Nava also composed both music and lyrics to one song, the romantic ballad "How Can I." In addition, her confident handling of the more adventurous tunes indicates a commendable versatility and a willingness to tackle more challenging fare than the easy-listening love song.