Track List
1. Say Forever
2. Your Universe
3. Yugto
4. Ayuz
5. Helpless
6. Start Again
7. Outta This
8. Para Hindi Ka Mawala
9. Antukin
10. Metropolis
With a little help from his musician friends (including The Dawn’s Buddy Zabala, Bamboo’s Nathan Azarcon and Razorback’s Louie Talan), former Rivermaya vocalist Rico Blanco is finally back with his first solo album. This is not only a showcase of Blanco’s intelligent and witty songwriting but also of his diverse musical influences. Say Forever, Outta This and Metropolis are synth flavored numbers while Helpless, Start Again and Para Hindi Ka Mawala are laid back and somewhat relaxing. The album shifts to high gear with Yugto, a multi-layered rock opera that is as anthemic as his former band’s biggest hits. Ayuz and Antukin are 90s alternative rock flavored, almost sounding like tracks culled from Rivermaya’s early days. But the song that stands above the rest here is the title track Your Universe, a simple yet endearing and heartfelt ballad well-written the way only Blanco could.
Ironically, I find this album sounding more like the old Rivermaya than Rivermaya’s latest (Buhay). This is comparable to Its Not Easy Being Green, the fourth Rivermaya album and the first where Blanco took over as the vocalist after Bamboo left. If you’re an old Maya fan then I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with Your Universe.
