Mister Tililing: (Not Just an) Album Review

Oo, naman! Kilala pa rin namin ang Tanya Markova!

Only Tanya Markova can make THE original payaso music! They are our childhood, youth and the insanely brilliant schizsos within us. Their comedy of sarcasm and parodies never fails.

In one of Tanya Markova's gigs at 70's Bistro, I got the chance to grab a copy of their album 

Mister Tililing.

There is a total of 17 tracks composed of funny, weird, disturbing, 

and satisfyingly good songs and antics. They are as follows:

1. Tililing, Tililing 

2. Bermuda Love Triangle

3. Hello, Hello, Hello

4. Eskeleton

5. Ang Darling Kong Zombie

6. B.U.N.G.O. (Mag-asawang)

7. Metal Hospital

8. Pandemonium

9. Nari Tuna

10. High-end

11. Belated Happy Birthday Song

12. Nakatutok

13. No Eating Below the Belt

14. Lagalag

15. Mr. Tililing & Kuya Dark Contract

16. E.O.W. (End of the World)

17. Liwaliwba

The initial track reminds me of the ringing bells of the Pinoy well-loved dirty ice cream that kids and not-so-old-kids get really excited about, which is followed by some sort of intergalactic voicemail that reminds me of the sarcastic, creepy Night Vale. Mister Tililing is creepy and witty!

I spent a good time laughing and humming along with this album. Sobrang nakaka-LSS! It was more than my money's worth. The signature Pinoy sound is still on track, the strikingly out of the ordinary kind of weird lyrics and feeling are definitely there. It is good-old-Tanya Markova music version 2.0. What do you expect from Tanya Markova? I honestly expected so much and this album is way beyond that expectation.

The satiric take on Pinoy ads, love-struck Pinoys, zombie hype, elitism, senseless extravagance, hypocrisy, a good laugh on Pinoy gullibility and all things uniquely Pinoy, plus those newly-acquired Pinoy color. This is not the hugot you hear almost everywhere, but the reality that hits you hard on the face, and laughs at your shock. They got the not-your-everyday love songs that will surely leave you smiling at the satisfying music and witty lyrics. Forgive me if I will not deal with the specifics of this album because it is better to listen to it without any idea what's in store. But I can definitely assure you that this is a must-have for the collection!

By the way, they are working on their next MV with the directing skills of Sir Jiggy Gregorio.
Here is the teaser for the song, Ang Darling Kong Zombie

#ThrowbackTanyaMarkova

What makes Tanya Markova is what we are as Filipinos:

Our love for romanticism shoved down our throats by Disney, which every Pinoy kid grew up with, is undeniable. Everyone, not only girls, read and watched a fairytale or two. We have always dreamed of that happily ever after when we were kids, and sadly, some people didn't grow out of it. Disney stories are our first book, first movie, and a dream to set foot on when finally we can afford to travel. This is the romantics that we are--- our seemingly inherent attitude of seeing the "rainbow after the rain." Our positivism in everything that even if we've lost so much, we still focus on what we have. Thus, we are labeled one of the happiest people. We can't help a good laugh at everything. The romanticism that fills the Filipino culture translates to the very core of our society: in the arts, religion and even in politics. and so we have a circus of a society now.

Our fascination with photos and the emotions we usually have towards our subjects reflects our Pinoy idealism of beautiful. Ever wonder why we all go gaga over beauty pageants? Other countries don't have the same dedication to win crowns at international beauty contests. It is rooted in our eyes for the aesthetics which is seen in our devotion to images that Catholics even dress them up for occasions. We also patronize the grandeur of celebrations which is seen in festivals all over the country. They may not be practical, but that's culture. I hope our love for the aesthetics would extend to our Original Pinoy Music.

We can never deny our endless pursuit of knowing the paranormal world. Remember the stories of exorcism, the spirit of the glass tripping you had with your barkada, the dream of getting a third eye and the ghost stories literally everywhere? I guess this is rooted in the Filipino culture of lower mythology that speaks of the colorful literature and story-telling affinity that Pinoys grew up with and inherited from the firsts of our generation. We are not Pinoy if we do not believe the superstitions, Pinoy monsters, and the spirits that we even honor and remember on one of the most important holidays we have - All Saint's/Souls Day. Hi, Linda Blair, my old friend!

It will always be Pinoy curiosity that is picked when showbiz or the entertainment industry is on the table. Pinoys love TV and the people they frequently see in it. As so the allusion of the biggest stars that we know in this song. This is the fanaticism that we are all very aware of. Now, fanaticism is no longer limited with entertainment since politics started marrying showbiz. The election that relies on popularity vote turned voters into members of fandoms, which I personally think divides the country more. This dedication that we possess towards the people we idolize may be good at some personal points, but when abused (which often happens), is mostly against the common good. Here's a lighter take on that.

Last, but not the least, Pinoys are social media addicts. This is because we value community and relationships more than anything else. With the exodus of Pinoys to work their a** off abroad, there is this dire need for communication to cushion the blow of isolation and homesickness. We love the social media for its capability to keep us connected. Maybe we should soon establish an Idot's Guide in responsible use of it though.

This is my favorite music video. This speaks of Philippines: its poverty, the deepest of our realities behind violence and criminality, the romance we see in the middle of all chaos, the hypocrisy of our perceived social responsibility and the exploitation of the already bereaved society that we have.

Tanya Markova is disturbingly good, a good kind of weirdness, our deep-seated dreams and frustrations, the surreal realities, our youthful imagination, the rich Pinoy culture that we tend to dismiss over foreign musings. Their music is filled with local color which is the foundation of regionalism in literature. From the music to the lyrics, the humor and the wit---their craft will not be fully appreciated without being a Flilipino first. Just as how we differently interpret and remember moments associated with the following words we grew up with:

"sumayaw ng boogie at chacha ng walang musika"
"tumingin sa salamin at kinausap ang sarili"
"nakangangang kumanta sa harap ng bukas na electric fan"
"mapangiti sa jeep ng walang dahilan"
"magsalita mag-isa"
"abakada"
"nanay, tatay, gusto kong tinapay..."
"abrakadabra"

I love Tanya Markova because it is Original Pinoy Music in every sense of those words.
Original. Pinoy. Music.
Proud Pinoy!

The Deathbed of Bayanihan

One of the most notable traits of Filipinos is our culture of Bayanihan. Coming from the root word "bayan" which means country, and "bayani" which means hero, Bayanihan is indeed a source of Pinoy pride. That's what I learned in my elementary Civics and Culture subject. And just as how the bahay-kubo (nipa hut) that is transferred from one barangay to another became almost obsolete, so is Bayanihan. When I was a kid, whenever I was asked to picture Bayanihan in my mind, I would always think of the nipa hut with all the people struggling to transfer it to another barangay. And until now, books of my daughter would have the same concept. Honestly, who transfers nipa huts in cities? Even provinces mostly have concrete houses now. Anyway, Bayanihan would always include a house in the picture. A modernized version will be people building houses for the homeless. Most of the time, there would be celebrities or political figures holding construction materials for their publicity pictures. There are those that really show sincere heroic deeds that fit the definition, but they are so rare that we only see them during "great hopelessness" and "utter despair." According to pinoy.md, this is how Bayanihan should be defined: That is why we are acquainted with this supposed to be Filipino tradition only and only if lives are lost or will be lost. Our concept of Bayanihan is not transferable. We don't recognize opportunities for this when we're faced with a different scenario. Remember that it is heroism, and the only thing that makes it different is that, it's communal. We find heroism within us during calamities, where people don't ask for anything in exchange of what they can give: time, effort, resources, prayers and all things we are capable of sharing. Also, donations flood when there are people asking for financial help because they are dying, or they are inflicted by an expensively-treated ailment. In general, Filipinos are generous and we can still count on each other in times of emergency, in times of suffering, in times of hopelessness. Sadly, Bayanihan turned out to be a mere occasional Filipino trait. We possess it only when we're at the brink of losing humanity. What breaks the culture of Bayanihan is losing any of it's components: (1) patriotism, (2) love for others and (3) unity On the death bed of Bayanihan, loom the following:

• Sin of omission - when we think of ourselves than stand against what we know is wrong.
• Greed - when we think of ourselves and value only those that benefit us, regardless if they are right or wrong.
• Self-entitlement - when we think of ourselves, our wants---everything that we should work hard for, yet we want to gain them easily.
• Indifference - when we think of ourselves than think for the benefit of the common good.
• Crab Mentality - when we think of ourselves and step on others in order to reach the top.

The list goes on and it falls in just one big problem: we think only of ourselves. When was the time you did something for others without expecting anything in return? Going back to Bayanihan: When was the time you thought of doing something that would benefit the country and not just yourself? Do you even consider the country when you make decisions? This is a wake up call for all people who live cheating even the smallest amount of anything for their favor. This is for the people who forgot their moral responsibility. This for those who lived indifferent of the needs of the society. This is for those who had been selfish. Let me quote Uncle Ben in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012): "If you could do good things for other people, you have a moral obligation to do those things. That's what at stake here. Not choice; responsibility." Our country is perishing because of the people who had been thinking or are still thinking of themselves. It is time that we make a difference. We need not only intelligent citizens, but those whose values will never be swayed; those whose principles would never break; those whose dignity would never be bought; those brave enough to stand for what is right amid all wrongs. Yes, we do have people like that. But since they are usually alone in their feat, they die, they get assassinated, they fall. Because of this, we need Bayanihan- "a collective heroic effort against great hopelessness and utter despair" that our country is now facing. To end my thoughts, allow me to quote another movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008): "Professor Barnhardt: But it's only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice do we evolve. This is our moment." THIS IS OUR MOMENT. Let us preserve a Filipino tradition by thinking not only for ourselves, but our country that is bound to go to the dogs if we won't do anything about it. Be a Filipino for the Philippines.