Angeline Quinto, Ryan Cayabyab Singers whet OPM lovers’ appetite

MR. C’s (fourth from left) versatile vocal septet topbills “RCS: 7” at Music Museum.

GET you OPM fix from the season’s latest album releases: Angeline Quinto’s “Fall In Love Again” and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers’ “RCS Repackaged.”

Quinto’s chart-topping sophomore effort, “Fall in Love Again,” is a hefty collection of theme songs, standards and OPM tunes.

If you’re partial to sleekly produced, take-no-prisoners  renditions, Quinto’s covers of Raymond Lauchengco’s “Saan Darating Ang Umaga?,” Dingdong Avanzado’s “Maghihintay Sa ‘Yo,” Wency Cornejo’s “Hanggang,” and Basil Valdez’s “Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo” should whet your appetite.

Aside from the hit-bound single, “Bakit Nga Ba Minamahal Kita?,” the 15-track recording fulfills one of the talent-search champ’s dreams—to sing with her idol (and sound-alike), Regine Velasquez, who generously shares Gary Valenciano’s anthemic “Lipad ng Pangarap” with her.

Regine’s voice has a more “open,” less calculated quality, but the songstresses’ voices and singing styles are almost note-for-note identical—which isn’t necessarily a good thing for the young chanteuse, because you can’t sustain a career by sounding like somebody else.

Ryan Cayabyab Singers

For their part, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Mr. C’s formidable vocal septet composed of Anezka Alvarez, Poppert Bernadas, Kaich Tiuseco, Erwin Lacsa, VJ Caber, Vince Lim and Celine Fabie, are also shaking up their sound with the release of their latest album, “RCS Repackaged.” RCS is the Music Man’s latest baby—after Smokey Mountain, 14K and Kaya.

Ryan shares, “When I conceptualized RCS, I wanted to create a group of solo singers from various genres—hence, the album’s eclectic mix of voices, textures and songs”—and that is exactly what you’ll get when you play the album on your iPod and multidisc players.

QUINTO. Take-no-prisoners renditions.

The album’s 13-song repertoire includes kick-ass new covers of “Hibang Sa Awit” and “Nais Ko,” as well as the harmony-rich revival of the ethereal “Magbalik Ka Na, Mahal” (from the stage musical, “Rama Hari”).

The album is a showcase of versatility and vocal diversity, and the singers’  pop sound is just as fetching as their theaterical/“classical” pieces. In fact, “Kaya Mo,” “Let Me Love You Tonight” and “Ba’t ‘Di Mo Sinabi” should impress a younger demographic of music lovers.

But, promoting the album isn’t the only thing that keeps RCS busy—and buzzing with excitement—these days: Mr. C and the group will embark on a series of shows in the US next month.

And, on July 7, Celine, Vince, VJ, Erwin, Kaich, Poppert and Anezka will headline “RCS: 7,” the group’s “pop concert with a theater twist,” at Music Museum (call 0917 874-3499). —A should-see in our book!