Pop tunes get another ‘Lighthearted’ tweak

THE COMPANY. Harmony-rich romantic paeans.

Except for a few tracks that included the novel revival of Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” and Honor Society’s “Where Are You Now?,” we were mostly underwhelmed by The Company’s covers of pop duets in the first edition of “Lighthearted.” In “Lighthearted 2,” however, the talented quintet brings something more to their 12-song repertoire (the compilation also includes four minus-one tracks) and manages to go beyond schmaltzy blandness.

This time, the harmonies of Moy Ortiz, Sweet Plantado, Annie Quintos, Cecile Bautista and Jay Marquez coalesce as they turn ballads and dance tunes into harmony-rich romantic paeans.

But, the magic they conjure up doesn’t just come when their harmonies fuse in a seamless, five-part blend; they’re likewise easy on the ears when they take turns singing solo from one stanza to the next, as they skilfully demonstrate in their luscious revivals of Train’s “Marry Me,” Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now,”  and Rihanna’s “California King Bed,” which soars even more when Plantado launches into her lung-busting solos.

Top picks: Their playful revival of Jessie J’s dance-floor dazzler, “Price Tag,” and the dreamy renditions of Far East Movement’s “Rocketeer” and Katy Perry’s “Firework.”

Seminal hit

We weren’t surprised to hear an overload of saccharine mush  in Hope and Jason Mraz’s “Love Love Love,” but we expected so much more from the quintet’s retweaking of Adele’s seminal hit, “Rolling in the Deep.” Alas, the anticipated tune was serviceable, but undistinctive.