High marks for Regine’s ‘Low Key’

SHARON Cuneta did it for Rupert Holmes’ “Terminal.” So did Nina for Michael Johnson’s “I’ll Always Love You.” And now, in her latest album of covers, “Low Key,” Regine Velasquez is doing the same for a number of standards and pop favorites. Surely, the popularity or instant recall of an old hit song makes it easier for singers to sell an album, but only intelligent performers have the ability to “resurrect” a conventional tune with worn-out melodies or dated lyrics and give it a fresh spin.

For instance, how do you revive Anne Murray’s “You Needed Me” and Debbie Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” without aping the schmaltz-fueled sensibility of their original versions? But, a performer’s interpretive ability makes a lot of difference. After all, turning sap into substance is no easy feat—it requires more than just bravura singing.

Aggressive belting

In Regine’s 18-track collection, you’ll hardly hear the relentlessly aggressive belting that catapulted her to the top of the local music industry’s hierarchy via her show-stopping renditions of “Narito Ako,” “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going),” “You Are My Song” and “Love Me Again,” her first single.

This time, she is no longer driven by the motivation to show-off—and her high notes are delivered like a gentle kiss or a soothing caress. The only time she displays her famous vocal bravado is in the bonus track, Jim Brickman’s “Christmas Is.”

In the liner notes, Asia’s Songbird describes the new direction as part of her “personal and musical evolution.” She explains: “I discover new things about myself and use them in my songs. I realized that the voice doesn’t have to be loud to be forceful, and that a performer can convey a wide range of emotions even in soft or gentle singing.”

Regine accomplishes just that in “Low Key”: Her heartfelt renditions of Terri Gibbs’ “Tell Me That You Love Me,” Orsa Lia’s “No Walls, No Ceilings, No Floors,” Rita Coolidge’s “I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love” or Mary Macgregor’s “Good Friend” will convince listeners to think beyond cloying sentimentality and over-indulgent schmaltz.

Personal journey

Through her songs, Regine takes us on a personal journey—not just hers, but ours, as well. Take Don McLean’s “And I Love You So.” Her exquisitely sung version of the hit classic reminds us of growing up in Davao listening to our dear father humming the song during long family trips to the city. In our childhood years, the tune may not have mattered much, but its lyrical beauty resonates with us now more than ever. Such is the power of great music.

Magnificent too are Regine’s revivals of the Rah Band’s “Clouds Across the Moon,” Manhattan Transfer’s “Walk in Love,” The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” and Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer,” which she sang in a previous album as a hidden track, as part of a medley that also included Wet Wet Wet’s “Love is All Around.”

Maturity has truly brought perspective and depth to Regine’s musicality. She no longer shrieks and shouts as much as she used to, and she has realized that there’s more to beautiful singing than belting!