Music in the key of dusk with Johnoy Danao

Only time will tell if Johnoy Danao keeps his title as “the best-kept secret" of Philippine music. But right now, as a solo singer whose reach is directly proportional to his grasp, his voice is as resonant as it is meaningful.

Armed with his Guild acoustic guitar, Danao has amassed not only street cred as a performer but also as a songwriter whose musical chops are never in doubt. With the 2010 release of his independently produced debut album Dapithapon (Wombworks), the thirtysomething has quickly become a musician whose songs are beloved by those who hear them. Back in the early 2000s, he was the front man for the alternative band Bridge that played complex adult contemporary and old school blues that could sear your soul. When that group disbanded, Danao continued playing as a solo artist. His covers have gone wildly viral on the Internet. His renditions of blues heavy songs are the best and they positively glow with fresh sonic perspective as on his versions of songs by Adele, Dido, U2, Coldplay, Radiohead, and my favorite pick (mostly for nostalgic reasons) The Dave Matthews Band. “Music is my life," Danao has said in previous interviews. “I’m not here for the bright lights or the fame." Dapithapon is a collection of 12 tracks that meander and explore the sights along life’s rough roads. Even the happier tunes (like “Pare Mare") teeter on the precipice of a blues man enjoying himself, all the while knowing it’s merely a respite from the storm. Hearing Danao live is to behold an emotion being stripped to its core and held up for scrutiny. His voice is cool, raw and brutally, breathlessly elegant in its dissection of situational context. There aren’t many storyteller-singers anymore, but Danao still brings that old skill to bear on his compositions, as in the love songs “Alinlangan" and “Pagbigyan." The latter is a rollicking tune about “giving in" while the former has the feel of Damien Rice having one drink too many with Connor Oberst, on the topic of lovers and their proclivity for quarreling. Guest musicians on the album include Louie Talan (Razorback), Wendell Garcia (Pupil), and Boy Garovillo (Kalayo). Pinikpikan and Spy head lead axeman Sammy Asuncion wrote and co-wrote some of the songs while also lending his guitar chops. “Aking Giliw" features Aia de Leon (Imago) as back-up vocalist, but the best ones for me are the songs that wax most meditatively like the brilliant duet of “One Day" and the somber call to arms that is “Tara na Bayan." My favorite track is the epic and grand “Tumulay," with its stellar lead guitar matching Danao’s vocals as he sings about hope, post-tragedy: “Pagkatapos ng unos may nalilikha." Not bad at all for a dormer who got inspired to make music his profession by listening to Eraserheads’ Ultraelectromagneticpop! Play Dapithapon when twilight sets in and the city alights from its busy day. You won’t be disappointed. – YA/HS, GMA News