Music: The "Reese Lansangan" Effect

Reese Lansangan at Satchmi's Vinyl Day 

"The Beat of my own drum" the statement on singer-song writer Reese Lansangan's high slit dress could not ring any more true. With her famously dyed locks in two buns and wearing pink round frame glasses (very John Lennon if you ask me) she serenaded an eager crowd of fans during Satchmi's Vinyl Day last  April 30. After her set, a throng of her fans waited for her by the back stage area to take photos with their idol. The ever kind and gracious Reese obliged with selfies to a number of squealing College aged girls. We had to wait for a while (I didn't mind) before we could have our five minute interview.

After the dust settled, Reese and I had a short chat and we caught up with the rising "Grammar Nazi" singer and found out what she's been up to and what's coming in her colorful career.

You were recently on a trip to Japan and your album "Arigato Internet" was on a mini launch. So can you tell us what was that like?

Reese: Actually Pre-Launch palang siya. Para siyang mini-tour. An Indie Record label, the ones that produced tide/edit, is producing a Japan release of "Arigato Internet", with five new tracks, four remixes and one new song, "Home" they're releasing it (the album) in Japan around June or July. I went there to rest after the album launch (Arigato Internet, local launch-read here)  do a few performances and chill.

The Reese Effect: Fans line up to get photos with their favorite Internet savy girl. 

What was it like performing in Japan? What was the audience like?
How did they receive your music?

Reese: Actually it's ccol, 'coz a lot of Filipinos came. That were either (foreign) exchange students from Manila or they just live in Japan and they follow me on Instagram. There were a few Japanese who came but they don't understand English, so I don't know what they thought of the music but they wanted a picture, so it was pretty cool but I don't understand what they're saying, but they were very apologetic and they are very enthusiastic about it naman. They were very polite. Actually I went to an underground club where a rock band was playing and the Japanese audience was very polite, so after a set they would applaud (claps) they wouldn't even scream (even if it was a rock band). Sobrang weird because tayo we go "Woooooh!" It was weird but it was refreshing.

So this Japan release-is there any chance that it's going to be released here locally as well?

Reese: I'm going to have a hundred copies pressed. I'm going to keep and give copies to those who helped me with the album and have about eighty copies to be sold. Super limited edition. It would be good for the Filipino fans who can get their hands on it. It's super different with five bonus tracks. Different album art - like one that I gave you. (See below). There will be a booklet too. It will have a different design, very Japanese. 

Eighty copies up for grabs - paunahan nalang. (Laughs).

You were recently a Spotlight Artist on Myx. What was it like? Opening cable TV and seeing yourself there? Did you think that one day it would actually happen?

Reese: Actually never. Kasi sobrang avid fan ako ng mga music countdowns. Before there was VidOk and then Myx.  Lagi kong sinusubaybayan dun kasi walng internet. I mean hindi naman uso ung Internet and you wouldn't really get the chance to hear the music that you like again and again unless you have a CD or a cassette. So yun lang ung way mo para mapakingan siya, abangan mo sa countdown. So now, you can just watch it on YouTube or whatever but it's still like a big thing, I think. A lot of people discover me through MYX parin. They tweet me like I saw you on MYX or I saw your video on MYX, I think it's so cute. And they eventually follow me, so I think it's a good exposure-to be on mainstream TV. I think any exposure is good exposure. So it's super surreal because I never thought that the shows that I was watching. I would end up being in it.



Check out her super cute MV Exploration No. 5 in the video above!
  

Even I had my own fangirl moment with Reese.

What's next for Reese?   

For this year. Sana I can release a mini EP lang talaga. If not this year then early next year. I've just finished my first song yesterday. I sat down and finished it in a day. I'm excited because it's going to be an experimental kind of sound. Kaya EP lang. Parang electronic-ish -more on the likes of BANKS, and Oh Wonder. Parang ganun ung ineexperiment ko.  I'm getting April (The SunManager) to help me out, produce and Josh (of Autotelic) -of course. So un, that's my mini project. I don't have a timeline yet but its more of less at the end of year, hopefully.

Thank you Satchmi for the opportunity to have a chat with Reese. :)

Read my "Arigato Internet" Album Review here.

Teaser. Teaser. A look at Reese's Arigato Internet Japanese album art. 

Album Review: 'Arigato Internet' -indeed!

12 Shades of Reese: Arigato Internet comes with 12 beautiful photos of Reese Lansangan.

Do you still have a hangover from that awesome album launch last Sunday? I know I do! 

So how do you cure a hangover like that? Aside from blogging about the event the next thing is (drum roll please)....an album review! 

In a recent post, Reese thanked the 500+ people who attended the launch she also shared that they actually 'ran out' of albums on that day! (Clutches my copy closer) I don't think I've ever heard of an album launch actually running out of albums on the launch. Just goes to show the support for this singer-songwriter and the thirst for good music. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, we've been following Reese Lansangan since 2013. We know that she is a crazy, talented singer-songwriter. Her songs are written and performed with a guitar accompaniment, sometimes it's a Ukelele. We've seen her use effects and delays during her live performance but how was all of this going to reflect in the album? Was it going to be an entire album of songs accompanied only with a guitar or a ukelele at times? 

The age of the Internet has given birth to YouTube stars, such as Reese, who has gained a large following on her different social media platforms but will all these be enough for her to put out a full length album? I admire that Reese is as independent as it can get with her music and career. She has no record label behind her and is not working with any producer or industry expert in her album. As far as we can tell, it's just Reese and her a handful of musician friends who are behind the eponymous Arigato Internet.

When I first found out that the album was for P400.00 and I saw the packaging, I thought "Wow! Packiing palang sulit na!" I believe that in trying to keep the physical album alive in an age of digital downloads and streaming apps like Spotify, it's important to create a physical packaging and layout that will make fans want to have a copy of the album. As someone who belongs to that group who still values physical album copies (I have a modest collection at home) I was really impressed by how unique the packaging and layout of the album was; it was a thick clear plastic which was sewn on the edges that came with 12 different beautiful photos of Reese, that had lyrics written on the back. With this concept, album owners would be able to change the design (or jacket) of their album to a featured photo and with 12 covers the chances of you having the same design with someone is one out of twelve and you can also change it up whenever you want! It seems that with Reese's unique personality she also somehow passed this on to those who got a copy of her album. 

Being a fan of Japanese Culture (except the food) Reese loved the idea of Japanese characters appearing on her album, thus 'Arigato Internet'.

For some time now, the quirky Lansangan has teased her fans and followers of photos of her in the studio, working with a handful of fellow local musicians, most of whose music we already follow.

The album is made up of 9 tracks with 2 bonus tracks (See! More bang for your buck!) and starts with Exploration No. 5 which is classic Reese, her raspy, blues-inspired voice accompanied by a Ukelele, guitar and percussion. The next track is the much-talked about and super song Grammar Nazi, which paints a hilarious picture of liking a boy but who doesn't like books and 'couldn't spell right at all' (he says 'stuffs' so yes- run away) English Teacher Reese teaches some common grammar mistakes and even does a rap break in the song (yes- she sings and she raps!)

Recommended for English Teachers and even ESL Trainers to share/analyze and study with their students and trainees. It's fun and you get to learn a lot too!

Track 3 is the stalker-ish song Creeper, which with the upright bass makes it the perfect song for stalking-err 'watching behind the bush'. Code of Kin is a beautiful song, that I think of as a lullaby to your sister who may be feeling a little down and needs a little inspiration, I think it would be a great fit in a movie soundtrack :) There is a subtle use of a cello and keys and sythns which adds to the lullaby feel.. Track 5 - Slick is a cautionary tale of those guys you have to be careful of, Reese sings:

'Don't you let him get to you alone 

He's got a knack for smelling desperation

And he'll lead you to your bed tonight

It's hard to say no to those eyes' 

The story of this song, just shows the wide themes that Reese writes and sings about, it's not all about love and being hurt, it's about actual (kinds of) people too.

Bleed is actually one of my favorite tracks in the album, in here we see Reese grow from her comfort zone of just playing accompanied by a guitar and/or a ukelele. In Bleed we hear her sing with guitars, drums, keys and a bass. It's an entire band and it just shows that Lansangan is where she is supposed to be. Creating music, recording it and sharing it to an audience that deserves more than over rated cover artists.

A Song About Space is classic Reese, which showcases her quirky yet fun attitude and this reflects on her songs as well. Who would think that a song about planets and space would be so fun?! The added keys and synths makes it a cute song that both adults and children will enjoy.

Recommended for Science teachers/Pre-School Teachers who want to add a little spark to their lesson. :)

Autopilot is a fun and upbeat take on Reese with her full band.

St. Petersburg is technically the last song in the album (not counting the bonus tracks) and it steadily goes back to basic Reese with her guitars and a subtle addition of keys. It's a beautiful song about self discovery and travelling. The ultimate #Wanderlust song.

Reese Lansangan Arigato Internet Album Launch

As we stood in the crowded room at Green Sun in Makati, filled to the brim of loved ones and supporters of Reese Lansangan, a talented singer-songwriter, I knew that we were witnessing something change in the OPM scene, we were in the presence of history as it was happening.

Reese's quirky attitude, catchy lyrics and infectious melodies have gained her a large following and have made her the object of affection of middle class College to 20-ish fans who actually think tha OPM is cool; something that has not happened in a long time. 

Flashback to 2013 when we first saw Reese perform as a solo artist during Greenlight Music Festival, it was just her her petite frame, a head full of green hair, her guitar and a whole lot of talent. She impressed the crowd with her use of effects and delays to elevate her performance into more than just an acoustic number and we have been fans ever since. 

Love at First Sight. It was 2013 when we first saw Reese perform during the
Greenlight Music Festival. 

It's been two years since we first saw Reese perform and we just know that this girl has the whole galaxy for her to conquer (in a sense). Her songs have long been around the internet ever since she started posting them online and fans have started following her, keen to fill their life with her unique flavor of music. A Kindergarten teacher has used her original composition 'A Song About Space' to explain the vastness that is space to her young students. In a test, a student used the same song to answer bonus questions about the solar system. While another teacher in High School played Reese's song 'Grammar Nazi' to her students, to demonstrate the importance of good grammar and how one should not settle for anything else, good grammar included.


It was no surprise that she would seen release an album under her own name, what was in my mind though was how it turn out to be? Was it going to be an entire acoustic album? Only time would tell and soon her much awaited album launch finally came.

The talented Jensen and the Flips! We have yet to get a copy of their album. 

December 6, 2015 in Green Sun in Makati, Paul and I opted to arrive a few hours later, so we could get at least two hours of sleep (remember, we try to keep our night schedule in the weekends too), I knew that about 800+ people have said that they were going on the Facebook event page and I was worried that we'd all be like a pack of sardines in a hot and crammed space. We haven't been to Green Sun yet, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

The event was scheduled to start at 4:00 PM, I know it's quiet odd for an album launch to start that early but this was not your ordinary album launch, there were different booths from snack booth, intergalactic ice cream, an Instax booth, temporary tattoos, live calligraphy, portrait drawing, among others.  When we finally arrived a little after 6:00 PM I was pleased to see that the event really was chill and the people were seated on the floor, some even on comfortable bean bag chairs and some couches, that vision of a crowded and stuffy bar immediately went out of my mind.

I really wanted to try the intergalactic ice cream and to have an Instax photo but unfortunately the booths closed early (we were advised) but hey - the price to pay for a few hours of sleep right?

Tom's Story: These boys will make you dance. 

When we arrived, Jensen and the Flips were already performing (we have yet to get a copy of their album, it's on the to-buy list). I had already gotten a copy of Reese's Arigato Internet album (review will be up in a few days-sooner, I hope) and found myself in line for what seemed to be an autograph and photo session with the girl of the hour, so since I was in line (it was a rather long queue) I just went ahead with it, it was also a chance to say 'Hi' and 'Congratulations' and to of course have my album signed. :) After the pleasantries, Reese of course had to get back to a longer line of fans, Tom's Story was already up next.

Paul was such a big fan of Tom's Story that I had to be the one to go to the bar to get his beer.

"Tom's Story na eh.." he pleaded, as if those four words gave him all the excuse in the world.

They are an awesome band and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the group, EP soon please?

Dynamic Duo: Kai Honassan of Autotelic and Ace Libre of Never the Strangers had
hosting duties during the Album Launch. 

In an impressive feat, the whole launch was actually early in their program. (Gasp! I know.) and I think that credit for that goes to the hardworking team that was behind the launch, much of it was Reese herself, who through her years as a Social Media Darling has earned not only her own following of fans but companies and start ups who were eager to associate themselves with the rising star. It was through these connections that has helped Reese with an ambitious and successful launch.

I have to applaud the young magnate who seemed to control every detail of her career and music. She is unsigned to any recording label and does not have a manager but her own. What continues to amaze me is the non-existence of a man in a suit pulling the strings and making the decisions. Everything has been Reese since the beginning and she has shown that it can be done.

Nobody has told Reese how to dress or who to be. Her cute and quirky personality is all her and her fans know that, they know that she is genuine and this is one of the things that endear her to them.

I think I can say, pretty much the 800 people who said they would go, actually went. The venue was filled to the brim, including Reese's family (some of whom came all the way from the province, finding themselves among Reese fanboys and fangirls) and yet still 'chill' and comfortable. Like I said earlier in the post, it was history in the making and I'm just more than happy to have been part of it. 

Congratulations Reese! We can't wait to see what galaxy you conquer next!

Click HERE for MORE photos!

#Reese1stAlbum
#ArigatoInternet