Watch Me Now

Instead of making an album dominated by easy listening love songs, which is the path followed by most Philippine solo artists, on 1991's Watch Me Now Rachel Alejandro makes an album dominated by upbeat, dance-inflected tunes. Six of the album's ten songs are upbeat and the others are easy listening love songs. Rachel Alejandro has an excellent voice and is one of the best singers in the Philippines. She handles the upbeat tunes — such as "Move to the Edge," "Araw at Gabi" (Day and Night), and "Sana" (Hoping) — with verve, confidence, and even sass at times, as heard on the spirited "Saling Pusa" (Kindergarten). Her skill and versatility are evident throughout the album. She also handles the ballads well, as shown on her strong performance of the powerfully tender "Nakapagtataka" (Wondering). All songs are by Philippine composers and the songwriting is above average. "Saling Pusa" is one of the better dance tunes, and it benefits from a dramatic minor-key chorus. While the album won't knock a listener over, it provides a number of enjoyable moments. Mostly, though, the dance-dominated ambience provides a welcome change of pace from the easy listening love song.