Sandwich’s Fat, Salt & Flame Album Launch

Sandwich

Raimund Marasigan was in high spirits when he and rest of his band Sandwich (Myrene Academia, Diego Castillo, Mong Alcaraz and Mike Dizon launched their album Fat, Salt & Flame via a free concert over at Centris Walk. He joked his way during the press conference referring to Tirso Ripoll as a member of the Eraserheads or ERazerback, and gleefully throwing into the audience a makeshift shaker made from a beer can. Fat, Salt & Flame released by Polyeast Records is the band’s seventh studio album coming out in time for their 15^th year anniversary celebrations.

Mryene Academia, Raimund Marasigan, Mike Dizon, Mong Alcaraz
and Diego Castillo

Sandwich had a press conference before they started their performance and this gave me a chance to learn a lot about the band and how they work. Bassist Myrene mentioned that the album’s title was based on the three key things that make food delicious. And this album title also reflected the band’s affinity for food and dining which they also claim has kept the band together for 15 years.

In their 15 years as a band, they said that Polyeast Records or even their previous label had never imposed on them what to play, write and include in their album. The band pointed out having an instrumental track to open the album as proof of this confidence in them. Raimund also said that he has learned how to take care of the band after all these years. He even said that it has come to the point that he would take a bullet for them.

Going back to Fat, Salt & Flame, the band said that they had the luxury of time with this album. They were able to rehearse the songs, take them on a road test before recording them live as a band. With live recording, they were able to capture the energy. The recording may not be perfectly clean, but for them, it’s more about the process and achieving that moment when they curled their toes to know that they’ve gotten things right.

Aside from the lead single Back for More, other notable tracks in the album include New Romancer which features Myrene and Mong Alcaraz doing the lead vocals. The crowd went wild when the band performed this during the concert that followed the press conference. Razorback’s Tirso Ripoll appears in the track Manhid that only happened when Tirso just dropped by at the studio with his gear and then started jamming with the band. The band also mentioned that there had been uncredited guest artists in previous albums but they aren’t telling who. Or else, they and the artists might get into trouble with their respective labels. A re-worked version of Mayday is also included in this album which is very different from the version that appeared at the Ang Nawawala film. Guitarist Diego Castillo said that they quickly and specifically wrote that song in order to look good on screen while performing it.

Raimund at Radio Republic's opening week

Raimund at the Cinemalaya

It has been a long running joke that I am very much intimidated by Raimund Marasigan. Whenever I see him at Radio Republic, I am usually reduced to trying to disappear at one corner. I didn’t expect to see him also at the Cultural Center of the Philippines of all places during the Cinemalaya. But as time passed by, I’ve grown more comfortable and at ease whenever he is around. So I was glad that I’ve finally overcome this silly fear just in time for the launch which was truly a fun affair.

Fat, Salt & Flame, released by Polyeast Records is now out in AstroPlus/Astrovision stores. Back for More and the rest of the tracks can also be downloaded at MyMusicStore Philippines and at iTunes.

Fat, Salt & Flame

Tracks:

1. Fat, Salt and Flame

2. Back for More

3. Sleepwalker

4. Pray for Today

5. The Week After

6. Mayday

7. Kidlat

8. New Romancer

9. Manhid

Text by RAd

Photos by JR Bustamante and RAd