Cynthia Alexander’s Yarns
A talk with the song-poet before her newest album Rippingyarns hits the street

published in Philmusic.com : May 25, 2000

Cynthia Alexander never spoils a night by coming up with an average performance. Neither does she mince words.
___ When queried about her soon-to-be-released album, Rippingyarns at her unplugged show at Gotham in Malate last May 4, 2000, the sprightly Alexander asks whether the writers have already heard the album. To the affirmative answer, she candidly remarks, “Okay, because it’s hard to ask questions if you haven’t heard it yet. You know, I’ve had several terrible interview experiences and I keep telling these people, ‘Before you interview me, please listen to it first because it’s going to be difficult.’” A shrug.
___ Rippingyarns is the second album from this Davao-born singer-songwriter who can play a mean bass line or a haunting melody on the kulintang. She who first wowed the public as bassist of the band Hayp was also part of the second incarnation of her brother’s Joey Ayala’s Bagong Lumad. Her 1997 solo album Insomnia and Other Lullabyes led to 1998 Katha Awards trophies for Best Alternative Music Album and ultimately, for Best New Artist. These days, Alexander is reaping the rewards of more than 10 years of loaded music experience.
It is not surprising that the talented woman, exposed to music and the arts at an early age, would vie for something bigger than awards. Not one to rest on the laurels of a critically successful first album, Alexander took her time in releasing her next project, which is coming out at least two years after her first.

Accessibility

She shares some of her friends’ comments about Rippingyarns: “Well, (photographer) Eddie Boy Escudero said that he felt it was deeper, but that’s because he always listens to the words. (Journalist) Eric Caruncho says it’s more direct to the point.”
___ The truth is her new album is both, but with the added edge of being more accessible than her first outing. It may be deeper at some points, lyric-wise, but the music is a lot more ear-friendly. Hopefully, this approachability may just capture a wider audience.
___ And it was not even planned. Her husband Boyd Alexander explains that with this album there was no pressure at all for Cynthia to come up with material that had to appeal to the masses. She had the freedom to go wild. And the result, inadvertently, is a more listener-friendly collection.
___ The songs are typically easygoing acoustic numbers that run from the alterna-rock brashness of Alanis Morisette to the introspective world flavor of Jewish-American singer Noa (whom Alexander covers in her live sets) to the poetic fury of folk singers the Indigo Girls. Though the forms are derived from the foreign, the soul of the album however is all Filipino, and all very much Cynthia Alexander.
___ When asked if she ever feels she may alienate her listeners with musical poetry that may be too difficult to comprehend, she responds: “They are intelligent, the people who buy my album… I’m very sure that they read and write and are literate. From my very first album, I knew (who they were).” The words ring true as she herself is a product of parents who write poetry and fiction, Jose V. Ayala Jr. and Tita Lacambra-Ayala.

Prolific

Most of the cuts in the new collection are carryovers from her last album, left unused since “There were too many songs daw,” she shares. “The oldest songs in this new album are ‘Walk Down The Road’ and ‘Fly’. These were written in 1992 ... I think it was 1992.” Apparently, several unrecorded materials primarily created for the first album date as far back as 1990.
___So exactly how musically prolific is Cynthia Alexander? “You can ask Boyd,” she suggests, eyeing her Scot husband who immediately hollers that there are actually enough unrecorded songs to fit two more collections. At least.
___ In fact, for her second album, she had wanted to include some instrumental music—basically ambient, mood pieces-- before constraints led her to drop the plan.

Themes

The themes of togetherness and acceptance are common threads throughout Rippingyarns. Experience enriches life and generates wisdom. We pay for what we get. Make the most of what you have in the now.
___ Whenever she writes a song, she makes it a point that the subject is culled from experience. “It always has to be something I’ve somehow resolved, or am trying to bring out.”

Is it safe to say that Cynthia Alexander is happy, then?
She replies: “Happier.”

Independent

Rippingyarns was produced by long-time co-conspirator Maly Andres and Alexander herself. It will be distributed by N/A Records, which is headed by PLDT.Com’s Gerry Kaimo.
___ She purposely did not sign up with anyone at the start of the recording process, having just gotten over a long, painful experience with her former label Dyna Records.

The story goes that, after signing up with Dyna and recording Insomnia, the album got lots of critical acclaim. Unfortunately the album could not be found on shelves and was never promoted. Dyna’s head Howard Dy was more adamant about promoting pop acts, and did not give Alexander’s album the kind of support it needed. But it did flourish on the radio, where stations like NU 107 and 99.5RT were constantly playing her tracks. She did not become a household name. And she should have.
___ The saddest result however was that Alexander owns none of the songs she recorded in her first album and may not re-record them. She signed it away when she signed her contract.
___ After an experience like that, it was natural for her to go independent. The thinking being: if she could produce it herself, she might as well go ahead and do it. It also gave her a sense of ownership over the songs she painstakingly created.
___ As she puts it: “Better not make a mistake of signing up with anyone. Who knows, one day you will realize that that is all that matters – your music, your work. And that’s all that is of value. Because you know you may not have any money, but … kayamanan iyon (it is a treasure), it is an energy, too, just like money. And it is how you spend your money. So… you wanna give it away? Fine. But you know, my advice is keep it. Make it grow.”

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