Wred Esguerra – “Panalangin”
Wred Esguerra – “Panalangin” – Single Review
Dude’s just a quality singer/songwriter…and as far as I can tell, he always has been.
It’s been more than a minute since the last time we had Wred Esguerra on our pages – it was actually more than two years ago at this point, back when we reviewed his single “We Are In Love” in the summer of ’22, following tracks like “Come And Go” & “You’re Still Here” from the year prior to that. We all need some time to rest & recharge our batteries, but you know what creative-types are like – they might disappear for a moment or two, but they always circle back to doing what they love to do. And so here we are, with Wred’s return on the horizon – “Panalangin” is coming out on August 2nd.
While I’m going mainly from memory here in thinking about those past tracks we’ve featured here before – if I recall correctly, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad song from Esguerra. Spoiler alert – I still haven’t! I love what I’m hearing on “Panalangin” and I’m fully confident that a great many of you out there will feel the same way about it that I do. It’s endearing, it’s heartfelt, it’s beautiful – it’s moving.
I get the question “can you review music that isn’t sung in English?” quite frequently. Honestly, it’s kind of perplexing to me…usually my first thought is a very simple question in return – ‘yes?’ Because of course I can, and I’m always surprised by the idea that someone couldn’t, or wouldn’t. As I point out to everyone asking this question, music is continually referred to as our universal language for a reason. It’s songs like “Panalangin” that prove how true that statement is. From the gentle sway of the music, to the sensationally evocative way that Esguerra sings his words, the sound of “Panalangin” heads straight for your heart and hits it like Robin Hood splitting the arrow. I love the gentleness of the guitar when it shows up…I love the steadiness of the rhythm section in the bass/drums that guide the majority of this song along…and I feel like Wred absolutely nailed his vocals with every ounce of emotion you’d wanna hear. Whether he’s in a mellower gear, or going after the biggest notes of “Panalangin,” he consistently finds the right energy & tone…truly, he’s done a phenomenal job in singing this song from start to finish.
To further the point though – most of my experience in listening to “Panalangin” is exactly that – listening. I know a lot of singer/songwriters out there, both those that sing in English & those that don’t, that assume we all need the lyrics to fully connect with the material – but that’s honestly not the case, and again, “Panalangin” is proof that that’s true. As I listened through it the first time, I was instantly able to connect to the stunning level of emotion and expression that Wred brings to his music, and c’mon y’all…you’ll find a whole array of organic hooks in abundance on this single. It’s the kind of song that you’d have to actively resist if you didn’t want to enjoy it – and I wasn’t born to be that kind of hater. When something’s good or great, regardless of whether or not it’s in a style or sound I’d normally listen to, I personally think anyone would be irresponsible to not recognize when things are going right. Anyhow…the point I’m making is this: Did I need the words to know “Panalangin” was a great song? No. Did having the translation at my fingertips make the experience of listening that much better? Also no.
Don’t get me wrong – Wred’s words have always been consistently solid throughout the course of his career so far, whether he’s singing in English, or his own native Filipino like he uses for “Panalangin.” Even without the words in front of me, I knew long before reading them that “Panalangin” was a love song – because again, how could anyone miss that? You FEEL that when you listen to it, and you just know. That’s how the emotion hits you, and why music is regarded as our universal language, because it truly does hit us all in the exact same way. In knowing that “Panalangin” was a love song – did I expect to read the lyrics and find that Wred completely redefined what love songs are all about? Heck no! I’d be a fool to think that! As great as Esguerra is, we’ve all written about love so many millions of times that there are literally no surprises left to be found within the words alone. So trust me when I tell ya, you singers/songwriters out there really don’t need to stress about sending over the words – it’s always going to be the music that matters the most, and when you’re making it right, it’ll speak strongly on its own behalf – just like Esguerra’s “Panalangin.” All that being said, I suppose it’s fair to say that there are different angles you can approach writing about love from, and when it comes to this particular single, Wred’s chosen to go the route of singing about unrequited love, and the struggle to share the love he has for another in the way he wants to. It’s a relatable theme for sure – but it’s not the words that are going to win you over as listeners whether you’re familiar with the Filipino language or not – it’s the magnificent performance from Wred that’ll do that, 100%. He should be remarkably proud of how much heart he put into singing his words – because that’s what actually has us all connecting to this song and the meaning/emotion behind his lyricism. I guess what I’m getting at is, no one really needs a translation for what they can authentically feel, you know what I mean? Esguerra has a natural ability to convey his thoughts & emotions through his music…you can’t teach what this guy is capable of. I’m highly impressed with the smooth fluidity of “Panalangin” and its flawlessness from beginning to end – it’s fantastic to have Wred back in action where he belongs, doing what he loves most, and sounding as amazing as he does on this new single of his. I’m always looking forward to hearing more of his music.
Find out more about Wred Esguerra from this multi-link here: https://hyperfollow.com/wredesguerra
HEY YOU! YES YOU! You – the person reading this RIGHT NOW! Instead of emailing us to find out how you could be the next up on our pages at sleepingbagstudios and waiting days for our response – just click here will ya!?!
