Holy Music, Batman! (The Holy Week Playlist)

It's that time of the year. For the faithful, it's the time for reflection and prayer. For others, it's a time to recharge or take a brief respite. Among TV addicts, this means no telenovelas for the next few days. For music lovers, this means four days of static on FM radio.

But why let the peak of the Lenten Season dampen your spirits? Just because it's Holy Week, it doesn't mean you can't listen to good music. Here are some auditory suggestions that may guide you through this week:

Break Free (Hillsong United)
Christian music's current "it" band/ministry, and for a good reason: they rock. Hard. Their previous visit to Manila was arguably one of the greatest rock shows recently, and they are set to return on June 2 this year, again at the Araneta Coliseum.

Yahweh (U2)
Bono's strained voice evokes a man in throes of despair searching for answers in a world seemingly devoid of hope. It's not exactly "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani" but it might as well be.

Fix You (Coldplay)
When you try your best and you don't succeed, lights will guide you home. Courtesy of Chris Martin and company.

Umaaraw, Umuulan (Rivermaya)
Ten years after it was released, it hasn't lost its touch. This song goes beyond what "Fix You" tried to say, and asks you to roll with the punches, and never give in to despair. Ang buhay ay sadyang ganyan (Life is meant to be like that).

Home (Depeche Mode)
A dark and brooding sound to accompany a somber way of expressing contentment.

Living Seed (The Dawn)
One of The Dawn's oldest and darkest songs is actually written from the point of view of an abstract form: the idea. Knowing the late Teddy Diaz's religious inclinations, you can also argue it was written from the point of view of the Holy Spirit...in goth-rock format. Kinda kickass, actually.

Perpekto (Dong Abay)
One of Pinoy Rock's enduring frontmen/songwriters, Abay asks the listener a thought-provoking question: "Ano ba ang epekto kung meron kang depekto? (what's the effect if you have a defect?)" In a society plagued by various ills, the answer is up to the listener.

Tatsulok (Buklod/Bamboo)
While the Bamboo version is the more familiar one in recent history, hearing the Buklod original (while troubador Noel Cabangon was still in the group) can make you listen to its intense-yet-insightful lyrics more carefully.

Heaven on Their Minds/Gethsemane
(Jesus Christ Superstar OST/Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice)
The two most iconic songs of one of the most provocative rock operas on Broadway. From Heaven's creeping guitar riffs to Judas (Carl Anderson in the movie version) wailing "listen to me now" to Jesus' (originally played by Deep Purple's Ian Gillan in the play, Ted Neeley in the movie, and essayed locally by Boy Camara of Maria Cafra, Noel Cabangon, and Wolfgang's Basti Artadi) killer falsetto as he defiantly cries "see how I die": if it doesn't make you fall down on your knees then nothing will.

Incidentally one of Broadway's most intense Judases was played by our very own Robert Seña, who also played the same character in the local version back in 2000. Other famous local rockers who have played Judas in local shows include Razorback's Kevin Roy and Rico Blanco.

Beautiful Day (U2)
You might as well play this first thing on the morning of Easter Sunday. Or every morning, for that matter. Lee Dwyze notwithstanding.