M.Y.M.P. (Make Your Momma Proud), the duo which popularized hits like "A Little Bit," "Get Me," "Talaga Naman," to name a few, is officially back in the music scene with an album titled Now.

Juris Fernandez (vocals) and Chin Alcantara (guitar) told the media people last night, August 20, at the Phi Resto Bar in Metrowalk, that their most recent work aptly defines M.Y.M.P.'s brand of music.

Now has 12 tracks, two of which are original compositions. It still has that acoustic touch of Chin, the album's musical director, plus a feel of "country" music.

Chin related that the country feel just "came naturally." They were listening to Alison Krauss's "Baby, Now That I've Found You" when they realized, "parang ganun din tayo."

The album's carrier single "Now" is an entrancing piece written by Cattski Espina—a talented Cebuana "who writes when she's confronted," that's according to her band Cattski's mySpace account.

Majority of the songs they revived—John Waite's "Missing You," Restless Heart's "When She Cries," Step's "Make It Easy On Me," Vonda Shepard's "Baby Don't You Break My Heart Slow," among others—talks about heartbreaks, but Chin was quick to clarify, "Hindi sadya 'yon."

He explained, "Halos lahat naman ng kanta namin tungkol sa love. Mga malungkot ganyan...Pero hindi naman lahat malungkot, eh. Kasi parang yung 'Now,' halimbawa ‘yan, kumbaga yung treatment ko sa kanta, hindi naman malungkot talaga. Parang yung 'Tell Me Where It Hurts' [from the album Beyond Acoustic], nakakaiyak talaga yung lyrics pero naging masaya yung kanta parang ganun...Pero kasi, yun talaga yung forte namin."

For her part, Juris said that their fifth album, which also happens to be the fifth anniversary offering of Ivory Records, is a collaboration between M.Y.M.P. and the new management—"from the songs to the concept of the pictures in the album."

When asked if they follow certain tules in terms of choosing the songs, the lead guitarist said, "Hindi namin naiisip yung timpla ng masa. Although, siguro ang guide namin is gusto namin yung kanta, o kaya kinalakihan namin, o kaya hilig namin dati.

"Kasi yung 'I'll Never Get Over You [Getting Over Me],' may meaning sa akin yun dati, naiiyak ako kapag naririnig ko iyan. So, parang ganun...Kumbaga suwerte kami na yung mga gusto naming kanta, gusto ng mga tao. Hindi na namin iniisip yung 'patok kaya ito?' Kung ano yung gusto namin, yun lang yung guide namin."

Most acoustic singers and groups are no longer active in the recording scene now, but M.Y.M.P. is set to prove that their brand of music is timeless.

"Suwerte kami," Chin said. "Yung genre namin, hindi nawawala sa uso. Hindi nawawala sa uso yung love songs, kaya kahit wala na yung acoustic, nauuso na rin yung rock-rock...Siyempre after ng rock, makikinig ka pa rin ng love song. Kahit ano'ng mangyari, gusto mo pa ring makinig ng love song."

And what's new with M.Y.M.P. now?

"Parang nalaman na namin kung ano ang direksiyon namin. Kasi yung mga dating albums namin, halo-halo, may alternative...hindi namin alam kung saan papunta. Ngayon alam na namin kung saan kami papunta."