Love Letter, Kitchie Nadal’s sophomore album, is now available at selected Caltex Star Marts throughout Metro Manila. Love Letter features Highway, a mid-tempo love song to God, as well as 16 other songs, including Armour Bearer, Iniibig Kita, Beautiful Jesus, Grace, Walk on Water, and Lalaland.

I picked up my copy of Kitchie Nadal’s Love Letter (Starmart on Julia Vargas corner Meralco Avenue, for PHP280), and I am blown away by the quality of the packaging! Instead of your cookie cutter CD case, Love Letter is packaged in a small envelope made of thick recycled paper, rather like a real letter. When one opens Love Letter, one picks out several sheets of paper with scribbled lyrics, doodles and drawings, even a postcard and what looks like a Polaroid photo. Absolutely exquisite! I haven’t seen this kind of quality packaging since underappreciated N/A Records artist Raynn, whose album was a groundbreaking masterpiece of design.

What about the songs? It is my pleasure to report that Love Letter is a stunning masterpiece of contemporary Philippine music. This album is an absolute gem, with producers including Jack Rufo, L. Middeldorp, and – GASP! – Cynthia Alexander! I actually noticed shades of Cynthia’s sound in Highway, even beyond the Alexander-produced Iniibig Kita, one of my personal favorites on the album.

The fire of Kitchie’s bravery in singing of her relationship with Jesus Christ, the fire that started with Kitchie’s self-titled debut album, has exploded into a full-blown inferno on Love Letter. The entire album is a love letter to Jesus, and I think the reaction of both fans and first-time listeners to this unfettered testimonial to Christ’s love will range the gamut of human emotion to something unusual: it can be an encouraging testimonial or an offensive turn-off. I, for one, am definitely part of the former: Love Letter is unabashed and unashamed in declaring a fascination and gratitude with Kitchie’s Redeemer, and I applaud Kitchie for deciding to take this next step in her career and use that influence to reach others with the message of what happens to someone when she has a relationship with Jesus. Whether she croons how she wants to live her life selfless and secure (Beautiful Jesus) or surrender to grace (Grace), Kitchie’s songs put a very real vulnerability on her relationship with Jesus, and in doing so, joins the rare ranks of Filipino artists whose careers stand to become even more stellar because of their desire to take risks.

This blog post provides a sample of Highway, the first single off Love Letter. I strongly encourage you to go out to your friendly neighborhood Star Mart, Astroplus, or other record outlets, and pick up a copy of Love Letter. At PHP280 and 17 songs with one of the most creative album packaging designs in recent memory, Love Letter is one original Filipino album you must not allow to leave out of your record collection. AND BUY LEGIT!

Listen to Highway by Kitchie Nadal mp3

Highway lyrics after the jump.

Highway Lyrics
Kitchie Nadal
Off the Be.Live album LOVE LETTER

Do you know where the light comes from and darkness lives,
So you can take me by the hand and lead me home when I am lost?

You are the highway
Apart from you are roads downhill
You are the highest way
The truth and the life
There’s no other road for me

Speeding through wide open space
City cousins and the rolling plains
Chart the routes of the thunderstorms
Carve the canyons for the downpours of the rain

You are the highway
Apart from you are roads downhill
You are the highest way
The truth and the life
There’s no other road for me

Thousands may fall on my sides
But I will drive as I read the signs
Keeping my eyes on the morning star
Turning right
I keep turning right

You are the highway
Apart from you are roads downhill
You are the highest way
The truth and the life
There’s no other road for me

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