Salvador - Aware

Reviewed by Esther Jones

Since their first studio album in 2000, Salvador have gained and lost approximately 11 members, and despite the Hispanic surnames of the current six members, the music appears to have evolved with the members into a more contemporary style. Compared to the exuberant Latin flavour of last album 'Dismiss The Mystery', spiced with exciting salsa rhythms and the anthem that was "Shine", Salvador appear to have cooked up a more generic dish with 'Aware'. Only two of the 11 tracks, "Llevame" and "Fly Again", can be classed as Latin, with the rest sitting comfortably and inconspicuously in the contemporary-pop bracket. "You Really Are" is reminiscent of Savage Garden's "I Knew I Loved You" and "Everybody Needs You" is the embodiment of the soft rock phenomenon sweeping modern churches. In fact, "You Rescue Me" is a gentle ballad that wouldn't sound out of place on a Tim Hughes album and the intro to "Brand New Love" could well earn the band sync royalties for a children's TV show such as My Parents Are Aliens. Overall, the band's excellent lyric writing has lived up to their usual high standards and the production on this album is flawless, particularly in "Llevame" where the percussion is excellently placed in the stereo spectrum, creating a full, round and very professional sound.