Technical proficiency has never been enough to create a great record; it doesn’t necessarily jeopardise your chances for excellence, but a lot more is required. On an album like The Same Side, a sense of melody would help, but this is only sporadically in evidence. Indeed, when a pleasing hook or chorus does appear, its effect is usually dulled by the gloopy, uninteresting arrangements.
The English singer's vocals are accomplished, if a touch lacking in bite. On a decent set of songs, her presence would be most welcome, especially when you consider the rich, easy flow of her piano-playing.
Thing is, there are no good songs on The Same Side. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Not a one.
There are songs which could have been half-decent, had they been given the right treatment, by the right producer. ‘Trying Not To Lose’ has the makings of a light, airy acoustic pop song. The keyboard-led intro to ‘Something About You’, has a haunting, dramatic feel, which could have been the basis of an excellent track. ‘Place To Hide’ may have become a delicate, pretty ballad, in different hands.
Here, these pretty moments are squashed by a frustratingly airbrushed production. The sound is so flat and compressed, one senses these songs kicking and screaming, before being muffled by the impenetrably bland sheen. And the remaining tracks would need more than just better production to save them. New verses, choruses, bridges and middle-eights might help.
Too much of The Same Side resembles tuneful re-writes of ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’. One would be too many, but there are at least seven here. Silvas’ career may be ticking over nicely, but her creative star is dimming before it has even had a chance to shine.