Silva, Maria Elena

***Pushing past the submissive qualities of her debut, Silva captures a deep and deliberate pop-forward poignancy in her sophomore Dulce. Written in the wake of her relocation to Chicago, Silva contemplates new love, a listless fate, sobriety, and maternity all the while retaining the patience of her previous release, Eros. Temperate motifs aside, a freer, wilder intensity permeates Dulce. Silva shows her roots in both rock n’ roll and the romantic. The fabric of the album gives palpable hints to her experimental aspirations that make borderline frantic use of the world-class instrumentalists at her disposal. This no holds barred approach results in Silva's most modern statement to date, beginning with the lead single "Love, If It Is So." A perfect avant-pop song that captures Maria in full flight with her studio band featuring the legendary guitarist Marc Ribot and percussionist Stephen Hodges—reunited for the first time since the pair were part of Tom Waits' seminal Rain Dogs in 1985. Ribot enhances Silva's songs with characteristic inspiration, skill, and abandon—jumping between frenzied guitar arpeggios, Philly Soul electric sitar lines, and subtle nylon string acoustic.