MANY QUESTIONS, ONE ANSWER

“What Would It Be Like?,” the first single from Salvador’s latest release, Aware, poses a hefty question that the band proceeds to answer throughout the album. The song, an infectious fusion of up-tempo, Latin-funk sounds, begs this question in its opening lyrics: “What would it be like if we loved each other/If we lived like we believe?” Attentive listeners find an answer in verse two: “No tears from a worried mother/No cries from a hungry child/No fear of a runaway father.”

That’s where the rest of the world typically stops. Inquiry answered. But the musically gifted, eight-piece crew digs deeper and offers a real solution to the problems referenced: Jesus—that’s the only way we will see the world start to change.

The remaining 10 songs on Aware address related topics, from the duet “Everybody Needs You (featuring Jaci Velasquez), which points to God as the ultimate provider, to the inspiring “Fly Again,” which offers hope for the downtrodden. The standout title track finds frontman and primary songwriter Nic Gonzalez begging for vision. Sweeping piano and strings swell, sonically mirroring his cry to be made “aware” of God’s plan over his own shortsightedness.

Standard Salvador sonics—rhythmic percussion, jubilant horns, flamenco-style guitar and salsa rhythms—distinguish this seasoned group from other pop/worship outfits. The smart lyrics mix keen observation and genuine, vertical praise. On Aware, Salvador continues to answer the aforementioned question with one consistent answer: Jesus.

–Lizza Connor Bowen