In her Eurovision 2015 song “Black Smoke” Ann Sophie sings that “it’s too hard to say three words”. Well I have three words for homegirl about her album Silver Into Gold: less. is. more.
We knew Ann Sophie could do sultry big band from “Black Smoke”. And we knew that she excelled in playful soul from “Jump the Gun”. Unfortunately, country, disco and uninspired filler content based on big band and soul have all been shoehorned into Silver Into Gold. It really undermines Ann Sophie’s immense promise. Can you say “hot mess”?
Technically speaking the album is on point. There’s never a note out of place and the production never sounds dated. That doesn’t mean it all belongs together though. Nashville-sounding cuts “Lie To Me” and “Changing Lights” just don’t fit in the track list. Likewise the album could have done without hollow sassy tracks “See The Light” and “Still That Girl”. Disco splash “I Don’t Know Where I’m Going” captures my main problem with this musical mess.
If you can dismiss the incongruous elements though, there is a satisfyingly cinematic sound here, focused on big band and soulful balladry. Ann Sophie sounds most content and most confident helming songs like “Have You Ever” and “Get Over Yourself”. Vulnerable emotive ballads “I Believed” and “I Think It’s A Love Song” made me tingle.
The more divergent genres perhaps reflect a desire to appeal to all markets but box-ticking shouldn’t define an album. Sadly it does here. The result is an album divided into brilliance and blah.
Score: 3/5
The instrumental part in “I don’t know where I’m going” is practically the same as in Slovenia’s entry this year. 😮
How does “I Don’t Know Where I’m Going” sound like disco at all?
Still that girl is my favourite track of the album. It’s a good debut, I think she’s still trying to find herself and her own music style.
Are you guys at any point going to write something about Lena’s latest album? Cuz it’s amaze.
I’m from Germany and Silver into Gold kinda was her way to Eurovision – just saying xD
Whats her obsession with colours 😛 Black Smoke, Silver into Gold.
Really dumb review.
Her album is very good actually. I love the sound and the sound is modern and catchy, but not cheap.
Get Over Youself, Still That Girl and Have You Ever are the highlights of the albums. I think she should have picked Get Over Yourself instead of Jump the Gun in the German selection show
I still dont understand why she was last… Very good and unique song/voice.
This review is quite trashy. Her album is a masterpiece and it flows together beautifully. Her style is amazing and it’s consistent. The second and third last tracks get a little predictable but then it storms home with a perfect finish from ‘Silver Into Gold’. It’s just amazing <3
Still can’t believe she got no points. So undeserved when songs such as Serbia and Montenegro got much more than they deserved. I want to see Germany seek revenge next year and perhaps even win. Ann Sophie should be proud of herself and maybe even come back.