5

Suddenly I See (and I don't care...)

"Saving My Face", the latest of what's sure to be long list of breakfast-show-friendly singles, is bound to be huge. It does its job well enough, has tenderness and softly softly production and, given that it is bound to be played every other song on the BBC's two main radio stations, it is more or less guaranteed great success. But then again so were singles by Katie Melua. And David Gray.

And like songs by those two, "Saving My Face" suffers the same pitfalls. Yes, it is pleasant, has an emotionally charged and uplifting hook, but it just isn't all that exciting or revolutionary. High hopes were set with the excellent Hold On (echoing other equally stellar single, Suddenly I See) for a new, more raunchy, racer approach, but "Saving My Face" alas just sounds like the work of someone playing it safe. Its satisfactory enough, but we surely expected more.