21- Adele

   
Artist: Adele
Album: 21  

    While listening to Adele’s "21", it is hard not to be impressed. Firstly because of the quality of the songs, secondly because she is only 22 (or 21 when she made the album, which the album clearly refers to.)
    This album begins with a powerful hard hitting track called, Rolling In The Deep. The track starts out with palm mute power chords on the acoustic guitar and then a nice stomp track. It is almost impossible for your head not slowly bob, once the great clap track comes in. A piano is also included in this song. The best part of the song, is the Motown like back-up singers, who can only give more power to this song. The song builds and builds, until is ends with an avalanche of sounds. Which brings to mind the old endings of Oasis songs.
    The second track is Rumor Has It, This track starts up with a stomp track. The song is marked by a great bass line, clap tracks, strings, and pianos. At about the 2:15 mark, the songs becomes enveloped into a slow ballad with beautiful strings. After a swirling piano, the songs goes back to a stomp track, and then back to the amazingly catchy hook of “Rumor has it”
    Turning Tables is the third track. There is not much to this song, but a hooky piano with strings, but Adele’s voice and lyrics does make this track a must  listen. After this song the album goes on a bit of a lull. It goes to almost a parody of a Dixie Chicks song, which is called Don’t You Remember. Then it goes to a soupy and muddled mess, named Set Fire To The Rain. The last song in this lull is, He Won’t Go. This track sounds like an empty Alicia Keys parody. She keeps singing “take a risk”, well I wish that she had taken a risk on this song.
    The lull thankfully ends with the best song on the album, Take It All. The southern gospel like piano is amazing and Adele’s voice is soul stirring. It is hard not to be awed every time Adele sings the phrase, “crumbling fool.” And the little bits in which there are back up singers are also very, very, very good. The next track is called I’ll Be Waiting. There’s a nice Ray Charles like keyboard and there are horns which bring to mind Oasis’ Round Our Way. Next is, One And Only, which shows nice southern gospel bits, and also Al Green like keyboards. There are also some great R&B guitar licks in the background too.
    The album ends on two tracks, which unfortunately are downers. One is Lovesong and the other is named Someone Like You. Lovesong is a bad attempt at a Sade like Caribbean song. And Someone Like You is a banal piano ballad.
    Adele has take a great leap since her debut, “19”. On “21“, the highs are breathtaking, and the lows are not too low. An amazing sophomore record by a woman who is only 21, and who is very close to surpassing the vocal talents of her idol, Dusty Springfield.

RATING: 8/10 or 4/5 stars

Songs to Listen to:

Take It All

Turning Tables

Rumor Has It

image provided by: http://www.dreamsblend.com/wp-content/uploads/adele_21.jpg