When talking about the songstress Adele, looks shall never be the primary topic. Rather, it should be the songstress’ powerful vocals. The hype involving the English songstress has been tremendous. Frankly, she absolutely deserves it.
Adele enlisted the help of a wide array of musicians in producing her sophomore effort. The musicians include Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, the man responsible for the critically acclaimed Lungs by Florence + The Machine, Ryan Tedder (vocalist of OneRepublic), Eg White, the man who wrote the songstress’ Chasing Pavements, Fraser T Smith (Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz) and Jim Abbiss who worked with Adele for her 19 effort.
Though the album flaunts a talented array of producers and writers, there is still no doubt that Adele is still the crown jewel of the album. Her vocals, displaying sheer emotion and power, remain an amazing spectacle that never cease to send shivers down the spine of the listener.
Adele showcases her wide range of emotions with conviction in this record. If she is hurt, she shows that she is experiencing pain. If she is angry, she show her fury with intense passion. The ability to convey her emotions and let the listeners feel every emotion that is shown is one outstanding aspect of Adele’s career as an artist. Considering that Adele was only 21 (yes t-w-e-n-t-y o-n-e) when she was making this record, you have to wonder whether you are currently listening to a record made by a young artist who makes it look like you are listening to someone who has acquired tons of experience.
The powerful lead single Rolling In The Deep reminds the listener why Adele won a Grammy with her debut album, 19. The rich and soulful vocals, expressing rage and deep sadness, make the track one of the best that ever made an impact mainstream-wise this year. Lyrically, the track also packs a punch (“The scars of your love remind me of us / They keep me thinking we almost had it all).
The Ryan Tedder-produced Rumour Has It is the product of Adele being introduced to country music by her tour bus driver during her American tour last year (yes, a tour bus driver). The track tells that Adele can do country but it is certainly not her best track though it is decent. Turning Tables is laced with the chords of the piano – haunting yet still providing that richness that the listener’s aural capabilities would appreciate. Don’t You Remember is quite folksy before the piano and the guitar introduce themselves with a bang before the chorus kicks in.
One of the album’s key highlights is Someone Like You. The pian0-laden record shows that when Adele is experiencing pain, she will get into the zone and deliver a track that lets the listener hear and feel what Adele is experiencing. Never have I ever heard a track like this in recent times. This track simply has it all.
With a personal record that is absolutely loaded with a variety of tracks that many people will definitely love, there is still that one outstanding track that manages to outshine the others. That track has to be Set Fire To The Rain.
The Fraser T Smith-produced (Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz) track tells that Adele can really bring those power notes with ferocity and simply deliver in the process. This is a jaw-dropping power ballad that packs punches in different facets. The lyrics are top-notch with Adele crying “I set fire to the rain / Watched it pour as I touched your face” in the hugely dramatic chorus. The track is an instant classic in my humble opinion.
21 closes with a bossa nova rendition of The Cure’s Lovesong. The quality of the cover is downright outstanding. The cover proves to be refreshing and romantic at the same time – all of these qualities present in a track that has often been covered by a multitude of musicians.
21 is downright nasty record. By nasty, I mean this in a very positive regard. In terms of lyricism, the album is already superb. 21 is an enriching personal record from the English singer-songwriter enhanced by its enormous depth and the astounding quality of its tracks. If 19 shocked many people, 21 should probably do the same. 21 only proves that Adele winning several awards, Grammy’s included, is no fluke at all. 21 will definitely be included in the “Best of 2011″ lists that come out in the latter part of the year. It is rich and there are so many highlights in the album.
What’s scary with all of these happening? Adele is doing all of these in her early twenties. Amazing.
Best Track: Set Fire To The Rain
Other Recommended Tracks: Rolling In The Deep, Someone Like You, Turning Tables, and Lovesong
Date Released: January 19, 2011
Label: XL Recordings
