British singer-songwriter Adele gives the sophomore slump a swift kick with her newly released album “21.”
Since the creation of her first album “19 Adele has been on a whirlwind journey that has earned her a worldwide following and numerous accolades. Wildly popular on the charts for both the U.K. and the U.S., Adele was nominated for many awards and ended up winning several awards for all of hard work that she put into 19.” With her first album Adele won two Grammys — Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — proving she is more than just a girl with a pretty voice.
And her second album released by XL Recordings and in accordance with Columbia Records establishes Adele as a talented artist with a bright future where the sky is the limit. “21” acts as Adele’s personal diary giving listeners a peak into her life since the release of “19” and the growth that comes with age.
Adele’s new album is a beautiful mix of soul honesty and maturation that showcases both Adele’s natural talent and her skill at writing songs that are personal yet relatable. Her voice captures your attention immediately because of her passion and her openness toward sharing her emotions.
The first single off the album and subsequently the opening track of “21 is an upbeat, rockabilly tune that highlights Adele’s talent as a vocalist. Rolling in the Deep written by Adele and Paul Epworth, takes a piece straight out of Adele’s own life. Adele bases the album on a break-up Adele experienced during her downtime between albums, but this song takes a different route. Instead of a song about heartbreak, it’s a song of realization and clarity about the break-up. The song has a captivating pounding drum and piano rhythm, which emphasizes her bluesy, gritty voice. It’s a little KT Tunstall in its beat and a little ’50s blues, which creates a unique sound that Adele uses to her advantage.
Adele’s Turning Tables” is reminiscent of Sia’s “Breathe Me” with its heavy piano and instrumental base but the similarities stop there. Adele’s piano ballad showcases her versatility as a vocalist because her vocals take on more of a late ‘80s and ‘90s R&B sound. Her voice is captivating and powerful and it’s difficult not to feel the emotion coursing through the song. This ability to make listeners feel is what makes Adele such an amazing singer/songwriter.
In “Lovesong Adele takes a step back from writing and lets someone else do it for her. A cover of The Cure’s song, Lovesong” is a stripped version of the original. The song stays true to the essence of the original but Adele makes it her own by slowing it down. The song has a bit of a Latin sound to it with the guitars and instrumental background. It’s more of a jazz sound and focuses more on Adele’s vocals which paired with the music create a hypnotizing vibe. Although not her own material Adele creates a beautiful rendition of the song.
The last song off the album “Someone Like You” is a heartbreakingly striking piano ballad. Written by Adele and Dan Wilson the song gives another intimate glimpse into Adele’s life. It’s poignant and powerful and her voice oozes with emotion that goes straight to your heart. The song displays Adele’s exquisite vocal abilities and attests to her songwriting ability. “Someone Like You” is a simply constructed song but reveals the complexity of human emotion. Her ability to let herself tap into darker times and share her experiences through her music makes this song (and album) remarkable.
“21” is an exquisitely constructed album that demonstrates Adele’s talent both as a vocalist and as a songwriter. It’s heartfelt and candid which makes the album much more relatable. Adele’s sophomore album reveals that its wild success since its debut is well deserved.