Adele Seeks Healing and Reconciliation
25 (2015)
1."Hello"
The anticipated return of Adele finally came with this 9 week #1 hit! "Hello" is a sorrowful single that details Adele regret and deep concern for her former lover years following their relationship. It's a striking contrast from Adele's anger ridden opener with "Rolling In The Deep". While a great song that really has a nice production as well as memorable lyrics and a solid vocal performance from Adele, it just doesn't have the emotional punch that "Rolling In The Deep" packs. It's still an otherwise strong first single and great return for Adele that shows she didn't lose her touch in the intervening time she took between albums.
(B+)
The anticipated return of Adele finally came with this 9 week #1 hit! "Hello" is a sorrowful single that details Adele regret and deep concern for her former lover years following their relationship. It's a striking contrast from Adele's anger ridden opener with "Rolling In The Deep". While a great song that really has a nice production as well as memorable lyrics and a solid vocal performance from Adele, it just doesn't have the emotional punch that "Rolling In The Deep" packs. It's still an otherwise strong first single and great return for Adele that shows she didn't lose her touch in the intervening time she took between albums.
(B+)
2. "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)"
This upbeat, guitar riffed track is a nice change of pace from the last track as Adele takes the high road and looks on the bright side by wishing her former lover the best with his new relationship. I love the lyrics and Adele's vocal performance as some soul to the contemporary pop genre that's reminiscent of such pop stars like Taylor Swift. Then again it was produced/written by some of Taylor's writers, so it's to be expected. I really like it. It has a great melody and a nice chorus. A superb track if you ask me.
(A-)
This upbeat, guitar riffed track is a nice change of pace from the last track as Adele takes the high road and looks on the bright side by wishing her former lover the best with his new relationship. I love the lyrics and Adele's vocal performance as some soul to the contemporary pop genre that's reminiscent of such pop stars like Taylor Swift. Then again it was produced/written by some of Taylor's writers, so it's to be expected. I really like it. It has a great melody and a nice chorus. A superb track if you ask me.
(A-)
3. "I Miss You"
Wow. "I Miss You" is surely a shock for most fans as well as casual listeners of Adele. Who knew an Adele song could be so sexy!? But Adele does a more than fantastic job of toying the line between sexuality and sensuality with lyrics such as "I wanna fall into your gravity" and "I want to teach you things you never knew". I also love the beautiful production with the sounds of monks chanting in a monastery as well as that heavy drum beat. It's the near perfect song to share with your significant other when ready for a night of passion. I know I can't get enough of it.
(A)
Wow. "I Miss You" is surely a shock for most fans as well as casual listeners of Adele. Who knew an Adele song could be so sexy!? But Adele does a more than fantastic job of toying the line between sexuality and sensuality with lyrics such as "I wanna fall into your gravity" and "I want to teach you things you never knew". I also love the beautiful production with the sounds of monks chanting in a monastery as well as that heavy drum beat. It's the near perfect song to share with your significant other when ready for a night of passion. I know I can't get enough of it.
(A)
4. "When We Were Young"
I have to admit, I'm not a fan of "When We Were Young"...the album version at least. I have to say the Live At Church Studios version is just sublime and so wonderfully performed that the album version just pales in comparison for me. The instrumental just sounds so much better in the live version, not to mention, Adele's vocals were top notch in that version with an incredible high note. In the album version, her voice sounds a little too strained and pitchy for my taste. But the song itself is terrific though; well written with touching lyrics about looking into the past and trying to recapture a love that has since ended. I just wish the album version had captivated me as much as the live version but the album version is just...okay.
(C)
I have to admit, I'm not a fan of "When We Were Young"...the album version at least. I have to say the Live At Church Studios version is just sublime and so wonderfully performed that the album version just pales in comparison for me. The instrumental just sounds so much better in the live version, not to mention, Adele's vocals were top notch in that version with an incredible high note. In the album version, her voice sounds a little too strained and pitchy for my taste. But the song itself is terrific though; well written with touching lyrics about looking into the past and trying to recapture a love that has since ended. I just wish the album version had captivated me as much as the live version but the album version is just...okay.
(C)
5. "Remedy"
This beautiful ballad sees Adele singing about being the metaphorical comfort blanket to her friend/lover. The lyrics are once again, stellar and the piano production is stunning. It is also such a soothing song with heartwarming lyrics that will make you wish Adele was singing this to you. Another good song among many!
(B)
This beautiful ballad sees Adele singing about being the metaphorical comfort blanket to her friend/lover. The lyrics are once again, stellar and the piano production is stunning. It is also such a soothing song with heartwarming lyrics that will make you wish Adele was singing this to you. Another good song among many!
(B)
6. "Water Under The Bridge"
I love, love, LOVE "Water Under The Bridge". It's one of the songs immediately fell in love with when I first listened to album. It's contagiously catchy, the production is great and my God, can I relate to the lyrics so much. The feeling that you know that someone is in love with you, even if they try to brush it off. This is a tremendous track. Love every minute of it!
(A)
I love, love, LOVE "Water Under The Bridge". It's one of the songs immediately fell in love with when I first listened to album. It's contagiously catchy, the production is great and my God, can I relate to the lyrics so much. The feeling that you know that someone is in love with you, even if they try to brush it off. This is a tremendous track. Love every minute of it!
(A)
7. "River Lea"
"River Lea"...is amazing!!! An actual famous river in London, Adele uses the River Lea as the metaphorical wound that she can't seem to heal. It is the cause of why her relationships can't go well and why the pain becomes so unbearable. Even though this song will be more understood by her UK listeners, I absolutely adore this song and it's thought provoking meaning. Just sensational writing as well.
(A+)
"River Lea"...is amazing!!! An actual famous river in London, Adele uses the River Lea as the metaphorical wound that she can't seem to heal. It is the cause of why her relationships can't go well and why the pain becomes so unbearable. Even though this song will be more understood by her UK listeners, I absolutely adore this song and it's thought provoking meaning. Just sensational writing as well.
(A+)
8. "Love In The Dark"
Adele goes back to her breathtaking break-up ballad roots with this orchestral track that she's her finding immense difficulty ending her relationship with her lover. I love the production with swelling violins that really capture the inconsolable emotion that the song is going for. The lyrics are layered with some much depth and heartache. Adele is just so good as bringing out so many deep feelings with her listeners with such ease and this is one of those songs for sure.
(A)
Adele goes back to her breathtaking break-up ballad roots with this orchestral track that she's her finding immense difficulty ending her relationship with her lover. I love the production with swelling violins that really capture the inconsolable emotion that the song is going for. The lyrics are layered with some much depth and heartache. Adele is just so good as bringing out so many deep feelings with her listeners with such ease and this is one of those songs for sure.
(A)
9. "Million Years Ago"
The lovely guitar ballad sees Adele singing about the price she had to pay to her unescapable fame in the last few years. It's really saddening especially lyrics that express how she can't even go back home without people being so enamored by her that they become fearful. It's another side of Adele we haven't seen before. Yes, she is vulnerable but this time showing that she is leaving in a state of longing for life before she was famous...but knowing that ultimately will never come to pass. Wow. Such a stunning track!
(A-)
The lovely guitar ballad sees Adele singing about the price she had to pay to her unescapable fame in the last few years. It's really saddening especially lyrics that express how she can't even go back home without people being so enamored by her that they become fearful. It's another side of Adele we haven't seen before. Yes, she is vulnerable but this time showing that she is leaving in a state of longing for life before she was famous...but knowing that ultimately will never come to pass. Wow. Such a stunning track!
(A-)
10. "All I Ask"
The penultimate track of the album is terribly misplaced!! This. THIS song should have been the last track of the album. "All I Ask" is a Bruno Mars penned song that captures the heartbreaking yearning of "Someone Like You" and the superb conclusion that was "Hometown Glory". I so relate to this song right now in my life that it isn't even funny. I love the lyrics so much, especially that eternally beautiful chorus. The dramatic piano playing, Adele's superb vocal performance, etc. This is just what I need to soothe my soul and it does so ten fold!
(A+)
The penultimate track of the album is terribly misplaced!! This. THIS song should have been the last track of the album. "All I Ask" is a Bruno Mars penned song that captures the heartbreaking yearning of "Someone Like You" and the superb conclusion that was "Hometown Glory". I so relate to this song right now in my life that it isn't even funny. I love the lyrics so much, especially that eternally beautiful chorus. The dramatic piano playing, Adele's superb vocal performance, etc. This is just what I need to soothe my soul and it does so ten fold!
(A+)
11. "Sweetest Devotion"
The actual final track isn't bad, in fact, "Sweetest Devotion" is a heartfelt ode to her son and an touching testament to Adele's new found joy of motherhood. The thing is, I just wouldn't have put it at the end of album or at least would have made it the second to last track and put "All I Ask" at the end as it deservingly should have been there. Anyway, I love the track regardless and I love the nice touch of having her son's voice echoing at the start and end of the song. You can really tell Adele has reach a point in her life where she has found true happiness and a sense of enlightenment and that alone is something wonderful to behold.
(B+)
The actual final track isn't bad, in fact, "Sweetest Devotion" is a heartfelt ode to her son and an touching testament to Adele's new found joy of motherhood. The thing is, I just wouldn't have put it at the end of album or at least would have made it the second to last track and put "All I Ask" at the end as it deservingly should have been there. Anyway, I love the track regardless and I love the nice touch of having her son's voice echoing at the start and end of the song. You can really tell Adele has reach a point in her life where she has found true happiness and a sense of enlightenment and that alone is something wonderful to behold.
(B+)
To say that "25" was highly anticipated would be one of the biggest understatement of the century. It is an album that was already breaking records a mere days before it was even released. Upon it's release? It became the highest opening debut for an album in US history with over 3.38 million sold in it's first week, taking the top spot from N'Sync who sold over 2 million copies of "No Strings Attached" back in 2000. The album has already sold over 20 million worldwide (which is unheard of now a days) and continues to break records. But the question remains, is "25" deserving of it's immense success? But more importantly, is it a good follow-up to "21"? The answer is: "Hell YES!!". Now it is by no means, as good as "21". That album was a rare classic in modern day pop music that Adele herself mentioned she couldn't top. That album had more of a gripping and emotional intensity that "25" only has few moments of. But songs like "Hello", "Water Under The Bridge" and especially "All I Ask" do a fine job of reminding audiences that Adele's soul is still filled with psychological turmoil that is just beautiful to listen to. Her vocals are once again, stellar and has almost improved. I'd say her only weak spot vocally is "When We Were Young", but it isn't even a bad performance and more of me just still not satisfied with the album version of that particular song. It's funny how Adele has only done 3 albums but all feel so inner joined. "19" feels like the "falling in love" album, "21" is the "break up" album and "25" is the "make up" album as Adele has recently stated. With "21", Adele was filled with rage and angst over her lover's fault in the end of the relationship but with "25", Adele maturely looks back on that relationship and accepts some responsibility for the fallout of that relationship. You hear it in "Hello" in particular with Adele regrettably singing her apology for breaking the heart of her ex-lover. Even "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)", with it's optimistic, upbeat approach sees Adele gaining a far more enriching perspective by wishing her former lover the best and hoping he will find love again. But the album isn't about her wanting to reconnect with an old lover, it's about her looking back on her life since she became a pop phenomenon and terribly missing a more humble life ("Million Years Ago") and the new sense of compassion motherhood has given to her ("Sweetest Devotion") It all makes for a captivating new chapter in Adele's life that lives me (as well as many other fans wanting more).
"Even at "25", Adele seems to have the wisdom and incomparable integrity to pull off an album beyond her years. Her third studio release may not be as compelling at her mammoth of emotional depth, "21" but it's a more than pleasing successor that sees more growth and accomplishing work from the young singer."
(B+)
(B+)
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