There’s Something Enlightening about Adele
Written By: Antwan Pixley
Okay, so after listening to Adele’s 21, which was released in 2011, I fell completely in love with her. There’s something about her voice that is soothing and enriching. If you’ve just gone through a bad break-up, she’s the singer of heartbreak. 21 is a classic in a lane of its own and it’s one of the best and biggest albums released in decades. Fast forward five years later, and Adele is back with her new album, 25, and I must say I’ve been anticipating this album since forever!
I know, I know, the majority of Adele’s music is sad, sometimes depressing, but it’s good! The first single off of 25 is ‘Hello’, which is a ballad about a relationship that went sour. ‘Hello’ is very reminiscent to 21, so it’s understandable why this was chosen as the first single. Adele belts those notes out with such emotion, as if it’s something that just happened to her today! ‘Hello’ is a powerful song and has already put a dent on the billboard charts. After hearing ‘Hello’, I was intrigued! Moving along, the next song on the album ‘Send My Love (To Your New Lover)’ is arguably one of the most distinctive records on 25, and this is a different sound for Adele. It’s very pop and although the production is good, it just seems like it’s lacking something. It’s not a bad song, just my least favorite on the album.
The third track on the album, ‘I Miss You,’ is a very catchy tune. It’s one of my favorites and it is one of the standout songs on the entire album. I like this side of Adele, she’s happily in love and confident! The production is stellar (especially the drums), it’s a real R&B type of record with elements of pop. This song would probably do well as a single.
Next song on the album is ‘When We Were Young’. This is Adele at her best! “You look like a movie, you sound like a song, my god this reminds me, of when we were young,” It’s almost hard not to cry when you hear this song because it’s so personal and you reflect on the years that you’ve spent with someone. This is absolutely one of the best ballads on the album and compliments Adele as a songwriter.
The fifth track, ‘Remedy,’ is a sweet piano ballad about her unwavering love for her son. “When the pain cuts you deep, when the night keeps you from sleeping, just look and you will see, that I will be your remedy.” Such a beautiful song.
The sixth track on the album, ‘Water under the Bridge’ is a very catchy pop/dance tune that reunites Adele with songwriter Greg Kurstin, ‘Hello and Million Years Ago’. Adele proclaims in the song “If you’re going to let me down, let me down gently”. Adele’s rich vocal brings out the highlights of the song.
Did Adele just dedicate a song to an east river in London? Yup, sort of. It’s a metaphor that she references in the seventh track, ‘River Lea.’ “It’s in my roots, it’s in my veins, in my blood and it stains, every heart that I used to heal the pain,” as she describes the water in her hometown, Tottenham. What I love about this song is the fact that Adele incorporates her roots in this song, and despite the fact that she’s reached monumental success, she still remembers where she came from.
I absolutely love the eighth track, ‘Love in the Dark.’ This is a ballad about Adele crushing someone’s heart, and she lets out every emotion on this track. This is a whole new side of Adele that leaves listeners in awe. Another track that could do well as a single.
The ninth track, ‘Million Years Ago,’ is my absolute favorite and that’s because of its simplicity. Adele croons over the track almost a ‘cappella “I miss my friends, I miss my mother, I miss it well, life was a party to be thrown, but that was a million years ago,” she sings. This is an acoustic song about looking to the future, but at times wishing you could go back to the past. It’s bittersweet. There’s something so special about this track! Adele, please release this as a single.
The tenth track, ‘All I ask,’ the piano led ballad is a beautiful song about the love you have for your significant other. Kudos to Bruno Mars for contributing to this track.
The final track, ‘Sweetest Devotion,’ ends the album on a high note. It’s Adele meets 70’s rock. The is about motherhood and is dedicated to her three-year old son, whose voice is heard at the opening of the track.
Final Thoughts
One would think that it would be extremely difficult to follow up after an album that was a mega success and made an impact around the world like 21 did, but Adele returned strong with 25. 25 is an album about nostalgia, love, and heartache, but I love the fact she reflects on motherhood on this album and it’s evident that she’s grown creatively as an artist. This is an album that has already made history. I give this album four out of five stars.
