English songstress and post-breakup therapist Adele is back with this year’s undoubtedly most-anticipated release, her third album 25. Her previous effort, 21, was a landmark success which sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.
The dreary first single, “Hello,” is a nice-enough ballad that will satisfy Adele’s 21 era fans who look to her for a sad breakup song to cry their eyes out to, but it is an overall disappointment. It’s exactly the type of song one would expect from Adele, and it feels as if she hasn’t evolved at all in the past years since the last album. It’s a delight for those cashing in on Adele’s success, but not for listeners looking for something new.
But the album immediately takes a turn for the better. Second track, “Send My Love (to Your New Lover)” opens with colorful guitar strings and features a light chorus that picks up the energy from the lethargic first track. An eyebrow-raising change of tempo in comparison to the first song, this track is one of the liveliest and strongest tracks in Adele’s entire discography — truly smashing. Expect this to be played to death on the radio next summer.
“Water Under the Bridge” is an exhilarating listen with dramatic percussion and vocal harmonies aplenty. Another strong cut is track nine, “Million Years Ago,” which sounds like something that could have been on Adele’s torch singer, acoustic guitar-driven debut album, 19, and this is a supreme compliment.
She trades the James Bond strings and melodramatic piano for a gorgeous, simple guitar accompaniment, and the result is fresh and heartfelt without the oppressive heaviness of “Hello,” for example.
The album concludes with the gospel-inspired “Sweetest Devotion,” and there is a brightness to this track which provides an uplifting end to the emotional journey of the rest of the album.
While the first two tracks seemed like an odd fit next to each other, this song is in the exactly correct place in the track listing. It provides closure and balance, and, in a way, rewards the listener for trudging through the entire album and listening to the whole story.
Compared to 21, this album is a slightly less depressing listen, but it is by no means something to play at a party (though “Send My Love” could be a possibility). The fault of this album is simply that it does not take many risks. Some songs, like “Remedy,” are plain forgettable. Perhaps the success of the last album drove Adele, or most likely her label, to not rock the boat too much and alienate old fans.
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For an artist who sells more albums in a day than most artists sell in their entire careers, she could do a bit more with experimentation, though that’s not to suggest that 28 be a dubstep or bluegrass-inspired album. Adele’s talent is undeniable, and 25 is an album worthy of a listen or two.
4/5
Michael’s Picks: “Send My Love (to Your New Lover),” “Million Years Ago”
