Somewhere, and at any given moment, a host of blues-lovers swoons over Adele. At just 22, the singer/songwriter has almost single-handedly incorporated soul into mainstream music. With a powerful voice and artful composition, Adele speaks to music lovers of all backgrounds through her introspective ballads. Her second studio album “21” flawlessly continues a reign of sophistication for the masterful artist.
“21” wastes no time on frilly opening interludes. The first track and single, “Rolling in the Deep,” jumps right into the heart of the album. Bolstered by a thumping bass, a driving guitar strum and a host of background singers, Adele warns, “There’s a fire starting in my heart.” The track is followed by another of the strongest of the album, “Rumour Has It,” which attacks a former paramour and his poor choice of substitute.
Clearly, “21” has a common theme. After releasing “19,” her debut album focusing on the wistful nuances of breakups, Adele let her anger ferment. Two years and 11 tracks later, her emotions have finally found an outlet; the album smolders as song after song addresses the countless problems with men as Adele sees them.
In proportion to the accusatory lyrics, “21” hosts a number of bittersweet pieces as well. “Do You Remember” is a gorgeously mournful ballad ruminating on a failed relationship, while “Set Fire to the Rain” is more frustrated than angry, an upbeat song that helplessly wonders why everything went wrong. One of the star components of the album, “One and Only,” pleads with a man to realize her love for him; reminiscent at first of Otis Redding, the piece digresses into a 1960s soul-sister-esque chorale, spotlighting the singer’s sorrowful crooning. “21” ends on a pretty note; “Someone Like You,” a piano driven work of art, closes the album with a wistful goodbye to her object of desire and, perhaps, her hopelessly conflicting emotions regarding him.
In every way, “21” is an astoundingly sophisticated album. Adele refuses to pepper her lyrics with catchy euphemisms to attract heartbroken preteens; from the first beat, she throws out accusations and fights dirty. “21” features no electronic sounds to construct the perfect dance party song. Instead, she sticks to jazz instruments. Whether the songs are piano driven, most noticeably in “Turning Tables,” or steered by gentle guitars, as in her cover of The Cure’s 1989 single, “Love Song,” “21” stays grounded in the world of naturally produced sound.
The only downfall of the album is its monotony in theme. At 22, Adele creates music far beyond her years; but of course, she is only 22 and still retains that typical, wholehearted focus on men. While her approach is more sophisticated than most, and she clearly has no kitschy, clichéd love stories at the forefront of her mind, Adele might benefit from a broader range of topics. However, she plays the role of the scorned lover wonderfully, leaving “21” not nearly as annoying as albums of other songwriters of the same age.
Mainstream as her music is, Adele refuses to become mainstream herself. “21” is a brutally honest album that stays true to her soulful style. Never one to futilely chase pavements, Adele’s refined musical sense plants her firmly on a path to success. She might be unconventional, but that voice and those lyrics will take her anywhere she wants to go.