Three years after releasing her critically acclaimed 2008 debut album, "19," Adele has returned to the music scene with a masterful sophomore album, "21." Debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts, "21" has caused quite a stir in the United States since it was released on Feb. 22. A stunning display of raw emotion and pure vocal talent, the album even managed to knock tween sensation Justin Bieber down to number two on the charts. Adele's melodies are what I like to call real music soulful singing with incredible staying power.
The new album has a strong country influence, Adele told Spin Magazine in a November interview. During Adele's tour in the southern United States, her bus driver insisted on listening to country music on the radio. This fresh country influence is definitely apparent in the album, blended with Adele's standard soul stylings and the powerful "take em to church" vocals that send chills up and down my spine. The fact that Adele's songs are about her own personal, and often painful experiences only heightens their emotional impact.
The first single on the 11-track album, "Rolling in the Deep," is the perfect song to follow Adele's smash hit "Chasing Pavements," the track from "19" that made the singer an international sensation. "Chasing Pavements" led critics to compare Adele to legendary performers like Etta James and Aretha Franklin, and in "Rolling in the Deep," Adele lives up to these comparisons. As she sings an anthem for those who have been scorned by a lover, Adele uses her deep, powerful voice to convey the pain of the song's lyrics. The song reaches its crescendo in the chorus, when Adele belts, "We could have had it all/Rolling in the deep" as background singers chant, "You're gonna wish you/Never had met me/Tears are gonna fall/Rolling in the deep."
Adele's second single, "Someone Like You," is a lovely ballad that echoes Gwen Stefani's "Cool," a track off of Stefani's 2004 debut album "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." Both songs wish good luck to an ex-lover who has found someone new. However, "Someone Like You" breaks from "Cool" with the line "I had hoped you'd see my face/And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over." With this, Adele conveys the pain and heartache conjured by the feeling of being forgotten or replaced.
To highlight this prolonged melancholy, the piano takes the forefront in "Someone Like You." A bold, repetitive force, the strong piano takes a cue from "Hometown Glory," a single from "19," and keeps listeners entranced throughout the song. Although "Someone Like You" has a somewhat wistful tone, it is a more positive break-up song than the angry, resentful "Rolling in the Deep."
Meanwhile, the excellent "Set Fire to the Rain" sounds very similar to something Natasha Bedingfield might sing. The soulful pop song recounts the experience of discovering a lover's flaws and ultimately choosing to end a relationship despite loving your significant other. By singing about the common experience of agonizing over a break-up, Adele delivers a song that most listeners can relate to.
Adele also provides an interesting visual with her chorus of "But I set fire to the rain/Watched it pour as I touched your face/Well it burned while I cried/Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name." A dark but inspiring melody, "Set Fire to the Rain" is an anthem for people who have the strength to end an unhealthy relationship to move on and find someone who will contribute to their happiness instead of detracting from it.
Other promising songs from "21" include "Rumor Has It," "Turning Tables" and "One and Only" but honestly every track on the album deserves a listen. Adele has definitely earned her spot at the top of the charts. Lyrically and vocally, her songs are a wonder, bringing back the soulfulness that was a trend in British pop music only a few years back. Adele's deep, graceful tunes promise to transform the forgettable, often vapid mainstream music of today.
