Adele- 21 Album Review

Album- 21

Artist- Adele

This was the album that was such a massive commercial and critical success it immediately cemented Adele as one of the best British artists of all time, and immediately placed great pressure on her third album. But with over 20 million copies sold worldwide and universal critical acclaim, is this actually such an amazing album?

Track 1- Rolling In The Deep

This is Adele’s best known track and is a stormer of a number that is a brilliant song for all the scorned lovers of the world. With a simple chorus that not only creates a great new phrase but showcases the unassuming awesomeness that is Adele’s vocal range, it’s easily identifiable as bedroom and karaoke singing song why you can let rip at anyone that hurt you. And this is not only presented in the powerful vocal but in the booming production.

5/5

Track 2- Rumour Has It

This is a really interesting song in that many will mark it as inspired by the ex-boyfriend that dominates this record. But actually it springs from Adele’s observations of her friends believing gossip. With a foot stomping background production, the song is kind of like a more toned down version of the first track, and gives a great sassiness to the record.

4.5/5

Track 3- Turning Tables

This first ballad of the album is a beautiful piano led number that is a simple let go of a volatile relationship song. With this track Adele shows a softer, more delicate vocal in the verses, with the chorus being powerful but just the right amount of powerful. And producer Jim Abbiss does great work for this track in that he keeps it pretty minimal and lets Adele’s voice do all the work, conveying the message stunningly.

5/5

Track 4- Don’t You Remember

This track is another ballad, but this time it is led by guitar instrumentation. And whilst the powerful chorus does almost act as if Adele is commanding her ex to remember and powerfully showcases her vocals, in the wake of Turning Tables the ballad may feel a little bland. However, this does not mean that this is a bad track, it’s just missing that sense of whole perfection.

4/5

Track 5- Set Fire To The Rain

The fifth track presents a marked change in terms of production, with this most definitely being the most pop number on the album. Its showcases brilliantly how Adele is such a great songwriter in that it takes a really obscure idea and conveys it majestically into a bitterness fuelled, empowering anthem. And the vocal acrobatics towards the songs end are just astounding. My favourite track and just absolutely amazing.

5/5

Track 6- He Wont Go

Inspired by Adele’s friendship with a dog lover who was unfortunately hooked on drugs but who managed to come clean, this song offers another bit of deep diversity in that it is not about Adele’s relationship. The powerful exclamation of the title offers that sense of completely united love to the listener, whilst the jingly production with a smattering of piano intensifies the simplicity of this tight bond of love.

4/5

Track 7- Take It All

This simple ballad is perhaps the most personal of the record and holds a tangible sense of pain. Described as the centrepiece of the album, its typical Adele, but with a raw intensity that suggests this was the last moment of her relationship, something many listeners can share in.

4.5/5

Track 8- I’ll Be Waiting

The most upbeat track on the album gives a nice change of pace from the previous song, and shows a happier side in contrast to Rolling In The Deep. The gospel power of the chorus emphasises that Adele is totally ready to wait for her lover, and it’s the only track in which you can have a bit of a boogie to. A little bit bland but still powerful.

3.5/5

Track 9- One and Only

A smooth, jazzy flavoured kind of number that perhaps shows an even greater delicacy to not only Adele’s vocals but also her personality, this is a song that is quite chilled but holds a powerful chorus that is easily relatable. And production wise, it does give a sense of happiness to the record, in that despite her pleading, she has indeed found someone she could care for.

4.5/5

Track 10- Lovesong

This guitar led instrumental track isn’t anything amazing or really special. But in a sense it is special, in that it potentially gives us a glimpse into who Adele is, in this case in terms of her musical tastes, as the song is a cover of a song originally performed by The Cure. And whilst its unoriginality may be why it’s not on par with some of the other, its simplistic production and vocal highlights the great tone Adele has to her voice. And this is a perfect track if you just want to sit and chill.

4/5

Track 11- Someone Like You

Whilst a scorned lover aggressive opener was present on the album, at the albums close we are presented with a calm, reflective Adele number that lets her lover know that she knows the relationship is over, has moved on and wishes nothing but the best for him. And this is just a great and wonderful album end not simply because it is a piano led song that showcases Adele’s voice beautifully, but it also is a very touching and moving song that asks us to reflect and taps in to the human nature of moving on

5/5

Final Review

I feel that all I have to say is that 21 is an album that deserves all the success it got: the record speaks for itself.

9.5/10