Three best songs: «Easy On Me», «I Drink Wine», «To Be Loved»
After debuting as a 20-year-old in 2008, Adele has established herself as one of the greatest and best-selling artists ever. She has become known for her powerful vocals and melodic flair, and is behind superhits such as “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone Like You” and “Hello».
Now she is up to date with her first album in 6 years, and in keeping with tradition, it is named after an eventful year in her life. “30” is, according to herself, a divorce album.
The break-up with her husband Simon Konecki is the great source of inspiration for the album, and in this case it means a very magnificent wrapping of soul-inspired ballads.
With “30”, Adele offers what she knows best: Enormous vocal performances convey grief in a way that evokes goosebumps.
Adele sings the song “To Be Loved” in a recording posted on her official Youtube account.
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Requires attention
But “30” is not a record for everyone. Adele serves a record that requires patience and takes the listener seriously.
There are no shortcuts, cheap tricks or commercial considerations here. The songs appear so genuine that I regain my faith in pop music.
It is easy to imagine that the most popular artists are a thought staged by a shock of backers, but Adele’s devilishness and heartache are presented here in a way that makes there never any doubt that she is the mastermind behind it all. Songwriter and hit guarantor Max Martin is actually only credited on one single song.
It takes enough patience and a penchant for pop / soul to really enjoy this album. In the well-known Adele style, it is packed with tough ballads that largely rely on technical vocal skills, but perhaps more often than before, Adele lacks the really great melodies.
One of today’s most impressive voices
The main single “Easy On Me” is the most immediate hit for those who mainly know Adele from the radio. Here, the superstar is magnificent, and begs his son for patience after the break-up with her husband.
It has a strong and catchy melody, and thus stands in contrast to most of the remaining songs.
Music video for the single “Easy On Me” posted on her official Youtube account.
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However, there is nothing to say about the communication. Adele still has one of today’s most impressive voices, and is unique in making text mean something.
«When I was a child, every single thing could blow my mind / Soaking it all up for fun, but now I only soak up wine»
This text is from the powerful “I Drink Wine” and is a good example of that. The longing for a more innocent time is a rather used angle in pop music, but when it is Adele who sings it, it becomes in a way more believable.
It’s really a repeat of “30”. The lyrics are often clichéd and obvious, but the incredible vocal performances elevate the twists and turns and make them make sense, even though you may have heard them several times before.
Without the big highlights
“30” is a record that is guaranteed to move you, but which may lack the great pop hits Adele is known for.
After countless hits over the last 10 years, there is probably room for such an album in Adele’s catalog. She has almost single-handedly brought soul music back to pop, and then it must be allowed to reflect a little on a difficult time without necessarily reinventing the powder.
Where the melodies are missing, I am stunned by the enormous voice, and it somehow saves a record that is a personal passion project more than a courtship to the radio channels and charts.
Listen to his Music Room special episode about Adele. You can find it in the NRK Radio app.