If there's a lesson or two that I've learned 3 years ago, it's that, the only artist capable of making me feel arbitrary emotions was Adele. Her songs have been so carefully woven that they made me create unusual scenes in my head that relates much to her music. In other words, they kept me missing my ex even though I have none. Quite scary stuff right there, but she pulls the correct heartstrings!
Adele has come a long way, 25 is out very soon for the rest of the world to hear. I got to be one of the lucky lurkers in the web that managed to catch an entire glimpse of the album before it'll be available for the public. Whereas her previous album 21 focused on her recent breakup where she played the victim, 25 will focus more on making up with her past so that she can continue living her life without it meddling with her future.
In the previous hour, I played the entirety of 25, with a promise that I will only listen to it once and for all until everyone else has a copy on their hands. And with that, I grabbed a note and a pen to record my first thoughts (which are very spontaneous). I listened carefully to all of the songs, judging them unbiasedly upon first listen. Some songs did really stood out from the rest, some songs are really out-of-the-box and not something everyone would expect from a soul-singer like Adele. I'm glad to say that this album is a collection of classic Adele as much as it offers a fresh take on her artistry!
I would firstly apologized that I vaguely listened to the lyrics, I was mostly preoccupied as to how the song sounds. The lyrics would always come along the way as I listen to the album more and more! So without further ado, here's my thoughts:
1. Hello - We already heard this, the introductory single off the album, very big ballad with an explosive chorus, Adele has never sounded so strong before! Verses are piano-driven until the drums started kicking in the chorus. There is a choir in the background that starts in the 2nd chorus and becomes prominent in the bridge of the song. The last chorus is a great build-up to the song. Great way to start the album, reminds us of the killer vocals Adele can offer! (Rating: 10/10)
2. Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - There's a bit of talking in the beginning, the verses are very country-pop and uptempo, reminds me so much of pop-Taylor Swift, driven prominently by guitar. The chorus is POPPY, radio will eat this up, very different from anything Adele has done before, very groovy, certainly made for the charts! Not too overproduced unlike most pop songs, will probably be released as a single along the line. Bridge is very minimal, no choirs, and the outro has a lot of adlibs! It's safe to say I LOVE IT! (Rating: 10/10)
3. I Miss You - Haunting sounds at the start, 90's church-piano inspired, lots of drums, the verses are sensual, R&B-influenced and something Beyonce would probably record. Chorus is very strong, although it's far from melodic-Adele we came to know, I think there's a lot of stuff going on which kind of ruins the song. The bridge however, redeems the entire song, it's Adele and her signature melodic tones! Overall, not impressed by this track yet! (Rating: 6/10)
4. When We Were Young - I am in love with the live version she premiered 2 days ago, but the studio version is subtlely different. Adele's voice is a bit more resounding and vibrant, the piano is different too. Sounds exactly like she's going the 70's classic route, and this song will definitely head that way. It's very classic/typical Adele, yet it's still fresh. She hit a very high note before the last chorus which is very groundbreaking, the last chorus is ready-made for concert-goers to wave their hands up in the air! Definitely the album's centerpiece! The song that made me cry the most, weeps. (Rating: 10/10)
5. Remedy - Very piano-driven, the intro sounds like it's from 21. The chorus is also very Adele, reminds me a lot of her own "Turning Tables", except this one's more a bit in the happy tone instead of the melodrama! The lyrics are for lovers and certainly not for those having heartbreaks. No bridge, the 2nd to the last chorus is very subdued in preparation for one last flight in the final chorus that will give shrills! (Rating: 8/10)
6. Water Under the Bridge - Now this one sounds a like a GREAT song from the beginning, diffirent Adele! Muddled between Mid-tempo/Up-tempo, big vocals, radios will definitely eat this up, choirs are back, Chorus is HUGE and POP. This is really something new from Adele, stripped away everything we've known from her, it's very celebratory and Arena-ready! (Rating: 10/10)
7. River Lea - It's very 90's, the verses are backed by a sustained church piano, until it becomes a fresh modern take in the chorus, very dance-y, the influences from "I'll Be Waiting" are very prominent. "So I blame it on the River Lea" is one very catchy line from the album. (Rating: 9/10)
8. Love in the Dark - Very theatrical intro, there's a violin and a piano, the chorus is very emotional, a very sad song based on the melody, her most theatrical song so far. Killer vocals are present here, the bridge is exciting, would make for a nice credit song for a big movie! (Rating: 9/10)
9. Million Years Ago - Now the guitar is very prominent, I can hear subtle similarities from Mariah Carey's "My All", it's very latin-inspired and something you can hear from afternoon soap operas! Very dramatic, I don't know if I like it that much because I've never expected something like this from her before, but it's a very cute song that would be appropriate when you're cuddling your loved one! (Rating: 7/10)
10. All I Ask - Another piano-ballad which is to be expected, the verses hooked me from the beginning the way "Someone Like You" did, something in the vein of Mariah's (!) "Music Box" era, especially the chorus! BIG, BIG VOCALS, seems like another sad song, made me tear up a bit, the melody is very engaging! It's definitely going to be a karaoke-staple in the next few years. (Rating: 10/10)
11. Sweetest Devotion - very cute of Adele to include sounds from her son, sounds like a lullaby until the chorus. I don't like it that much, it seems to lack something, it does not suit Adele's soulful voice at all. Probably the most uninteresting song in the album, and her worst album closer. The vocals are certainly there but it's not on par with the rest of the tracks! (Rating: 5/10)
So there you have it, the album is very solid! She managed to overcome the expectations people put to her after the 21 phenomenon. It's not a masterpiece, nor it's groundbreaking but, it's something we've come to expect from Adele, and then some that we didn't and I'm more than happy with that!
Standout tracks after the first listen are: When We Were Young, Send My Love (To Your New Lover), Water Under the Bridge, and All I Ask.
My reaction for the entire album:
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