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Artist: Adele
Album: 19
Label: Columbia/XL Recordings
Release Date: April 8th 2008 digital
*See video clip below.
So in the recent trend of scratchy, retro-sounding divas such as Amy Winehouse and Duffy, I think I found a keeper. I first heard of Adele when I stumbled across one of her videos on a blog a little while back. I noticed she had an instantly impressive and flexible voice, and the song, "Chasing Pavements", had a great hook.
So Adele's debut album 19 has just come out digitally in the U.S. on Columbia Records, who she just signed with in March (she's on XL Recordings in the U.K.), and I first thought it must have 19 tracks, but it turns out that's her age. Quite surprising for such a mature sounding singer, who taught herself "how to sing by listening to Ella Fitzgerald for acrobatics and scales, Etta James for passion and Roberta Flack for control", according to her website bio, which also tells us she writes her own songs.
What I like about Adele is that the emotion in her songs feels real, and that down-to-earthness is emphasized by little things like writing her own blogs on myspace, and her 'big girl' declaration in her bio:
"I love food and hate exercise," she laughs. "I don't have time to work out. Go buy my record; then I'll be able to lose weight. I actually don't care...I'm not a trend-setter... I'm a singer. I never want to be known for anything else. I'd rather weigh a ton and make an amazing album then look like Nicole Richie and do a shit album. My aim in life is never to be skinny."
That's quite a feat in self-esteem for a 19-year-old.
Adele's voice is the real draw for 19, the best in this genre, but there are also many good tracks here. Right off the bat, you've got a solid stretch of possible hits in tracks two through four: "Best for Last", "Chasing Pavements" and "Cold Shoulder", the last one being my first favorite on early listens of the album, with its repetitive beat under her easy melody and strings. The choruses on both "Chasing Pavements" and "Cold Shoulder" are instantly singable without becoming annoying quickly, the way many obviously catchy hooks can.
"Right as Rain" is good and catchy, and just asking for a licensing deal. Stick it behind our plucky heroine walking down the sidewalk in the city. The rawness of Adele's voice and bittersweet lyrics keep it from being too lightweight, as they do many of these songs. They get better the more times you listen, rather than getting old.
There are a few droopy ballads that drag the album down a bit, such as "Crazy for You" and "Melt My Heart To Stone", which are almost as boring as their titles suggest. (Sorry, I know that was harsh.) Her Dylan cover "Make You Feel My Love" is a better attempt at a slow, pretty number, but then you can't really go wrong with that source. "Tired" is my current favorite song, with its little electronic beat in the background and Adele's accent breaking through on the line "I don't get nuffin back" (funnily enough, referenced in her bio as well as the one spot her London accent is really noticeable). There's also a nice bridge with a build-up of strings. The last song "Hometown Glory" is really pretty, and has a good story; Adele wrote it after participating in an anti-war protest in London, and deciding to stay in the city instead of going to college elsewhere.
Adele is playing a now sold-out show next Wednesday the 21st at The Roxy and I'm braving the strip to go. I think she'll be pretty impressive live.
Video for "Cold Shoulder"
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"(To) Make You Feel My Love" is by Bob Dylan. "Melt My Heart to Stone" is an Adele original (also a good source). How did you like the show?
LOL, I am writing the live review now and was just coming back to this to correct that mistake!
It was a great show, although I hate the over-priced Roxy with a passion that is ugly. Review will be up soon. :)