The Road To "25": "25" Review
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Adele
Lenz-El — 10 years ago(March 20, 2016 03:53 PM)
So I'm a huge Adele fan and want to look back on her past three albums by reviewing them. So I'll start with her debut from '08 and work my way up.
19
(2008)
1.
"Daydreamer"
This is a nice opener with Adele already showing some great vocal range. It's a fine guitar ballad that has Adele soothing you with her voice as she sings of a man who daydreams all the time. It's simplistic but Adele brings the song above and beyond with the emotion of her voice. A great start to the album no doubt.
(A-)
2.
"Best For Last"
Once again, a pretty strong song with great lyrical content and a nice vocal performance from Adele. I love how she sings of a man who she wishes (even knows) that even though he mistreats her, she knows he will come back to her and love her. I like the incorporation of the modest guitar playing and piano as well as the background choir that comes to aid her during the chorus.
(B)
3.
"Chasing Pavements"
The sensational debut single from Adele; it's a great production with lyrics that see Adele singing about if she should risk her heart by going after the man she loves and continually contemplating it. I love this song and it was a great intro into Adele's adult contemporary style.
(B+)
4.
"Cold Shoulder"
Picking things up with a fast paced/up-tempo track, Adele sings of a man who continues to hurt her and her envious of his new lover. I like the beat but I feel the song could have a bit of a better melody as it's not really catchy. But it's a decent song nonetheless.
(C+)
5.
"Crazy For You"
This song has a vintage jazz feel with its subdued guitar playing and Adele's soulful vocal performance. Adele sings of a man she is infatuated with but the more she resists the stronger her feelings become. It's a song I can definitely relate to, as well all have had love interests we have fallen hard for.
(B)
6.
"Melt My Heart My Stone"
This is a stunning song with more solid vocal work from Adele. The lyrics are beautifully written and love the metaphors Adele uses to describe the feeling of desperately being in love. This is really a foreshadowing of Adele's emotional depth and writing skills that would get even better with her next album!
(A)
7.
"First Love"
This song reminds me of a lullaby. It's such a child-like melody but Adele manages to make it work as she sings of ending the relationship with her first love and even wanting forgiveness for doing so. It's a pretty decent, even if the melody is a little too childish too me.
(C+)
8.
"Right As Rain"
Picking things up again with this this 1960's soul/funk track, I really enjoy "Right As Rain". Adele sings about not wanting a relationship to be good all the time and showing that there needs to be conflict, even pain to make it interesting. That is so true and I can't deny how infectiously upbeat the song is.
(B+)
9.
"Make You Feel My Love"
Covering Bob Dylan's classic, Adele does a more than adequate job of stepping in and evoking the emotional resonance that Boy Dylan did with it many years prior. I love the piano and violin playing. Adele's vocally soothes my soul once again. This is a wonderful cover that shows the young diva paying respect to a legendary artist who should be proud her version of his song.
(A-)
10.
"My Sam1ebce"
"My Same" is a fast paced track that doesn't really doesn't leave much of an impression on me. Nothing that's out right terrible but not a memorable track amongst many good ones. Adele's vocally solid as usually but I just can't get into the lyrics and find it hard to understand the lyrics. Though it seems Adele is singing about the difference between her and her lover, probably wanting to stay the same, hence "My Same". But who knows, the song is just kind of
there
.
(C)
11.
"Tired"
Adele is "Tired" of her man's ways with this snapping beat track that incorporates swelling violins toward the end. It's a pretty solid song but what I'm looking forward to is the album's grand finish and boy is it a good one!
(B-)
12.
"Hometown Glory"
This is a brilliant ender to the album! The epic piano ballad is once again a beautifully written song that sees Adele singing about her pride and love for her home city of London. Her vocals are stunning and I love how the song builds to a sublime conclusion. One of my favorite songs from Adele and stellar final track.
(A+)
Let's face it, in '08, no one knew who Adele was. At the start of her career, many were comparing her style and vocals to Amy Winehouse. Both songstresses seemed to find inspiration in the decades back with music that sounded like modernized 1950s/1960s soul. But Adele couldn't seem to find the commercial success that Amy has garnered. Her first album is good and worth the 2 Grammys she got for it, including the coveted "Best New Artist" award. I think the best thing about the album is the writing, to which Adele did most of herself at only 19! Even as such a young age, she showed she has depth and a maturity beyond her years. The singles "Chasing Pavements" and "Hometown Glory" ar -
Lenz-El — 10 years ago(March 22, 2016 04:29 PM)
21
(2011)
1.
"Rolling In The Deep"
This soulful "woman scorned" opener is the song that re-introduced Adele to the world as a force to be reckoned with. The lyrics are poetic and wonderfully written. The rage and fury within Adele echoes throughout the song and you can't help but sing along. It's a song that will never,
ever
get old and Adele's vocals couldn't be more powerful. This track is such a classic and has become the ultimate anthem for break-ups with it's incredible production. What an amazing song and easily the best single to come out of '11.
(A+)
2.
"Rumour Has It"
Adele once again unleashes her inner frustrations over her man, this time over a banging beat as well as a fast paced 1960s inspired production. Adele sings about the rumors that she has been hearing about her man being unfaithful. Its such an awesome track and Adele really works wonders with the lyrics, adding that playful yet fiery edge that the song needs. I especially loves how she flips the script on her lover by telling him that she's the one leaving and found another man. Such a terrific track!!
(A+)
3.
"Turning Tables"
A stunning piano ballad see's Adele going for a more somber approach. This time she is in disarray with her lover and sings about the tumultuous relationship taking a toll on her deeply. Adele's vocals, once again, are delivered wonderfully and the lyrics invoke so much emotional resonance. What an album so far!!
(A+)
4.
"Don't You Remember"
This guitar dominated ballad is another sorrow filled tale but this time, Adele sings about the shock and discontent she feels now that her former lover has moved on. The lyrics couldn't be more heart wrenching and the pain that oozes from Adele's heart can be felt throughout. I can't help but sing along with her when that chorus comes in. It's one of my personal favorites from the album that I never get tired of.
(A)
5.
"Set Fire To The Rain"
This is another near perfectly produced track that sees Adele singing through a collection of lyrics inspired by an inferno metaphor that describes her disillusioned relationship. My favorite part has to be Adele's vocal range as she rises a few octaves toward the end to hit a high note. With powerful lyrics and a beautiful theme, this is another stellar track and another one of my favorites!!
(A+)
6.
"He Won't Go"
This is a great track t5b4hat sees Adele singing of a relationship that is hard to break off. Both her and her man can't seem to walk away from the relationship because they are both convinced it's love despite what other people think. I love the lyrics and the production as they are once again, pretty top notch, especially the ending piano medley.
(B+)
7.
"Take It All"
Another beautiful, pain ridden track that sees Adele in disarray and at her most vulnerable as she sings for her lover to take everything from her before the relationship ends, including her broken heart. WowwowI so can relate to the emotions on this one.
I actually dare to find someone who hasn't felt like this at some point in their lives. Someone who invested so much of their heart and soul into a relationship, only to feel helpless at the end. What an astonishingly moving song.
(A-)
8.
"I'll Be Waiting"
Probably my least favorite on the album but still a pretty stellar track! "I'll Be Waiting" sees Adele being more hopeful and having a new perspective on her recent break-up. This time she is singing about having her former lover wait for her to rekindle their relationship as she had grown and matured. It is a good song but I just don't much care for it apposed to the other tracks.
(B)
9.
"One and Only"
Adele 2000continues with her hopeful spirit; this time urging her former lover to not live in regret and heartache by reaching out to her and becoming an item again. I love the production of the song, especially the piano instrumental toward the end with the stunning background vocals from Adele as well as her back up singers. The lyrics pull at the heartstrings and you can see they were written with time and care. A standout among many on this exceptional record!
(A+)
10.
"Lovesong"
Taking cues from the Cure and covering their classic rock anthem, Adele takes the song and gives it a more adult contemporary/jazz feel with great guitar playing as well as a soothing beat. Adele not only does a fine job paying her respects to the Cure but she does what artists rarely do when covering a classic song by making it her own and adding something new to the song that wasn't there prior. Pretty superb if you ask me.
(A-)
11.
"Someone Like You"
Ending the album is another #1 hit single that will forever be embedded in our hearts as Adele ends the album singing about a former lover who has moved on and her hoping she can do the same one day. It's a sensational final track with lyrics that once again you can't help but sing along to. It leaves you wondering yourself if you will ever move on from a relationship after such an ugly break-up.
(A+)
When "21" was released, it -
Lenz-El — 10 years ago(March 24, 2016 03:31 AM)
25
(2015)
1.
"Hello"
The anticipated return of Adele finally came with this 9 week #1 hit! "Hello" is a sorrowful single that details Adele's regret and deep concern for her former lover years following their relationship. It's a striking contrast from Adele's anger ridden opener with "Rolling In The Deep". While a great song that really has a nice production as well as memorable lyrics and a solid vocal performance from Adele, it just doesn't have the emotional punch that "Rolling In The Deep" packs. It's still an otherwise strong first single and great return for Adele that shows she didn't lose her touch in the intervening time she took between albums.
(B+)
2.
"Send My Love (To Your New Lover)"
This upbeat, guitar riffed track is a nice change of pace from the last track as Adele takes the high road and looks on the bright side by wishing her former lover the best with his new relationship. I love the lyrics and Adele's vocal performance adds some soul to the contemporary pop genre that's reminiscent of such pop stars like Taylor Swift. Then again it was produced/written by some of Taylor's writers, so it's to be expected. I really like it. It has a great melody and a nice chorus. A superb track if you ask me.
(A-)
3.
"I Miss You"
Wow. "I Miss You" is surely a shock for most fans as well as casual listeners of Adele. Who knew an Adele song could be so sexy!?
But Adele does a more than fantastic job of toeing the line between sexuality and sensuality with lyrics such as "I wanna fall into your gravity" and "I want to teach you things you never knew". I also love the beautiful production with the sounds of monks chanting in a monastery as well as that heavy drum beat. It's the near perfect song to share with your significant other when ready for a night of passion. I know I can't get enough of it.
(A)
4.
"When We Were Young"
I have to admit, I'm not a fan of "When We Were Young"the album version at least. I have to say the Live At Church Studios version is just sublime and so wonderfully performed that the album version just pales in comparison for me. The instrumental just sounds so much better in the live version, not to mention, Adele's vocals were top notch in that version with an incredible high note. In the album v1ebcersion, her vocal delivery just doesn't capture the raw emotion that the live version conveys. But the song itself is terrific though; well written with touching lyrics about looking into the past and trying to recapture a love that has since ended. I just wish the album version had captivated me as much as the live version but the album version is just
okay
.
(C)
5.
"Remedy"
This beautiful ballad sees Adele singing about being the metaphorical comfort blanket to her friend/lover. The lyrics are once again, stellar and the piano production is stunning. It is also such a soothing song with heartwarming lyrics that will make you wish Adele was singing this to you. Another good song among many!
(B)
6.
"Water Under The Bridge"
I love, love,
LOVE
"Water Under The Bridge"! It's one of the songs I immediately fell in love with when I first listened to the album. It's contagiously catchy, the production is great and my God, can I relate to the lyrics so much. The feeling that you know that someone is in love with you, even if they try to brush it off. This is a tremendous track. Love every minute of it!
(A)
7.
"River Lea"
"River Lea"is amazing!!!
An actual famous river in London, Adele uses the River Lea as the metaphorical wound that she can't seem to heal. It is the cause of why her relationships can't go well and why the pain becomes so unbearable. Even though this song will be more understood by her UK listeners, I absolutely adore it and it's thought provoking meaning. Just sensational writing as well.
(A+)
8.
"Love In The Dark"
Adele goes back to her breathtaking break-up ballad roots with this orchestral track that she's her finding immense difficulty ending her relationship with her lover. I love the production with swelling violins that really capture the inconsolable emotion that the song is going for. The lyrics are layered with so much depth and heartache. Adele is just so good as bringing out so many deep feelings with her listeners with such ease and this is one of those songs for sure.
(A)
9.
"Million Years Ago"
This lovely guitar ballad sees Adele singing about the price she had to pay do to her unescapable fame in the last few years. It's really saddening especially lyrics that express how she can't even go back home without people being so enamored by her that they become fearful. It's another side of Adele we haven't seen before. Yes, she is vulnerable but this time showing that she is living in a state of longing for life before she was famousbut knowing that ultimately will never come to pass. Wow. Such a stunning track!
(A-)
10.
"All I Ask"
The penultimate track of the album is terribly misplaced!! This.
THIS
song should have been the last track of the album. "All I Ask" i