SuppliedAdele
XL
21 was a showstopper. From multiple singles to astounding numbers on the Billboard charts, it appeared that this album would be the highlight of Adele’s career. However, after a pregnancy and a four-year hiatus from the music scene, Adele announced the release of her new record, 25, picking up from exactly where she left off.
“Hello”, the first single from 25, has taken the Internet by storm. Everywhere you look, people are singing it, dancing to it, or parodying it. Many songs that take off this swiftly quickly die down because they aren’t that great; they are a short-lived phenomenon. However, the difference with Adele is that she is insanely talented, and “Hello” is absolutely incredible.
25 is full of such emotion that every listener can connect to it to some degree. The lyrics are what make the songs what they are; they are clever, well timed, and relatable. “Hello from the other side/ I must’ve called a thousand times/to tell you I’m sorry.” No wonder studies suggest that people have been more inclined to get in touch with their exes after this came out. Kleenex sales have presumably tripled due to the lyrics alone. Adele experiments with new tones (“Water Under the Bridge” with an electronic sound, accompanied by many electric guitars), a wide assortment of instruments (“Love in the Dark” with violin, piano, and vocal layering), and a matured take on life (she still has songs that are angsty about ex boyfriends, but she acknowledges her past decisions as well). Certain songs, like “Million Years Ago” and “Remedy”, focus heavily on one instrument (isolating the piano or the guitar), to create a lyrical connection with fans, whereas other songs like “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” and “Sweetest Devotion” have upbeat tempos that are easy to sing along to.
Adele reminds us of our past, acknowledges the present, and encourages strength within our future. A lot can happen in 4 years, and this album certainly proves it. She has created, yet again, another masterpiece.
