Adele

[Kaleysuncle]

Adele's new album 21 offically leaked today. It's so flipping amazing. I've never felt so many emotions welled up in one. I love her first album, 19, but I was absolutely captivated when I first heard Rolling in the Deep (21's first single). That was my favorite song until I heard Set Fire to the Rain. Holy effing crap!

This album is what I expected from Sarah with Laws of Illusion. 21 is definitely a vengeful breakup album. I can't get enough. 2011 will be amazing year in music!

[RiverOfLove]

I love Adele!

I can't decide which album I like better...19, or 21? Both are excellent albums, from start to finish.

[TheSquirrel]

I agree and disagree. My partner put me on to Adele so I listened to "19." I thought great voice but the songs aren't very good. A bit one paced. Much of a muchness. Then I listened to 21 and didn't expect much. Boy was I wrong. What a cracking album. I agree about "Set Fire To The Rain," an absolute classic, but the whole album is full of wonderful songs. Now I see what all the fuss is about. I suppose I shouldn't compare LOI, a late career album, with a newcomer album containing all that spark and zest. But I'm afraid LOI isn't in the same class.

[Magellan]

I actually think I disagree... :/

After all the hype (Adele is topping a lot of album charts at the moment, and is constantly being advertised on TV), I got the album, and I have mixed views on it.

There's no denying she's immensely talented. And there are a few quite powerful and interesting tracks, musically.

But I think there's a tendency for mainstream music listeners to get behind the occasional easy-listening artist, and inflate them far beyond where they really deserve to be. Remember Norah Jones? How many Grammys did she win? It was a bit ridiculous really.

Adele's got her moments, but I honestly don't think I'd rate her album as high as Clare Maguire's or Lissie's. Yet those girls are relatively unknown at the moment, while Adele will be every Mum's present on mothers day.

I should really sit down and work out a proper score for comparison between those.... Or maybe I shouldn't. I have to confess, I am just not a huge fan of her stripped-back, motown, blues and jazz influences. There's also the occasional naff lyric, like...

"It's time to say goodbye to turning tables"

That's a really nice song. But that line (around which the whole song is based)...doesn't really make grammatical sense to me. Say goodbye....to turning...tables....?

Overall, I would always prefer to listen to Laws Of Illusion, before Adele.

[Kaleysuncle]

That's a really nice song. But that line (around which the whole song is based)...doesn't really make grammatical sense to me. Say goodbye....to turning...tables....?

Overall, I would always prefer to listen to Laws Of Illusion, before Adele.

So you're calling her out on that when hundreds of artists do it? Really? Here's a few: Regina Spektor, Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks, Paula Cole, Bob Dylan...

There's plenty of songs with grammatical errors or confusing lyrics that don't make sense at all. I believe that's why it's called art friend.

[Magellan]

Fair enough, but I guess that lyric just struck me because it's the signature line of the whole song. And the song is likely to be huge - even Gwyneth Paltrow sang it on Glee recently. And no matter how many times I hear it, it doesn't seem right. Basing a big, showstopping, heartfelt ballad with a great melody around a naff lyric, is a shame. It could have been epic. When Gwyneth sang it (with all the sweeping camera angles and self-importance that goes with a song on Glee) it just seemed absurd. (But then, Gwyneth is not even a singer, compared to Adele!)
But you're right, it's no worse than other similar examples from the past.

[TheSquirrel]

"Set Fire To The Rain" in a way doesn't make much sense either, but for me that's one of the best titles for a song ever. Just love that song. I'm going to have to go back to listening to the first album again, because the second one is so good. I agree with the Lissie plaudits too. She received quite a bit of coverage over here but is less well known than Adele who has taken off like a ground to air missile. Just when I start to feel jaded and there's nothing new to hear, some new artists come along and make me realise I still love music. At the moment, for me, generally the female artists are beating the male ones as far as quality goes.

[Crazylitstudent]

I'm not really a fan. I think she has a good voice and enjoy hearing Rolling in the Deep if it is on the radio but I just don't find myself enjoying her music in the same way that I do other artists.

[Jessel]

Remember Norah Jones? How many Grammys did she win? It was a bit ridiculous really.

I have mixed feelings about this. Norah Jones is talented enough (though not exceptional like her father of course) to warrant all the Grammy's but yeah, people (including yours truly lol) are prone to overrating artists sometimes. Maybe Norah is overrated but she's an excellent performer and that's a fact. I see you're not a fan of the genre and that's understandable. I myself detest rap and what I'd politely call "modern RnB".

As for Adele, I can't seem to place her. She sounds like a fusion of pop, pop-rock, blues, jazz and a bit of country to me. No doubt she's talented and there are times when I really like her but I'm still looking for that wow factor.

[RiverOfLove]

Yeah, I think she's slightly overrated. Just like Florence and The Machine.

I agree that the music they're doing NOW is good, but do they have staying power? That's really the question.