Article summary

It’s right there; on the cover, the spine, or illuminating from your iPod screen. But it’s hard to corroborate it in your mind. London singer-songwriter Adele’s debut album is titled 19, referencing her age, and there are hints it’s true--its themes are almost exclusively concerned with young love’s highs and (mostly) lows and there’s a clipped estuary English tide-mark to her voice, allying her with the fresh-faced modern female songwriting guard; Lily Allen, Kate Nash, et al. But the sheer weight of her maturity--vocally, emotionally and in overall poise—really reduces that all to circumstantial evidence. Adele is carrying something much bigger here, you can’t help but be consumed by it on "Daydreamer" with it’s jazzy tip-toeing guitar and elastic vocal range and "Hometown Glory" with its deep, lonely piano serving as a bed for the raw emotional undressing that takes place above it. Draw a line between timeless, powerful singers like Ella Fitzgerald and the modern standard of Amy Winehouse; Adele balances and pirouettes confidently along that tightrope. Winehouse particularly informs the likes of "Cold Shoulder" and double-bass heavy "Best for Last", and that’s not an alignment that’s ever going to be easy to realise credibly. Needless to say, she does, with ease. On future classic "Chasing Pavements" she also gives a nonsensical phrase a handful of heart in lieu of meaning and when you can pull that off convincingly you know you’re in possession of something special. Who dares to dream what bigger numbers could bring. --James Berry

Customer's review

Nice voice but cheer up!!

I don't deny that this young girl has a nice voice, albeit not the greatest, but I cannot listen to this album the whole way through. I loved Chasing Pavements, but despite some OK tracks nothing else stands out, and it could all have been so much better. First and foremost, it's so depressing. I've tried a few times but I find it hard to listen to the whole album without either falling asleep or wanting to cut my wrists. Also, as I said she has a nice voice, but it might be even nicer if I could understand anything she's singing. Thank God there's lyrics in the booklet. And finally, the instruments. Adele really needs to get much more experience playing guitar as it ranges from mediocre to just awful, and this shows particularly on Best For Last.

It's not a terrible album, but a weak debut that hasn't set great future potential for Adele. Other new female artists around now such as Duffy and Gabriella Cilmi are likely to still be around in a few years, but I think if Adele wants to be remembered the same way, she's got a lot of work to do for the second album.

Tremendous!

Wow, well I thought superb, she is only nineteen - big future here.......Vocals on "Hometown" really moved me. A superb debut.

Not too bad but nothing to get excited about.

While I have to say this is quite an entertaining album especially the strangely upbeat "Chasing pavements" and the rather quirky "Tired" This album is really one of a long line of "Next big thing" "Ella Fitzgerald" etc etc......

First off she sounds nothing like Ella Fitzgerald and is about as distant from the great soul singers as you can get. While Amy Winehouse for example may be able to carry it off (To an extent) the whole "modern soul" Adel really just doesn't cut it. Now I am not saying that is a particularly bad thing rather just be aware of what you are buying. If you are expecting a modern day Dusty Springfield then you are going to be seriously disappointed.

So what will you get? A number of tracks (I already mentioned 2 a third would be "Right as rain") That are extremely enjoyable tracks. On the song "Tired" I actually found her very British vocal sound to be more appealing than her attempts at soul diva singing that really do come off badly. If you think of Duffy, Amy Winehouse etc then you have an idea of what you are getting and you certainly wont be disappointed. If however you fall for the record companies plug of her being some kind of next great thing of soul then I am afraid you really will be unhappy with this one.

File under "Great to listen to on your ipod on the way to work"

Not Enough

Adele has a lovely voice and she has great potential as a singer, but one good song on an album is not really satisfactory from a purchaser's point of view. 'Chasing Pavements" is what captured me. The rest of the songs on this album are tedious, I'm sorry to say. Like too many other young artistes struggling to make a name, she has been tempted to pack out an album with too much dross. I think there must have been some bad advice given out along the way somewhere. Young talent needs careful nurturing. Too fast, too soon is not a good strategy for planning a serious career in either the singer or songwriting business. Primarily, a strong measure of self-criticism is needed on the part of the artiste if he or she is to build a good reputation. However, as I have said, Adele has a lovely voice, could be quite special one day with the right songs.

Best U.K. Soul Singer

Originally I Set Out To Get Duffy's Scouting For Girls & Goldfrapp's Album, unfortunatly no duffy album, so i got my back up adele's 19, and even though most of the tracks are sad this made me happy <(^^,)> much better than duffys, lets review each track:

1. Daydreamer 8.5/10 good trackto open up the album with
2. Best For Last 7.8/10 one of the worst tracks but i still love it
3. Chasing Pavements 9/10 great way to debut your voice, strong lyrics
4. Cold Shoulder 9.8/10 Go Girl!, give everyone with your powerfull voice
5. Crazy For You 8.5/10 Adele can do slower strong songs well
6. Melt My Heart To Stone 9/10 one of the saddest songs on the album, its lovely
7. First Love 7/10 worst track on the album (Vocally), but the lyrics are strong
8. Right As Rain 9.5/10 very good pop song adele, fast and good beat
9. Make You Feel My Love 10/10 best cover song ive ever heard the first of three songs which are marked 10 points, verry verry strong
10. My Same 9.7/10 Ay Ay Ay Love It, very strong (Lyrics & Vocals)
11. Tired 10/10 strong lyrics and a voice you'd all kill for
12. Hometown Glory 10/10 Strong lyrics and vocals, best and saddest song ive ever heard my fourth favourite song underneath Shut Up & Let Me Go (Ting Tings) Caravan Girl (Goldfrapp) and No Substitute Love (Estelle)

The Album All Together 9.5/10

19

Article summary

Customer's review

Nice voice but cheer up!!

Tremendous!

Not too bad but nothing to get excited about.

Not Enough

Best U.K. Soul Singer

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