30

Adele

Released on 11/19/21 by Columbia
Main artists: Adele
Genre: Pop

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In a year of big divorce records—Kacey Musgraves’ star-crossed, Carly Pearce's 29—there was never any question that the queen of the tearjerker ballad would best them all. The direction is clear from the Ella Fitzgerald-ish opener "Strangers by Nature": "I'll be taking flowers to the cemetery of my heart/ For all of my lovers, in the present and in the dark/ Every anniversary I'll pay respects and say I'm sorry," Adele sings, that superior voice going deep and rich then spiriting up. Still, not even that will prepare you for the shock of "My Little Love," which features recorded conversations with her 9-year-old son. "Mummy’s been having a lot of big feelings recently. Like how? Just like, Mummy—I'm, I'm, the feeling that I have, like, I feel a bit confused. Why? I don't know and I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing." Singing the pain is one thing, but hearing her speak so nakedly, it's almost overwhelming. There's plenty of blame to go around. Adele points the finger at herself on the spare-to-soaring ballad "Hold On" ("I am such a mess/ The harder that I try, I regress") and "I Drink Wine," a catchy Carole King-sounding number predating her sobriety ("When I was a child every single thing could blow my mind/ Soaking it all up for fun, but now I only soak up wine."). She apologizes on somber single "Easy On Me," then slings it at her ex on the honey-smooth "Woman Like Me" (channeling Roberta Flack as she sings "Complacency is the worst trait to have, are you crazy?/ It is so sad a man like you could be so lazy"). Adele traces her issues back to childhood and her rocky relationship with her now-deceased father on "To Be Loved," a simple piano ballad with what might be the most stunning vocals of her entire career; she hits every note on the scale and conveys pure anger and heartbreak. Other times, the songstress hides the pain under a sugar shell, as on "Cry Your Heart Out"—a bright and upbeat '60s mod number complete with handclaps and retro vocal effects that belie the lyrics "I'm invisible, I feel like a ghost." 30 is not all bad news, though, as Adele explores the idea of new love via the swaggering R&B of "Oh My God" and "Can I Get It." It all ends on a note of hope with the sweeping, Amy Winehouse-esque "Love Is a Game": "Love is a game for fools to play, and I ain't fooling again." © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

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Adele

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Strangers By Nature

00:03:02

David Campbell, Strings - STEVE Churchyard, Recording Engineer - Tom Elmhirst, Mixing Engineer - Riley Mackin, Recording Engineer - Adele, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Adele Adkins, Composer, Lyricist - Ludwig Goransson, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Keyboards, Piano, Bass, Synthesizer, Melodica - Randy Merrill, Mastering Engineer - Matt Scatchell, Assistant Engineer - Serena Göransson, Strings