True talent defies all stereotypes or standards. It doesn’t have to look like it just walked off the pages of a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. True talent doesn’t have to be the paparazzi’s favorite target. True talent doesn’t have to hide behind vanity. True talent is Adele, and with the singer’s latest album, “21,” true talent has returned.
All it took was one album for the then 19-year-old, to make people take notice. Her album, “19,” behind the power of songs like “Chasing Pavements,” “Cold Shoulder” and “Make You Feel My Love,” a Bob Dylan cover, catapulted her to the top of charts and to award podiums. Not bad for an English teenager just out of high school. She’s already won Grammys and done something even more difficult than that — made a name for herself in America ― and now she’s ready to do it again.
Just seconds into the first track, “Rolling in the Deep,” she’s got you. The power of Adele’s voice, along with the diva-esque authority with which she wails out her no-holds-barred lyrics, forces you to immediately stop all that you’re doing and give her your undivided attention. The icing on top, however, is how catchy and contagious the hook is when it comes in, proving not only that Adele is a ridiculously masterful singer, but an equally talented songwriter — a lethal combination.
The second track, “Rumour Has It” is a crazy hybrid of modern style laced in delicious a reminiscence of 1960s Doo-Wop. It’s energetic and fun. The third track, “Turning Tables” is a beautiful ballad that flaunts the singers sultry voice as it’s eloquently accompanied by intricate piano and emphasizing strings.
“Don’t You Remember” is another ballad, which fits the criteria of Adele’s music perfectly. She describes her songs as “heartbroken soul.” The album is a constant tug-o-war for the listener trying to decipher which is more astounding, the power of the music or the vocals alone. Adele is genuinely one of the top five best voices in music today.
“21” is an incredible work by an artist like no other. In our modern world of music that is constantly flooded with manufactured artists, who are more like puppets for selling products than anything else, Adele is a pure talent that triumphs above the rest. I would truly be saddened if this album does not, at least, get a Grammy nomination next year for Best Album of the Year. “21” is in stores now.
