Adele sits down with Oprah Winfrey to discuss her music and life on Nov. 11, 2021. Credit: Courtesy of CBS/DDP via ZUMA Press via TNS
Singer-songwriter and London native Adele released her newest album “30” Nov. 19, which comes almost exactly six years after her previous album, “25.”
Adele has been in and out of the news since the release of her 2015 album. From her chart success to her divorce from her husband, Simon Konecki, Adele has experienced major highs and lows over the last several years that seem to have served as inspiration for her newest project.
This album was highly anticipated and heavily rumored, as the number “30” in Adele’s signature font appeared on billboards throughout the world in October, sending social media into a frenzy. “30” lived up to the hype, with 839,000 album units sold in its first week, and earned a No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200.
In the same strain as other pop albums, Adele’s project is centered around love, heartbreak and the conflicting feelings she’s experienced since she and Konecki split in 2019 and finalized their divorce earlier this year. Although there are some uplifting moments scattered throughout the album, “30” is predominantly made up of ballads.
The introductory track, “Strangers By Nature,” is a strong opening that clearly encapsulates the album’s broader themes. This vocal-heavy song seems reminiscent of something that would be performed on Broadway with a sweeping orchestral background and a moving vocal performance from Adele.
The lead single, “Easy On Me,” requires minimal explanation. Fueled by a rhythmic piano instrumental and excellent, demanding vocals from Adele, this track deserves all of the praise it has received, including its No. 1 spot on the Billboard Global Charts in late October.
While the first two tracks serve as wildly impressive openers, it is often difficult to stay consistent at such a high level for the remainder of an album. Although the following songs on “30” are good, the two opening tracks are the best on the project.
“My Little Love,” a song dedicated to Adele’s son, is full of emotional dialogue with her son about her divorce. Still lingering on the formerly introduced theme of love and heartbreak, this track serves as the main start for another theme throughout the album: feelings of depression and confusion about the world.
“Cry Your Heart Out,” “Oh My God” and “Can I Get It” all seem at face value to be lighter tracks. However, “Cry Your Heart Out” still has dark undertones and focuses on Adele’s own mental well-being and feelings of disarray. Like many tracks on this album, this song emphasizes the idea of seemingly knowing less as she gets older through heavy lyrics that are slightly masked by upbeat instrumentals.
Similarly, “Oh My God” has a rhythmic instrumental with an infectious chorus. Lyrically, it indicates Adele wants to embrace her individuality and free herself from outside control. “Can I Get It” has a melodic, acoustic guitar-heavy instrumental and a repetitive chorus. Sonically and lyrically, it seems to be one of the only times Adele indicates a desire to move on from her past and fully embrace the future.
The album falls right back into the slower, ballad-heavy tracklist with “I Drink Wine” — a self-reflective track that seems to be a letter to herself about her lack of self-acceptance. This relatability factor makes this one of the stronger songs on the album, and her vulnerability is palpable.
Following “All Night Parking (with Erroll Garner) Interlude” comes “Woman Like Me.” This song is heavily focused on her recent divorce, and she seems to be calling out her ex-husband for being “complacent,” “lazy” and “insecure.” Adele once again expresses her feelings and frustrations in a personal, transparent way, but the immense depth she delves into on this track makes it stand out from the rest.
“Hold On” is another vulnerable, self-reflective track that seems to be looking at the light at the end of the tunnel, as the second half of the track ups in tempo and features more uplifting, self-accepting lyrics and joyous instrumentals.
The final track, “Love Is A Game,” is a perfect conclusion to “30.” It features a heavy amount of self-reflection and acceptance as Adele seems to roll the credits on this stage of her life, preparing to enter another.
“30” is thematically strong and consistent, but sometimes feels sonically repetitive and lackluster, with some tracks dragging on for longer than necessary. At the end of the day, however, Adele successfully showcases her phenomenal vocal talent and remains mature yet vulnerable on her newest album.
Rating: 4/5
