“25” by Adele
8 out of 10

By Matthew Zacher ‘18
THE ROUNDUP

After four years of dormancy, Adele exploded back onto the musical scene with her newest album, “25,” released Nov. 20.

After having her heart broken by photographer Alex Sturrock, her last album, “21,” was noted for its despondent and doleful tone.

However, in her new album Adele expresses a forgiving and understanding voice.

Adele showcases her tremendously soulful and clean voice in the album’s most widely acclaimed song, “Hello.”

She reveals her desire for healing and the opportunity to forgive. It seems as though she is calling out for her ex-lover so that they can meet up and hash it out. She sings, “Hello, it’s me—I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet— To go over everything.”

In one of the more underrated songs of the album, “River Lea,” Adele seems to take part of the blame for the breakup herself. Adele demonstrates new understanding in this song, realizing that Sturrock does not deserve all culpability. This new tone of forgiveness has an impact on the energy of the album.

The second song of the album “Send My Love (To Your New Lover),” which I believe to be rather weak, is still the most energetic and uplifting song of the album.

It is too much like a pop song for my taste in contrast to Adele’s otherwise unique soulful style.

The song, while not good, sets the tone of the album as she encourages them both to move on and find love with other people.

Adele’s best song of the album, “When We Were Young,” portrays great maturity and understanding on her part, as she discovers the reason her relationship with Sturrock failed.

Throughout the album, Adele’s graceful pirouettes from melodic verses to the intense crescendos, or climaxes, are masterfully performed.

The only thing that concerns me about the album is that the composition will not experience the same longevity as “Someone Like You” and “Rolling in the Deep” from “21.” Part of the reasoning behind this is that people were drawn to her heartfelt, somber tone in “21.” The empathy her audience experienced generated a long standing attraction to the album.

“25” will leave a lasting impression for true fans of Adele, but I am concerned that song like “When We Were Young” will not stand the test of time, and that only “Hello” will. This is a legitimate concern and it affects the overall quality of the album.

However, listeners should still be prepared to be covered with goosebumps after listening through the album. While it at first seemed inferior to “21,” Adele’s impeccable lyrics and astounding vocals quickly changed my mind.