Adele - 19

19

Rating: 8/10
Best Track: “Right As Rain”
Worst Track: “Tired”

Last year, a British crooner named Amy Winehouse crossed the Atlantic, and the United States’ collective jaw dropped. Unfortunately, despite the commercial and critical success of her album, Winehouse spent the majority of 2007 competing with Britney Spears for the title of Most Overexposed Train Wreck and is currently tucked away in some rehab facility.

Since then, it seems like at least two or three songbirds from the United Kingdom break through to the United States every month. Lily Allen, Kate Nash, Duffy – there’s apparently no end in sight to the queue of sassy-tongued, soulful she-crooners struggling to succeed. (My apologies for the tacky alliteration.)

Fortunately for Adele Adkins, she’s already managed to garner as much acclaim as her predecessors with her debut album, 19. Kanye West posted the 19-year-old’s music video for Adele’s lead single “Chasing Pavements” on his blog and followed it with the comment, “This s--- is dope!” Now that’s a solid endorsement. “Chasing Pavements” is easily the most powerful and heartfelt track on 19, with soaring strings and a deep vocal that drips with emotion. It also showcases Adele’s ability to write relatable lyrics that are not too simplified.

Most of the other songs on 19 are understated, yet beautiful. Adele tends to forgo the bombastic instrumentations of her British counterparts and focus on just one sound. “Melt My Heart To Stone” and “Daydreamer” are poignant acoustic guitar tracks, while “Right As Rain” features jazzy keyboards.

The biggest misstep on 19 is “Tired,” a track that would have experienced the same reception as the others. However, the sheer multitude of tempo, rhythm and instrumental changes would frustrate the listener. It feels out of place with the other, less complex songs. However, most of the tracks on this heartbreak-laden album are remarkable and easily accessible to all kinds of audiences.

With 19, Adele ensures that she stands out among thousands of other imported witty female singers. This hybrid of light and sincere lyrics and soulful vocals will leave you amazed at the talent level of someone who’s probably younger than you.

--Amanda Renko