By shelz.

Adele has always been a bit mature for her age.  Whether she’s going on about love askew or chain smoking through the foam of her favorite 6-pack, her behavior dates her even though she looks like she would be perfectly at home in a school uniform.  The themes in her songs are born of years of romantic trial and error, with more error than trial.  She’s only 22 years of age, but her music betrays her as someone who has definitely been around the block a time or two.

Her new album 21 is no different.  It solidifies her, not only as the UK’s most apt replacement for the blue-eyed Brit soul of broken down Amy Winehouse, but as the youngest casualty of some seriously bad lovin’ business.  Don’t fret though; her despair fuels a beautifully crafted retro-soul LP with hints of country, blues and Americana.

21 wastes no time digging into the theme of emotional scars and broken hearts.  The foundation of “Rolling In The Deep” toggles between barefoot stomp roots music and 80’s R&B while Adele lays out her plan to make the ex pay for his bad behavior. You’re going to wish you never met her, she sings.  Thematically on par with Jasmine Sullivan’s spurned lover tunes, but a bit more d.isconcerting since you don’t know how the hammer is going to drop. Adele effortlessly fires up the passion and vengeance in “Rumor Has It,” a 60’s soul piece with rock undertones on the track and retribution on the brain.  This tune takes a wonderful turn similar to Ray Charles’ “A Song For You” on the bridge.

“Turning Tables” backs the doomed love story up to closing fights and bitter exits. Orchestral waves crash against Adele’s vocals, vascillating from confusion to resolution and back.  Her voice hits the notes oddly at times, but this song is beautiful. The album then saunters into country’s realm with “Don’t You Remember.”  There are elements of Brit rock in the construction, so it’s not wholly country.  Adele’s slow drag on the chorus isn’t great but she quickly redeems herself with “Set Fire To The Rain,” a dramatic old school pop piece about getting rid of someone you can’t trust.

The melancholy party of one continues with “He Won’t Go” and “Take It All.” Both bemoan the break up, suggesting maybe it’s better to stay than deal with the pain of  fracture.   At this point, the LP’s  depression settles in.  Lovely as it sounds, a breather may be in order, especially if Adele is tap dancing on your last relationship’s grave.

After a deep breath and some chocolate ice cream, Adele welcomes you back with one of the more light hearted songs on the album, “I’ll Be Waiting.” It’s not unicorns and sunshine.  The relationship still went kaput, but I guess Adele is taking heart in the fact that it was her fault and not his. The piano and horns are juke joint animated and you could cut a rug to this if you weren’t single. 21 allows one more reprieve from the abyss, and does so with the most beautifully soulful song in the collection. “One and Only” is Rick Rubin at his best and he brings Adele with him to upper echelon music making.  It’s the longest song on the album and it should be. Gorgeous.

Closing up shop is probably the only true love song of the bunch, a cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong.” The new wave is tuned down in favor of new school jazz acoustics.  The strings are mellowed and Adele’s voice follows suit. I’m sure Robert Smith smiles at this.  Last but not least is another pop song that allows Adele to express her final sentiment, she’s just going to find someone like him.  It’s an unexpected and sad conclusion that meanders into “You Outta Know” territory in spirit.   Unfortunately, as much soul searching as she did on the previous 10 tracks, she admits to not being any better off for it.

21 is sad, beautiful, well-produced and wonderfully articulated.  It’s a collection of messy, after-the-storm fables that chronicles a really bad trip to Splitsville.  Adele doesn’t seem to have learned anything, but maybe this is a lesson one can pick up vicariously.  If you can deal with how morose the album is, it’s definitely a lovely ride.

out of 5

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