21 (Adele album)
2011 studio album by Adele / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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21 is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Adele. It was released on 24 January 2011[1] in Europe by XL Recordings and on 22 February 2011 in North America by Columbia Records. The album was named after the age of the singer during its production. 21 shares the Motown and soul influences of her 2008 debut album 19, but also draws influence from the American country and Southern blues music that Adele started listening to during the North American leg of her tour An Evening with Adele. Composed in the aftermath of the singer's separation from her then partner, the album explores themes of heartbreak, healing, introspection, and forgiveness.
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Released | 24 January 2011 (2011-01-24) | |||
Recorded | May 2009 – October 2010 | |||
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Length | 48:01 | |||
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Adele began writing 21 in April 2009, while still involved in the relationship that subsequently inspired the record. Looking to deviate from the brooding sound of her first album, she had intended to compose a more upbeat and contemporary follow-up. However, studio sessions ended prematurely due to a lack of inspiration. She resumed production immediately after the breakdown of her relationship, channelling her heartbreak and depression into her songs. Adele collaborated with various songwriters and producers, including Columbia Records co-president at the time Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Jim Abbiss, and Dan Wilson.
A sleeper hit, 21 defied the modest commercial expectations of Adele's independent record label, XL. It topped record charts in more than 30 countries and became the world's best-selling album of the year for both 2011 and 2012, helping to revitalise the lagging sales of the global music industry. In the United Kingdom, it is the best-selling album of the 21st century, the fourth best-selling album in the UK, and one of the best-selling albums of all time, while its 23-week tenure atop the UK Albums Chart is the longest by a female solo artist. In the United States, it is the best-performing Billboard 200 album of all time,[2] holding the top position for 24 weeks, longer than any other album since 1985 and the longest by a female solo artist in Billboard 200 history.[3] It was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales of over 10 million copies in the US. In addition, three of the five singles released in its promotion – "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone like You", and "Set Fire to the Rain" – became international number-one songs, while "Rumour Has It" charted in the top 20 in countries across Europe and North America. With sales of over 31 million copies worldwide, 21 is the best-selling album of the 21st century, and one of the best-selling albums of all time.[4][5]
Praised for its understated production, vintage aesthetic, and Adele's vocal performance, 21 was shortlisted for the 2011 Mercury Prize, and won the 2012 Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the Brit Award for British Album of the Year. It has since been ranked amongst Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Early writing sessions
In April 2009, 20-year-old Adele, who had recently embarked on her first serious relationship with a man 10 years her senior,[6] began composing the follow-up to her 2008 debut album 19.[7] In response to the media's typecasting her as an "old soul" due to the vintage production and sentimental nature of her songs,[8] Adele decided on a more upbeat and contemporary second album.[7] However, studio sessions were generally unproductive, and after two weeks, yielded only one song recorded to the singer's satisfaction—the Jim Abbiss-produced "Take It All," a lovelorn piano ballad not unlike the songs on 19.[7][9] Disillusioned with lack of inspiration and the slow progress of the studio sessions, she cancelled the remaining recording session dates.[10]
Adele had written "Take It All" during a difficult moment in her 18-month relationship, which ended shortly after she first played this song for her boyfriend.[11] Heartbroken but musically stimulated, Adele channelled her rush of emotions into her music, crafting songs that examined her failed relationship from the perspectives of a vengeful ex-lover, a heartbroken victim, and a nostalgic old flame.[12][13]
Sessions with Epworth, Smith, and Tedder
Writing for the album began shortly after Adele separated from her lover. Within a day of her break-up, she contacted producer Paul Epworth, intent on capturing her emotion in a song: "We'd had a fuming argument the night before, I'd been bubbling. Then I went into the studio and screamed."[7] Although she had initially planned on completing a ballad that she had begun writing with Epworth more than a year ago, the producer suggested that she aim for a more aggressive sound.[14][15] Together, they restructured the song and rewrote lyrics to reflect Adele's recent experience, deciding on the title "Rolling in the Deep."[14] The instrumentation evolved organically—after trying out various jazz riffs, Adele attempted the first verse a cappella, inspiring Epworth to improvise a melody on his acoustic guitar. A thumping drum beat was set to mimic her racing heartbeat.[14] In two days, a demo was recorded to be produced by Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin later that year. However, Adele re-approached Epworth months later to complete production of the song.[16]
British producer Fraser T Smith recalled following a similar trajectory when he teamed up with Adele to compose the subsequent third single "Set Fire to the Rain" at his MyAudiotonic Studios in London.[16] After the two had created the demo, Adele revisited her co-writer to record the song with him, instead of the intended producer Rick Rubin. Smith thought Adele's first attempt superior to subsequent takes and used the demo as the final production of the song, complete with live drum sounds and an elaborate strings section (arranged by British musician Rosie Danvers).[16][17]
With the demos of two songs recorded, Adele approached American musician and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, who was in London at the time for a radio show. Tedder had expressed interest in collaborating with the singer after they met at the 2009 Grammy Awards ceremony in February.[18] He arrived four hours early to their first studio session, buying time to better familiarise himself with some of her previous work.[16] Although unaware of Adele's personal predicament, he composed the opening piano sequence and the first few lines of what became the lovelorn ballad "Turning Tables": "Close enough to start a war/All that I have is on the floor."[16] Coincidentally, it perfectly captured the experience of the singer, who arrived at the studio moments after another altercation with her former lover. Angry and unfocused, she denounced her ex-lover's tendency to "turn the tables" on her during their arguments, an expression that Tedder decided to reference in the song's lyrics.[18] Adele recorded the demo with Jim Abbiss the following day.
Adele and Tedder arranged a second meeting and reconvened at Serenity West Studios in Los Angeles weeks later to write and record "Rumour Has It". In an interview, Tedder recalled his astonishment at the singer's musicality and vocal prowess after she completed the main vocals to the song in 10 minutes: "She sang it once top to bottom, pitch perfect, she didn't miss a note. I looked at the engineer then at her and said, 'Adele, I don't know what to tell you but I have never had anyone do that in ten years'."[16]
Sessions with Rubin, Wells, and Wilson
After working with Smith, Tedder, and Epworth, Adele travelled to the United States for the remainder of the album's production. At the suggestion of Columbia Records group president Ashley Newton, she met with songwriter Greg Wells at his studio in Culver City, Los Angeles, where they co-wrote the gospel-tinged ballad "One and Only".[19] The song evolved from a four-chord piano progression in a 6/8-metre, which Wells had conceived before meeting with the singer.[16] The lyrics, aimed at the singer's new love interest, came together quickly and were later completed with Dan Wilson, with whom she also composed "Someone like You".[19] In 2008, Adele's appearance on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live caught the attention of producer Rick Rubin. In the initial stage of the album's production, Rubin had signed on as its sole producer and was scheduled to produce all of its songs.[20] The demos she had recorded with Epworth, Smith, and Tedder (including "Rolling in the Deep" and "Set Fire to the Rain") were subsequently rerecorded by Rubin when she met with him in his Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California, in April 2010.[9][14][21]
Rubin, notorious for his unorthodox production style, pushed the singer beyond her comfort zone, and despite being drawn to his unconventional methods, Adele described working with the producer as daunting.[22] Rubin had attended many of her shows throughout 2008–2009, and after a Hollywood Bowl performance, approached her to compliment her live sound. When they met in Malibu, he attempted to "capture her live show across on [her] record,"[14] assembling a team of musicians—including drummer Chris Dave, guitarist Matt Sweeney, James Poyser on piano, and Pino Palladino on bass—to contribute live instrumentation to the recording sessions.[7][23] He also decided against the use of music samples and electronic instruments.[22] An advocate of a more free-form approach to music-making, Rubin relied on the moods and feelings behind the music itself to guide the instrumental and melodic arrangement of the songs.[24] He isolated the singer in the studio and encouraged her, as well as his team of musicians, to approach the production process with more spontaneity and less restraint.[22] The singer even recalled moving the musicians and production team to tears while recording some of the songs.[25] In an interview, he commented on the nature of the recording sessions:
Her singing was so strong and heartbreaking in the studio, it was clear something very special was happening ... The musicians were inspired as they rarely get to play with the artist present, much less singing ... Today, most things are recorded as overdubs on track. This was truly an interactive moment where none of the musicians knew exactly what they were going to play and all were listening so, so, deeply and completely to figure out where they fitted in ... all of the playing was keying off the emotion on Adele's outrageous vocal performance.[16]
After recording the album with Rubin, Adele was dissatisfied with many of the songs.[21] Ultimately, she decided to scrap most of the work done in favour of the early takes she did with other producers, including Epworth and Tedder, in order for the music to reflect the raw emotion felt immediately after her break-up.[26] From her collaboration with Rubin, only five songs appeared on the album: "Don't You Remember," "He Won't Go," "I'll Be Waiting," "One and Only," as well as the U.S.-only track "I Found a Boy." Weeks after her stint with Rubin, Adele learned of her ex-lover's recent engagement, inspiring the composition of the album's final track "Someone like You." Adele's record label was initially dissatisfied with the song's sparse production, which comprised Adele's voice alongside a sole piano, and requested that it be re-recorded with Rubin's band. However, the singer opted to keep the arrangement, stating that the song was personal to her and that she wrote it to "free herself."[27]
Titling
[21]'s different from 19, it's about the same things but in a different light. I deal with things differently now. I'm more patient ... more forgiving and more aware of my own flaws ... Something that comes with age I think. So fittingly this record is called 21 ... Like a photo album you see [my] progression and change ... throughout the years. I tried to think of other album titles but couldn't come up with anything that represented the album properly.
— Adele, on the meaning behind the title.[28]
Adele first intended to title the album Rolling in the Deep,[29] her adaptation of the slang phrase "roll deep," which summarises how she felt about her relationship; in her loose translation, the phrase refers to having someone "that has your back" and always supports you.[30] However, the singer later deemed the title too confusing for some of her audiences.[29] Although she had wanted to avoid the number motif of her debut, Adele considered "21" the most fitting title as it represented her age at the time of the album's composition, serving as an autobiographical period piece and symbolising the personal maturity and artistic evolution since her debut.[28][29]
21 bears influences of Adele's extended exposure to the music of the Southern United States during the North American leg of her 2008–2009 tour An Evening with Adele.[23][31][32] Frequent smoke breaks with her tour bus driver,[20] a Nashville, Tennessee native, resulted in her introduction to bluegrass and rockabilly,[20] and the music of Garth Brooks,[20] Wanda Jackson, Alison Krauss,[23] Lady Antebellum, Dolly Parton, and Rascal Flatts.[33] Adele developed an appreciation for the country genre, praising what she described as the immediacy of the themes and the straightforward narrative structure of many of the songs she listened to.[32]
She also expressed her enthusiasm at simply learning a new style of music. Although influenced by Adele's interest in country music at the time, 21 remains faithful to the Motown influences of 19 and exhibits both gospel and soul music inflections.[33][34][35] Instruments such as the saxophone, harp, banjo, and the accordion contributed to its exploration of blues and soul.[31][35][failed verification] The singer drew from the music of Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Elbow, Mos Def, Alanis Morissette, Tom Waits, and Sinéad O'Connor in the cultivation of the album's sound and credited Yvonne Fair, Andrew Bird, Neko Case, and The Steel Drivers with its musical direction.[28]
Adele's style on 21 is generally characterised by critics as soul,[8] although some suggest that the album eschews any distinct stylistic epithet.[36] John Murphy of musicOMH characterises the album as British soul.[37] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that the album's music is a part of a recent British soul revival that "summoned styles dating back to Motown girl groups and Dusty Springfield".[38] Ryan Reed of Paste calls Adele a "British alt-soul prodigy" and the album's music "the stuff of sensual modern pop-noir landscape, heavy on retro textures and relationship drama".[39] Danyel Smith of Billboard views that Adele's music exhibits influences from Northern soul, Aretha Franklin, Sade, and Bette Midler.[8][40]
Larry Flick of SiriusXM called 21 "a pop record with soul leanings", while The Washington Post's Allion Stewart commented on the album's eclectic nature: "Everything on [21] is precisely calibrated to transcend genres, to withstand trends ... It's slightly angled toward country, even more toward R&B", and "informed, but never overwhelmed, by roots music".[36] Mike Spies of Slate argues that soul music is inextricably linked to the political, historical, and cultural experience of African Americans, and that Adele and her contemporaries, far removed from this socio-cultural milieu, can offer only a mere duplicate of actual "soul", despite a capacity to convincingly channel the sound.[41] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times wrote that 21 is an "ode to, American soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, country and the myriad combinations thereof".[42]
The sequence of the tracks on the deeply autobiographical album correlates with the range of emotions Adele experienced after the break-up, progressing from themes of anger and bitterness to feelings of loneliness, heartbreak, and regret, and finally, acceptance.[12][13] The revenge song "Rolling in the Deep," a "dark, bluesy, gospel, disco tune" in the singer's own words, was written as a "fuck you" to her ex-lover after his disparaging remarks that she was weak and that her life without him would be "boring and lonely and rubbish."[43][44] Opening with an understated acoustic guitar strum, the song's first lines set the foreboding tone of the album.[45] Pounding martial beats, shuffling percussion, and piano[34] coalesce into a dramatic, multilayered chorus[45] over which "Adele's voice ranges, dramatizing her search for just the right tone and words to express her dismay that a man would dare break her heart."[35] The first single from 21, "Rolling in the Deep," is one of the more apparent influences of the bluesy Americana music that framed the album's sound.[46]
"Rumour Has It," the singer's tongue-in-cheek retort to the hurtful gossip that surrounded her break-up, was aimed at her own friends for their part in spreading these rumours.[47][48] Fusing elements of doo-wop and Tin Pan Alley blues,[49] the percussion-driven song is built on girl-group harmonies, piano chords, pounding kick drum, and handclaps,[47][50] and finds the singer "channeling a '40s, piano-vixen lounge singer."[51] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times pointed out the song's "hollow counterpoint vocals" and slow, "daringly morbid" bridge that veers from the pounding rhythm before once again acceding to it.[52] In the studio, Tedder experimented with a riff inspired by Radiohead's "I Might Be Wrong," crediting the song's drop D tuning and American blues vibe as impetus for "Rumour Has It."[16] In "Turning Tables," a song of domestic dispute,[53] its narrator assumes a defensive stance against a manipulative ex-lover. Reconciling herself with the termination of a contentious relationship, she vows emotional distance to shield herself from future heartbreak. Bryan Boyd of The Irish Times likened the singer to 1980s Welsh rocker Bonnie Tyler in delivering the vocals with a mixture of anger, pain, and pathos.[39][54] According to Paste magazine, cinematic strings "serve as fitting counterpoint to [the song's] heartbroken, hollowed-out lyrics."[39]
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The Rick Rubin-produced fourth track "Don't You Remember," co-written by Adele and Dan Wilson, marks a shift in the album's theme, from anger and defensiveness to reflection and heartbreak. A downtempo country music-styled ballad,[43] the song was added late to the production of the album after the singer grew ashamed of her continued negative portrayal of her ex-lover throughout the album.[32][55] Its lyrics entreat a past lover to remember the happier moments at the beginning of a now broken relationship.[32] "Don't You Remember" was the most challenging song on 21 for Adele to record.[56] In "Set Fire to the Rain," the singer delineates the conflicting stages of a troubled union and wrestles with her inability to fully let go.[57] Accentuated by ornate orchestral flourishes, swirling strings, crescendos,[34] and dramatic vocal effects towards its climactic end,[31] the song stands in stark contrast to the otherwise understated production of the album and, in reviews, was characterised by critics as a pop rock power ballad.[34] To achieve a fuller sound, producer Fraser T Smith incorporated the popular "wall of sound" reverberative technique in framing the song's dense instrumentation.[31][58]
"Take It All," the seventh track, written and recorded with Francis "Eg" White and Jim Abbiss before the breakdown of Adele's relationship, is a piano and vocal ballad that borrows heavily from pop, soul, and gospel.[9][59][60] In his review of 21, Allmusic's Matt Collar called the song the album's centrepiece, "an instant classic" in the same vein as "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "All by Myself," a "cathartic moment for fans who identify with their idol's Pyrrhic lovelorn persona."[59] The track precedes "I'll Be Waiting," the second of two songs produced by Epworth, which diverges from the scathing "Rolling in the Deep" in its optimistic tone and brisk, lilted melody.[50] A protagonist's mea culpa for a relationship gone wrong, she declares to wait patiently for her lover's inevitable return.[61][62] The song was compared to the work of Aretha Franklin for its "huge vocal sound on the chorus, rolling piano, and boxy snare,"[63] while Tom Townshend of MSN Music described its brass section as a Rolling Stones-esque "barroom gospel."[64]
Although the album predominantly explores the singer's failed relationship, not all songs were geared towards her ex-lover. "He Won't Go," a nod to hip-hop and contemporary R&B,[49] was a tribute to a friend who battled heroin addiction. The ninth track "One and Only," noted for its gospel-tinged vocals, organ, and choir,[63] was directed at a close friend for whom Adele shared romantic feelings.[65] And "Lovesong" (a cover of a song by The Cure) was dedicated to Adele's mother and friends, in whom she found solace when she grew homesick and lonely while recording in Malibu.[25]
The album closes with the "heartbreak Adagio"[66] "Someone like You," a soft piano ballad that pairs Adele's vocals with a piano playing mostly an arpeggiated ostinato. In interviews, the singer described it as the summation of her attitude towards her ex-lover by the end of the album's production.[67] The song's lyrics describe a protagonist's attempt at dealing with her heartbreak after she learns of her ex-lover's recent marriage and happy new life.[67] Sean Fennessey of The Village Voice praised the singer's nuanced vocal performance in the song, which ascends "into a near-shrieked whisper" during parts of the chorus, after which she once again regains composure.[68] One of the more commended songs on the album, "Someone like You" was praised for its lyrical depth and understated simplicity.[43][66]
For the North American release of 21 on 22 February, Columbia Records executives employed the "'long tail' sales theory"[69] to shape its marketing campaign, which, according to Columbia Senior VP of Marketing Scott Greer, involved "building a critical mass throughout February to reach all those people who bought 19."[69] A key part of this strategy was the record company approaching internet and media partners Vevo, AOL, and VH1 to commence the promotion of Adele's old and new songs.[69] In the months leading up to the European release of 21, Adele embarked on a promotional tour across Europe, performing on the UK's Royal Variety Performance on 9 December 2010, the finale of the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland on 21 January 2011, and on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge six days later. On 24 January 2011, during the week of the album's UK release, she performed an acoustic set of selected songs from 21 at London's Tabernacle music hall, which was screened live on her personal website. Adele performed "Someone like You" at the 2011 BRIT Awards ceremony, which was well received and resulted in a sales increase for both 19 and 21.[69]
From September to October 2010, Adele embarked on a mini-promotional tour of the US, which included stops in New York and Minneapolis, as well as an exclusive appearance at the famous Club Largo in Los Angeles.[70] Although she did not use Twitter at the time, Columbia created an account that redirected followers to the singer's personal blog.[69] Throughout February, Adele's personal site hosted a "21 Days of Adele"[69] promotion, which featured exclusive daily content, including a live chat and a video of the singer explaining the inspiration for each album track.[69] The week of release was also accompanied by a spate of television appearances on many American daytime and late-night talk shows, such as the Today Show on 18 February, Late Show with David Letterman on 21 February,[71] and The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! on 24 February.[32][69] Adele performed "Someone like You" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony.
Adele embarked on her second concert tour, Adele: Live, in support of 21, scheduling more than 60 shows across Europe and North America. The shows received positive reviews, with many noting the show's understated nature, the singer's vocal performance, and her accessible persona.[72] However, recurring health and vocal problems led to numerous alterations to the tour itinerary. The cancellation of the North American leg of the tour was due to a vocal haemorrhage on her vocal cords.[73] The singer underwent corrective vocal surgery in November 2011 and cancelled all public appearances until February 2012. Adele performed "Rolling in the Deep" at the 2011 ECHO Awards, 2012 Grammy Awards, and 2012 BRIT Awards ceremonies.
21 yielded five singles in total, including four worldwide releases. The lead single "Rolling in the Deep" was released in November 2010 and peaked on the charts in the Netherlands,[74] Germany,[75] Belgium,[76] Italy, and Switzerland.[77] It became a top-ten hit in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand,[78] and Norway. Released in the UK on 16 January 2011, it peaked at number two.[79] In the US, the song became "the most widely crossed-over song of the past twenty-five years,"[80][81] appearing on a record 12 different Billboard charts (including the Rock Songs chart, R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot Latin Songs charts).[80][82] The song spent seven consecutive weeks at the top of the Hot 100,[82][83] and was ranked as the top song and the best-selling song of the year.[84][85][86]
"Someone like You" debuted at number 36 on the UK Singles Chart due to strong digital sales, and after falling to number 47, it ascended to number one when the singer performed it at the 2011 BRIT Awards.[87][88] It peaked at number one in Australia,[89] New Zealand,[78] Italy, Finland, France, Switzerland,[77] and the US. "Set Fire to the Rain," the third single, topped the singles chart in the US,[90] the Netherlands[91] and Belgium (Flanders),[92] and reached the top five in Switzerland,[77] Italy[93] and Austria.
"Rumour Has It" was confirmed as the fourth and final official US single from the album by Ryan Tedder at the Grammy Awards in 2012, and was released on 1 March 2012.[94] In some countries, "Turning Tables" was released as the fourth single. It was the fifth single to be released to US mainstream stations, although it received limited airplay due to an unofficial release. Even though "I'll Be Waiting" was never released as a single, it charted at No. 29 on the US Triple A chart.[95]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.1/10[96] |
Metacritic | 76/100[97] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [59] |
The Daily Telegraph | [98] |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[99] |
The Guardian | [100] |
The Independent | [101] |
NME | 6/10[102] |
Pitchfork | 8.2/10[103] |
Rolling Stone | [104] |
Spin | 8/10[105] |
USA Today | [106] |
21 received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 34 reviews.[97] In the Chicago Tribune, Greg Kot deemed the music an improvement over 19, writing that "21 beefs up the rhythmic drive and the drama of the arrangements."[107] Simon Harper of Clash wrote, "[In] two years ... she's clearly seen the world. Where 19 marked the turbulent swan song to a teenage life, 21 introduces the realities of adult life, where grown-up responsibilities collide with heartache and emotional scars run deep."[108] John Murphy of MusicOMH said that it shared the themes of "pain, sadness and anger" explored on Amy Winehouse's Back to Black (2006), while hailing 21 as "one of the great 'break-up' albums, and the first truly impressive record of 2011."[37] Sputnikmusic's Joseph Viney stated that 21 combined the "best bits of Aretha Franklin's old-school soul with Lauryn Hill's sass and sense of cynical modern femininity."[109]
Sean Fennessey from The Village Voice wrote that the album "has a diva's stride and a diva's purpose. With a touch of sass and lots of grandeur, it's an often magical thing that insists on its importance ... the line here between melodrama and pathos is wafer-thin, and Adele toes it deftly. It's what separates her from her contemporaries in the mid-'00s wave of British white-girl r&b-dom."[68] Q commented that, despite a "slightly scattershot quality ... greatness is tantalizingly within reach."[110] In The New York Times, Jon Pareles applauded the singer's emotive timbre, comparing her to Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, and Annie Lennox: "[Adele] can seethe, sob, rasp, swoop, lilt and belt, in ways that draw more attention to the song than to the singer."[111] Ryan Reed of Paste regarded her voice as "a raspy, aged-beyond-its-years thing of full-blooded beauty",[39] while MSN Music's Tom Townshend declared her "the finest singer of [our] generation".[64]
Matthew Cole from Slant Magazine was less impressed, believing Adele's vocals masked the "blandness" of many of the songs, a fault that he said would have been more apparent had they been performed by a lesser talent.[49] Allison Stewart of The Washington Post claimed that many tracks were remarkable "only because Adele is singing them."[36] Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honourable mention in his consumer guide for MSN Music, writing that "part of me likes how many albums this proud white-soul normal has sold, but the part that likes fast ones wins".[112][113]