Amazon.co.uk Review
Its right there; on the cover, the spine, or illuminating from your iPod screen. But its hard to corroborate it in your mind. London singer-songwriter Adeles debut album is titled
19, referencing her age, and there are hints its true--its themes are almost exclusively concerned with young loves highs and (mostly) lows and theres a clipped estuary English tide-mark to her voice, allying her with the fresh-faced modern female songwriting guard; Lily Allen, Kate Nash, et al. But the sheer weight of her maturity--vocally, emotionally and in overall poisereally reduces that all to circumstantial evidence. Adele is carrying something much bigger here, you cant help but be consumed by it on "Daydreamer" with its jazzy tip-toeing guitar and elastic vocal range and "Hometown Glory" with its deep, lonely piano serving as a bed for the raw emotional undressing that takes place above it. Draw a line between timeless, powerful singers like Ella Fitzgerald and the modern standard of Amy Winehouse; Adele balances and pirouettes confidently along that tightrope. Winehouse particularly informs the likes of "Cold Shoulder" and double-bass heavy "Best for Last", and thats not an alignment thats ever going to be easy to realise credibly. Needless to say, she does, with ease. On future classic "Chasing Pavements" she also gives a nonsensical phrase a handful of heart in lieu of meaning and when you can pull that off convincingly you know youre in possession of something special. Who dares to dream what bigger numbers could bring.
--James Berry
CD Description
'19' is the debut album by London songstress Adele. In a vocal and style reminiscent of Amy Winehouse, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald this is an album that easily justifies the comparisons. Smoky, lingering vocals lament tales of lost loveand heartbreak whilst retaining a positive charm. Features the singles 'Chasing Pavements' and 'Hometown Glory'.