Adele-19

I hadn’t written my first official “review” yet because I was having a hard time deciding who I deemed worthy of being first. I felt like the first post could potentially say quite a bit about Audiodaughter. If I go with a classic album, I could end up only pulling people in who are obsessive about classics. I also didn’t want to do something too new and alienate people who are into the oldies but goodies. Didn’t want to go too folkie and hipster, either. Obviously, I finally made up my mind. As I write this, I’m watching Adele on ‘Unplugged’ on MTV’s channel, Paladia. (I discovered the station last week and have watched it pretty much nonstop.)


I first discovered Adele when her album played incessantly over the loud speakers at my place of employment. We have a five disc spinner and I’m there at least eight hours a day…so I usually hear each album at least twice a day. I tend to grow tired of even stuff I love long before it makes it into my bag. Adele, though-It seemed like every time ‘19’ whirred it’s way into the playing position, I had something new to discover about a song. The album goes from the most dire, sad songs to the most beautifully uplifting-All while Adele stays in this deep, soulful place. By ‘soulful,’ I don’t mean warbling or screaming sorrow (which seemed to be what so many artists consider to be “soulful,” now). I mean that the album transported me from my lovely, warm workplace to someplace I’d never been before, but long to see. ‘19’ took me to a dark, dank club in the dirty part of a large city. It sat me in the corner by the stage and made me shiver in the suffering cold draft. It was worth it, too. She’d yet to become very popular here and I felt like I had been the one to discover her…in that rundown club in my head. Of course, I hadn’t. The moderate radio play that she got here was nothing in comparison to what she’d been getting for months across the pond. Still, I bought multiple copies of ‘19’ last year…it became a staple for my hostess gifts, birthday presents and dinner party mixes. So, because she’s young, because my mother likes her as much as I do, and because I feel like everyone should love her as much as my family does…I bring you Adele…

Here are some high(er) spots (the whole album is an amazing high, but these are the best):

The album starts off with ‘Daydreamer.’ First, as you’ll soon know, I’m a sucker for an acoustic guitar. When this song first started with the soft, slow plucking of the guitar, I knew I’d end up hooked. For lack of a better word, the music behind her voice is so, so pretty. Next is the fact that the song sits pretty perfectly into what, I think, most single girls daydream about. There have been a million future husband songs written and performed. Some of them are good, some of them are lame. But they’re all set to horrible, uplifting music and the “perfection” other songs call for all seem so…trite. With lines line, “He can change the world with his hands behind his back” and “With eyes that make you melt,” Adele asks for things that are both mostly unrealistic but still exactly what we all really want. Sure, when he “lends his coat for shelter,” a girl will swoon. But what we really want? What we daydream about, is definitely more of a “jaw-dropper, looks good when he walks, is the subject of their talks,” sort of guy. If anyone knows Adele, tell her I said “Thanks.”

Next is “Best for Last.” Again, the music is my favorite part. It starts out with slow, low guitar, then the guitar speeds up, then, at the chorus, the piano comes in, speeds things up and makes things just a bit angrier. Just when you’re swishing your hips, the piano drops and you’re back to just the guitar and that steady, walking beat. All the while, her singing stays right on track with the guitar, word for pluck, word for pluck. Each syllable so rounded, so perfectly shaped to the note that you can’t help but believe every single word she spouts. And the chorus? She gets just as angry as her guitar-Without all the shouting some people prefer. The lyrics are also fun. Who doesn’t love a girl who can put a guy in his place? On one hand she’s telling him, you can’t hurt me because I’m going to hurt you-This never meant anything to me. (“You should know that you’re just a temporary fix.”) On the other, she’s still hurt. She’s put up her front, but she was still hoping for bliss. (“The meaner you treat me; more eager I am to persist with this heartbreak”) We all get caught up, even if we don’t mean to.

I’m going to wrap up with “Right as Rain.” Unlike the first two, this doesn’t start off with an acoustic guitar. This music is zippier and poppier-I can almost picture her on Great American Bandstand with this song. If I knew how to do the Mash Potato, I’d do it to this song. As far as the lyrics-Here’s the chorus:

Who wants to be right as rain?
It’s better when something is wrong
You get excitement in your bones
And everything you do’s a game
When night comes and you’re all alone
You can say I chose to be alone
Who wants to be right as rain?
It’s harder when you’re on top.


I could hear someone else doing those lyrics-Putting them so a steady, repetitive beat and whining the whole thing. Not Adele-I can hear her smiling. Or maybe it’s because it makes me smile?

That’s it for now. I’d review the whole album, but it’d be another month before this goes up. I’ve not done this before-So don’t judge too harshly. If there’s something you want to know. What could I say that would make you want to run out and buy the album? Tell me. Like another song that I left off? Share it.



Here’s an illegal link!