Music Review: Adele - 25

Adele. Photo Alasdair McLellan

That voice. Unmistakeable. The voice that delivered 19 to acclaim in 2008, and in 2011 generated massive success with 21.

Six Grammy Awards, the longest run by a solo female artist on both the US and UK charts.

And now 25. And yes, you can relax. While Adele says that 21 was a break-up record she's labelled 25 a make-up record, saying she was making up for herself. In the five years from 21 to 25 Adele has married and has a son, life lived, life experiences gained.

You wouldn't credit the timeout though because, if anything Adele Atkins, has taken her remarkable talent to a new level.

There are many moods on 25, the lyrics are as intensely personal as ever, and the production is compelling.

While songs like I Miss You, Water Under the Bridge and Sweetest Devotion (to her son Angelo) adopt modern beats with Adele on piano and soaring above them, there are many trademark pared-back tracks with Adele and a variety of pianists.

All I Ask for example shows off her full vocal range, piano and strings backing to Love in the Dark is a match made in heaven, while River Lea starts off with a haunting organ back-drop before launching into an up-tempo chant.

A Million Years Ago introduces Adele with Greg Kurstin's acoustic guitar, again a different setting with huge appeal.

Mention must be made of Adele's collaborators, both with the lyrics and with the instrumentation. Danger Mouse for example on River Lea, outstanding contributions from Greg Kurstin, multi instrumental chops from Paul Epworth and the legendary pianist Greg Phillinganes. As did 21 before it we're going to hear Adele's voice from 25 every which way for a long time.

PS: Adele even played drums on Hello.

5 Stars