Adele - '25' (Album Discussion)

[liz89 373]

I'm currently listening to the album and I think it's great 

I'm a bigger fan of 21 tho... I don't know how to explain this but the songs on 25 aren't as "special" to me as the one's on 21, which is more emotional. Her voice is great as always. 

[StrawberryBlond 14,776]

As usual, this is why I don't believe the hype. It's very rare that an artist lives up to the hype these days. And nowhere is this more clear than on 25. I thought 21 was ok and 25 is no better, probably on the same level. I liked 5 songs off 21, I like 5 from 25. Adele continues to stick with the same kinds of lyrics and productions with barely any experimentation. It's no wonder why she's so popular, because she's so safe and keeps everything so vague, hence, can appeal to everyone.

Hello - A great beginning and couldn't just be necessarily about a relationship either. I can certainly relate to this concept of needing to get back in touch with someone but they never seem to be there. The chrous is a skyscraper and very powerful. This truly is a great comeback song. 4/5

Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - This is exactly why Max Martin shouldn't write songs for non-pop artists. I knew trouble was ahead as soon as I saw the credits on this one. First, he ruined The Weeknd, now it's Adele. This doesn't sound like her at all and the production on the chrous is laughably bad. We really have run out of good beats, havent we? 1.5/5

I Miss You - Ooh, s-xy Adele! This is unlike anything she's ever done, but in a good way. It's atmospheric, powerful, even a little edgy. Speaking of The Weeknd, this wouldn't sound out of place on one of his albums! This is the first s-xual song Adele's ever done and we weren't exactly asking for something but she wears it suprirsingly well. 4/5

When We Were Young - Ok lyrics but not exactly relatable. Is she singing about someone famous she once knew when she was young? Or is it just someone who's always been admired? It's not made clear. Without this made clear, I can't form a connection. And the whole "It was just like a movie, it was just like a song" part made me almost want to throw up from the cheesy cliche. 3/5

Remedy - Just your run-of-the-mill "I'll comfort you" song. Sorry, but Let You Feel My Love did it better, and that was a cover. Every lyric on this has been said so many times over the years, so there's no wonderment from it. 2.5/5

Water Under The Bridge - I can't actually remember this one as the stream that I'm using won't seem to play it so I had to go hunting for non-mute ones on YouTube. I found one last night but theyre all muted today. But from the lyrics and what I can remember, it was very mediocre, probably the second worst on the album. I also notice that again, it suffers terribly from cliche-itis. I'm surprised she's never been accused on plagiarism. 2/5

River Lea - One of her most soulful songs, in theme more than anything. Reminds me of A Change Is Gonna Come with the references to the river. It's so nice to hear Adele sing about something that isn't an overt breakup song. 4/5

Love In The Dark - Ok song about a breakup but not a patch on the ultimate break up songs from 21. This is one of the more forgettable breakup songs that just follows the same formula we all know. Decent, but nothing worth writing home about. 3/5

Million Years Ago - Oh. My. God. This is perfect. This is probably the most relatable song I've ever heard from Adele. There's so much hurt and regret here, it's heartbreaking. It reminds me of a classic Amy Winehouse track - that overwhelming feelings of despair. So many of these lines seem to speak directly to me. It's also really nice to hear Adele not holler and strain on a track and be more stripped back, so I can take her voice a lot better. Hypnotic, stunning, a revelation of extreme proportions. Best on the album. 5/5

All I Ask - This one grew more on me. A good breakup song. While not as amazing as some songs on 21, this still has a very classic sound on that chorus. Pity that she's still singing this stuff when she's been happily married ever since she started writing this album, however. This is what I mean when I say that Adele's music isn't as real as we want to believe. She knows what sells and is happy to conform to that. 3.5/5

Sweetest Devotion - Just your average song about finding true love and having a baby that every singer has written about since the dawn of time. Absolutely nothing new here, just cliche, unrelatablity and lack of connection due to vagueness and knowing nothing about the husband and baby in question. A very predictable end. 2/5

Overall, 3/5 on the nose. Same as I gave 21. I'm pleased to see that a few publications haven't completely lost their heads in this hype fest and gave it the same. Adele will probably take another big break after this but if she keeps on coming back with this level of writing after such long breaks, I'm doubtful this success can continue.

[Manul 7,377]

Hello
Simple production at the start, properly progresses into an explosive climax, all while not detracting in any way at any point from the stunning vocals. Definitely the best track the album has to offer.

Send My Love (To Your New Lover)
Max Martin is a fantastic producer. That being said, the production here is underwhelming. I feel like this song was handled as an unimportant side-project. What is supposed to be a light-hearted melody turns out to be an annoying one instead.

I Miss You
The production here is beautiful - to me it sounds like something straight out of Lana Del Rey's discography, particularly Ultraviolence. Possible influence? The verses are beautiful, the pre-chorus is intriguing and then the chorus... tries too hard. Untasteful even.

When We Were Young
Beautiful production, beautiful vocals. I love how the transition to the chorus is seamless and done through the vocals rather than the production. The first standout.

Remedy
Generic piano production, the usual Adele, the boring lyrics. Don't dislike, don't like it either. Average, forgettable.

Water Under The Bridge
The production here is beautiful. Sadly, during the verses, the production detracts from her vocals and her vocals detract from the production. They just don't mesh well together. And then the chorus is average, not enjoyable.

River Lea
The production during the verses and they way she sings, beautifully haunting. Really intriguing tone. Then the pre-chorus starts clashing with it, and the chorus makes it even worse. Still, it is a good track.

Love in the Dark
Stunning production, beautifully sung verses, the build-up to the chorus has great flow and then the chorus itself, explosive and quite haunting. I really like the lyrics here. The second and last standout of the album.

Million Years Ago
The guitar is beautiful. I'm glad that she decided to make a song of this style, Lovesong was a standout on 21 for me, even though it was just a cover. I think she should have sung this song with a more vulnerable/soft tone, however. Her vocals don't cut it. I'll just stick with an instrumental version of it.

All I Ask
Okay-ish production. She is a little too loud for my taste. Not much else to say about it, that's what the song is for me, not much, just OK.

Sweetest Devotion
The only one song in the album I find to be cringe-worthy. Another example of too loud for no reason, but it takes that to a whole other level. The production doesn't help it much either.

I didn't get into listening to the album with 21 in mind, that would be wrong imo. So I'm not biased. Still, II'll settle with call this album okay-ish. Except for the Hello-LITD-WWWY trio, a pretty generic and forgettable experience.

[TheYuriMusic 2]

Guys! Check it out my "When We Were Young" acoustic cover! Love this song so much <3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B10L8JTmwL8

[PlasticHo 700]

Her emotion at the end of When We Were Young in this live BBC performance is so good. The wine i'm drinking also helps lol. This is what you want to see when you see someone perform!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JFo5Ioctew

[GovernmentGaga 446]

I see that a lot of people are loving Million Years Ago. I agree it's a great song and thought it's verses and the overall tone sounded very similar. My friend noticed too and we realized it sounds like a song called Golden Leaves by Passenger (2014).

Listen to Golden Leaves (I don't know how to embed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojTrC9Hz8gM

[Guest]

I found 25 to be astoundingly better than 19 and 21, which I didn't think she'd be able to top. The whole album fits together and has a distinct sound that's specific to the album that I can't put my finger on. It sounds a lot different from her first two albums, to me at least. I think most of it's darker besides Send My Love. I don't know. I do know that this album is phenomenal, though. She never disappoints.

[Checkers 3,515]

Water Under The Bridge is my fave

 

[Andrew 375]

After a few listens I honestly think 25 is a better album then 21. I honestly love it. 

I work for a music retail chain & we've sold 100+ units in just 3 days. Easily our biggest music release of the year!

[caseymonster 424]

while the album title is 25. it sounds a lot less mature than 21 and even 19. sounds like a random collection of songs that were produced for taylor if she would have a higher vocal range. very mediocre.                           i dont mind her putting generic pop, it just bothers me how she and everyone around here and the gp acting like its the second coming of the messiah. its a regular catchy pop album of an artist that can sing better than most average pop stars. 

her shtick is that "shes not fake", and  "the anti pop star". all this is bulls--t! shes as manufactured as taylor and any pop star in the game. look at the amount of writers for this albums. she was working with the most generic producers such as max martin, shellback, ryan tedder (all taylor and britney producers) greg krustin (ellie gouldin, sia, pink) and others. all this posts of "all you need is good vocals and a good song" bullcrap is such insane bulls--t. look at the promo for this album. have you ever seen gaga using such a list producers and writers for her songs? ARTPOP promo was maybe 1/20 from what adele got. 

at least taylor and britney and   oter pop stars can own to the fact they manufactured. adele is straight up fake acting all like some pop royalty. with all her "i used flip phones in my hello music video because i dont care about money and product placement"   and yet she doesnt let 25 to be streamed because she wants to sell more and make that cash..

welll but thats just my opinion. leave a comment of what you think about all this hype and attention shes getting 

[SharGaga 2,906]

You trying to call music mediocre because it's 'basic' is stupid. 

[Snow 1,582]

1 minute ago, caseymonster said:

while the album title is 25. it sounds a lot less mature than 21 and even 19. sounds like a random collection of songs that were produced for taylor if she would have a higher vocal range. very mediocre.                           i dont mind her putting generic pop, it just bothers me how she and everyone around here and the gp acting like its the second coming of the messiah. its a regular catchy pop album of an artist that can sing better than most average pop stars. 

her shtick is that "shes not fake", and  "the anti pop star". all this is bulls--t! shes as manufactured as taylor and any pop star in the game. look at the amount of writers for this albums. she was working with the most generic producers such as max martin, shellback, ryan tedder (all taylor and britney producers) greg krustin (ellie gouldin, sia, pink) and others. all this posts of "all you need is good vocals and a good song" bullcrap is such insane bulls--t. look at the promo for this album. have you ever seen gaga using such a list producers and writers for her songs? ARTPOP promo was maybe 1/20 from what adele got. 

at least taylor and britney and   oter pop stars can own to the fact they manufactured. adele is straight up fake acting all like some pop royalty. with all her "i used flip phones in my hello music video because i dont care about money and product placement"   and yet she doesnt let 25 to be streamed because she wants to sell more and make that cash..

welll but thats just my opinion. leave a comment of what you think about all this hype and attention shes getting 

First, not news

Second, you are utterly wrong on EVERY delusional point

[SomethingMore 1,701]

@ caseymonster 

the dumbest post I've seen on GGD.

25 might not be as good as 21, but it's still a great album.

None of the songs sound like something Taylor would sing. 

 

[Haroon 49,685]

@caseymonster Merged your thread into here  Opinions alone don't belong in the Entertainment News section and it seemed better suited for this thread where it's all about the album & opinions and stuff

[Redstreak 6,653]

It is quite interesting how people try to place her music above others when 25 received the same critical score as 1989 but with less reviews.