Album of the Week: Adele 25

Breakup albums are not all that rare. Plenty of artists in every genre have have taken a crack at it over the years. But great breakup albums are rarer.

It is pretty much beyond questioning that Adele's 21 has a spot among the greats. But the question becomes, once you've devoted an entire album's worth of music to chronicling a broken relationship, what do you do next? You don't want to risk being the sad-sack musician who can't move on, but something utterly ebullient might be a little too much whiplash for listeners.

With her long-awaited junior release, 25, Adele decided to split the difference. By no means is it a joyful album, but it's not exactly bleak either. What 25 is all about is saying goodbye to the past – specifically, to relationships that have taken too much of your heart. This could be relationships that are long over, or those still going on.

All of this works (mostly) because of Adele's voice, and because it follows pretty naturally from her last album. To really move on from the kind of devastation of 21, you need a clean slate.

That's what first single and album opener, "Hello" is about, and does it ever work on that song. The thing is complete slapper, and demonstrates right off the bat why so many people are willing to follow Adele anywhere – she has the kind of voice that can blow the walls off of any joint she wants. "Hello" is the perfect showcase of that voice: the way it builds over a simple piano line, and floors you when the chorus hits. I mean, holy shit, there's no stopping it here. It's an absolute wrecking ball of vocal delivery, and each time the chorus returns, it somehow gets bigger. Her voice starts taking on levels, and the way it kind of wavers just kills me. This is what Adele was born to do.

Unsurprisingly, the rest of the record trades pretty heavily on schmatlz, and how much you enjoy the music is going to entirely depend on how many big, grand musical gestures you can take. She also makes music for old souls (always has) but for someone who is only in her mid-20s, she sure writes a lot about missing her early days. She still has so much life ahead of her.

All of this can be a bit much for those allergic to too much sentiment, and I don't necessarily disagree. But when it connects, it connects.

"Water Under the Bridge" is driven by a lovely little guitar riff, and features some absolutely killer, acrobatically high-backing vocals. The song is all about the challenges and desire of a new love, and fighting to hold onto it. The more upbeat music and delivery is a good look for Adele, and she sings the hell out of it.

"Love in the Dark" manages to balance some of the schmaltzier things (those sweeping strings and somber piano) with a perfectly detailed examination of the gulf between two people. It's one of the best songwriting efforts here, and shows her attention to nuance as a writer.

The most interesting (and encouraging) song here is closer "Sweetest Devotion," which is not only the happiest love song Adele has written in a while, but easily the most joyful track on the album. There's almost a Motown vibe too it, and it could pretty easily be remixed to a club banger if someone wanted (please, someone want to). Closing the album on such a note is hopefully a glimpse of what's ahead for Adele, and if she can stay in this happier lane, we could all be in for a treat.

I doubt 25 is going to rock people back the way 21 did, but it's a more than solid effort by one of the best voices we have right now. And even more importantly, it's the album Adele had to make so she could move on to something new. So, hello, Adele. Welcome to the other side.

25 is out on XL.

Also recommended this week:

John Coltrane's three-disc remaster of A Love Supreme.

Foo Fighters' surprise EP, Saint Cecilia.

The 20^th anniversary reissue of the Goo Goo Doll's debut, A Boy Named Goo.

Natalie Prass' covers EP, Side by Side.

Punch Brothers' second release of the year, The Wireless.