Adele - 19
Croydon. More precisely the BRIT Performing Arts School, based in Croydon. What has it done for us? Well it's given us no less than this lot: The Kooks, Kate Nash, Leona Lewis, Morcheeba, Katie Melua, Amy Winehouse, and Athlete.
Yes, they are all graduates from the BRIT School and now also Adele - the "latest hot thing" for 2008 whose album 19, released on 28th January 2008, went straight in at number 1.
Adele Adkins, only 19 (hence the album title), has already appeared on Jools Holland, already won a Brit award, she's loved by NME and Q Magazine, raved about by Radio 1's Zane Lowe, has celebrity muso friends such as Kate Nash, Jamie T, Jack Penate, and has been hailed by many as no less than the "new Amy Winehouse" (even though the real AW has only just won the Best "New Artist" Grammy herself).
But, rest assured, the comparisons to Amy W. are not based on the booze, fags and bee-hive but on Adele's voice - which has received many accolades and has been described as rich, soulful, bewitching, and beautiful while possessing powerful overtones of smoky jazz.
The problem here, though, is that young Adele, obviously a relative newcomer to the music scene, has been thrust rapidly into the spotlight and seems to have an awful lot to live up to - especially now that Amy W. has just scooped five Grammys. This might be fine with the various music biz types behind her and may boost sales of her first album, but is it doing any favours for Adele and her long-term artistic development? With a build up like this, she could be on to a hiding to nothing.
Anyway, the songs. The album opener, "Daydreamer", is a pleasant enough song featuring Adele on acoustic guitar and vocal, although she does lapse into vocal acrobatics which seem inappropriate on an otherwise sweet opener. "Best for Last" kicks off with an interesting vocal/bass line arrangement which then turns into a full scale gospel chorus thing reminiscent of Paul Simon's Graceland album.
Then comes the first of the collaborations with songwriter Eg White, "Chasing Pavements". Eg White is an Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter (Will Young, Joss Stone, Natalie Imbruglia, James Morrison to name a few) and "Chasing Pavements" has been a huge hit single for Adele. It's quite a big poppy-production with a strong chorus.
Then we go contemporary and up-beat with "Cold Shoulder". Here's where the Amy Winehouse comparisons are unavoidable. Make no mistake - this is a great song and (unsurprisingly) is due to be the third single. I think this one will receive plenty of airplay, but it's firmly in territory already convincingly claimed by Amy Winehouse.
The rest of the songs on the album follow much the same sort of pattern - several more Adele-plus-solo-instrument numbers, a few more with Eg White, and a couple in the up-beat Amy Winehouse mould.
Overall, this is a good debut album but I think there's a struggle here for identity. While listening to the album I couldn't help but imagining record execs urging Adele to "make it more Winehouse-like" or "how about a bit of Kate Nash mockney on that" or "instead of just singing the word love could you pronounce it differently and wail it out a bit - you know, jazz style".
The final track, "Hometown Glory", deserves special mention. This was the first single from the album... and I wonder... is this the real Adele? The opening piano chords signal a darker reflective mood. Adele's voice soars with understated power - no pointless vocal acrobatics - superb soulful phrasing delivering poignant lyrics and weaving images in your mind.
"I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque."
Brilliant.
Adele Adkins, only 19 (hence the album title), has already appeared on Jools Holland, already won a Brit award, she's loved by NME and Q Magazine, raved about by Radio 1's Zane Lowe, has celebrity muso friends such as Kate Nash, Jamie T, Jack Penate, and has been hailed by many as no less than the "new Amy Winehouse" (even though the real AW has only just won the Best "New Artist" Grammy herself).
But, rest assured, the comparisons to Amy W. are not based on the booze, fags and bee-hive but on Adele's voice - which has received many accolades and has been described as rich, soulful, bewitching, and beautiful while possessing powerful overtones of smoky jazz.
The problem here, though, is that young Adele, obviously a relative newcomer to the music scene, has been thrust rapidly into the spotlight and seems to have an awful lot to live up to - especially now that Amy W. has just scooped five Grammys. This might be fine with the various music biz types behind her and may boost sales of her first album, but is it doing any favours for Adele and her long-term artistic development? With a build up like this, she could be on to a hiding to nothing.
Anyway, the songs. The album opener, "Daydreamer", is a pleasant enough song featuring Adele on acoustic guitar and vocal, although she does lapse into vocal acrobatics which seem inappropriate on an otherwise sweet opener. "Best for Last" kicks off with an interesting vocal/bass line arrangement which then turns into a full scale gospel chorus thing reminiscent of Paul Simon's Graceland album.
Then comes the first of the collaborations with songwriter Eg White, "Chasing Pavements". Eg White is an Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter (Will Young, Joss Stone, Natalie Imbruglia, James Morrison to name a few) and "Chasing Pavements" has been a huge hit single for Adele. It's quite a big poppy-production with a strong chorus.
Then we go contemporary and up-beat with "Cold Shoulder". Here's where the Amy Winehouse comparisons are unavoidable. Make no mistake - this is a great song and (unsurprisingly) is due to be the third single. I think this one will receive plenty of airplay, but it's firmly in territory already convincingly claimed by Amy Winehouse.
The rest of the songs on the album follow much the same sort of pattern - several more Adele-plus-solo-instrument numbers, a few more with Eg White, and a couple in the up-beat Amy Winehouse mould.
Overall, this is a good debut album but I think there's a struggle here for identity. While listening to the album I couldn't help but imagining record execs urging Adele to "make it more Winehouse-like" or "how about a bit of Kate Nash mockney on that" or "instead of just singing the word love could you pronounce it differently and wail it out a bit - you know, jazz style".
The final track, "Hometown Glory", deserves special mention. This was the first single from the album... and I wonder... is this the real Adele? The opening piano chords signal a darker reflective mood. Adele's voice soars with understated power - no pointless vocal acrobatics - superb soulful phrasing delivering poignant lyrics and weaving images in your mind.
"I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque."
Brilliant.
Here Is The Writer : Lucho Payne
Lucho Payne works at UBS as an IT Consultant, and has spent the last eight years working in banking and investment management in The City. He regularly attends gigs and concerts, and his favourite venues are the Astoria, Borderline and the 100 Club. He occasionally plays guitar at various venues around town as one half of the acoustic duo "Fagan and Payne".
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