21

Albumrecensie

On 21, Adele is still the bluesy pop diva with a singer/songwriter's soul and seemingly bottomless capacity for heartbreak. The album showcases Adele's titanic vocal ability. She immediately injects us with the propulsive gospel fever-blues anthem "Rolling in the Deep," which is ridiculously sexy and one of the best singles of any decade. Elsewhere, we get the blues-inflected "Rumour Has It" and the old-school-style soul cut "He Won't Go," which are terrifically catchy, booty-shaking numbers. Similarly enthralling is the centerpiece of the album, the mega-ballad showstopper "Take It All" — an instant classic in the tradition of "The Rose," "And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going" — and "All by Myself," which could stand over the years as a career landmark for the singer.