English singer/songwriter Adele has finally released her fourth studio album 30. This will be only the 2nd album she has released since having had her first vocal cord surgery back in 2011. There was some worry that Adele might never be able to perform or sing again, following a flare-up in 2017. In fact, while performing at Wembley Stadium, she was forced to cancel the last couple of shows to rest her voice.

After a 6 year hiatus, Adele has returned and her voice is as impeccable as ever. Somehow, whenever she releases a single for her upcoming albums, they become an instant classic. 30 continues this trend with “Easy On Me” and the sentimental agony that Adele has been harboring over the past few years. The wait was worth it, and this single signals a true return to form.

These past few years have been rough for Adele, and you can hear it at the forefront of just about every track. A lot of songs are laden with emotions that are hard to comprehend as she comes to grips with her divorce from ex-husband Simon Konecki. She has stated in an interview with Billboard that, while making this album she, “went to hell and back.” However, she feels like some songs on 30 could “actually save a few lives.”

Usually, I have a hard time getting into the mood to listen to Adele, but 30 was very easy to get into from track one. “Strangers By Nature” has this almost Disney-esque Snow White/Cinderella draw where Adele starts off very slow, stretching out every word. As she starts to ramp up, the strings come in to make it sound very angelic. She also incorporates a bit of 40’s old-time radio that blends in very nicely. The entire time I was waiting for some chirping birds to join in on the singing.

After being drawn in by the creativity of the first track and subjugated to heartache from the lead single, I was vulnerable and primed for an emotional onslaught. Unfortunately, “My Little Love” didn’t quite get me there as I had hoped. Adele’s voice is beautiful as always, the instrumental was particularly somber, and the choir of humming really smothers you in anguish. I really wanted to love this song, but for some reason, Adele decided to incorporate recordings of conversations with her child into the track.

The song is about how she feels lost and wants to make sure that she’s doing right by her son. The recorded conversations, however, really break the immersion. During the recorded segments, the child does not at all seem like he comprehends what Adele is asking him. It doesn’t seem like he really cares all that much either and Adele is really forcing the conversation. For a song about trying to balance her son’s feelings and her own, the child not seeming to care really killed the overall mood of the track.

“Oh My God” stumbles out the gate, but quickly recovers as Adele struggles to intimately reconnect after her divorce. The song explores the feeling of wanting to have fun but feeling guilty for doing so. The sharp standalone trumpets at the beginning are annoying, but the rest of the composition is vastly superior. The percussion imitates a steady canter, giving it a subtle western movie adventure feel. It fits quite nicely as Adele is on a quest to put herself back out there.

Probably one of Adele’s more sexually explicit songs, “Can I Get It” fails to impress. After each verse about needing help, the instrumental becomes hollowed out during the chorus. The composition is stripped to the bones while Adele is begging to “Get It.” The breaks in yet another fabulous western-inspired beat really neuter the replayability of the song. This seemed more like an artistic choice rather than a glaring oversight.

Thankfully, Adele returns to her comfort zone with “I Drink Wine.” Her voice and the composition work really well together and carry a gloomy holiday season vibe. The backup vocals solidify the soul feeling and you can really feel the emotions pouring through. Unlike the previous two tracks, she provides deeper insight into how she’s so broken that she’s unable to cling to love anymore.

Adele continues to spoil me with the soulful “All Night Parking.” One of the simpler tracks instrumentally, the late Erroll Garner provides sweet piano tunes to get lost in. The vocal effects make Adele sound like a solo barbershop quartet, and it’s so satisfying to hear. She has such an amazing performance that this is one of the stronger cuts on the album.

The lost and confused train that we’ve been riding comes to its last stop as Adele finally starts to get a grasp of what she searching for. “Woman Like Me” is dark and foreboding, as Adele begins to rediscover her confidence. Even though we are still in a dark place, it’s a cathartic feeling to finally be able to feel love again.

Both “Hold On” and “To Be Loved” are probably the most boring cuts on the album. “Hold On” is a slog to listen through as she is pretty much acapella for 3 minutes until it transforms into something beautiful. “To Be Loved” is all Adele with barely any instruments playing for six minutes straight. Adele really starts to flex her voice on these two tracks, but I fell asleep waiting for either of these tracks to take off.

This was the rawest album Adele has released. Dealing with a divorce, selfishly trying to find happiness while tearing apart the world her son knew, and being numb to love afterward was an unexpectedly beautiful adventure. Adele was at her best when using soul to its full potential and letting out all the feelings that had been festering in her heart. The composition of most tracks really brought us into the dreamscape of Adele’s inner turmoil, but her voice made our visit a comfortable one.

After a severe down, we’re met with an amazing swan song for the album. “Love Is A Game” sees Adele come full circle. She no longer needs to be validated by others now that she can love herself again. “Love Is A Game” has everything, we get Adele showcasing her amazing voice over a soulful composition, we get to conclude the journey of rediscovery, and we get to move on after all dealing with the built-up pain.

On the flip side, there were a few artistic choices made that seemed to work against what was making the album so special. Adele was able to reel listeners into her emotional sanctum, but some abruptions broke the immersion and kicked us out of the dreamscape. The acapella songs were a huge departure from the rest of the album. They sounded almost lifeless in comparison to the emotions Adele brought out from her other tracks. All in all, I loved the experimentation and found this to be the most enjoyable Adele album yet.

FAVORITE TRACKS: “Easy On Me,” “I Drink Wine,” “All Night Parking,” “Love Is A Game.”

LEAST FAVORITE: “Can I Get It,” “Hold On,” “To Be Loved.”

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30

$9.97

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Adele's Vocals
• Soul-Focused Composition
• Instrumental Experimentation

Cons

• Breaks Immersion Too Often
• Hollow Borderline Acapella