A year ago, iconic singer-songwriter Adele made her long-awaited comeback with the album ’30. Considered by many to be the artistic pinnacle of the performer’s career, the production introduced us to a more mature side, marked by romantic disappointments and a more symbolic and melancholic view of the world – perhaps even more so than its previous ones. scrapbooks.
Along with critical acclaim, ’30’ caused a stir around the world, reaching the top of the Billboard 200 and the Hot 100 (the latter with lead single “Easy On Me”). Additionally, the production is competing for several categories at the 2023 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year, with a high chance of taking home several statuettes.
Today, November 19, the work celebrates its first anniversary and, to celebrate it, we have compiled a list classifying all the songs of the standard version of the album.
Check it out below and let us know what your favorite song is:
12. “A WOMAN LIKE ME”
Take the time to watch:
Don’t get me wrong: ’30’, like much of Adele’s discography, has no bad songs. However, it must be said that some tracks are a bit dull compared to powerful tracks that hold our attention much more – which is the case with “Woman Like Me”. With powerful messages, the slips are glued together in an unbold structure and seem to have been thought of at the last minute.
11. “I DRINK WINE”
‘I Drink Wine’ is a favorite of many fans around the world, as the track is about self-acceptance, forgiveness and self-love – something Adele struggled to understand, having gone through several problems throughout his life. The song is very well produced, but has some phrasing issues that mar its flawless structure; in any case, all the obstacles are eclipsed by the beautiful interpretation of the singer, who transports us to another world.
10. “MY LITTLE LOVE”
The theme of love, whatever it is, appears strongly in the structure of ’30’, including in ‘My Little Love’, a candid neo-soul and chamber music inflection which dialogues with the great ‘Remember Where You Are “, by Jessie Ware. Here, Adele’s voice, which touts the power of a gospel choir, serves as a heartwarming bedtime story in which she realizes she still has “a lot to learn”, as she engages with her son , Angelo.
9. “CRY YOUR HEART”
It’s not just the moody ballads that permeate the album – quite the contrary: as she has done on previous albums, the artist feels comfortable enough for the evocative blues of “Cry Your Heart Out”. , a powerful anthem produced by longtime Adele collaborator Greg Kurstin who also contributes to several other tracks.
8. “EASY FOR ME”
As the singer poses as an adorable and funny woman, the tracks she composes take our breath away and paint a melancholic picture, no matter how upbeat the messages created. With “Easy On Me”, she does the same thing, but with a slightly different content and which represents a beautiful maturation which took more than half a decade to take place: from the outset, the heavy notes of the piano contrast with the lightness and softness of his powerful voice; and, as if that weren’t enough, Adele acknowledges the rebirth process she had to go through, addressing the turmoil she went through with her last relationship with the emotional lines “I didn’t get a chance to feel the world around me “.
7. “OVERNIGHT PARKING”
The “All Night Parking” interlude functions as a deliberately anachronistic assault between past and present, reuniting Adele with the legendary and late jazz icon Erroll Garner, who died in 1977. Here, she talks about a passion that is built over the long haul. . relationship – and all the butterflies in our stomachs that we feel with this unexpected company, even if it has a shorter lifespan than expected.
6. “WAIT”
If there’s one thing Adele knows how to do like no one else, it’s creating songs and verses that relate to anyone who’s gone through tremendous trauma or heartache in life. “Hold On” is one of the songs that most reaffirms his ability to understand the world and others, presenting himself as an empathetic and almost minimalist track, carried by piano, guitar and a chilling performance by one of the greatest singers of our time. . .
5. “CAN I GET IT”
In “Can I Get It,” the instrumental choices may differ a bit from the songs, but it serves as a divide between two very well-defined acts. Perhaps the aspect that catches our attention the most is the fact that he emerges as a memento based on classic Red Hot Chili Peppers and Oasis, showcasing a new and interesting side to his personality.
4. “OH MY GOD”
Released as the work’s second single, “Oh My God” is flawless from start to finish, not only because it contrasts with the artists’ well-known and poignant ballads, but thanks to Kurstin’s impeccable production. Here we have the exhilaration of gospel pop, with all it has: flawless layered vocals, hand claps, organ and thundering basses that speak for themselves. It’s no surprise that Adele decided to release it as one of the album’s promotional songs.
3. “BE LOVED”
In ’30’, Adele seems to leave aside the epic productions of her previous works, betting on a personality and an intimacy never seen before in her career. In this context, “To Be Loved” emerges as one of the most touching tracks on the album, talking about the divorce the artist faced, focusing mainly on his vocal power and guided by the resonant notes of the piano. – reaffirming himself not just as a lyricist, but a poet.
2. “LOVE IS A GAME”
Like several other forays on the album, “Love Is a Game” is a beautiful cinematic reflection, carried by the timeless classicism of an ode to the golden age of Hollywood – mainly by the exuberant and emotional presence of an arrangement of strings and a passionate bass. . . Easily one of the best entries of Adele’s career, the idea behind the track is to analyze love as a “game for fools to play” (including yourself in this band), because falling in love is to hurt yourself – and it’s worth it.
1. “STRANGERS BY NATURE”
Opening ’30’, Adele performs ‘Strangers By Nature’, which marks an unexpected collaboration with Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson (‘Rocky’, ‘Black Panther’) who demonstrates a passion for acting. The line “I’ve never seen the sky this color before” and the powerful presence of multiple layers and synthesizers pay homage to Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand in the best possible way, in a musical ode that screams in the silence itself. same.
