I'd Like to Hear the Words Roll Out of Your Mouth Finally

It has gotten to the point there are so many female imports, that now they are coming across the pond with just one name. Last month saw the debut from Duffy and now comes 19 from the latest retro leaning lass Adele. But where her counterpoints stop at being one women girl groups of the Motown era, typically thanks to Mark Ronson production, Adele goes back even further with influences like Dusty Springfield and Etta James.

Without Ronson at the helm (aside from Cold Shoulder which is easily recognizable as his), the songs sound more simplistic. This isn’t more evident than on the great kiss off, Best for Last with its single bass guitar and a few friends singing background on the chorus to back up the songstress. That same template also shows up on Crazy for Your, sans the background sings, almost to the same effect. Then on First Love it is just her and an sweet arrangement on a xylophone.

Certainly, most of the rest of the songs get the full band treatment, but the real standout instrument on these tracks remains Adele’s voice. Yeah, much like Duffy, it may take a couple listens to get used to, but once that taste is acquired, this is an album that won’t get old quick and it is her voice that saves these songs from boring Norah Jones territory. For the best example of where she just lets go vocally, check out Melt My Heart to Stone.

It is only when Adele speeds things up for something more danceable and in Amy Winehouse’s wheelhouse do things just don’t feel right like on Right as Rain. Speaking of things that just don’t work, the Bob Dylan penned To Make You Feel My Love, the only song on the album not written by Adele, just feels out of place and may have been better off staying in the realm of old dudes like Billy Joel.

Song to Download - Best for Last

19 gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.