Adele didn’t go easy on me: 30 review

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Adele. Photograph credit: Simon Emmett

Posted By: Voice of London 19 November 2021

She didn’t go easy on me, and probably didn’t with you either. Adele’s ‘30‘ explores a new sound from the singer, and brings back her defining heartbreak voice. 

Sad girl season is officially upon us. The autumn leaves are falling, and the cold crisp air brushes past your face, setting the tone for Adele’s fourth studio album, 30, her long-awaited album in 6 years. Her latest anticipated album reflects on her emotional distress after her divorce from her ex-husband, Simon Konecki, and has said that this album is for her son. She hopes in the future, that her son can understand her conflict and pain behind her divorce, through her songs on the album. 

She reveals all in Oprah’s exclusive interview, alongside her one-night only performance at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, and discusses the album in a in-depth and candid interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music. 

I stood on the train, as I travelled to University, listening intently to her album, and I can tell you now, I wasn’t disappointed. Every song has an emotional depth to it, and the rhythms and melodies add another layer and significance to the lyrics of each song. It is perfectly and intensely raw. Not to mention, her album perfectly infuses soul, jazz and pop in a very sweet and melancholy harmony. It has a touch of ‘60s influence in it too. Think something along the lines of the Supremes. Just something about it works. 

We all know her belter, Easy On Me, and the emotions behind it, so I’ve deliberately left it out of the ranking, and recommended other songs that will satisfy your musical craving. 

Here are the top 3 to listen to for all of your different moods: 

1. Woman Like Me 

This track is perfect for raging and letting out your anger to your ex. This is the only song on Adele’s album, where she confronts her ex, and actively shows how angry she was following her divorce. Confronting her feelings for his complacency and laziness, and showing her fury for him not trying enough to save their relationship. Using lines such as ‘consistency is the gift to give for free, and it is key, to ever keep a woman like me’. It is a brilliant anthem to express your emotions towards your lazy and complacent ex.

2.  Oh My God 

In this song, the track expresses Adele taking back control of her life after a depressive period. Lyrics such as ‘Cause this is trouble, but it feels right / Teetering on the edge of Heaven and Hell / Is a battle that I cannot fight’ and ‘I’d rather be a fool than leave myself behind’. With the upbeat rhythm of this song, it’s honestly something you want to get up and dance to. The upbeat rhythm underlines Adele picking herself up, learning from her experiences and moving on. A perfect song to listen to remember your worth, and know that even though the struggles are there, you’ll soon pick yourself up. 

3. Cry Your Heart Out

Although the title might make you think that this song will be similar to ‘Easy On Me’, it certainly isn’t, and offers something quite opposing. Adele says this track is about her experience after her divorce, where she said that she was left feeling depressed and lethargic. The song has an upbeat-pop rhythm, with whimsical vocal effects and ad-libs, which juxtaposes the lyrics. Such lines as ‘I have nothin’ to feel no more, I can’t even cry’ and ‘Cry your heart out, it’ll clean your face’. This is a perfect juxtaposition, with Adele commenting that crying and outpouring is healthy and can help people come out of that state of mind. This is the intended idea, helping you dance through the pain and learning from it.     

Adele has done it again, producing an album that can make every individual feel seen and heard. Once again, we connect to her lyrics, with her soulful and angelic voice.

Words: Joe Benham | Subbing: Chloe Reilly, Tia Janowski, Valeria Vintimilla.

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