This blog is about music on the run; music I listen to while I jog. It'll be first impresssions. No grades, just whether I like it or not. Heck, a week from now, I might change my mind. I'll also post occasional thoughts, to clear the dust bunnies from my head.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Adele Was 19 And Now She's Two Years Older


Music On The Run
Adele – 21

Some people want to make this cd Dusty Springfield redux. I don't see it. Sure, they're both Brits with soul bona fides, and the Memphis flavored strings and piano flairs … but they're … different. The best way I can explain it is Dusty was then, Adele is now. Adele has liquid phrasing on this cd, one word oozing into the next, which to my ear is a more plaintive, emotional delivery. The song selection varies too.  Some sound hip-hop, but a couple are just a half yodel away from country. That's not necessarily bad. There's even one cut that sounds straight gospel, even though Adele doesn't stretch too far … just enough to let you know she's feeling the material. As a matter of fact, most of the songs are a combination of restraint and r&b. That gets to this cd as a running partner. Nothing electric here, to roust your spirit and provide a second wind, but Adele's voice is such a compelling instrument, it keeps pulling you back to the song. Not a lot of points for pacing, but huge props for distraction. The three and a half miles today went by quickly … or at least it felt like it did.

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