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Special Event: atrlcritic | Ed Sheeran's new songs after the upgrade
Member Since: 9/16/2011
Posts: 50,981
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Adele - 25
Adele's appeal lays in the fact that her music is too inoffensive to be considered bad or unenjoyable. Indeed, her music is truly a breath of fresh air in comparison to much of the music that dominates her format these days.
 Adele's blockbuster sophomore album 21, the most successful album in history, struck the perfect balance of relateable songwriting that was reminiscent of classic pop in its simplicity and a powerful and emotive voice. On the album's much anticipated follow up, 25, lightning does not strike twice (though not for lack of trying). Adele's voice is, of course, at the epicenter of the album. That's where it has to be, both because it is her selling point and because it is all that she has to distinguish herself from the crowd. The production throughout the album is designed to accentuate her vocal performances, and said production is mostly unnoteworthy because of it. The songwriting itself proves to be substantially less impressive than what is found on both of her previous albums, and I feel that the album's greatest shortcoming is in this area. 25 is named as such because it is said to reflect her experiences at that age, but I sense a disconnect between the lyrical content found here and what we know of her life at that age. By all signs, Adele was, at that age, a happy new mother in a good relationship, and yet the album trends largely towards ballads and midtempos themed around break-ups. It feels, in a way, as though Adele and others decided that these "emotional" slow songs were what audiences wanted and expected of her, and so that's what they provided. Coming off of the most successful album of all time, Adele had the option to challenge herself by making an album that was more experimental, or at least less commercial. She was guaranteed a massive comeback with unprecedented interest in whatever she released, and she chose to capitalize off of this by taking the safest route possible. Second single "When We Were Young" is a middling number themed around nostalgia, making it perfect for her adult audience that thrives off of precisely this type of song. She collaborated with Bruno Mars on "All I Ask," and the result is a piano ballad that pales in comparison to her own "Someone Like You" and his "When I Was Your Man" (not so coincidentally the first two piano-only songs ever to top the Hot 100). She asks, "What if I never love again?," but this is, again, where the disconnect between her life and this album arises. She will love again, as the follow up song "Sweetest Devotion" assures us. She even turned to pop maestro Max Martin for "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)." The song sounds exactly like what you would expect of an Adele song produced by Max Martin and inspired by Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble." Its lyrics fail to pack a punch, and Martin's production feels watered down; it's as if Adele wanted to work with Max Martin without it being obvious that she worked with Max Martin. This is a producer renowned for transforming artists (look no further than the aforementioned "Trouble" for proof), but he fails to draw Adele out of her sonic or thematic comfort zone. Whether this is good or bad, I couldn't say. Adele's greatest success as an artist lies in the myth-building of the narrative of her career. The world has been, and is still, spoonfed the belief that she is the savior of music and that she is "not like the other pop stars" (and the implication is that she is inherently superior than them because she is a powerhouse vocalist, or not skinny, or something). One need not look further than 25 to become disillusioned with this narrative. She is just like her peers in the ways that count. She plays it safe and panders to her audience, just like the rest of them. She even turns to the producer responsible for the biggest hits from Britney Spears and Katy Perry, the very artists who she is heralded as the antithesis to. Her success is unprecedented, irreplicable, and undeserved. But then, nobody deserves to be as successful or as esteemed as she is--it's simply too much of a value to place on a single person. Contrary to what you may expect having read all of that, I will conclude by stating that there are no bad or unenjoyable songs on this album (let's not talk about those Target deluxe tracks, though). Of course, Adele's appeal lays in the fact that her music is too inoffensive to be considered bad or unenjoyable. Indeed, her music is truly a breath of fresh air in comparison to much of the music that dominates her format these days. The standouts are "I Miss You" and "Water Under The Bridge," which are more ambitious than the majority of the album, and don't play it quite as safe, either. Lead single "Hello" is the album's most memorable song, and one of the better ones. It was the perfect comeback song: because its opening lyric "Hello, it's me" made for a suitable, simple, effective return to the spotlight; because its chorus is bombastic and memorable; because it's thematically so relatable that anyone who hears it knows what it's like to stand where Adele is in this song. The song perfectly summarizes Adele's appeal in that it is so simple (but not basic) that there is no one alive who cannot relate. Adele embodies the phrase "universal appeal," which can just as easily be rephrased as "middle of the road."
Score: 67
Essential Tracks: "Hello," "I Miss You," "Water Under The Bridge."
Future Smashes: any of them, because the hype around her name won't allow for failure.
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Member Since: 9/16/2011
Posts: 50,981
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Achilles. Reviews
Albums
Songs
I wish I could go back and lower my Sun / Flawless / Anaconda scores. 
Oh, and Alex, I never replied to the PM you sent me in April inviting me to be a top critic. If the offer's still open, I'm definitely interested! (Still have the PM in my inbox if you don't recall sending it). 
I'd like to request Album of the Year Blue Neighborhood for the next review.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 4/24/2011
Posts: 8,547
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Will post my Art Angels review soon.
Honestly, TRF.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 4/24/2011
Posts: 8,547
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Extended due to reviews still coming in! 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Justin Bieber - Purpose
*Unofficial*
Members
Score 77
3 reviews (2 positive, 1 mixed)
Top Critics
Score 57
1 review (1 mixed)
Overall Score
71.8
4 reviews (2 positive, 2 mixed)
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Adele - 25
Members
Score 76
9 reviews (7 positive, 2 mixed)
Top Critics
Score 65
5 reviews (3 positive, 2 mixed)
Overall Score
72.1
14 reviews (10 positive, 4 mixed)
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Grimes - Art Angels
Members
Score 87
5 reviews (5 positive)
Top Critics
Score 94
3 reviews (3 positive)
Overall Score
89.3
8 reviews (8 positive)
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 26,488
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Not Purpose being that close to Adele.
And IDK the difference between "Members" and "Top Critics"
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Quote:
Originally posted by J P O W
IDK the difference between "Members" and "Top Critics"
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This quick conversation sums up the purpose behind the TC score:
Quote:
Originally posted by KillingYourCareer
I'm starting to think we shouldn't count stan reviews. I mean. The 10/10s for one album in particular reviewed a few weeks ago were all blatantly and completely biased reviews from diehard stans. And obviously, I would have a hard time being objective reviewing a Katy Perry album, since she's my fave  |
Quote:
Originally posted by ClarksonSlays
I mean there's a whole lot of biased reviews in here, which is why the Top Critic score makes more sense imo.
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Quote:
Originally posted by KillingYourCareer
One more thing, who are the top critics and how did they achieve that status?
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Quote:
Originally posted by alexanderao
I came up with the concept for a top critics panel late last year with the help of a few others. The purpose of the TC panel is to provide a more unbiased score (because, as we all know, the overall score can occasionally become tainted with bias).
Basically, what I'm looking for in a TC is someone who writes frequent, objective, well-thought-out reviews. People join the panel via personal invitations from me (or they can send me a PM to submit themselves for my consideration). There are currently 8 people on the panel.
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The Top Critic score was just designed as an alternative to the former Modscore. The most important score (in my opinion, at least), the overall score, is the one I display in the title of the thread and the one that best reflects ATRL's overall opinion on a single or album.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 4,602
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Quote:
Originally posted by KillingYourCareer
Adele
25
7/10
After her previous monster era, 21, Adele found love and promised us a happy album. She clearly changed her mind, since her new album is as similar as it gets to her previous one. But the music is good, so we can't really complain about it.
On 25, Adele recycles the soul ballad formula we got five years ago on 21. The overall sound and lyrics of her new album show more maturity, and this is the best part of her new record. She isn't an extraordinary songwriter, but she did manage to put a few memorable lyrics on the album.
The main downside is her voice. She sounds lazy or bored in several parts. Some songs sound like they were almost entirely screamed, which is such a pity if we think about how much more her vocal talent was showcased on 21 and 19.
 | 1. Hello
The album's lead single. A great emotional vocal performance with great lyrics and an instantly catchy sound. 9/10
2. Send My Love (To Your New Lover)
Something completely new for Adele. A fresh, summery song with a bit of nostalgia in it. 9/10
3. I Miss You
After a long, unnecessary intro, we find a bored Adele singing over music we've already heard at least five times in her repertoire. 4.5/10
4. When We Were Young
An emotional open letter to her lover. It's a nice ballad, but it doesn't have much to offer other than a well written chorus. 5/10
5. Remedy
An outstanding ballad on 25, beautifully written and with an amazing emotional delivery. 8/10
6. Water Under the Bridge
The minimalistic production totally fits this song with a catchy chorus, but Adele seems to have enunciation problems on it. 7.5/10
7. River Lea
A quite forgettable song with a repetitive chorus. Not a filler at all, though, as it doesn't sound bad on th album. 6.5/10
8. Love in the Dark
A very uneventful song of which there are at least five or six better versions in Adele's discography. 3.5/10
9. Million Years Ago
This song's lyrics make it sound like it's the most personal Adele wrote for 25. It could make anyone feel nostalgic about anything. 9.5/10
10. All I Ask
This one is such a desperate song. It's a sad piano ballad with vocals that might come off as a bit too loud. 6/10
11. Sweetest Devotion
Its retro sound and Adele's relaxed voice make the happiest song of the album also its best one. 10/10 |
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Quote:
Originally posted by Nicole
Adele -- 25
Celine Dion meets Nicholas Sparks on Adele's manufactured third album, which is meant to recount her experiences at the age of 25 but, despite some major changes in her life (motherhood, having a partner of four years), feels like a retread of 21. Cliches abound (Water Under the Bridge, Remedy, When Were Were Young) as Adele veers dangerously close to Glenn Close/Fatal Attraction territory in her ongoing pursuit of her long-gone lover. You can't fault her for giving the public what it wants, but you can't call her a great artist either. For the past four years we've been fed the idea that Adele is different from the rest of the industry, a beacon of hope and a symbol of authenticity. Nothing says different and authentic like a Max Martin/Shellback track.
This album smells like fear. The stench of flop sweat is never more rancid than on Remedy. When the world seems so cruel, and your heart makes you feel like a fool I promise that I will be, I will be your remedy...I don't have anything to say about those lyrics other than  . They speak for themselves. Once the hoopla over 25's sales subsides and people see this album for what it really is, time will not be kind it.
Her powerful, booming voice is the sole savior here. 2/5
*The smoky and seductive I Miss You should become a single.
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Those two review should not count, cause they are completely biased and the reviewer don't know what they talking about. anybody that really listen to adele discography know killingyourcarrer is trolling in a lot of her point, are you really stating that adele have multiple song like i miss you in her discography, i need recipe please. The other one is just jealous hateful troll, that make no B] valid[/B] point [whatsoever.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 43,104
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I just finished a review for Troye's album so that should be next plz!
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
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Quote:
Originally posted by alexanderao
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what's on to be reviewed currently? or are you waiting for requests?
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
what's on to be reviewed currently? or are you waiting for requests?
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Nothing's up for review as of right now, so I'm just waiting for requests.
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Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
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Idk maybe it would be a good idea to pause this until Best Of is over? Since that's gonna take up most people's time
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
Idk maybe it would be a good idea to pause this until Best Of is over? Since that's gonna take up most people's time
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There's still a week until Best Of starts, so we probably still have enough time to do a single.
It would have to get started really soon, though. I don't want this overlapping with Best Of and understand your concern.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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Quote:
Originally posted by nuclear
Those two review should not count, cause they are completely biased and the reviewer don't know what they talking about. anybody that really listen to adele discography know killingyourcarrer is trolling in a lot of her point, are you really stating that adele have multiple song like i miss you in her discography, i need recipe please. The other one is just jealous hateful troll, that make no B] valid[/B] point [whatsoever.
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what the **** are you talking about I have all her albums  I gave her 7/10, it's a POSITIVE review. If you feel like everyone should think her album is flawless then you're clearly biased. You can keep the recipe.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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I request Troye's album too by the way!
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Member Since: 8/7/2015
Posts: 16,101
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Quote:
Originally posted by KillingYourCareer
what the **** are you talking about I have all her albums I gave her 7/10, it's a POSITIVE review. If you feel like everyone should think her album is flawless then you're clearly biased. You can keep the recipe. |
Yeah. That user is way off base.
Nicole's review, though.....awful, but whatever.
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