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Special Event: atrlcritic | Ed Sheeran's new songs after the upgrade
Member Since: 8/7/2015
Posts: 578
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So excited! I just posted my first review! Hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I definitely need to do this more!
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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 464
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Adele, 25
Adele long-awaited third studio albums finally arrived, and I can’t get enough of it. It isn’t perfect, objectively, but for me it really is. But I’m going to write this review really dispassionately.
I find 25 to be really different from the singer’s first two works, 19 and the iconic 21. Regarding the sound, she takes some risks with tracks as “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” or “River Lea”, and she succeeds, even if the former isn’t by any means one of the album’s best tracks (probably the lowest in my ranking, but it’s absolutely not a bad track, it’s a good one indeed).
She doesn’t change anything, but she evolves, and she does it in the most natural way ever. Particularly, her songwriting gets something adjusted, and her execution is more confident.
Clearly, the best cuts in here are the already classic “Hello”, “When We Were Young”, “ I Miss You”, “Million Years Ago”, “All I Ask” and “Sweetest Devotion”.
On “I Miss You”, she hands properly the big Epworth production, diving perfectly into it and offering some new sexy vibes. She hands perfectly also the other Epworth production, “Sweetest Devotion”, dedicated to her son, which is really sweet, well written and delivered, reminiscent of some 70s alt/pop/rock gems. That’s what it makes it one of the strongest songs.
We all know that ballads are what Adele does best – and she does it also this time around.
“Million Years Ago” is beautifully written, probably one of the best from this point (if not the best). It is melancholic and sad, heavenly sung by the British singer-songwriter, delivered as a mix of a French chanson with Spanish vibes.
“All I Ask” is one of my personal favourites, and makes me think of my loved “Turning Tables” from 21. It’s heartwreckingly beautiful, and she pushes it forward with the key change during the last chorus.
Another good cut is “Water Under The Bridge”, straight from the 80s flow that is going through the industry right now.
As for “Remedy”, it feels a little unoriginal to me, even if it’s really sweet.
Last but not least, “Love In The Dark” is a really good song, but it could have been better, because it feels like it builds but then it brings to little more than nothing.
25 is really one of my favourite albums in some years. Adele is a diva whose strength is not the vocal range, but the delivery, and she shows it here. No one can sing this songs like she does, because in this album she is singing every word like it’s the last she can sing.
SCORE: 8.8/10
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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All three albums currently up for review will end a week from today.
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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I'd like to return here and start with Art Angels I just wish/hope that people are not as mean as in the beginning when the opinion didn't match the general one. For instance, I don't really enjoy Grimes' voice at all, but I'd like to give the album a try Hopefully you will be kind with me and my review
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 8,324
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alexandro my review better be counted
I didn't spend 2 hours, while doing it all over again bc 522'd for it not to be counted
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Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rimo
alexandro my review better be counted
I didn't spend 2 hours, while doing it all over again bc 522'd for it not to be counted
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you changed your name
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 26,488
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| SONG TITLE
01. Mark My Words
02. I'll Show You
03. What Do You Mean?
04. Sorry
05. Love Yourself
06. Company
07. No Pressure
08. No Sense
09. The Feeling
10. Life Is Worth Living
11. Where Are U Now
12. Children
13. Purpose
14. Been You
15. Get Used To It
16. We Are
17. Trust
18. All In it
| SCORE
5.0
6.5
8.0
10.0
4.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
6.5
3.5
9.0
7.5
4.0
8.0
6.5
5.5
5.0
3.5
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JPOW'S MC SCORE - 6 / 10
The potential was definitely here for a great album, however it didn't seem like the momentum carried throughout the album well. Some of the songs were duds that killed off that momentum and it would take a few extra songs to get it back up to speed. Editing a few of the songs out and reorganizing the track list a little would have really made this album spectacular.
Song by Song Review
Mark My Words - I guess it does the job of being an intro, but Justin's voice can verge on being too whiney and it's definitely too whiney here and after listening to I'll Show You I can't even remember how this went.
I'll Show You - This is more what I expected from this album, and would have rather had this as the intro instead of Mark My Words. It doesn't feel like it went anywhere though for an actual track.
What Do You Mean? - pretty solid bop, it was a really good leeway from his Skrillex/Diplo feature to his album when it came out. On the album it sounds good but not super outstanding
Sorry - probably the best male pop song of the year tbh. I stan hard for this.
Love Yourself - these lyrics are awful I can see how this is super accessible to a lot of people, but it sounds too much like Ed and Ed is awful. Also, coming after the holy bop that is Sorry, it really stands out as a dud.
Company - this is more like it! I don't see this track being strong enough for a single release ever, but it's a very strong album track and sounds more like what I expect from him.
No Pressure (ft. Big Sean) - it's cute, and Big Sean's feature is nice, but it's not outstanding in anyway.
No Sense (ft. Travi$ Scott) - I'm started to get tired and this song doesn't help. This sounds like an attempt to be less pop and more R&B and it doesn't work IMO.
The Feeling (ft. Halsey) - As much as I don't like the pop Lana wannabe, this song is a little bit of a bop.
Life Is Worth Living - at this point I'm kinda over the album and to hear Justin try to sing a slow inspirational song is not working for me.
Where Are Ü Now - I love this song tbh, I was always pressed that this song became Skrillex/Diplo's US hit instead of the Kiesza song though. This song comes at a perfect time when I feel like I'm done with this album and it puts some life in the album again.
Children - not "What about the Children?" The introduction to this song is absolutely awful, but it picks up pretty well. The breakdown is an absolute JAM I wish his lyrics weren't so try hard here though. If he wasn't talking absolute nonsense, this would be close to a 10 IMO.
Purpose - Justin shouldn't do slow songs like this. He's not Adele, he can't pull of just his voice and a piano.
Been You - This is pretty good Justin does better when he's not trying to change the world with his songs and is just making music about a relationship or a romantic person. This is one of the strongest tracks I haven't heard before.
Get Used To It - Very Weeknd-esque. Sounds good on him. Nothing stands out on this track as excellent though, but it's solid.
We Are (ft. Nas) - I guess this is okay. It bores me though.
Trust - It sounds VERY dated. Not his best.
All In It - I think you can all tell I'm over this album now. These last three songs all blend together, they aren't horrific but they're not quite good and nothing stands out about any three of them. WAIT that was until the spoken word about giving God all the recognition. Went from a 5 to a 3.5 with that crap.
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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Flying through Grimes' artistic piece
| The album I'd like to review, as you may well see, is "Art Angels" by none other than the extremely creative artist, Grimes. While I'm not a huge fan of this type of creativity, looking more for big vocals and emotional pieces off work, I decided to give it a try and I can say I was not disappointed at all. What is particularly surprising and admirable about this album is that it was solely written and produced by Grimes herself, who was looking for the most creative beats in doing this piece of work.
The album is based on her desire of basically living a happier, healthier life by getting rid of the harmful people she was surrounded in the studios, for instance. What is to mention is that she had also scrapped an album, a continuation of "Visions" in order to do this album. Speaking of the songs, I'm afraid that I don't know for certain whether they are memorable or not, since this was purposed to be a whole body of work, but between the highlights we can mention an extraordinary intro with "laughing and not being normal", or the clear favourite "Kill V. Maim", as well as the incredible feature with Janelle Monae, "Venus Fly" (the other feature on the album being by Aristophanes, mentioned on the third track - SCREAM).
Grimes has definitely put out a sort of "new pop", a more creative side of it, but her voice sadly brings it down for the non-average listener. However, it is listenable, catchy, exciting, colourful, (but still dark and weird) and maybe even the perfect album to start getting into this artist. What the album does is definitely to make you dance and enjoy the tracks one by one, being a true artistic adventure.
Although I sort of enjoyed the album, I must confess that it low-key isn't for me, but it is definitely a mesmerizing piece of work for the fans of such genre and it definitely is an album that you either like or don't. I am definitely glad I gave it a listen.
Recommended for the listeners of: Crystal Castles, iamamiwhoami, FKA Twigs, Sky Ferreira, M.I.A. (as suggested by last.fm) |
Score: 7.9/10
Track by Track review
1.laughing and not being normal - a cohesive, theatrical to say so intro that makes a perfect connection with the following track
2.California - not a totally impressive track in my opinion, especially compared to the rest of the album, but still catchy
3.SCREAM - probably one of the most inaudible ones, but still somehow related to the album
4.Flesh without Blood - naturally one of the most audible ones, on this side, considering it is the lead single and definitely one of the catchiest
5.Belly of the Beat - another piece that sadly does not compare with the rest of the album, as in it sounds a bit more filler-ish
6.Kill V. Maim - definitely one of the highlights here, a track I imagine that sounds superb in live concerts
7.Artangels - probably one of the growers; it features an infectious beat definitely perfect for the casual listener |
8.Easily - one of the more mainstream songs and probably the slowest one on a piece full of joyful work
9.Pin - not a bad track, but nothing to excellent either
10.Realiti - if I do remember well, the video had a different version, which I definitely find superior
11.World Princess part II - my personal favourite; extremely infectious and definitely the most outstanding song on the album
12.Venus Fly - a great feature; Janelle definitely brings life to the song
13.Life in the Vivid Dream - I'd say it is an unneeded track, but it goes on with the flow, I suppose
14.Butterfly - definitely adoring this house-ish ending track, which lets the listener relax after such a mixture of sounds |
Other reviews
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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I tried to think objectively with the help of the other reviews already written and I'm also going to try to put an emphasis on the positive things from now on, rather than the negative ones. I don't know if I'll really play this album again and again since it's far from being my favourite genre of music, but I can definitely see it is unique and a great, cohesive work.
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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What the age of 25 meant for Adele
| The album everyone was so curious to check this year is undoubtedly, Adele's "25", a personal reflection of past, present and future at the age of 25. The album was mostly recorded at her home place, which gives it an intimate feeling that any listener of "personal" music would enjoy.
The piece of work reviewed is mainly based on melancholy, self-reflection, nostalgia and motherhood, the latter one also being one of the main reasons Adele took a hiatus from music from 2011 up to now. She has also claimed that she had a writer's block, but, with the help of OneRepublic's frontman Ryan Tedder, and hit producer Greg Kurstin, she managed to overcome it. As we can well see, the record is trying to avoid the "heartbreak" theme, but sadly that can't happen totally. However, we clearly see a more mature Adele, who reflects on more serious things. We see sexiness in "I Miss You", the childhood theme in "Million Years Ago or the place of birth theme in "River Lea" and shall I even mention the outstanding vocal technique in "Hello" or the attempt of making a Taylor Swift-esque pop masterpiece in "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)". The star worked with many excellent producers such as: Greg Kurstin, Max Martin, Shellback, Paul Epworth, Tobias Jesso Jr., Ariel Rechtshaid, Ryan Tedder, Brian Burton, Samuel Dixon or The Smeezingtons, all famous for working with some of the biggest names in pop music.
As I said before, the main theme of the film finally focuses on Adele's life, yet it also delivers an universal feeling, therefore not being as personal as the previous "21". However, it is a great piece you can get from a singer-songwriter: a powerful, serious, cohesive piece of work. It is impressive how the singer managed to give this album a more airy feeling, with sonic elements of folk and pop, tropical rhythms (as found in "Water Under the Bridge", but still remaining minimal and emotional with the piece of work.
Although I definitely enjoyed it and I'll probably overplay it, I must confess that it feels boring and uninspired at times. What I mean is that it sounded mesmerizing the first two, three times, but now I just don't feel like playing it again. When I do, I however truly enjoy the record, but it still feels to me that some other singer-songwriters need to sell three million records instead of her.
Recommended for the listeners of: Duffy, Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Emeli Sande, Paloma Faith (as suggested by last.fm) |
Score: 9.5/10
Track by Track review
1.Hello - definitely a great track to bring us back Adele's comeback; powerful and emotional song which definitely makes all the non-fans buy it
2.Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - probably one of the tracks everyone argues about; definitely a more joyful side of Adele, which the radio is ready to eat up
3.I Miss You - a big, theatrical song, despite of its seductive theme; unpopular opinion, but I definitely like this track and, after "Hello" and "All I Ask", I think it's the biggest vocal delivery on the album
4.When We Were Young - one of the songs that capture the best this album's purpose - emotion; it blends all the themes perfectly and it definitely is a perfect choice for single number two
5.Remedy - another unpopular opinion but I definitely feel this is kind of uninspired and the filler of the album |
6.Water Under The Bridge - my personal favourite, maybe because of Kurstin's signature style on the song; it's definitely a fresh song after so many ballads and I feel that it would sound perfect on the radio
7.River Lea - a pretty good track, although thematically, it's not really the most relatable to the rest of "25"; fairly catchy and quite interestingly follows the pause from the extremely emotional ballads
8.Love in the Dark - just a cute ballad, but nothing exciting
9.Million Years Ago - it's the one time when the most minimal production is the most impressive one; it definitely captures best the nostalgia theme of the album
10.All I Ask - a great vocal and emotional showcase; very similar to "Turning Tables" |
11.Sweetest Devotion - here we can clearly see the motherhood theme; a great tune overall, reminding of Enya in some parts of the pre-chorus Other reviews
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 23,374
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Can I post my Art Angels review?
Quote:
Grimes – Art Angels
For dedicated fans of the quirky Canadian chanteuse, the three year wait between Grimes’ third studio album Visions and her newest release Art Angels must have been agonising. Luckily for myself, I only became enamoured with her this year and in the latter half of 2014, so the advent of the new album came around rather quickly in my opinion. We were teased with tracks such as “Go” and the euphoric “Realiti”, and rumours swirled that Grimes had scrapped an entire album’s worth of material due to being unhappy with its standard, and that she was starting completely afresh. Whether Art Angels is the result of an identity crisis or not, as a standalone album it is pretty fantastic.
In this review I will mention what I believe to be the standout tracks in the most detail.
The album begins with a stereotypically Grimes-esque introduction “laughing and not being normal”, complete with haunting operatic vocals and an insightful mix of strings and synths. While pleasant to listen to, I don't feel that it really captures the sound and vibe of the album, and Art Angels still begins perfectly enjoyably if this introduction is skipped over.
The first “proper” song on the album is “California”. Within the first few seconds it is immediately apparent that Art Angels is a significant departure from the style of her earlier work. In this track she sings more confidently and clearly than she has ever done before, her voice dancing over the country twang of guitars and an infectious beat sampled from Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay.”
“California” is followed by the album’s first single “Flesh without Blood.” It continues in the poppy guitar-driven uptempo style as the former track, and sets a tone of dismissiveness and of Grimes’ desire to rise above fickle and shallow people. It is already clear that this album consists of the artist’s “**** you” to those who would try to pigeonhole her and tell her who she should be as a musician. "Flesh” is just as infectious as “California”, and it's repetitive catchy beat ensures that it will receive many more plays from me.
Other tracks such as “Belly of the Beat” and “Artangels” really show the cohesiveness that Grimes is striving for, combining folk quirks with electronic nuances.
The cohesiveness is disrupted however, by the placement of “Kill vs. Maim”, a crazy number which has already become a fan favourite. Obviously inspired by Asian electronic pop, track has relentless hooks and fearless vocals guaranteed to get people moving.
Another audibly dissimilar track is “Venus Fly.” Featuring Janelle Monae, this song is aggressive and proud, reminiscent of the work of Azealia Banks and FKA Twigs, ideal for vogueing in underground parking lots.
The album’s highlight for me is the powerful “World Princess II”. The darkest song on the album, “World Princess”s chorus consists of Grimes screaming “it’s mine!” repeatedly as the beats hammer home and dark synths play out a melancholy melody.
A few weeks after the album's release, I still find myself unable to come to a decision on my opinion of “Realiti”. I fell in love with the demo, considering it the best song of 2015, and so I had trouble warming to this new incarnation on the album. I can only assume Grimes believed the demo to be too boring, and decided to stretch out the song with extra ghostly vocals and a stop and start production. I will admit that the album version is more powerful than the demo, but I am glad I can still enjoy the latter as Grimes was kind enough to include it on the physical version.
The album ends with the emotional “Butterfly”, where it reverts back to the sound of the album's first few tracks. Grimes’ vocals have a wistful tone to them, where she playfully sings “I will never be your dream girl” perfectly summarising what the entire album is about: Don't try to tell Grimes who she is.
My overall thoughts about Art Angels is that it is one of the strongest pop albums of the year. Grimes should be commended for creating the album almost entirely with her own talents, and she is pushing the boat out for female artists who make catchy pop. Fans who preferred the cold and distant singer on Visions may have issue with Art Angels, but on this album I love how beautiful and confident she sounds. She has a strong personality, but still manages to include artistry and creativity on a pop album.
The tracklist could perhaps have been reshuffled slightly to create a better flow, and filler-ish tracks such as “Pin” and “Easily” need not have been included, but overall this album is close to flawless. I don't rate “Scream” at all, but I can admit that it would keep fans of the old Grimes happy at least.
If Art Angels is a sign of Grimes becoming a whole new artist, then I am very excited for what the future holds for her.
Overall Score: 9/10. Impressive stuff.
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Banned
Member Since: 11/24/2009
Posts: 61,404
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Edit: my "25" album review was under 150 words. Will have to add to it and post later!
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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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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Member Since: 8/6/2015
Posts: 5,766
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Grimes, Art Angels
Despite never having the commercial success she fairly deserved, it's hard to say Grimes is an underrated artist. Since the beginning of her career she's not only been widely critically acclaimed but also had plenty of dedicated fans who searched for something more than negligible little bops. However, something was clearly not going her way during the Art Angels recording sessions. Firstly, she released Go (allegedly a Rihanna reject) to negative response from her followers, and then she scrapped the entire project, starting working on something completely new. Now that the album has been out for nearly a month - has Claire lived up to the hype and the high expectations?
Art Angels is definitely a departure from the sound of Grimes' previous work. The songs are much more accessible, not so experimental and easy to get into. While you needed to listen to, for instance, Visions many times to finally appreciate it, Art Angels will probably hit you right at the first listen. That said, Boucher did not become a pop girl or anything like that. Her new tracks are somehow radio- and GP-friendly but she did not give up on experimenting and stayed true to herself as an artist.
The record is a real journey through different styles, genres, experiments and inspirations. From the reggae-influenced California (it even samples... Pon de Replay by Rihanna and actually could've worked as another ANTi single) and Easily, which has possibly the most commercial appeal of the 14 songs, to the darker World Princess, Pt. II and the aggressive Venus Fly (featuring queen Janelle Monáe). It might seem like she's doing too much, trying too hard but actually she managed to keep the balance. After the crazy, insanely catchy fan favourite Kill V. Main she tones down with the title track, one of the most subtle moments on the longplay; a similar case to following the oriental SCREAM (the best song on the album, Aristophanes nailed it!) by the relatively simple Flesh without Blood. It would also be a sin to forget the closing track, Butterfly, the carefree, feel-good bop which is truly one of the best pop songs of the year. Interestingly, the weakest link is REALiTi, a track which definitely did not improve from its demo version.
I must admit I wasn't feeling Art Angels on my first, second or even tenth listen. However, it always seemed like a record which would grow on me and turn out to be rewarding in a longer run. And I was right! I could recommend Claire's new longplay to basically everyone. A mainstream music lover will find some really great pop songs, a fan of more sophisticated and complex sound will for sure find at least one or two moments for himself, and I don't even need to add Grimes' stans will be in heaven. It's probably not as fantastic as Visions but who cares when it's such a pleasant record on its own?
Rate: 8/10
Highlights: SCREAM, Butterfly, World Princess Pt. II, Kill V. Maim
Lowlights: REALiTi
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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1 more day for all three albums.
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Member Since: 4/4/2014
Posts: 17,141
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Requesting Love, Sax & Flashbacks (Fleur East)
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Member Since: 4/4/2014
Posts: 17,141
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Quote:
Originally posted by alexanderao
Little Mix - Get Weird
*Unofficial*
Members
Score 82
3 reviews (3 positive)
Top Critics
N/A
0 reviews
Overall Score
82.2
3 reviews (3 positive)
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Unofficial but slay queens
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Member Since: 8/7/2015
Posts: 16,101
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How much time do I have to post a review for 25?
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Member Since: 8/7/2015
Posts: 16,101
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25
1. Hello - I loved how she described this song as a perfect comeback single. The opening line strikes you right away, and even after having no music from her in years, you instantly recognize her voice. This lack of rhyme in this song actually makes me like it more, because it feels less forced, and more natural of a story that she is telling us. Her voice carries this song, and can make even the happiest of people feel like they just had their heart ripped out. - 9/10
2. Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - This was such a surprise to hear from Adele, but at the same time, it fits perfectly with her. This Max Martin collaboration does not let down. I'm glad that this didn't go in the overly pop-route like Max tends to do with Taylor and Katy. This song stayed true to Adele's aesthetic. - 9/10
3. I Miss You - The production on this track is one of the best on the album. The opening alone shows that, even though it does drag on a little too much. The chorus is captivating. - 8/10
4. When We Were Young - A great follow up single to Hello. I love how she crafts this song like she is an old woman looking back at her past with nostalgia, but she is only 27. The build up in this song is so perfectly done, as well. - 8.5/10
5. Remedy - This Ryan Tedder ballad is a highlight on the album, and one of my personal favorites. It makes sense, being that Turning Tables was my favorite off her previous album, 21, which was also co-written with Tedder. This declaration of love isn't just meant for a lover, it's meant for her family, her friends, anyone who she cares deeply about. The strength of conviction in her voice is like home, warm and comforting. - 10/10
6. Water Under The Bridge - This song was an instant favorite the moment I heard the opening. What also made me fall in love with this song was Adele's explanation behind it, the importance of overcoming obstacles in a relationship, and letting go of them after they've been hurdled. The lyrics and melody of the verses and chorus. along with the production of the song, make it an instant radio hit. This is a future #1 waiting to happen. - 10/10
7. River Lea - I don't know if it's because this came on right after Water Under The Bridge, but it just felt like one of the weaker tracks on the album. That being said, the production on this song is so well done. The jungle vibe goes perfectly with the theme of the river and water. - 7/10
8. Love in the Dark - This tragic ballad of having to end a relationship is definitely a tear jerker. The opening violin is beautiful, and the opening line pack a wallop of emotion. Her voice really shines on this track during the verses. - 8/10
9. Million Year Ago - I was really excited for this song, because it seemed to be a favorite among other listeners, but for me it was a bit of a let down. The song really drags on and on for me. There are moments of brilliance in the chorus, but overall it just doesn't really inspire me. - 6.5/10
10. All I Ask - Watching your relationship slowly fall apart is not a pleasant experience. In this heart wrenching ballad, she wants to at least leave the relationship on good terms, something that she will look fondly upon in the future when she reflects on it. The most striking lyrics comes in the last line of the chorus "what if I never love again?" Her doubt on finding future love makes it even more important for her to feel one last moment of true love in this relationship, in case she is never able to have that moment again. - 9.5/10
11. Sweetest Devotion - Adele may be known for her sad ballads, but she can deliver on a beautiful love song, as well. The explosive chorus on this song left me awestruck after my first listen. The folksy production on this song give it a very bright and happy sound. It makes for a perfect closer for the album. - 8/10
Overall Score: 85/100
This is a very successful effort from Adele, and an incredible follow up to 21. She's a shoe-in for the 2017 Grammys. Adele really experimented with different sounds in production in this album, and they mostly paid off. At the same time, she stayed true to her simple artistry. This record breaking album is very deserving of all its acclaim.
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Banned
Member Since: 11/24/2009
Posts: 61,404
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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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