Adele - 30

source: adele.com

the words to describe what happens when I listen to Adele’s latest album have failed to reach me. it’s increasingly rare for me to sit down and do nothing but listen to a musician’s album in its entirety, in the order they intended it to be heard. with 30, as soon as I hit play on Friday morning I was transfixed. my attention span, which notoriously plays hard-to-get, was stunned, held and inflated by each of the 12 songs in a way that caught me off guard.

when my little love came on my feelings were suddenly undressed by every word and before i knew it, i was wiping away tears. i don’t know if i can go as far to say a song has never made me cry on its own before this - unattached to a music video or poignant scene in a TV show or film - but i want to as i can’t recall any. its honesty and openness broke me so unexpectedly i couldn’t help but surrender and be in awe of how she described a state of mind similar to one i know too well.

my relief when cry your heart started playing next had my energy levels climbing back up. and then when i clocked the title of the song, laughter found me. i immediately knew i had found two of the songs that will define my next year. i’m yet to listen to them individually on repeat, rather i’ve been replaying the entire album and savouring them when they come up. that’s not to say i don’t love the others - there isn’t a single song i skip. easy on me, oh my god, i drink wine, woman like me & to be loved have strong hold on me too.

usually, with songs, the lyrics are not the first thing that fall in love with but with every single song on 30, the words greeted me first. it was like i was listening to an old friend who i hadn’t seen or spoken to fill me in on everything they’ve been up to since we last met. they also made me go back to the days of chasing pavements & hometown glory to remember the journey we’ve been on til now and my god the woman is talented. i’m not at the point where i’m reading or listening to every interview she’s done about 30 but i have a tab dedicated to the ones i’ve come across for when i’m ready. right now, i’m happy to continue sitting in my room, staring at nothing in particular and hearing a genius be great and share how she’s found herself again.

source: adele.com