MOG

It can’t be easy when you’re hailed as the new someone-who’s-still-around. It bugs me as a listener  - The View were the new Kooks who were the new Arctic Monkeys, all before the Monkeys had a second album out. And is ‘the new Winehouse’ really a compliment?

Adele doesn’t seem to mind, though presumably because the comparison is more to do with musical styles than an accusation of being volatile, unreliable and on drugs. The London born 20 year old, whose debut album, ‘19’ hit US shelves on June 10th (though it’s been out in the UK since January) is one of a number of so-called ‘Blue Eyed Soul’ singers, particularly female ones, who have been emerging from the UK in recent years, including Duffy, Katie Melua and the proverbial 500 lb. gorilla, Amy Winehouse.

"The whole album is about being between 18 and 19, about love," she told the [London] Times. "It’s quite a sad album, with songs about being cheated on and not getting what you want." This is something of an understatement when you consider that the album kicks off with ‘Daydreamer’, a song about her bisexual ex-boyfriend who left for another man. The lyrics are, as the name suggests, dreamy – "But I will find him sittin’ on my doorstep/Waiting for the surprise" – it’s not an ‘I Will Survive’ good-riddance type song; it’s an ‘I miss you’ song – she’s dreaming of the day he comes home.

Okay – we have to get it out of the way, seeing as every other article about Adele mentions it – she’s not what you’d call waif-like. I’d read this before ever seeing a picture of her and was expecting someone resembling a cartoon opera singer. She wavers, apparently between a size 14 and 16 (16, in fact, is the UK average). So she’s not Keira Knightley, but she’s not that guy from Bowling For Soup, either.

Lyrically, yes, it’s not the happiest album out there. First single ‘Chasing Pavements’ is about not running away from problems; ‘Best For Last’ is almost a love-song to futility ("Why is it everytime I think I've tried my hardest/It turns out it ain't enough cause you're still not mentioning love"). The album also includes a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel My Love'.

Adele (Adkins, by the way) has made a name for apparently being influenced by the likes of Dusty Springfield and Etta James, although she’s quick to qualify that with her own preferences. "The difference between me and all the other girls out there at the moment is that I’m just writing pure love songs. I’m a pop girl," she told ‘The Sun’ in England. "Apart from a short stint of being into rock bands I was always into pure pop music. I love Destiny’s Child and The Spice Girls." Poppy as ‘19’ is, though, it’s a far, far cry from the girl bands she cites.

The album is a fine arrangement of jazz and soul influences with a distinctly 21st century spin. Drum and string and horn arrangements are expertly distilled into sharp and concise loops. Jim Abbiss and reigning production wünderkind Mark Ronson man the desks, and provide just the right polish to an already strong album.

The bluesy, jazzy tone of ‘19’ is different enough to grab your attention and hold it. There’s a quality to it that makes it sound like it should be heard through three cigarettes worth of smoke and a two martini buzz, ideally being sung from on top of a spot-lit piano. It won’t cheer you up. But it’s perfect for the times when you don’t want to be cheered up.

Tracklist:
1.    Daydreamer
2.    Best For Last
3.    Chasing Pavements
4.    Cold Shoulder
5.    Crazy For You
6.    Melt My Heart To Stone
7.    First Love
8.    Right As Rain
9.    Make You Feel My Love
10.    My Same
11.    Tired
12.    Hometown Glory

There’s also a version with a ‘Live At The Hotel Café’ Bonus Disc. Here’s what’s on it:
1.    Right As Rain
2.    Melt My Heart To Stone
3.    My Same
4.    That’s It, I Quit, I’m Moving On (Sam Cooke cover)
5.    Chasing Pavements

Finally, there's a set recorded for ‘Billboard’ Magazine, which you can see here.