Adele - Hello

"21" was kind of a big deal. It basically tapped into just about everyone. Heck, in 2011 I basically exclusively listened to rock & The Weeknd, and I wound up buying the album amidst the hype. And I still rate it very highly, not just for how much I like it, but I also just admire how proficiently Adele could adapt to all those different demographics while still making a cohesive album statement in the process (and thus appealing to those who are after a cohesive album statement!).

But success sets itself up for failure. Ideally you want to tap into the same market you did the last time, but that's so impractical; doing the same thing twice provides inevitable diminishing returns, but doing something different alienates others in the process. But the industry needed Adele, as her success was a significant shot to the arm showing there is still life to the industry. It's no surprise that Adele took quite a while off after "21". After all, how do you follow that up? Is it even possible?!

Here's where "Hello" comes into the picture. Adele's first new single in 3 years and the lead single to "25". Even before the song was released and all that was out was a short teaser, it was immediately apparent to me what angle Adele was taking with it. In essence, it's about reconciling with her "21" muse, but simultaneously, she's talking directly to the audience. After all, "21" came out quite a while ago, and no matter what sort of success you get, there is no guarantee it will perpetuate, something that I'm constantly reminded of by the fact that in 2008, Adele was merely playing second fiddle to Duffy in the blue-eyed soul stakes, but on their next albums, things were so incredibly shifted the other way around.

So that's my favourite thing about "Hello" I think. The way it can break the fourth wall to tell two different stories (that are both very relevant for Adele) with the same words. If I were to have a gripe, it would be that it is a bit on-the-nose about ticking the boxes for the vast majority of her audience. They want to hear her voice and by gum they're going to get it!

Don't get me wrong, I like Adele's voice and she really is impressively distinctive with her belting tones, but I think the mix isn't exceptionally handled. I had concerns going into "25" that it would be a persistent problem, which fortunately it's not, but I just can't help but think she sounds a bit too loud and in your face in this song.

I still quite the song though. It's quite catchy, and for all I say about the inevitable showiness of the track, it's at least paced quite well with that so it's done in a rewarding fashion. I guess my inevitable feeling is 'It's no "Rolling In The Deep"', but then what is? I still think the song pretty effectively accomplishes what it sets out to do, even if *my* best interests aren't necessarily being sought.