Adele has unleashed ’30’ – her fourth studio album.
Led by the ballad ‘Easy On Me,’ the set sees Adele exploring themes of motherhood as well as divorce.
That Grape Juice has been spinning the LP since its release. Join us below to find out which five tracks are essential on ’30.’
Love Is A Game
‘Love Is A Game’ acts as a mirror of sorts, reflecting Adele’s own flaws. With string arrangements harkening back to the big band era, she is able to create a lush tune that could have stood the test of time had it been created back then. While the song essentially acts as the album’s closing credits, it nonetheless stands among some of the best material on the project.
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My Little Love
There is a raw humanistic aspect to this track that makes it among the best. Perhaps it is the ghostly voice messages intertwined into the tune, or the slow-burning production that casts echoes across the tune, or perhaps it is both. Either way, the song stands as a painfully raw moment that retains the intimacy of a conversation between a mother and her son. While we may feel trapped by confessions, Adele finds the freedom in them, liberating herself. Bold, yet beautiful, Adele’s pen game is as sharp as ever on this track.
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Easy On Me
There are few moments when artists are able to leave the listener speechless. That occurred after the first listen to ‘Easy On Me.’ Effective at helping to open the album, it helps to prepare the listener for the heartbreak that is set to follow. Make no mistake there are very raw feelings here, and she puts them on full-display, breaking hearts with each word. Beautifully devastating, nobody can capture heartbreak quite like Adele.
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Oh My God
A stark contrast to the rest of the album lyrically and in the production, ‘Oh My God’ stands as one of the few upbeat tunes of her career. All about temptation, the thumping stomps help to accentuate the siren calls in the background, as she lets her voice loose and it beckons toward satisfaction in the conclusion. While the song may be all about teetering on the edge of heaven and hell, there is truly something otherworldly about, something truly divine.
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I Drink Wine
Not your average drinking song, the song is able to transcend beyond a trope, and into the best song on the album. Just like the drink itself, this song is somewhat bitter, with Adele fermenting in her emotions. However, what really adds the flavor is the realistic approach she has to her age and her perspective. While it makes a home here on ’30,’ the song would have easily fit on ’21,’ truly speaking to its legendary status.
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Do you agree with our picks?