Review: Adele - Easy On Me
So much of modern popular music is driven by spectacle, virality, and artifice. At the same time, few of the remaining artists driven by actuality have the musical skill to drive their work. Between this chaos, Adele's rise is understandable. Her music was always personal, often even about real issues and break-ups in her life. At the same time, her voice and songs never fail to provide chills. Regardless of taste in genre, it is hard to deny that Rolling in the Deep and Hello are some of the greatest songs of the 2010s so far. Both still are on weekly listens for me.
Now, Adele's next album 30 is only a month or so away. Like Korean singer IU, Adele's songs follow a story as she slowly grows older, and are about what she experienced at that time. Easy On Me is her pre-release single from the upcoming album and should paint a general picture of what to expect.
So, does Easy On Me live up to the best Adele classics? No, not even close. Is it a strong track? Absolutely. Adele remains a fantastic lyricist, with one of the opening lines, 'I know there is hope in this river, but I can't bring myself to swim when I am drowning in silence'. This line is my personal favorite in a list of highlights.
Musically, Easy On Me is a piano ballad. This style is a dime a dozen these days. However, Adele's voice drives the song with a love with melodic heartbreak, along with a level of nostalgia and hope. The chords are simple but never boring.
The melody is strong, even if a little simple. The chorus feels like a loopback, pulling back, rather than exploding. It may initially seem a little underwhelming, but it remains highly impactful. The melody is catchy while sticking close to the theme.
If there is one thing I wish the song truly did differently, it would be that it really leads to nothing. I understand that is not the aim of the song, but Hello stuck true to its theme, but had a clear story and climax. Easy On Me does not have a definitive ending.
Nonetheless, Easy On Me is a strong return for the modern legend that is Adele. I just hope to see her provide more variation in her next release.
Completely agree!
ReplyDeleteGlad you do!
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