Charles Jensen | Writer

Adele, 21

Music Math: ((Amy Winehouse + Duffy) – drama – disappointment) + heartache

Best Tracks: “Rolling in the Deep,” “Rumour Has It,” “Turning Tables,” “Someone Like You”

Representative Lyrics: “Bless your soul you got your head in the clouds / she made a fool out of you and she’s bringing you down”

Notes: It’s easy to see why this album tops most of the end of the year lists–it’s bold, fearless, honest, and most of all perfectly written and sung. The songs on 21 capture what Marianne Moore said about art: that it is most universal when it is most subjective. By pouring her own experience into this album, Adele creating something everyone can identify with–and her voice, so beautiful, carries the rest.

Beau’s Critique: