Why I Love Adele (And Why It's Pretty Much Impossible Not To)

Because Adele on vinyl is the next best thing to her singing live;
Photo taken at my home of my turntable and vinyl copy

I can say with much certainty, I'll never forget when I bought this album.  It wouldn't be surprising for anyone to admit that it's not common to remember exactly when you bought a certain album - be it a cassette tape, CD, or vinyl record - unless it had a personal impact on your life at the time.  Well, in my case this album (it was a CD version, by the way) did just that.

I had returned back to the United States after a six month deployment with the Navy, finding myself disassociated at what had happened in the world; such as, 

What movies have come out, what music is on the radio now!? 

As someone who enjoys keeping up on that sort of thing, I was completely lost.  I had reserved a hotel room that evening before flying out the next morning to visit family, and I decided I needed to venture out and find out all that I had been missing.  Adele's 21 album had been released and something told me that I had to have it; as if it would fill the void of everything I had missed while at sea.

And, it certainly did. The only thing I can't remember is how many times I played that album, sitting alone in my hotel room thinking, 

I am not alone, after all. 

This past weekend Adele's follow-up album 25 was released, and it's (not surprisingly) exceeding predicted record sales.  It's an incredible accomplishment for any recording artist, especially for one that's around the same age as yours truly.  It's not difficult to understand why so many have come to relate, to adore, and to feel connected to Adele's music; her honesty is so clearly conveyed through every single song.  

It is that honesty that I feel, and that I believe, is why we all have relished in seeing her career soar.  Her ability to create such beautiful music that reflects her personal experiences, as well as her willingness to share it with the world, is why it's impossible not to love her.  

As vivid as I can today with 25, just as I had listening to 21 in my hotel room years ago, I can identify with all the emotions she flawlessly puts into her music; emotions that I struggle to even put into words.  

In relating to her music through each of her albums, 

we too grow up along with it.  

Hello, Adele;

 It's so nice to have you back. 

Four years is a long time to be off the airwaves;
Cover art from 21, photo taken by Lauren Dukoff for XL Recordings & Columbia Records