Vocal music has changed in the last few decades. The advent of digital music production and programs like Auto−Tune has made it a lot easier to turn a mediocre vocal performance into a good one through various techniques. While this might make a few people cynical, there are still some reliable benchmarks for judging the talent of a singer without worrying about alterations his or her work might receive in the studio. Live performances have always been one of the best criteria for judging talent, and Adele's latest live album, "Adele Live at The Royal Albert Hall," shows she has it in spades.
Adele made her name at a young age with "19" (2008), her commercially and critically successful debut. Critics and fans everywhere were dazzled by Adele's remarkably mature vocals and her nuanced delivery, as well as her considerable songwriting skills. "Live at The Royal Albert Hall" confirms all of the traits that Adele showcased on her studio records. Her vocal performances on this live LP often outshine her performances on the studio takes, showing how well she reacts to the enthusiastic response she gets from the audience.
Though all of the songs throughout "Live at The Royal Albert Hall" are great, it is hard to separate their quality from the strength Adele's vocals imbue them with. One can hardly imagine "My Same" without Adele's sultry, breathy delivery. Even though the song itself is compelling, its true value is in giving Adele a springboard for her vocal talents. This trend dominates the entire album, as Adele's striking presence charges every song with an energy it couldn't possess under the purview of other singers.
"Live at The Royal Albert Hall" also shows how versatile Adele's vocal approach is. Throughout the album, she effortlessly blends soul, gospel, blues, smoky jazz numbers and even folk. Despite the power of her vocals, Adele always tones back her voice to match the quieter numbers. It's obvious that she cares more about giving a nuanced performance than wowing the audience with her voice, which must be a temptation given her abilities. It's refreshing to hear singers with that "diva" quality showing some restraint in their delivery. It only takes a few listens to the hyper−melismatic styles of singers like Christina Aguilera before one doubts if she's singing to make her audience happy or just to impress herself.
With all this praise in mind, "Live at The Royal Albert Hall" still has some shortcomings. The order of tracks on the album is not always the most streamlined, with a few redundant song choices.
While Adele generally does a good job of keeping the flow of the concert mixed up and refreshing by pairing more energetic songs with slower ballads, there a few points in the concert that lag a little bit.
The last quarter of the album favors softer songs a little too much, giving the concert a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion. Even though this might not be the best way for such a good album to conclude, it doesn't diminish the quality of the record as a whole too adversely.
All in all, "Live at The Royal Albert Hall" is one of Adele's best offerings. It features great renditions of songs from both of her studio albums, giving Adele fans and newcomers a great summary of her work to date. For fans of Adele's music and gospel, bluesy vocal tunes, this album should certainly fit the bill.
If Adele continues on this trajectory, she could produce some of the greats of the genre within the next few years. She's definitely someone to keep your eye on.
