Adele - 25

It has been 4 years since "Rolling in the deep", but its success makes me think it came out like a couple of months ago. Or so. I feel the same thing about "Hello", but it actually came out a couple of months ago and that's weird. Cause it's not a bad song. What's the difference? Adele herself. It's her status and her distinctive voice which have created an Adele era in music and everything she does, it becomes an instant classic.

Maybe that's the misguiding thing here - it's not the perfect music album, but it's huge already. So you cannot concentrate on what she is trying to do. And that's pretty simple - she is trying to sing her heart out, without complicated arrangements and epic stuff. And this is wise, you don't need the perfect pop song and the perfect instrumentation for the pitch-perfect voice. It would be like Whitney or Christina singing Carly Simon or John Williams (awkward).

When "19" was out, she was that cute songwriter with the jazzy voice and her guitar, singing about drama, daydreaming and chasing pavements (my favorite album, still). But since then, she has become an actual diva (but with a sense of humour). And it's again wise and smart that she co-writes her songs with Paul Epworth, Greg Kurstin, Tobias Jesso Jr or Bruno Mars, focusing mainly on her vocals. Just because if you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.

To the point now... It's the "21" sequel. The ballads are here ("Million years ago"), the pianos are here ("When We Were Young" ), the crazy vocals and the high notes are stronger than ever, while the drama has become sweeter and softer ("Send My Love (To Your New Lover)"). All the album producers, including Danger Mouse, have tried their best to build the songs around her ability to touch people's hearts and though every song has a different producer, the sound credit goes to Adele - it's all about her.

"25" is going to sell more than 3, maybe 4 million copies on its first week in the US alone. If you consider the fact that people don't buy physical copies anymore, this number in 2000 would have been 10 million copies and that's more than breaking a record. That's a proof of pure talent and poetic justice in music, in the arts, in the world. And, of course, it's back to basics. A for Adele (lame, but I had to)!

AnArtCalled... 8/10

Charli XCX - Sucker

I read somewhere that Charli XCX is the funniest girl around. Well, she is not a friend of mine, so I cannot confirm this piece of information. She surely is, though, the funniest girl in my laptop as far as her music is concerned. "Sucker" may not be the most sophisticated and Sam Smith-esque album in your playlist, but once you listen to it, you are stuck on repeat. And that, to be honest, makes it one of the best albums of the year.

Her sound is unique. But not as unique as you think, since it reminds you of Sia, Sky Ferreira, Haim and other similar power-pop female acts with an indie twist. For her third album she has collaborated with many producers. So many, that you could end up listening to a synth chaos. Nope, though. Greg Kurstin is also one of the album's producers, thus reminding us that the Grammy Academy MUST give him the award for the producer of the year, cause any other choice will be simply annoying at the end of the day.

Her smart songwriting is not as mainstream and straightforward as Taylor Swift's ability to write hits. But it's still fresh in tracks like "Boom Clap", "Breaking up", "London Queen" and "Famous", combining electric guitars, raw synths, drum machines and streetwise wit in the lyrics. Now I am begining to think that it's not fresh or smart, it's just British! Her vocals are not impressive, but her tone is distinctive and that's the case in the music industry today. You are not supposed to sound like the new Whitney or the new Christina, you are just supposed to sound like... yourself?

Anyhow, "Sucker" has the potential to be big, even though it may not be, because Charli XCX's case reminds me of Sky's album last year. Great songs and attitude, great reviews, bad sales. Still, a top-20 album for 2014.

AnArtCalled... 9/10

P!nk – The Truth About Love

Τελικά, η P!nk είναι η πιο συνεπής από όλες τις pop stars εκεί έξω. Δεν χρειάστηκε να ξυρίσει τα μαλλιά της και να γίνει ρεζίλι στην απονομή κάποιων VMA (Britney), δεν έκανε reality (Jessica Simpson), δεν κόντεψε να χάσει τη ζωή της από τις καταχρήσεις (Lindsay Lohan), δεν αναγκάστηκε να προσλάβει Κάγκουρα στιλίστα (ας πει κάποιος στην Kelly Clarkson ότι οι πωλήσεις της μειώθηκαν από τα κακά outfit), δεν βγάζει καινούργιο single κάθε 20-30 μέρες (Rihanna) και, για να μην ξεχνιόμαστε, δεν βρίσκεται συνέχεια σε ωορρηξία (Christina Aguilera, perdoname). Με λίγα λόγια, είναι κατόρθωμα μετά από 5 studio δουλειές και μια Greatest Hits συλλογή να κάνεις τον ήχο σου ακόμα πιο φρέσκο, να μένεις πιστή στις pop-rock φόρμες που γουστάρεις, χωρίς να επαναλαμβάνεσαι και, τελικά, να αποδεικνύεις συνεχώς ότι είσαι δουλευταρού και δεν περιμένεις να αγοράσει η εταιρεία σου τα πιο πιασάρικα κομμάτια από τους πιο ακριβούς παραγωγούς του Hollywood, να τα χώσει σε ένα album και να κάνεις ρεκόρ από No 1 στο Billboard (Katy Perry).

Το “The truth about love” είναι μια πολύ καλή ηχογράφηση, έτσι κομπογιαννίτικα κι απλά. Έχει όλα τα κολλητικά κιθαριστικά ριφ της pop μαζεμένα το ένα μετά το άλλο, έχει λόγια απλά, από αυτά που θες να ψιθυρίζεις στο αμάξι, έχει παραγωγή από τις λίγες (praise the Lords, Max Martin, Dan Wilson, Butch Walker στο εισαγωγικό ναρκωτικό “Are we all we are?” και Greg Kurstin στην πλειοψηφία των υπολοίπων) και την P!nk να βγάζει από τα πνευμόνια της ό,τι έχει και δεν έχει, χωρίς τσιγκουνιές. Αν τα βάλεις αυτά κάτω λοιπόν, το μόνο που σου μένει είναι να δεις αν δένει η κομπόστα κι αν τελικά αξίζει τον κόπο να ασχοληθείς με την κοπελιά 13 χρόνια μετά την πρώτη φορά που την άκουσες. Ε, λες τσάμπα να τα γράφω όλα αυτά τόση ώρα; Σύνελθε, θα με τρελάνεις.

Με τη συνοδεία ενός εξαιρετικού artwork κι ενός ακόμα πιο άρτιου video-clip για το “Blow me”, είναι δύσκολο να κρατηθώ και να μην παραδεχτώ πως, στο τέλος της ημέρας, η P!nk είναι η μοναδική που, όσα χρόνια κι αν περάσουν κι όσες Λολίτες αν εισβάλλουν στην pop κουλτούρα, θα βρίσκει πάντα τον τρόπο να ηχογραφεί καλά τραγούδια.