Grammy-winning music artist Adele released a new single titled “Easy on Me.” Said track is a piano-decked ballad that frames the best features of Adele’s voice, which is basically, the singer’s ability to squeeze so much feeling into a note, a word or a phrase, the reason why her songs pack so much emotional wallop.
“Easy On Me” recalls some of the best piano driven ballads that Adele has previously released such as “All I Ask,” “Hello” and “Someone Like You” to name some. The song starts with reverberating arpeggiated piano chords to set the mood. Adele knows that a sparse arrangement works best for her. Mainly for the reason that any superfluous sounds would take unwanted attention from Adele’s vocal, which is the reason people listen to her anyway.
“Easy On Me” is Adele’s first single in six years. And a lot has happened to her since the super successful “25” album. A major one is when the singer divorced from her husband (back in 2019). So, a song about a disintegrating relationship is all the more believable as Adele is coming from experience.
So, when she croons the first few words, “There ain’t no gold in this river that I’ve been washing my hands in forever / I know that there is hope in these waters / but I can’t bring myself to swim / when I’m drowning in this silence / Baby, let me in” – you are caught, as the phrase goes, hook, line and sinker.”
“I feel like this album is self-destruction, then self-reflection and then sort of self-redemption,” said Adele in an interview with Vogue. Three years since after going through divorce, she said this time, “I feel ready. I want people to hear my side of the story this time.”
“Easy On Me” is about finding her feet under her again. Adele admitted in various interviews that the new track is influenced by her relation with her son (Angelo) and her ex-husband. After the divorce, Adele admitted in interviews that it was hard for her too. Thus, she croons “Go easy on me, baby / I was still a child / didn’t get the chance to / feel the world around me / I had no time to choose what I chose to do / so go easy on me.”
No doubt that the experience is finding its way into other songs too. Tunes that will eventually make up Adele’s upcoming new album whose confirmed title is “30.” “Easy On Me” is released under the Melted Stone music label (licensed under Columbia Records).
Locally, OC Records is riding high with the success of one of its artists in Adie who had a breakthrough with “Paraluman” which has now made the rounds and is reaching more ears as naturally a hot hit would. Coming from a soothing, almost melancholic acoustic song, OC Records has opted for a mid-tempo number for Adie’s new song titled “Sawa Na.” This time, Adie is backed up by a full band and the result is a modern rock, albeit still relaxed sounding tune. Here, Adie is able to show a bit more depth with what he can do with his singing. The premise is simple, Adie is singing about being fed up with being alone, which a lot can relate to for sure. But somehow, Adie makes ranting about it seem like the most natural thing to do especially when his vocals go from normal to swooping and warbling in that enticing falsetto of his. Worth checking out.