2.7 - How can Adele be so talented and yet so boring? This record is totally devoid of any risks, and presents no distinct point-of-view. She's a young woman who's lived with heartbreak, has had a chance to process her pain privately and is ready to move forward with her life. Wow, Adele, so profound, and yet so relatable - it’s like she’s one of us! And I hate that she's consistently chosen to share only the most tiresome parts of her love-life. We see her always at the “crossroads”, saying goodbye with sincere regret but looking ahead to what's next. Has she never experienced the fun of being in love? The giddiness of meeting someone, the anticipation of being intimate? And why has she chosen to sanitize her pain? It's all very vague. Where are the tears that left smears of mascara on her face? What about the hours spent jealously stalking a lover on Facebook? I'm sure critics have praised this as a "mature" record (*wretch*). As expected, Adele's voice is luscious - she's truly blessed. But why use that exceptional voice to convey only the most unexceptional, "everywoman" feelings? By the end I find all the operatic belting and "you-got-this-girl" sentiments nauseating.