Adele - 21

Let's just lay it out there right now. Adele's new 21 (February 22, Columbia) is not only a majestic stunner of an album, we're going to predict that (only one month in) this will be in prime contention for Album of the Year when all is said and done. Brilliantly conceived and produced (with Rick Rubin and Paul Epworth at the board), this is one of those jawdroppingly great albums that pretty much works on every conceivable level. Given the massive international success of Adele's remarkable, award-winning 19 debut in 2008, expectations have been off the chart for her sophomore effort. Needless to say, she delivers. And how.

The achievement of 21 is even more special considering that this is very much a rather traditional, inside-the-edges album with nothing that could remotely be called a stylistic surprise. Genuflection to hip indie irony? Nada -- though there's a groovy Cure cover. There are soulful piano ballads ("Someone Like You", "Take It All"), blues stompers ("Rolling In the Deep"), deep gospel ("Take It All") and blistering Motown-tinged rock and roll ("Rumour Has It"). At the center of it all is Adele's incredibly assertive voice, an instrument capable of explosive power and intricate subtlety, REAL, honest-to-God singing that simply puts every auto-tuned pop diva on notice. Listen to the way she transforms her sleek new single "Set Fire to the Rain" from admittedly catchy radio hit to something gutsy and magnificent. Adele says she wondered if titling the album 21 would be "obvious". She answered her own question perfectly: "But why not be obvious?" Live videos after the jump...

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Adele - "Set Fire to the Rain" (from the album 21)

Adele - "Lovesong" (Cure cover) (from the album 21)