Forget sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll; when it comes to the modern music scene, one of the most destructive forces is the unrelenting, overpowering force of the Hype Machine. Rarely does a band or artist - especially one who's fallen prey to its handiwork like Adele Adkins has - shrug off the gargantuan expectation placed on their shoulders. So when someone does manage that feat, you know they're special. Adkins, an ostensibly charming, likeable and down-to-earth 19-year-old Londoner, is certainly special, that much is undeniable; on her voice alone (which been compared to Dusty Springfield, Amy Winehouse and every random black soulstress in-between), she would be hailed as an undeniably bright talent. Her songwriting, too, is impressive for her age, often striking a lyrical depth that most 19-year olds have either failed to reach or have just failed to yet experience. Having said that, sceptics will convincingly argue that while 19's highs (superb, sweeping ballad Chasing Pavements, the glam, upbeat sixties soul of Right as Rain and the downright wonderful, shoulder-twitching funk of Cold Shoulder) are cloudbusting fare, its less-appealing tracks (i.e. the more downbeat, muted affairs such as Crazy For You and First Love) aren't strong enough to consistently carry the album to what should be an extraordinary conclusion. Even so, the austere tracks do serve something of a purpose; they highlight just how moving Adele's gentle husk of a voice really is, how willingly it conveys emotion and how easily it soars, dips and simultaneously trembles. The piece de resistance is left for the final track, Hometown Glory - a piano ballad that drips with a quiet pride, a melancholic nostalgia and above all, an understated power. A precocious talent, yes; a great album, no - but the potential for Adele Adkins's career in years to come is palpably thrilling.
