Do you guys like Adele's music?

@tablejockey , I’d go further and say that her ’music’ should be banned from all public places, or at least the ones I might frequent. She even managed to wreck a great song like Skyfall, and to think it was a Dylan song that helped to launch her.

Her nauseous stomach turning ’singing’ is beyond gross. Of course I would never wish to stop any masochists from indulging in such painful gruel - as long as they kept such noise pollution away from me.

No amount of layering of strings etc can make that garbage vocal palateble as far as I’m concerned. I hope I’m not being too vague on the subject.

@tablejockey, well you know the music industry was never about talent, never about art - it was always about sales and it always will be. The biggest selling artists have done little else than provide largely forgettable landfill for future generations to puzzle about.

Seriously, if you manage to listen to some of the biggest selling vocalists concentrating on the vocals above the music, you are likely to suffer.

In some cases like Adele, Aretha and other experts of empty vocal pyrotechnics largely lacking any sense of humanity etc - really suffer.

Sure, quality acts like the Velvets, Joy Division, Nick Drake amongst others who sold next to nothing in their time have been exonerated saleswise somewhat in the due course of time but the only act to fabulously succeed on both commercial and artistic grounds were, well you don’t need it spelling out do you?

Oh OK then, let me say it that without the Beatles to lend it artistic and commercial respectability the music industry does indeed seem to atifify the famous Hunter S Thompson quote,

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side."

@tablejockey - good for you. The music will always prevail because there was no faking with Ian Curtis.
I’ve still got my original UK pressing (but no turntable)! I’m also happy with my 4 CD Heart and Soul box which might be the best digital transfer to date.

@jbhiller - possibly a more sympathetic producer could tame the raucous nonsense being displayed - GM did wonders with Killer, I mean Cilla Black. Those early string laden lush productions of his hid her vocal deficiencies quite well.

From cloakroom attendant to superstar in easy steps - provided you had the drive, the contacts and the savy to know which way the the wind was blowing.

Other talents like Beryl Marsden and Pete Best decided to take different paths.

I'll check out that Imelda May album. Not heard any of her stuff for years, maybe a bit retro but I don't remember it being painful to listen to, or anything like it! 

Interesting debate so far with widely differing opinions on the Brit School phenomenon that is Adele (calling it music, for me, would be going too far).

I'm always surprised when someone says they're not a fan of the Beatles, but I think I would be even more surprised if met someone who said they were a fan of Adele.

Surely such a thing is something you accidentally stumble into, never to return?

Then there's all the cultural nuances which seem to have been lost in the transatlantic translation. A similar thing seems to have occurred with (d)Ed Sheeran where his international success has surprised many this side of the water.

Or is all of this just another example of Dylan's famous lyric?

"Ah, you've been with the professors and they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well-read, it's well-known
But something is happening here and you don't know what it is
Do you, Mr. Jones?"

@jbhiller, you're right about Imelda May's album, Life Love Flesh Blood (deluxe ed). Seems to be a real progression on her previous work. Gorgeous beautifully smooth sound - close miked vocals and suberb playing throughout.

Memorable closing track too but when an album sounds this good organically you don't need to single any tracks out.

Decent lyrics too. 

* Now I just have to tell the audiophile in me not to wonder too much what the vinyl version might sound like.

@thosb, I’m not too sure either.
I still remember feeling sorry for those teachers at school who seemed to have been left behind by the times. Back in the late 70s they couldn’t understand what was happening in society esp the UK. The age of empire was over and popular music made little sense to them. No way could they ever get Punk. There was no bridge available to them, nor did they look for one.

Now, several decades later I find myself barely aware of what’s happening with Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and the rest. I followed the music charts avidly up til the late 80s but gradually lost all interest a decade later. The pleasure of finding a good chart song was gradually overwhelmed by the effort of listening to dozens of mediocre ones.

I know that artists such as (d)Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Adelle are popular today. 
But just like Mr Jones, I can’t see why.
He only had the 60s cultural revolution to deal with, I’ve got the online version.

Does it matter? I’d say it does. We’re all social creatures and becoming isolated is no fun at all.