‘25’ review: Adele is back and better than ever

Nothing succeeds like success.

And considering that Adele’s long-awaited album “25” (XL/Columbia) follows “21,” the certified-diamond, top-selling album of the 21st century so far, there was little chance of failure.

After all, Adele assembled a stunning array of collaborators for “25,” from Bruno Mars and Ryan Tedder to unstoppable Swedish hit makers Max Martin and Shellback, as well as her longtime songwriting partner Paul Epworth, who won an Oscar with her for writing “Skyfall.” However, what makes “25” work so well are its surprises.

We’ve come to expect gorgeous, well-crafted piano ballad melancholy like “Remedy” and, to a certain extent, “Hello,” though even that comes with unexpectedly raw emotion. But the stunning “When We Were Young,” where Adele blends throwback soul with anthemic swells and a killer note that comes almost four minutes in, puts any worries about her voice to rest. Co-written by Adele and one of 2015’s breakout artists, Tobias Jesso Jr., “When We Were Young” shows that even 20-somethings reminisce, but also cements her multigenerational appeal as an old soul in a 27-year-old’s body.

Adele continues that on “Million Years Ago,” accompanied only by an acoustic guitar for much of the timeless ballad as she laments the passing of time and loved ones. “I miss it when life was a party to be thrown,” she understatedly sings in one of the year’s best performances. “But that was a million years ago.”

What is missing on “25” are timely, upbeat icebreakers like “Rolling in the Deep” and “Rumour Has It,” where she can show her hipper, current side.

The closest she gets to that is the island-tinged “Send My Love (To Your New Lover),” her collaboration with Martin and Shellback, but its lilting groove and layered vocals certainly won’t be mistaken for Britney Spears.

SEE PHOTOSAdele through the years

Luckily, “25” is so strong and Adele’s emotional journey so compelling that she gets you at “Hello.”