They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. After three years of radio silence, Adele is back to show the world that she’s no one-trick-pony- and she’s got five million sold albums to prove it.

‘25’, named to honor the Adele’s age when she wrote the songs (as previous albums ‘19’ and ‘21’ were), is a triumph both musically and sales wise. It broke the world record for the fastest selling album ever in its first week, a title previously held by N’Sync since 2001. (Needless to say they congratulated Adele on her achievement). It’s hard to hate on an album like ‘25’, an album so slowly and deliberately made that it’s almost comparable to a fine wine or cheese that has aged for three years in the most ideal of conditions. Except we aren’t talking food. We’re talking music.

‘25’ is a makeup album and man, it sure makes up for all the waiting that the world did after ‘21’. The record opens with the worldwide hit “Hello”, a grandiose and nostalgic track that focuses on a love faded away and the regrets left behind. Next comes the upbeat (and downright catchy) “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”, where a guitar is plucked while Adele croons “Send my love to your new lover/treat her better/ we’ve gotta let go of all of our ghosts/ we both know we ain’t kids no more.” In other words, “thanks but no thanks, I’ve moved on.”

Don’t worry, there are still heartfelt ballads aplenty on this record; they’re made even better by the obvious maturity of the singer’s lyrics and the richness of her voice, thankfully not affected by recent vocal chord surgery. “Remedy”, “When We Were Young”, and “Love in the Dark” are notable for their longing tones and, most notably, Adele’s frustration with getting older (a popular theme she has embedded throughout the album). “All I Ask”, a track co-written and developed with the master of crooning himself Bruno Mars, is a beautiful song about one final night between two lovers. And it’s back to basics with the lonely guitar on “Million Years Ago” (my personal favorite on the album), a song so poignant it’ll make you want to run back home and give your mom a hug.

‘25’ closes with “Sweetest Devotion”, which was inspired by Adele’s son Angelo and features his voice (albeit just a giggle). It’s a solid ending to an album that gives every indication that, for Adele at least, this is a new and beautiful beginning. In this album, she bids her past goodbye and never looks back. It’s a reminder for all of us to do the same. If there was ever an album that embodied the healing that comes after heartbreak, this would be it. ‘25’ teaches us how to fall in love all over again- with ourselves, with the album, with Adele.