Carol
Admin
Posts : 4524
Join date : 2009-06-28
 |  Subject: Another Review!  03.12.09 19:35 | |
| - Quote :
- It’s hard to imagine the pressure on an American Idol contestant. As the season wears on, the PR shtick increases exponentially, each move under scrutiny. When spat out on the other side, “the dream” realized, they have to make music. Quickly.
This is exactly the task Adam Lambert faced, emerging from American Idol Season 8 as the people’s champion, despite identikit star Kris Allen garnering the most votes in the final. Allen may have won, but Lambert was a far more interesting proposition.
Occasionally, these talent shows do churn out someone with more than ‘the voice’. In the X Factor, we were gifted Leona Lewis, diva in waiting. American Idol found some justification in Kelly Clarkson, but the formula has never before offered up anyone as intriguing as Adam Lambert. Gay, stylized to the max and with his own creative ideas, Lambert was an entirely new undertaking. He was able to take songs including “Ring Of Fire” or “Mad World” and reinterpret them; with debut album For Your Entertainment, he attempts to repeat the feat, but with the added complication of original music.
Intro track “Music Again” (produced by The Darkness’ Justin Hawinks) keeps things predictable, Lambert hamming it up with a Freddie Mercury imitation, not exactly putting paid to those Queen rumours. He does an incredible job, throwing in some Mika style high notes, the hard rock guitars fitting easily around his voice. Then things go adult- with the title track, the illusion of PG sheen is quickly erased. A pulsating dance track that takes cues from Sam Sparro’s “Black And Gold”, the lyrics leave little to the imagination, and Lambert really proved his point with the much derided AMA performance. That night, he gave a sub-par vocal performance, but his actions are right in tune with this song, a thinly veiled tale of sexual domination. As Lambert put it in a post-performance interview, “I’m not a babysitter.” Quite.
Surprisingly, it is the production which brings this album down. Lambert’s vocals are simply flawless across the album, as they were during his American Idol tenure. One Republic’s Ryan Tedder gets overly wrapped up in the synths on “Sleepwalker”. Rivers Cuomo’s contribution, the adolescent “Pick U Up”, is half baked. Barring Lambert’s pitch perfect All American Rejects vocal, the song is forgettable.
“Fever” offers redemption, Lambert teaming with his “soul mate” Lady Gaga on the album standout. It’s a potent mix of vocal acrobatics and feisty production, Gaga staying true to her artist in the glam-rock backing. Matt Bellamy was brought on board for “Soaked”, a song on which Lambert channels his mentor, matching the Muse frontman note for note.
And yet, the best song on this album is devoid of complex production: penultimate track “Broken Open” is wonderful, taken right back to basics. Barring some minimalistic “Angel”-esque production, the song is all about Lambert’s voice; the singer is finally able to rein it in, delivering a moving vocal. 2012 theme song “Time For Miracles” is shameless in its commercial direction, but thankfully the limp dramatics fail to detract from the album’s momentum.
Ultimately Lambert is here for the taking. His debut has proved that he has both the voice and talent beyond any of his predecessors. And controversy, lest anyone should call him boring. The most impressive fact is that For Your Entertainment arrives a mere six months after American Idol’s conclusion.
The question is, what’s next? A diverse and incredibly interesting debut album will hopefully lead to a more focused sophomore effort. Adam Lambert has proved himself a talented imitator, but how will he fare when able to craft his own creative direction? http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/02/album-review-adam-lambert-for-your-entertainment/ | |
|
Latest images 
