Adam Lambert - 'For Your Entertainment'

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Chris Daughtry proved it's not necessary to win American Idol to have a stellar first album. Now Adam Lambert, this year's runner-up, shows its quite possible to come out of the blocks with a cohesive, thoroughly enjoyable, and even adventurous artistic statement. As the title states, entertainment is the focus of this effort, and it hits the bullseye. From rousing club tracks to gloriously emotional ballads, Adam Lambert makes us want to listen to his music again and again.

Just like the spirit that generated the mini-controversies with the editor of Out magazine and the choice of cover art for this album, Adam Lambert's music here is uncompromising. He has stated he wanted to create a glam-pop-dance aesthetic, and he has done exactly that. For such a wide range of collaborators, the music on For Your Entertainment is remarkably cohesive. The club-ready title track and lead single "For Your Entertainment" surges forth on a slightly sleazy beat spreading words about rough, glammed up sex. "Soaked," written by Muse's Matthew Bellamy, flies in on glorious orchestral strings leading into Adam Lambert's unrestrained, dramatic vocals. The Lady Gaga and RedOne collaboration "Fever" struts forward in pursuit of Adam Lambert's latest intended conquest. The musical parade on For Your Entertainment is an exciting glam cabaret with Adam Lambert as the unquestioned star.

Adam Lambert demonstrates over and over again on For Your Entertainment that if he wants to he can deliver a standard pop-rock vocal with supreme confidence. However, it is when he lets his voice soar effortlessly into upper ranges or wrings every ounce of emotion from the electronic-drenched ballad "Broken Open" with the dramatic flair of his theatrical background that you realize you are listening to something special. The continual ratcheting of intensity and raising of the peaks in the contour of the vocal line turns the rather standard power ballad "Time for Miracles" from the movie 2012 into a riveting listening experience. Adam Lambert leaves you eager to hear the next song simply to find out where the next track will take his voice.

• "For Your Entertainment"
• "Soaked"
• "Fever"
• "Sleepwalker"
• "Broken Open"
• "Time for Miracles"

Adam Lambert does not need to wait to see how well this album sells. He knows he is a star. It is that confidence which will draw you into For Your Entertainment again and again. Adam Lambert knows who he is musically and has brought together a stellar collection of collaborators from Pink to Weezer's Rivers Cuomo and Ryan Tedder to help him realize his vision. It is quite possible that the nearly over the top dramatics and air of sexual sleaze on some of the club tracks may not be exactly your cup of tea. However, if you listen with an open mind and let the music take you where it will, Adam Lambert is an outstanding tour guide for an evening of pure entertainment.

Released November 2009 by RCA Records