Adam Lambert welcomes all to his unique realm in his debut album “For Your Entertainment.”
The “American Idol” finalist knows how to take listeners in with his powerful vocals and creativity. He proves this with the first track on his album, “Music Again.” This song about longing starts off with keyboard notes and guitar strums that evoke the style of 80s rock. The added synthesizer makes the listeners feel like they are in outer space.
Many of the songs are worthy of being heard at clubs. The keyboard-loaded music and rhythm behind the tracks are fun to dance to, like the popular “For Your Entertainment” and “Strut.”
The lyrics tell a different story. In “Sure Fire Winners,” Lambert invites listeners to “take a walk on the wild” and learn more about him and those who share his sexuality. He sings, “I was born with glitter on my face/My baby clothes made of leather and lace/And all the girls in the club wanna know/Where did all their pretty boys go?”
Lambert is not afraid to show his true colors. In “If I Had You,” he is proud to sing, “I got my boots on/Got the right amount of leather/And I’m doing me up with a black colored liner/And I’m working my strut.” He also brings his tender side to the album with “Broken Open,” a song with the words, “I know the battles of chasing the shadows of who you wanna be/It doesn’t matter, go on and shatter/I’m all you need.”
After consistently standing out in both appearance and personality on “American Idol,” the singer may have too many demands from fans, or “Glamberts,” about who he should be. In “Whataya Want from Me,” Lambert voices his reaction with the words, “Just don’t give up/I’m workin’ it out/Please don’t give in/I won’t let you down/It messed me up, need a second to breathe/Just keep coming around.”
There is a variety of emotions throughout the album. Lambert jumps from heart-shattering feelings of sadness in “Broken Open” to an uplifting song about perseverance in “Aftermath.”
One of the most standout tracks is the ballad “Soaked,” which is drenched with emotion. The song starts with a dramatic piano sequence before bringing Lambert into the spotlight. His soft and alluring voice tells of his heartbreak over a loved one, then the song progresses and he sings his heart out, “I’ve had enough searching for love/But I miss the touch of someone new.”
Another attractive song is “Time for Miracles,” which is featured in the recently released movie “2012.” Lambert’s voice sounds the purest in this song, possibly because his lyrics call for a second chance at love. He sings, “I know this flame isn’t dying/So nothing can stop me from trying.”
While the lyrics refer to Lambert’s own feelings and personality, the album’s music lacks originality. The dramatic tone in “Sleepwalker” sounds too much like Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around…/…Comes Around Interlude.” The fast tempos and club themes in Lambert’s songs “If I Had You” and “Pick U Up” sound very similar, and the former song is placed right before the latter on the track list.
Another disappointment is the album’s genre. Lambert’s songs are excellent examples of pop, but he proved on “American Idol” that he fit right in with rock and roll. Although there are a couple of songs that can be called rock or alternative, Lambert mainly stays in his comfort zone with pop songs.
The singer shows off his range of vocals like he did on “American Idol,” but not as much. While he proves in the album that he can sing falsetto and pick a note anywhere from baritone to tenor, he was not afraid to go all out on the television show. Lambert holds back in his album.
Overall, “For Your Entertainment” is a solid debut album and proves that Lambert, a talented and unique breakout performer, has what it takes to go from “Idol” contestant to successful singer.