Adam Lambert
For Your Entertainment
Release Date: November 23rd, 2009
Label: RCA Records
Genre(s): Pop, dance-pop, rock, glam rock

Lambert’s debut LP is probably the most anticipated American Idol album of all time, and he didn’t even win the show. Lambert has a large, large quantity of fans and has impressed everyone from Simon Cowell to Queen’s Brian May, but does his first album offer enough substance to win over those who had been on the fence?

During American Idol (which is a huge guilty pleasure of mine), I was rooting for Adam Lambert. I was glad to see someone so gay and happy doing so well on the show, but to be honest, Lambert’s voice always irritated me. He has a good (not great) voice, too Broadway musical for my likings. Even on the show, however, Adam offered a glimpse into the performance style and music that he would really like to perform. Ballads, dance music, glam rock; it was all present on the show, and luckily for fans — it all translates fairly well to his debut album.

If you didn’t like his voice on the show, you will absolutely hate this album. While Adam only co-wrote a handful of tracks, his signature style (and high pitched falsetto squealing) dominates this entire album. To put it simply, this album isn’t going to win over any of the haters. If you were just on the fence like myself however, you will probably find a few tracks to enjoy on what is one of the strongest American Idol-related debuts ever.

“Whataya Want From Me,” penned by Pink and legendary song-writer/producer Max Martin is going to end up as a single. It is my favorite “slower” song on the album, and features a great, emotional performance from Adam. It sounds like a track that Pink wrote for her last LP, Funhouse, but regardless of the origins it is a good fit for Lambert and fits in well on this album.

Adam dips into the Max Martin machine again for “If I Had U,” which during the verses sounds quite a bit like Britney’s “If U Seek Amy,” oddly enough also penned by Martin. Regardless of the similarities, “If I Had U” is a good dance track, with a relatively restrained vocal performance by Lambert. It often sounds like he’s going to go into his highest register, but it’s just a tease; Adam remains in the lower portion of his falsetto vocals.

“Fever,” penned by none other than Lady Gaga, is both catchy and irritating; something many tracks can’t pull off. Adam’s voice sounds fierce on the track, a much more rock oriented vocal performance than a lot of what’s on the album, but the backing track is pure Lady Gaga style dance pop. Imagine a slightly edgier version of the Scissor Sisters (with the vocals taken down an octave or so), and you have a good mental image of what “Fever” sounds like. If this is released as a single I wouldn’t be surprised to see it do well.

“Aftermath” is the worst track on the album. As one of the few tracks that Adam co-wrote, you’d think he’d attempt to bring his A-game, but this sounds like a lot of the crappy wannabe rock on the radio today. Nothing original, other than Adam’s towering vocals; this is the most “traditional” rock song on the album and does very little to impress.

While there aren’t many bad songs on the album, it is worth pointing out that this album has literally no “collective” feel; nothing really joins these songs together except for Adam’s voice. I’m not saying I wanted a concept album, but I like when an album is sequenced properly to create an “experience” — instead this album jumps between up-tempo dance numbers and rock ballads with no regard for any connection that fans may feel with the album.

It is essential for any American Idol contestant to release something truly unique post-coitus with the show. Since the singers present themselves as verifiable karaoke legends on the show, the first solo LP simply has to define who the artist wants to be. With For Your Entertainment, Adam does that and more, presenting a truly unique conglomeration of rock, pop, dance and glam; even the track sequencing can’t take away from that.

Ladies and gentlemen, Lambert has arrived.

Rating: 8/10

Check Out: “Fever,” “Whataya Want From Me,” “For Your Entertainment”