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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2009 > December > 01 > Entry
CD review: Adam Lambert - ‘For Your Entertainment’
Adam Lambert
‘For Your Entertainment’
(RCA)
Grade: C+
Amid all the controversy and rapt media attention showered on Adam Lambert — from initial questions surrounding his sexuality to his instantly game-changing air-sex antics during the American Music Awards — the “American Idol” runner-up has received surprisingly little attention for his ostensible selling point: his pipes.
Maybe that’s how Lambert managed to record one of the year’s most surprising albums even under intense scrutiny. “For Your Entertainment” is a disjointed but intriguing melding of rock, pop, electronica and dance — with the occasional hard left turn into schmaltz — that taken altogether is one of the most striking examples of pop-by-committee in recent years. Lambert’s at his best when he’s also at his most ostentatious, so “For Your Entertainment” really sings when he embraces his obvious gift for sweaty, sexy dance music. The title track is an electroclash-filled, sometimes-autotuned three minutes that takes to heart George Bernard Shaw’s old maxim about dancing as a vertical expression of horizontal desire. And “Fever” is the kind of track you know was co-written by Lady Gaga even before glancing at the liner notes, with its club thump and unapologetically sex-obssessed lyricism (“There he goes/My baby walks so slow/Sexual tic-tac-toe”). After tolerating the just-shy-of-risque-faux-lesbianism of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” in 2008, Lambert’s unhesitant embrace of both his sexuality and his energy is something of a relief.
He’s less successful when he slows down and pursues the obligatory ballads — “Aftermath” somehow manages to be simultaneously earnest and soulless. The string-laden “Time For Miracles,” which moviegoers might recognize as Lambert’s contribution to the “2012” soundtrack, crumbles like a CGI Los Angeles into an ocean of cliche.
But even in the album’s darkest, most Roland Emmerich-approved moments, there are surprises in store that suggest Lambert might have a good sense of how to shepherd a great pop album, from the thundering strings of “Soaked” to the spare horror movie piano that kicks off “Broken Open.” He might not be — despite what the surviving members of Queen have suggested — a replacement for Freddie Mercury, but as young dance house glam stars go, he’s got promise.
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By lolno
December 1, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
There is no auto-tune in the title track. Makes me question the entire review.
By marriana
December 1, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
Best album ever! Love every song which is so rare!
By michelle
December 1, 2009 2:50 PM | Link to this
for your entertainment is a very good album, very fresh. adam lambert is a rock star!
By Chance
December 1, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this
I love this new CD. The vocals are wicked and Adam Lambert is fresh! I’m glad 19 didn’t try to keep him in a box but allowed him to try so many different things on this CD. It is more of a variety of different Genres which is one of the things I like the most about it. Love his music videos and I hope he does more.
By julie
December 1, 2009 7:43 PM | Link to this
Patrick, even though you made positive comments, and you appeared to like it most of it, you rated it a C+???? Drop me a line if you like cause I’m confused.
By Mary
December 1, 2009 10:00 PM | Link to this
Love the new Adam Lambert CD. Every song on the cd is great, it really showcases his talent in singing. Get over the AMA show and give a listen to the CD I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Thanks Adam
By operry
December 2, 2009 2:11 AM | Link to this
i couldn’t agree more-reviewers sometimes need a reality check
By barbara
December 2, 2009 2:13 AM | Link to this
Loved it! Loved it!
By Les
December 2, 2009 2:28 AM | Link to this
I could not find This CD of Adam’s Here In Sydney Australia just now but I did get his CD called TAKE ONE, It’s a very good CD of Adam Singing in a Beautiful Quite way I love this Cd and I hope I get his other one as well If he had sang like he does on this CD on Idol I believe he would have won Hands Down Hope you buy TAKE ONE as well All the Best Adam and all his Fans
By Nina
December 2, 2009 10:44 AM | Link to this
The album is exactly as Adam intended, sorry you couldn’t put your head around something fresh and out of the box. I haven’t bought a full album in a very long time, but I had to have every track on this one. ALL are worthy of repeated play and live up the title…I’m quite Entertained.
By Michael
December 2, 2009 10:46 AM | Link to this
Saw Idol and the awards show performance. He’s talented a la Sebastian Bach (from Skid Row), but what a crappy song!
By Kelly
December 2, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this
Love the album but don’t expect everyone to agree. However your review sounds like you liked it more than a C+. Spin gave it 3 and a half stars btw.
By Dana
December 2, 2009 8:53 PM | Link to this
Wonderful CD… best music ever to exercise by I can get my HR to 100% in a… in a…. Heart beat! Love Adam!
By mara08
December 3, 2009 8:07 AM | Link to this
In the cover she/he looks like lady Gaga.
By Sue
December 3, 2009 12:39 PM | Link to this
Love the cd and Adam play it all the time what an awesome singer
By rl
December 3, 2009 12:54 PM | Link to this
Soaked- if Freddy had lived he would have recorded this- amazing. Broken- Roxy Music/Brian Ferry- and some part of the album seem to channel the Talking Heads. Even the cover brings back the glamour synth aura that was the 80’s! Definitely a B+!