Album Review: For Your Entertainment - Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert - New Music - More Music Videos

I have to admit - I have not watched one minute of American Idol since the first season. Also, I am not down with dudes who put on makeup and look like they share fashion tips with Rihanna and Lady GaGa. So it’s safe to say that For Your Entertainment had to win me over on merit. Surprisingly enough, it did.

Adam Lambert is talented. He’s kind of like Richard Marx with some of the growl and charisma of Freddy Mercury. The thing about For Your Entertainment is that I expected there would be a lot of glam rock and saccharine pop tracks. And there are. But somehow, they weren’t as overdone and cringeworthy as I thought they would be. Lambert has one of those clean, higher-pitched voices that straddles the line between masculine and feminine, and it works with this album. A couple of the slower tracks remind me of Radiohead, and they show off his versatility:

A Loaded Smile - Adam Lambert

Broken Open - Adam Lambert

My only issues with the album are stylistic. First off, the more upbeat pop and glam rock tracks sound like something Britney or Lady GaGa have already done, which makes For Your Entertainment sound a little derivative at times. Also, Lambert likes to growl a little when he wants to show some attitude, but he doesn’t own it yet. Don’t ask me my definition of when someone owns their growl; you either feel it or you don’t.

Anyway, I give For Your Entertainment a 4 out 5. When he’s in character, it gets a little uncomfortable. But it’s clear to me that Adam Lambert has some potential underneath all the glitter and cosmetics.

Listen to samples and download the album: