New Music Review: Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment"

A few weeks ago the world caught their first glimpse of the artwork for the debut album from Adam Lambert, titled "For Your Entertainment." This week we finally get our hands and ears on the music! Oddly enough, Amazon lists the album as being released on November 23rd, but a few Best Buys seemed to have it on sale yesterday. Bestbuy.com on the other hand lists the 23rd... so who knows. Regardless, Hey Buddy Reviews got a hand on an advance copy and I am more than happy to give a run down of the tracks... some hot, some not.

The album, to say the least, is a mixture of musical genres and thematic overtures, cascading from one song to the next, each one a little bit different than the last. With "For Your Entertainment", Adam has channeled the likes of David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and maybe even Lady Gaga, while still staying true to himself and his artistic view. It's clear from the opening lines of the album that these songs are unabashedly Adam, regardless of the input from a slew of big-name producers. The liner notes read like a veritable who's who in the industry, including Lady GaGa, Greg Wells, Max Martin, Linda Perry, RedOne, Ryan Tedder, Sam Sparro, Kara DioGuardi and Pink. The album features 'Soaked', written by Matthew Bellamy of the band Muse and 'Music Again' written by Justin Hawkins from The Darkness. Lambert also co-wrote four of the songs on the album: 'Strut', 'Aftermath', 'Pick U Up' and 'Broken Open'. The album also includes the hit single 'Time For Miracles' from the new movie 2012.

Like most album, there are a few songs that one could take or leave, and this is true of "For Your Entertainment" as well, but even the take it or leave it songs aren't THAT bad. I think a lot of it has to do with the expectations I had going in. I really expected this to be an up-beat non stop dance-a-thon, but what I got instead was, like I mentioned before, a mixture of things. There's something for everyone. Club hits, classic rock inspired ballads, and even weird experimental electronica. I'm pretty sure the sitar from Idol makes a reappearance.

Choice songs:

"If I Had You": Okay, this song... this is the repeater, and when I say that I mean this is the one that as soon as it's over you hit the back button and start it all over. It sounds like a club hit of the 80s mixed with modern electronic and a little glam rock thrown in. If this song isn't a single, I'll be shocked.

"Pick U Up": This one is the one you'll be singing along with at the top of your lungs, or at least that's how it is for me.. ;/

"Music Again": The first song on the album, written by Justin Hawkins, who you may know from the now defunct band The Darkness, is a falsetto happy head-banger that really sets the appropriate tone for the album. Within one or two listens you'll already be hooked on the chorus, and when the song is all over you'll be wanting more, which I suppose is how most album openers should be.

"For Your Entertainment": The title song and first single from the album is that club hit everyone was expecting. It's light, it's fun, and it's sexy. What more could you want? Well, it's also catchy, clever, and it makes it hard to sit still while playing.

"Sleepwalker": This song just further convinces me that anything Ryan Tedder puts his hand to turns to gold. Sleepwalker slows things down a bit, and sounds like what you'd expect of Tedder. It's catchy for sure, there's no doubt about that. It's kind of ethereal, and almost magical sounding. It's hard to describe.

The rest of the album is really good too, so don't think it's just these few that are. I'm on the 3rd listen through this morning while writing this, and I'll say this: Upon first listen yesterday I was a bit quick to tweet my disappointment, but after a couple more listens, and setting the track listing to it's proper order in my iPod, the album really did grow on me. You can stream the entire album right now on Myspace, or maybe if you're lucky you can find a Best Buy selling it. "For Your Entertainment" officially goes on sale November 23rd.