Unlike many other of today's young popstars, 27-year-old Adam Lambert isn't easily put into a box. He doesn't fit the adult pop singer-songwriter mold of Jason Mraz, the lightweight pop R&B of Ne-Yo or the edgier soul pop sound of Justin Timberlake. I didn't watch this year's American Idol, but I certainly saw enough press about the over-the-top styles of the boy who wore eyeliners and professed a crush on his co-star Kris Allen. How would outrageous gay teen glam rock translate into a pop album, one that 19 Records would surely calculate to sell as well as any other American Idol star's debut?
Fairly well actually, as For Your Entertainment demonstrates. It's an interesting mix of songs and sounds--not all of it winning, but much of it pretty good, and a few songs that really hit the mark. "Music Again" kicks the album off on a high note, showing much energy and Queen-cribbing theatrics, reminding me quite a bit of Mika. After that we're given a couple of electro-pop numbers--"For Your Entertainment" and "Strut"--that both feature a similar synth-bass-driven rhythm that sounds not unlike a washing machine (funny how I just made a similar observation about an Animal Collective song). These songs are pretty good but not spectacular, although both are better than the MOR-ish adult rock track "Whataya Want From Me," which, along with the harder rock-leaning track "Sure Fire Winners" are the album's weakest songs.
The middle of the album offers most of its best songs, a departure from most front-loaded pop albums. "Soaked" is the first song to really live up to the Adam Lambert image, a Muse-like power piano rock ballad over which Lambert carefully draws out every note during the verses and really lets his vocal power loose on the over-the-top choruses. This is the kind of pop drama I was expecting from Lambert and it delivers. Yet remarkably, he isn't at his best only on this kind of song, as "A Loaded Smile" shows he's quite capable of delivering an understated, tender pop ballad performance too. This lovely song, dripping with a dreamy synth production, reminds me of the soulful falsetto of Jai from his 1997 album Heaven. Creative talent Linda Perry wrote and produced this song; great to see her here.
"If I Had You" returns to electro-pop territory but injected with an irresistible Max Martin dance beat that makes it easily the best upbeat song of the set. This better be a single. "For Your Entertainment" was chosen as the first release and it hasn't become a hit. It would be a shame if many of these other, better songs don't meet the airwaves. "Pick U Up" is another enjoyable ride, with a bold hook of a chorus.
After that the album settles into a stretch of fairly ho-hum songs. "Fever," although co-written by Lady GaGa, lacks the spark of her hit songs (it does, however, include a same-gender pronoun, something Will Young stayed away from until his fourth album, despite being "out" for all of them). "Sleepwalker" is written by Ryan Tedder, but fails to generate the dramatic pop fire he's lit under many female pop stars. When I first heard "Aftermath," I thought it sounded a lot like Kelly Clarkson. Come to find out its produced by Howard Benson, who produced five of the songs on her All I Ever Wanted. The album does close on a strong note with tender (although overproduced) ballad "Broken Open" and the 2010 soundtrack single "Time for Miracles."
While uneven, the highlights of For Your Entertainment are enough to make me recommend this album. It's a lot like Kelly Clarkson's debut in that way, It similarly explores multiple pop styles as if the producers were trying to figure out which would make the best fit. That Lambert succeeds at many different ones could be a blessing or a curse. There are some really fun big moments here as well as some lovely ballads, but I wouldn't want an album of just either. Hopefully his second album will be more focused but still showcase his range and vocal skill.
Best: A Loaded Smile, If I Had You, Soaked, Music Again, Pick U Up
