CD Review: Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment"

Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment [RCA Records]

There’s no question that Adam Lambert is vocally talented. Anyone who followed this past season of American Idol will know this. And to anyone who didn’t follow the popular game show, his debut record For Your Entertainment shows that this kid has a great voice. You wouldn’t know it but Lambert actually finished second to Kris Allen, a piece of information that’s pretty much meaningless, since most finalists receive record contracts anyways (see Chris Daughtry, Blake Lewis, etc). Lambert’s falls right in line with the majority of Idol contestants, however, due to his lack of staying power. Sure, Lambert has gifted vocals chords, but he fails to carve out a niche for himself and he’s known more for being homosexual than being a good singer. But hey, if you want people to know you more for your off-the-stage persona, to each his own, but just ask Amy Winehouse and George Michael how well that worked for them. Speaking of, for as somewhat controversial and over-the-top outlandish as Lambert is, his much anticipated debut, For Your Entertainment, is as subdued as they come musically.

Yes, the driving force behind, and main selling point of For Your Entertainment is Lambert’s uncanny ability to carry songs vocally, but the fact that this record is bland and repetitive is surprising. Given his penchant for flair, it’s hard to imagine his debut record full of one adult contemporary track after another. Sure, it does make for a smooth, all be it easy, listen, but by the time you cross the halfway point ofFor Your Entertainment, you pretty much have heard what this guy has to offer musically. There are few reprieves from the mundane pace of For Your Entertainment, and it is those tracks that standout the most of all. The album’s title track and ‘Soaked’ are two of the highlight tracks along the way since they work to change the pace of For Your Entertainment, even though the album’s success lands on the shoulders of Lambert and his soulful, yet relatable voice. Tracks like ‘Whataya Want From Me’ and ‘Strut’ carry the flag for the effort on the whole, even though they hardly last after the listener hits the stop button. Piano touches and acoustic guitar strums give the record an endearing quality, but they just don’t do enough to pull the disc from the depths of mediocrity.

There are times throughout For Your Entertainment that will cause you to think this kid probably should have won American Idol’s eighth season, and at times you will surely want to sing along, but all in all, For Your Entertainment is pretty nauseating.

Grade: D

Listen to: ‘Whataya Want From Me’