carnivalnights

I am coming out of the closet: I am a die-hard Adam Lambert fan (runner-up of American Idol Season 8 for those who are unfamiliar with him).

Actually, I was never 'in the closet' about it, but I have just never made any sort of announcement about it. I felt the need to, finally, and tell you why. Adam has become a hero of sorts to me. Perhaps it will inspire others to give him a listen and appreciate his vocals as much as I have. This took me many hours to write, so it is very long and I include a full album review, song-by-song. Even if you do not read this, perhaps it will get you interested in giving him a listen anyway. "That crazy bitch wrote a novel about him! I must see what the fuss is about."

I had never seen a single episode of American Idol. I honestly despise elimination shows of any kind, and the only one I ever got into was So You Think You Can Dance?. Even then, I have not watched or followed it religiously. I just find it all very silly. Anyway, after American Idol Season 8 was over, I kept hearing people say Adam Lambert was gypped, "We know who the real winner is," etc. Wait, wait, wait... a male contestant on American Idol who wears black nail polish?! This was interesting. I am certainly not opposed to listening to performers who have been on Idol if they are worth my while (though none had really been until now), so I looked into this Adam Lambert business.

As soon as I saw a picture of him, I was kind of fascinated. I suppose that is rather shallow but the man is pure eye candy. Sorry, that is just the way it is. I found someone on YouTube who had all of Adam's performance clips posted (now removed, of course) and proceeded to watch them all, in sequence, for over an hour. And that was that. I was hooked, I was in love, and I knew Adam would become part of my music library from then on. His glam rock sex appeal (appropriately nicknamed "Glambert") mixed with his incredible voice made me an instant fan. I wanted more Adam the moment I heard him. The man could sing. I cannot remember the last time I heard a set of pipes so strong, so controlled, so beautiful. His range is absolutely crazy! Hitting both high and low registers, his voice just blew me away. He could be soft and tender or loud and powerful. On American Idol, he conquered rock, soul, disco, motown, country. He conquered every genre, including genres that was certainly not his personal taste (e.g. country). From Queen to Cher, Led Zeppelin to Sammy David Jr., Aerosmith to Tears for Fears, Adam shows us his diverse music ability and creativity. (Anyone who can make me like Cher's "Believe" is a walking miracle.) He made every song his own, and soon we knew what it was to "Adam-ize" a song, giving it a bit of glitz and pizazz and putting a unique spin on an old classic. It is hard to even remember the original arrangements and performances of the songs Adam did because Adam's are just that memorable.

Each performance was sexually-charged in some way, never without the utmost passion and emotion. You could tell Adam was feeling what he was singing, never falling short of a spectacular performance and giving us a whole lot of personality, charisma and charm. As any good entertainer, he was able to magnify his personality on stage. Simon Cowell frequently made remarks about Adam being theatrical and joking about needing to "express himself more." Although they were meant to be digs, this type of dedication to the whole shebang --complete with drama--is what makes a good entertainer. After all, theatre is Adam's background. Why should he not incorporate that into his music career? Why is it bad when something is a 'little Broadway'? That is what makes him unique, his ability to meld genres. He showed us his softer side with pressed suits and slicked back hair, and he showed us his rocker-at-heart side with fingerless gloves, spikes and eye liner. Adam was a chameleon from the start, showing early signs of the ability to reinvent himself... surely a good sign for any musical career (think Madonna). He accepted any criticism with grace and a smile. In fact, even with Simon's cracks at his sexuality ('of course Adam was going to do a Donna Summers song' or a performance being 'too Rocky Horror Picture Show'), Adam never flinched and felt the need to defend himself. After his "Feeling Good" performance, Randy said "it was a little too theatrical" and Simon responded, "It's like complaining that a cow moos. That's what he is!" Sometimes, I felt like "theatrical" secretly meant "gay" to some of the judges, and that was upsetting. But again, Adam took it all in stride and never let it affect his performances. He was always the bigger person with some of these insults and generalizations. Any compliments thrown his way (and the judges had plenty every round) were accepted with a laugh or bow of the head. He was humble at all times, and he seemed genuinely grateful for all that was happening to him and all of the fans he had acquired. I never felt a sense of arrogance or that he was faking his humble attitude, no matter how much better he got, how many more fans he added to his following, or how much louder the screaming girls got.

Adam took risks from day one. He first took on one of the world's biggest and most popular rock songs. Adam first impressed the judges and fans with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," revealing his soon-to-be-famous high notes with some of the most powerful and immaculate vocals. The notes Adam can hit without going into falsetto (his "chest voice") are crazy, especially for a male! His range is just incredible. I have read he has hit an A5 on the finale (and possibly during "Play that Funky Music"). I have no idea how accurate it is, but I would believe it. There have been arguments about whether he is a tenor or countertenor, but some music experts have pointed toward countertenor because of the notes he can hit without falsetto. (You can listen to compilations of his Idol high notes here and here, and a video with the notes he has hit here [included below].) While his upper range is mind-blowing, his lower range is just as impressive and controlled. It gives him the ability to sing anything. His range is a rare ability, indeed. Adam is clearly a disciplined vocalist, and I am sure there is an equal amount of practice and natural talent behind it. His voice is truly his instrument in this respect; it is a tool that has been trained and chiseled into masterpiece. The best thing about Adam is that he makes it look so easy. Adam could belt it out like no other contestant. In fact, Adam can belt it out like very few artists on this earth. He was exciting, captivating, magical even. Some of his own idols--such as Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Michael Jackson--were apparent. Adam possesses fabulous showmanship like Freddie, glamour and sex appeal like David Bowie, and carefully controlled vocals and an outrageous fashion sense like Michael Jackson. He blew me away with every single song he did. Although I did not get the full experience of Idol in terms of anticipation week to week, I was still so curious to find out what he had in store for the next performance. "Leave them wanting more" comes to mind when thinking of Adam.

Every performance was riveting, even if it was a slow ballad. Adam would have made Michael Jackson proud with his "Black or White" performance, showing us just how comfortable he is on stage and being over the top. By "Ring of Fire," I could understand the vast amount of straight female fans. Adam oozes sexuality in so many ways, but his bedroom eyes are what always seem to capture me. He communicates with his eyes while he is singing, and I find that amazing. Not many artists can do that or bother doing that. I loved what he did with "Ring of Fire" even though it was not his best-received song; it was eccentric and unusual in a very good way. Completely different from the original, he managed to make it current, fresh and above all, interesting. The way he swayed his body and ran his hand down the mic during that performance made me completely forget it was a country song! He blew me away with "Tracks of My Tears," once again showcasing his range and the ability to be tender and sweet. He got Smokey Robinson on his feet, after all. This was also the performance that Simon told Adam he had "emerged as a star."

There are very few people who would have chosen "Play that Funky Music," but Adam likes taking risks and he was praised for what he did with the song. I do not normally like disco but his performance was stellar. He stole my heart with "Mad World," one of my favourite songs to start with but his version is so hauntingly beautiful. What a chance for Adam to show just how much emotion he is capable of displaying through both physical expression and vocals. He did just as beautiful a job with "One." I adored "Born to Be Wild" and seeing his bad boy rocker side. Paula said one of the things that made him so great was that he "dared to dance in the path of greatness," and I agree. He took on some real classics that not many unestablished or established singers would risk taking on.

"If I Can't Have You" shows us just how immaculate and flawless his vocals really are. It almost made Paula cry! And then he really broke out of his shell with "Feeling Good." I feel this was the moment when Adam really started gaining confidence in his ability and performing skills. It was not necessarily my favourite performance, but there was something special about it... strutting down those steps and giving us those bedroom eyes. It is hard to choose just one, but Rock Week's "Whole Lotta Love" (mentored by Slash with Adam saying he "felt at home" working with him) was one of my top Adam performances. Wow, did he ever rock up that stage. He was energetic, sexy, cool... a true rock god. It was the first time Led Zeppelin was performed on Idol and it was the last time anyone will ever perform a Led Zeppelin song to that degree of perfection. Do not even get me started on the stripped down and acoustic version he did of "Whole Lotta Love" at his Fantasy Spring concert on February 27 (bless YouTube!). Wow. Just wow.

Adam was brave with every song choice, and he seemed to be purposely challenging himself while also risking criticism or, worse, being eliminated. I loved that about his choices week to week--how many of us can say we challenge ourselves on purpose? I love the fact that he did one of my favourite songs of all time, "Cryin'" by Aerosmith. That song brings back real memories for me. The second he started singing that song, he looked so at home. Adam has a lot of Steven Tyler in him and I would love to see him do more Aerosmith covers (as well as his own rock ballads). Simon picked an R&B classic for Adam, Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." A combination of high and low notes, he shows us both sides to his genius and through a very powerful song considered to be an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. Beautiful. And wow, at that finale, to share a stage with KISS! It must be such an amazing feeling, in general, to cover some really classic songs throughout the season... and be so successful with those choices.

Since his first performance, Adam stayed true to himself, who he was and what he stood for. Before and after the kissing photo leak, Adam was just himself. Not only that, but he was a man about it and owned the photos, never trying to steer the media clear of his personal life but stating that they were of him, yes, and so what? Unlike many people would have done, Adam did not make any denials and he did not make any apologies. (Besides, as Adam pointed out, was it really a shock that he was gay?) He said, "I didn't want the [gay] label to take precedence over what I was there to do." In his interview with Oprah, Adam says that the Idol publicist asked him, "Well, what do you want to do? It's up to you. We support your no matter what." I saw someone on Idol who was a bit shy but still comfortable. Despite the lack of an 'official' music career, he was seasoned and educated as a singer. As the performances went on, his confidence grew and he became even more comfortable in his own skin. He wore what he wanted, he sang what he wanted, and his input into each song he performed was apparent and creative. Adam made some really amazing and unique song choices (and yes, contestants do get to choose their own songs--they are given many options and as long as they can get permission from the artists/writers/label, the contestant is free to do that song). Adam has mentioned in interviews that Idol was surprisingly open to his wardrobe choices and creative suggestions; he said he never felt like he had to hide who he was. By the end of the show, there was full out eye liner and glitter and platform shoes. His wardrobe and amazing fashion sense, to me, was just as amazing as his vocals. Adam is as much a visual experience as he is an aural experience.

One thing I also noticed was that Adam took the time to thank the band many times for their amazing arrangements, saying it would not have been possible without their hard work. He seems to like giving credit where credit is due, and I love that.

Adam continues to surprise me, even today. I had no idea he could dance until I saw the clips of him on the Idol tour (as well as the Zodiac Show clips and infamous "Kiss and Tell" clip). What man, aside from Michael Jackson, can move his hips like that?! Hel-lo. He was so amazing on that tour and he really just came into himself and was just... Adam. I found it hilarious that fans were throwing everything from bras to dildos on stage. I understand the excitement but sex toys? Ick. I sure hope they were not used! So the man can sing, the man can dance, the man can dress, the man can do his own hair and make-up... what more could you ask for?

Adam is also an amazing conversationalist. I love him for more than his music. I am always scared, when I take a look into the more personal side of my favourite artists, that I will be disappointed. Sometimes I like to just separate the music from the person all together, to be honest. But Adam surprised me again--or rather, confirmed my hopes--and turned out to be this educated, knowledgeable person with a lot to say. It is clear he is a very intelligent man with a great, playful sense of humor. Watching some of the videos of behind-the-scenes production of the album, he has a lot of musical input and he knows what he likes. He always has suggestions on how to make things better, and if he does not like something, he speaks up. Despite being new to the industry, he still has a firm grasp on what good music should be and is just knowledge about music and music history in general. He can be articulate and he can be silly; I love that about him. He is down-to-earth and someone who would automatically calm your starstruck, should you ever meet him face-to-face.

One of the main ways Adam is proving to be genuine is his consistency; he seems to be consistent in the way he answers questions, no matter how many times he is asked them. This is fantastic and makes him that much more 'real' for me. There is no web of lies like you get with most celebrities: 'Uh, didn't she just say the opposite last week?' So I really love that about him. He really knows how to articulate himself and he is so socially comfortable with anyone and everyone. On Oprah, he spoke to her as if they were old friends. Having social issues myself and a fear of public speaking, Adam is inspiring. He is just so amazing in every interview and always comes across with social grace and an ability to tackle any question articulately.

He is so frank and honest in his interviews, and he does not seem to shy away from expressing his opinion on any subject. He has been nothing but to-the-point about his sexual orientation and has made it clear that "gay" is not all he is; he wants to be known first and foremost as an artist. He is open about his past and open about relationships. He is a very candid person and does not lack any social grace. He always seems so comfortable and unintimidated, even in front of the most famous people or prestigious events. My point is, Adam is not your typical molded music icon with people telling him how to behave, how to dress and how to act. Adam seems to be just Adam, with a sweet side and a naughty side. He shows endless appreciation for his fans and he never fails to seem genuine about the fact that they are the true reason he is where he is today. I am always excited to hear Adam speak. It is just so easy for him and he never makes a fool of himself. He is just himself, not putting on a show for anyone, plain and simple. Adam is anything but manufactured.

Of course, as soon as you sign a record contract, there are going to be restrictions. Though from the cover/sleeve images and the songs themselves, it is clear they are not trying to suppress his sexuality (gay or straight) or passion for theatrics. Usually, the music industry will abuse a female's sexuality and eliminate male sexuality. From what Adam has said in interviews, I think he had quite a bit of input on For Your Entertainment. He did some of the writing and he collaborated with some amazing artists. The album is certainly restrained in some ways, but this is Adam's debut. You are not going to start off running in the music industry; you need to prove yourself before you can have free rein. Idol was, in a sense, a platform and experience for this. Despite some of the stigma attached to the show for us more-indie-less-mainstream lovers, it served him well. He needed a way to break into the industry and found it, all the while giving people a taste of who he truly was and not a totally toned down and conservative version of himself. In other words, you have to start somewhere.

I would have liked more rock on For Your Entertainment, but again, Adam is just starting out and I hope that is in his musical future. I am not saying this because I love rock/alternative but because it seems to be Adam's comfort zone and he sounds amazing singing rock songs. But hey, if Adam prefers to sing dance and pop, I am all for that too even though I do not typically listen to those genres too often. I am an Adam fan for life and will give anything he does a listen. Whatever makes him happy. The main reason I love this album is because Adam sounds different in every single song. It is not just his range that allows him to do this but just the way he sings. He can do all sorts of things with his vocals to change it up and reinvent himself. Some songs, you can barely tell it is still Adam (e.g. mistaking him for Robbie Williams for a few lines). Normally this would be odd, but I love it in this case. It keeps things interesting and really shows you how diverse Adam is and all of the genres and types he can do. I like that some of the songs are uplifting, some of them are sad, and some of them are somewhere in between. Some music critics, like Randy Jackson, have said the album covers too many bases. Adam responds by saying the album is supposed to be eclectic because that is who he is: "I understand where he's coming from and everybody has their opinion. For me, I was just so excited that I had the opportunity to make an album that I wanted to experiment and put a lot of different colours into it. I made a conscious decision to make it eclectic because that reflects who I am as an artist. The album is like a sonic dress-up party - each track has a different color and a different vibe. If you look at my run on Idol, from week to week I changed it up a lot, in terms of going for a different sound or look. Having done that, if I'd come out with an album that was one color, I'd have been throwing away all the diversity I showed I could have" (Digital Spy interview 03/03/10). And that is exactly what I was thinking. Adam is unique and if he can cover multiple bases, why not? I love that this album offers a bit of everything. That is how I like albums to be, to showcase all of an artists talents and show me all they are interested in. Adam is a huge fan of taking the old and making it new, so why not have these 60s, 70s, 80s elements mixed into a contemporary presentation?

For someone so terrible with memorizing lyrics, I have many parts of these songs memorized already and that is a real miracle. That must say something about his music. I hope Adam is able to write more of the songs on his next album and, eventually, start producing and arranging. This album is not a really personal album (which is fine), so I would love to see more Adam next time, peer a bit deeper into his soul and experience some of his thoughts and feelings through his writing. I basically want him to spill his guts all over the place, like Rufus Wainwright or Jann Arden.

( My Full Album Review, Song-By-Song )