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Adam Lambert, Orianthi, Allison Iraheta, Friday, June 4, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center (Public Square, Wilkes-Barre). Tickets: Sold out.
There probably will be those that question whether “For Your Entertainment,” the debut album from “American Idol” sensation Adam Lambert, is more of a product of the all-star cast of producers and co-writers who worked on the CD than Lambert himself. Several of the very hottest behind-the-scenes talents were involved in the CD, including producers/songwriters Max Martin, Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, Linda Perry and Claude Kelly, and as songwriters, some notable names as well, including Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and Justin Hawkins of Wolfmother.
But in a recent phone interview, Lambert, 27, left little doubt that he feels there’s plenty of his vision, style and sound in his debut disc, although he also wanted to benefit from the talents of his co-writers and producers.
“I mean, I think that’s what collaboration is all about,” Lambert said. “I feel that I held my ground in those collaborations. I think it’s exciting to be able to work with people with such great track records, you know what I mean. There’s a reason why they’re famous, and there’s a reason why they’re successful, because they do good work. And I wanted good work on my album.”
Lambert will begin his first-ever headlining tour Friday at the F.M. Kirby Center. Also on the bill is Orianthi, the pop sensation and former Michael Jackson guitarist, and “American Idol” finalist Allison Iraheta. The performers were expected to rehearse for the tour at the Wilkes-Barre theater this week. Friday’s show is sold out.
Lambert’s CD might be one of the most scrutinized debuts to emerge from any “American Idol” alumnus. That’s because arguably no other finalist has created as big a stir as Lambert did last year on season eight of the hit television show. Much of the attention stemmed from the fact that Lambert, a native of the North County area of San Diego, was a different kind of contestant from the usual play-it-safe, middle-of-the-road big-voiced crooners that have populated the show. In other words, Lambert was the anti-Aiken (season two runner-up Clay Aiken), or for that matter, Kris Allen (who surprised experts by beating out Lambert to win the season eight crown.)
Visually, Lambert, who revealed after “Idol” that he is gay, was flashy, with his colorful clothes, spiky black hair and fondness for eye shadow. Musically, he was edgy, often choosing rock-oriented material over sensitive ballads. And as a performer, he didn’t hold back, bringing a flamboyance to go with a supercharged set of vocal pipes and holding his own on stage during performances with the likes of Kiss and Queen.
Perhaps some of that stage presence was a function of Lambert’s background in theater. Before auditioning for “Idol,” he was involved with a variety of different theater groups in the San Diego area as a teen and went on to star in a six-month run in “Hair” with a group based in Germany, a Los Angeles production of “The Ten Commandments” (along with Val Kilmer) and finally as part of the chorus (as well as an understudy for the character Fiyero) in a touring production of “Wicked.”
Lambert didn’t play things entirely safe on “For Your Entertainment,” which considering his performances on “Idol,” probably shouldn’t come as a shock.
“It’s a very eclectic album,” Lambert said. “I kind of don’t really stick to one genre. I don’t really believe in that. I didn’t do it on the show, and I didn’t do it on my album. I did, however, do a lot of music from the ’70s during ‘Idol,’ a lot of rock music and a lot of just ’70s in general was just an era that I kept going back to musically.
“But at the same time I wanted to bring in some really contemporary sounds to it and kind of go into a pop direction as well. What I really tried to do on some of the tracks was a straight-up fusion of the two styles.”
By and large, that’s what Lambert created. Of course, the sound of the music is one thing. The quality of the songs and performances is another issue. And for the most part, the songwriting is solid. “Music Again,” the song written by Hawkins, is a catchy and surprisingly glammy track, considering Hawkins is more known for Led Zeppelin-ish rock. “Strut” and “Whataya Want From Me” are both successful fusions of rock and synth/techno pop, each imbued with strong pop hooks and a playful attitude. “Soaked,” written by Matthew Bellamy of the band Muse, is a luxurious ballad that gives Lambert the chance to tip his hat to Queen, one of his musical heroes.
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