It's time for me to say a few words about Adam Lambert as the release date for his second studio album draws nearer. It's clear to everyone, fans and non-fans, that Adam Lambert is not only a superhuman singer, but a genuinely good man. Adam has always supported philanthropic causes near and dear to his heart, whether it be involvement in LGBTQ activism or raising money for clean drinking water. Outspoken, high-spirited, courageous & daring, Adam Lambert stands far apart from other POP acts who lack temerity & personality. Guided by his gift & a true moral compass, Adam delivers passionate & provocative performances other singers could only dream of. Yet, Adam is consistently under-appreciated. Why?
There is, of course, a deeply-entrenched social bias against openly gay male performance artists, especially flamboyant ones. Gregory wrote about this extensively last November. Adam has valiantly battled prejudice since the very beginning of his career - not to mention carrying the burden of being the first openly gay mainstream POP artist. But the other factor limiting his career is less clear cut: Adam Lambert's music.
I mean it kindheartedly when I say that so far, I am concerned about Trespassing. The first 2 singles just don't sound like winners. Sure, they are graceful love songs that exhibit Adam's heavenly vocals (hot damn can he hit notes!), but ultimately, they falter. Though it premiered at #76 on the Hot 100 with virtually no promotion, Better Than I Know Myself appears stagnant. Now we have Never Close Our Eyes, which is a fun but ultimately unexceptional track. It sounds like Dr. Luke put in a C+ effort while Adam, of course, put in 350%. And, as much as Never Close Our Eyes sounds current, I don't think it's realistic to expect a high position on the charts (I do, however, expect good things from Cuckoo if it is the third single, which hopefully, it is).
But Adam Lambert is a first-rate performer working with the best in the business, shouldn't he be #1? Yes, he absolutely should! But is Trespassing going to get him there? As much as I want it to, I have my doubts. Although working with Dr. Luke provides Adam's songs with a modern, glossy finish, part of the end result is that his songs sound tragically generic. Generic? Yes, unfortunately, I said generic. I know, how in the world can the Broadway-experienced Adam Lambert make a generic song? This question continues to baffle me.
Watch Adam perform Cuckoo, one of the most exciting upcoming tracks off of Trespassing, below.
Watch Adam perform Cuckoo, one of the most exciting upcoming tracks off of Trespassing, below.
However, after much thought & many conversations with Gregory, I have a few suspicions - the most important one being that I suspect Adam's team factors in the great risk of trying to make a POP star out of a Broadway talent - namely, they fear making an album that sounds like Adam Lambert: The Musical. To avoid this, Adam's producers compress his powerful voice into a robo-POP format that just does not fit his singular talents. Moreover, most of his singles as lyrically limited to dramatic love songs that lack boldness or grit (this is one of the main reasons why I would have preferred Trespassing or Cuckoo as the next single, they are the kind of gutsy POP-rock jams that only Adam could do justice).
What are the alternatives? Well, for one, I would prefer that Adam worked with different people. Writing a song with, say, Greg Kurstin, is a great idea. After all, Kelly Clarkson worked with Greg in part because of his ability to let her vocals carry the song without over-processing them. Give Adam a GUTSY song! Likewise, working with Ryan Tedder could produce a raucous, beat-heavy song that adds a bluesy atmosphere & compliments Adams vocals (wouldn't his cover of Rumour Has It be epic?). Or even better, Adam should work with Liam Howe, who gave us the brilliant & unconventional Mowgli's Road. Adam should be making stomping, rock 'n roll tinged, operatic POP, instead of music that is shmalzy, over-saturated, & conventional. No Bruno Mars-penned tracks are needed, & the less Dr. Luke, the better. We can't keep giving Adam formulaic POP when he clearly has so much more to offer.
My strongest evidence is the 2009 track Time For Miracles, written for the blockbuster film 2012. Poignant & timeless, in Time For Miracles Adam is free of the electroPOP song structure that suffocates his sound. Sure, electroPOP sounds good on Adam, and at certain times, even great. But does it do justice to all that he can deliver?
I firmly believe in a long-standing, trail-blazing future career for Adam, especially as POP music leans more & more towards rock 'n roll. But when will he be front & center like he deserves? Some might say "well, look, he already has a Grammy for Best Male POP Vocal Performance," to which I say: why stop there? Why shouldn't Adam receive both popular praise and critical acclaim? Furthermore, why can't he make an album that sounds current but doesn't limit his sound?
I don't have all the answers, though I wish that I did. I do know, however, that the millions of loving Glamberts will never let Adam drift from view, however peripheral. Thank goodness.
Unapologetically,
Minna
