3.25.20 Adam News and Info
Mar 24, 2020 23:02:17 GMT -5
Post by tinafea on Mar 24, 2020 23:02:17 GMT -5
Velvet Reviews
Rating: 8/10 stars
Adam Lambert Gets Nostalgic on 'Velvet'
Adam Lambert is done playing by the rules. In the last decade, since rising to fame as an American Idol runner-up and touring extensively with Queen as their frontman since 2014, he's established himself as a talented vocalist with a falsetto that channels the nostalgic sounds of the eras that came before him. But his music didn't always represent that talent as much as it could have. His first album For Your Entertainment kept him in the mainstream for a hot minute, thanks to production from Dr. Luke and Max Martin. But his follow-up albums Trespassing and The Original High—both of which aimed towards mainstream electropop—lacked originality and allowed Lambert's true talents to slip through the cracks. Now, five years later, he's back with a new studio album on an independent label that is more funky, soulful, silky, and authentically Adam Lambert than we're used to hearing.
"I've been feeling nostalgic," he laments on the title track of his fourth studio album, Velvet, but he doesn't need to tell us that. From the moment the album begins, its retro, nostalgic sounds are immediately front and center. Making an album whose sound is rooted in those of the past is certainly nothing new, but it works so well here because Lambert is in his element—something that, aside from performances with Queen, we've never quite seen in his solo work. Velvet feels effortless and natural, from the funk and disco beats to the synth and soft rock influences.
It sometimes feels forced and unnatural when an artist decides to channel their inspirations from the past, attempting to fit a puzzle piece where it doesn't belong. If anything, Lambert's previous music is what feels hopelessly forced and contrived in comparison to Velvet. The singer described the album as the "most authentic" version of himself, commenting that he's leaned "really far into [his] queerness" on this record. "Wanna rock something in my own kind of way / Like it's tailor-made for me," he sings on the title track. "Think I found someone I can get lost in / Cut from the same cloth as me."
< Velvet video >
It's far from groundbreaking for an artist to throw caution to the wind and lean into his true inspirations and talents. Still, for Lambert—whose performance ability had long since eclipsed his studio work—a change of pace was long overdue. "You try to put me in a box, make me something I'm not," he says on the R&B-influenced "Superpower", which sets the tone for an album about breaking free.
More...https://www.popmatters.com/adam-lambert-velvet-review-2645572495.html?
POP MAGAZINE
Review: Adam Lambert – Velvet
In a time when people across the world are being told to stay home indefinitely in order to keep themselves and others safe, things can become tediously unstimulating after a while. Luckily for his fans and music lovers in general, Adam Lambert has woven together a sassy collection of songs that is bound to have us dancing on our couches with a hairbrush for a mic. For youngsters, it’s a tasteful, groovy line-up, while older, more experienced listeners will rediscover a familiar thrill with this pre-90s funk rock assortment, reminding them of the greats including Queen and Prince. Lambert’s fourth studio album is aptly titled “Velvet”. The pricy fabric symbolizes wealth and power and is unapologetic in its fierce, brilliant expression of bright tones. These qualities are strung to life track after track through Adam Lambert’s smooth, brazen vocals, bannered by an even bolder album cover.
The American Idol alumnus has steadily made a name for himself since his runner-up finish on the show back in 2009. His debut album, “For Your Entertainment”, released that year was certified Gold and the single “Whataya Want From Me” earned him a Grammy nomination. With an evolving sound, Lambert continues to satisfy and surprise his audience with untamed musical fusion and experimentation. “Velvet” succeeds in capturing the growth of Adam Lambert over what has been a decade of confident expression and helps him carve a fresh new path for steps yet to be taken on his musical journey.
Though much of the album doesn’t come as a surprise with ten of its 13 tracks being previously released, there is still much to be enjoyed from the compilation. The title track takes listeners back to the comfort of beautiful memories and missed feelings with a retro vibe to start the album off with you dancing. While on your toes you’ll discover the sheer “Superpower” in being free and unapologetically you with this guitar-heavy rock number. Lambert gets down, dirty and funky with raw, raspy vocals in “Loverboy” where he essentially demands to mean more not just to his love interest, but seemingly to his audience too. This, perhaps, to define his identity outside of the influence of the artists who inspired his music such as Queen, Prince, and a host of others.
The singles “Closer To You” and “Overglow” have a pop rhythm that adds to the diversity of fusion experienced throughout the album. The sweet desperation belted out in the former track beckons for a broom to support one’s hairbrush in a heartfelt lip sync session while the latter calls for bouncing shoulders and slick, poised strides across an open living room. For those who would prefer sensuality over a good romp, “On The Moon” takes you there and further with a suave, jazzy undertone.
More..https://pop-mag.com/2020-03-24/review-adam-lambert-velvet/
Author’s rating for Velvet 4/5 stars
Pop Magazine’s official rating for Velvet 4/5 stars
4/5 stars = EXCELLENT
In Case You Missed It....
Velvet, Track by Track
Link to all the Velvet videos that you can click on individually to count towards album chart..
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adamtopia.com/post/958141