2012-05 Promo Interviews and Performances

Adam Lambert - Trespassing
Submitted by Pip Ellwood on Sun, 05/13/2012 - 11:57
entertainment-focus.com/music/articles/adam-lambert-trespassing

Tracklisting:

1. Trespassing
2. Cuckoo
3. Shady
4. Never Close Our Eyes
5. Kickin In
6. Naked Love
7. Pop That Lock
8. Better Than I Know Myself
9. Broken English
10. Underneath
11. Chokehold
12. Outlaws of Love
13. Runnin
14. Take Back
15. Nirvana
16. By The Rules
17. Map


Record Company: RCA
Release Date: Monday 2nd July 2012
Buy it now: Amazon

EF Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆


Season 8 American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert hasn’t done bad for himself in the years after the show. His debut album For Your Entertainment was certified platinum in the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand and it cracked the Top 40 over here in the UK. Since then Lambert has teamed up with Queen for some live performances – he’ll be performing with them in the UK this summer – and has been busy recording his second album Trespassing.

After a few listens through we’re glad to see that Lambert has fixed some of the issues we had with his debut. For Your Entertainment, whilst being a solid pop album, was trying to be everything to everyone with a frenetic jump around the genres to cover all bases. Trespassing is a much more cohesive album that flows much better than his debut. On the record Lambert has worked with the cream of today’s producers including Pharrell Williams, Dr Luke, Claude Kelly, Benny Blanco and Lester Mendez. Bruno Mars, Sam Sparro and Bonnie McKee have also contributed to the record.

Trespassing combines pop, rock and electronica and it feels like this if the first time we’re actually getting to hear who Lambert is as a popstar; bold, daring and feisty. Opening track Trespassing borrows a We Will Rock You like intro before bass guitar and electric guitar riffs take over. Lambert’s rock-tinged voice rips straight through the melody putting his stamp all over the track.

We’re glad to see that the majority of the album stays away from the more MOR feel of buzz single Better Than I Know Myself. It’s not that the track is bad, it certainly isn’t, but he’s covered that ground with Whataya Want From Me.

Lambert gets political and topical on Outlaws Of Love which feels particularly pertinent given the gay marriage debates currently going on across the world, heads for the dance floor on the summer track Naked Love, and mashes rock with electro-pop on current US single (and UK lead single) Never Close Our Eyes which was penned by Bruno Mars. Cuckoo is a beat-driven radio-friendly dance track and Broken English adds a little dubstep into the mix for one of the album’s most unique tracks.

The best moments come when Lambert throws the pop formula out of the window and does what he wants. Shady featuring Sam Sparro and Nile Rodgers is an early favourite as is the Pharrell produced Kickin’ In which is perfect for the dance floor. It’s also what we imagine a Justin Timberlake/Michael Jackson mash-up sounds like sung by Lambert. We also have a soft spot for the energetic electro-squelch of Pop That Lock.

In terms of vocals it doesn’t get any better than Lambert’s vocal on Underneath. He rips every lyric from his soul and you hear the passion in his voice. It’s without a doubt the finest vocal on the album and showcases just how gifted a singer he is.

Trespassing is the album that we always hoped that Lambert would make. It sounds like it’s really his project rather than a mish-mash of other artists and is an early contender for our pop record of the year. There’s enough material on here to give him a fighting chance of UK chart success and his shows with Queen this summer should bring him to more people’s attention.

The UK edition of Trespassing will contain two additional tracks – By The Rules and Map – which we look forward to hearing when the album makes it to these shores. Frustratingly Trespassing isn’t coming out here in the UK until July 2nd, despite getting a US release on 15th May. Thankfully for UK fans Adam’s been streaming the whole album on his official site so you can still hear it even though you can’t quite get your hands on it yet.

Album Review - Adam Lambert Trespassing
May 13 2012
bonersandbitches.tumblr.com/post/22962765035/album-review-adam-lambert-trespassing

I wont lie to anyone, I particularly didn’t think I’d like this album, only because For Your Entertainment was pretty lackluster, but damn it, I actually love it.

Opening the album is the title track Trespassing and it pretty much makes you want to get up and move. Lambert hasn’t strayed away from the fact that he’s a huge fan of Queen and the bassline of this song reminds me a lot of Another One Bites the Dust.

Cuckoo and Shady both have beats that I just have to listen to. My biggest process when listening to music is hearing the beats and instrumental first, then lyrics afterwards. These two bring the heavy hitting beats and lyrics to get down too. I’m pretty sure Cuckoo will be my drunk summer anthem.

What can I say about Never Close Our Eyes that hasn’t already said? Most people have heard this song already because it was announced as the second single, and rightfully so. It has a wonderful dance beat, great lyrics and Adam’s vocals really shine through on this track. This one is definitely one of my top favorites.

Kickin’ It* and Naked Love aren’t bad songs, but they aren’t really ones I’m in love with. They’re both decent tracks, however, I feel like these two were kind of “filler tracks” if you will.

Pop That Lock at one point I heard was supposed to be the second single, and it probably would have been a great one too. I could hear this song in the clubs while dancing with the rest of B&B. The lyrics are simple and dance focused; this track has everything a good club banging track needs.

Better Than I Know Myself is one I’m actually not a huge fan of. It’s a great mid-tempo power ballad, but I feel like a lot of the other tracks on the album would have been better suited for the lead single. I do really like the lyrics, though. It’s one of those heartfelt tracks that you can find yourself listening to when you’re feeling down in the dumps in a relationship (pint of Chunky Monkey is optional).

I don’t know how I feel about Broken English. It’s one I’m still replaying over and over again to see if it’s one I’ll eventually get into. It’s got that tempo that I like and Adam’s vocals are pretty spectacular on this one.

I pretty much adore Underneath. It’s the one song out of any of the other emotional songs that really can tug at your heartstrings. It has raw power and emotion that I feel none of the other songs really are up to par with this one. It’s has such personal, strong lyrics and vocals that you can really tell Adam wrote this one from the heart.

I fucking love Chokehold. It’s a mixture of the beat and his soft vocals that just makes this one amazing.

Outlaws of Love is a home run for me. This song is a heart wrenching ballad that really hits home for a lot of how today’s youth feels. It highlights the harsh reality that the world still isn’t accepting of love in all of it’s forms, especially in the LGBT community.

Runnin’ and Take Back are both similar in their set up. They both have that mid-tempo and catchy choruses. Both of these I feel are some of the stronger tracks on the album.

Oh sweet Nirvana, how it feels to be in a complete state of bliss. Adam mentioned throughout many interviews that the whole process of this album had him bringing all of his strong cards into play. I think it’s a great track to end the album on. After all the club banging, dancing and, for some, maybe a little crying, it’s nice to find a state of bliss at the end of the road.

All in all, it’s a home run. I think this may be the album of the year, and if not, then at least the album of the summer. There’s something for everyone on here. I’d say give it a listen. And don’t be like me and have preconceived notions about this album because of For Your Entertainment, because this album is nothing like it. There isn’t any song on this album I don’t like. It’s one of a select few albums that I don’t have to skip a track or two. I can just let it play straight through without interruption.

Kickin' In*

Belgian Glamberts ‏ @adamlambertbe
translation of the article below that appeared in belgian newspaper:
'Adam Lambert obvious fancies a party on...

www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=465113&l=57e8070d36&id=206043269493526

Belgian Glamberts
Translation of the article below that appeared in Belgian newspaper:

Adam Lambert obvious fancies a party on his new Deluxe version of 'Trespassing'.
The extravagant singer, who gained succes after appearing on American Idol in
2009, goes all the way with Elektropop, sometimes even in overdrive to show his
talent. On 'Shady', he gets assistance for that by Nile Rodgers and Sam Sparro.
on the deluxe Edition, you get 3 bonus-tracks: Runnin' , Take Back and Nirvana.

Adam Lambert talks new album, 'Idol' knock-offs
By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer – May 14 2012
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hhCurogoZjNPRwbN0PTwtuHsCq_Q?docId=539b22bb6cec4af19ce0b513ea63dd31

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Adam Lambert isn't coming off "American Idol" or a racy American Music Awards performance, nor is he declaring his sexuality in Rolling Stone or posing with a nude model in Details magazine.

The 30-year-old glam rocker doesn't mind the lack of a media thunderstorm ahead of Tuesday's launch of his sophomore album: He relishes the element of surprise.

Lambert is hoping to achieve it with "Trespassing," on which he teamed up with the likes of Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams and Dr. Luke. It's the follow-up to "For Your Entertainment," which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard charts in 2009, the same year he finished as the runner-up in the "Idol" contest.

"I had time to make this album," said Lambert, who co-wrote many of the songs on "Trespassing" and served as its executive producer. "I do feel that sonically, lyrically and emotionally, this album is a surprise for people — and myself."

"Trespassing" is evenly divided between club-ready rhythmic pop tracks and a collection of moody melodic showcases for the vocal acrobatics that made Lambert a front-runner on the eighth season of "Idol." During a recent interview with The Associated Press, Lambert recollected on his life after reality TV.

___

AP: What's it been like for you over the past year after the "Idol" maelstrom died down?

Lambert: In that time, I fell in love (with Finnish "Big Brother" winner Sauli Koskinen), which is great. I have an amazing relationship. I also got to spend a lot more time with my friends and family. Over the past year, besides taking time to write and record the album, I've had a lot of downtime, which has been really nice to live a real life again — or what seems like one — and I think that really informed my writing process and experience making the album. I was writing from a place with a little more perspective.

AP: How did that affect your creative process?

Lambert: Coming back to real life was a bit of shock. You kind of have to decompress, and I had some failed romantic situations, and I was a bit tired and worn out, so at the beginning of the writing process, there was some darkness I was working through, which was great. It was real. It was visceral. Then, I got in my relationship, I started relaxing and having more time to myself with my friends and wanting to go out again — shopping, rediscovering culture and life.

AP: What's dating been like for you now that you're in the public eye?

Lambert: Dating while famous is a different animal. It's a different set of challenges. It's a new reality. It makes you potentially more desirable to this, that and the other person, but you also have to deal with, "Does this person have ulterior motives? What is the real reason for the attraction?" There's all sorts of other layers, and for someone like me who thinks far too much and is neurotic, that can get a little maddening after a while.

AP: What do you think about the reaction to your arrest in Finland late last year (Lambert and his boyfriend were involved in a bar fight)?

Lambert: I think that seemed like a natural reaction. That's the reality of the situation when famous people have a bad night. It turns into a big deal. It's par for the course. Luckily, no one was injured and everything was fine. It wasn't that big of a deal.

AP: What do you think about the explosion of singing contests like "The Voice" and "The X Factor"? They weren't around when you were on "Idol."

Lambert: I think that it's great that there are shows out there giving people that platform. It's really difficult to make it in the music industry. These shows are great because they show what the person is capable of and their journey and process of becoming an artist. ... I think the difficult thing is the transition between TV competition series and going into the actual music industry. There still seems to be a slight disconnect there. Hopefully, they're fixing that.

AP: You're a visual performer on par with Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Did you think about that kind of thing when you were writing and recording?

Lambert: It's part of it. I come from the performing arts. I have all my life. Being on stage is part of what makes me tick and is my inspiration. When I created a lot of these songs, I would think of the visuals in my head: "How would I stage this? What would the music video look like? What would I wear? What colors are going on? What things are happening?" I'm a very visual person. Some people create a soundtrack in their head, but I create a movie in my head to my soundtrack.
On the Net:

www.adamofficial.com/