Music reviews: Adam Lambert, Jing Wong, James Taylor
Lambert has some half-decent songs at last, Wong has turned his back on folk style, and James Taylor has mellowed.
Known as much for touring with rock titans Queen as being American Idol’s most interesting contestant, Adam Lambert’s third album, The Original High, strives to make his music just as memorable.
Obviously Lambert has oodles of confidence in his powerful voice (you certainly need big cojones to step into the shoes of the late great Freddie Mercury), but his histrionic warbling has often felt like it was overcompensating for something lacking in the song. The music has never proven to be quite as fabulous as the hair and eyeliner, but are the Glamberts ready to embrace a more cohesive and contemporary sound?
Recorded with Swedish pop masters Shellback (Taylor Swift) and Max Martin (Britney), lead single Ghost Town (thankfully not a cover of The Specials classic) leaves behind the soft glam rock for a thumping ‘90s house beat and immediately Lambert sounds totally comfortable in his new role as club diva. On Another Lonely Night the singer “doesn’t give a f*** if the sun comes up”, especially now that, for the first time in his career, he’s got some half-decent songs to sink his teeth into.
Adam Lambert The Original High (Warner Bros)