If you’ve never heard of Adam Lambert, call a crane operator to lift that rock you’ve been living under and check out the ‘Glam Nation Live’ CD/DVD of the American Idol phenomenon… Stat! This live performance set is a phenomenal combination of rock theatrics, pop greatness, and glam-bam-thank-Adam vocal artistry. Visually, going from something like ‘Blade Runner’ to Elvis seems like a day’s work for Lambert, but the voices have a very different lineage.
There are a handful of singers who could match the superpowered voice of the late Freddie Mercury, and Lambert has to be among them. I was struck by his soaring and flawless performances in AI a few years back, and after seeing them on YouTube, I immediately became a fan. Apparently Queen did too, because they cast Lambert in some truly memorable guest spots. Somewhere between rock god and Broadway powerhouse, Lambert’s style seamlessly melds grit and beauty in a way that’s almost hard to hear at first glance. Sometimes it’s too perfect, but the soul is there, and that’s what puts Lambert’s voice and style on top.
But this album is great because it shows how superhuman, superhuman and passionate Lambert is as a vocalist and performer. Check out the monster ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ or the soaring ‘Whattaya Want From Me’ for a sample of Adam’s phenomenal singing. For a guy who acts with such sci-fi vaudeville swagger and bravado, Lambert comes across as incredibly warm, suave, and funny…he’s just having fun on a level most of us never imagined. The multiple angles the DVD offers are a fun look at the world on stage Lambert creates, but at times, they can almost be a little distracting and overwhelming.
Clearly taking Freddie Mercury theatrics into the stratosphere and creating something of his own, Lambert backs it all up with incredible songwriting and vocals that most of us still can’t fathom. Frankly, if this kind of technically advanced singing were all Adam Lambert had, it would be boring. Too perfect. But there is real soul and substance to what this talented ‘Glambert’ brings to the stage. He really connects with both the material and the audience at the same time, and that’s what makes every singer truly successful, whether or not they can actually sing (and while there’s a group that can’t, this is actually your script). Adam Lambert’s ‘Glam Nation Live’ is an absolute must!
