If you’ve never heard of Adam Lambert, call a crane operator to lift the rock you’ve been living under and watch the American Idol phenomenon’s ‘Glam Nation Live’ CD / DVD … Stat! This live performance set is a phenomenal combination of rock theater, pop greatness, and glam-bam-thank-Adam vocal art. Visually, going from something like ‘Blade Runner’ to Elvis seems like it’s a day’s job for Lambert, but the voices have a very different lineage.
There are a handful of singers who could match the super-powerful voice of the late Freddie Mercury, and Lambert has to be among them. I was drawn to their towering AI performances a few years ago, and after seeing them on YouTube, I immediately became a fan. Apparently, Queen did too, because they chose Lambert for some truly memorable guest spots. Somewhere between the god of rock and the powerhouse of Broadway, Lambert’s style seamlessly blends bravery and beauty in a way that is almost difficult 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 above all else.
But this album is great because it shows how passionate, direct and superhuman Lambert is as a vocalist and performer. Check out monster ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ or soaring ‘Whattaya Want From Me’ for a taste of Adam’s phenomenal singing. For a guy who acts with such arrogance and sci-fi bravado, Lambert is incredibly warm, personable, and funny … he’s just having fun on a level most of us never imagine. The multiple angles the DVD offers are a fun glimpse into the world on stage that Lambert creates, but at times, they can almost be a bit distracting and overwhelming.
Clearly taking Freddie Mercury’s theatricality into the stratosphere and creating something of his own, Lambert backs it all up with killer songwriting and vocals most of us still can’t understand. Frankly, if this kind of technically advanced singing was all Adam Lambert had, it would be boring. Too perfect. But there is a real soul and substance to what this talented ‘Glambert’ puts on stage. It really connects with both the material and the audience at the same time, and that’s what makes every singer truly successful, whether they can actually sing or not (and while there are many who can’t, this is actually their secret). Adam Lambert’s ‘Glam Nation Live’ is an absolute must!