*identifies text from previous reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 out of 5
Side A was gifted to the masses back in September 2019. Today though, glam king Adam Lambert unleashes the full Velvet experience as he shares his complete fourth studio album.
Amidst quarantine measures and COVID-19 uncertainty, the artist's sensual poetry and smooth vocals across thirteen groovy tracks will heal all.
*With nearly a decade of mainstream career experience under his belt, glam rocker Adam Lambert never let his runner-up performance on American Idol hinder his future endeavors. Following debut album For Your Entertainment and GRAMMY-nominated single "Whataya Want From Me", the artist followed up the whirlwind success by becoming the first openly gay act to earn a number one album on the Billboard 200 with 2012s Trespassing.
*Third studio album The Original High, led by moderate hit "Ghost Town", hit the shelves in 2015. One-off singles such as "Welcome to the Show" and "Two Fux" were shared soon after, just as Lambert was finding his footing on a new tour for Queen, alongside Brian May and Roger Taylor. As the band was conquering the world, an announcement of an official fourth solo album was finally made.
"Feel Something", a gospel-tinged ballad was released in early 2019, but it wasn't until "New Eyes" and "Comin' In Hot" that fans got an official taste of what Velvet would truly sound like. Additional singles such as "Superpower", and the more recent, Nile Rodgers-assisted "Roses" were shared over the course of a year.
Title track and current single release "Velvet" finds Lambert longing for a romantic partner that fits him like a glove, or in his case, a fine-tailored suit. Over funky guitar plucks and a tender emotional tone, Lambert embraces his powers of sensual intoxication. "Wanna rock something in my own kinda way, like it's tailor-made for me, think I found someone that I can get lost in, cut from the same cloth as me," he croons on the hook.
*"Superpower" intriguingly blended the 70s rock aesthetic with 90s alternative pop attitude for an empowerment anthem with radio-ready flare. Crafted alongside producer Tommy English, who also serves up delicious funk guitar, the track is a vibrant, rebellious call to action. Fed up with rampant hate and discrimination, as well as his own record label frustration, Lambert encourages people to stand up for themselves and find pride in their own individuality.
*The celebration of strength and uniqueness continues on the equally-as-punchy "Stranger You Are", a brass-heavy number that finds Lambert detailing characteristics that make him an outsider. Instead of shunning those differences though, he embraces them. "But I'm six three, baby, with boots on, if you think you can beat me, I'm nothin' to walk on, it's all in the strut," he cheekily sings before the groovy nature of the chorus comes rolling through.
On one of the stronger song releases of 2019, *a demand for attention and sexual chemistry makes "Loverboy" stand out with its mix of playfulness and stern warnings. While Lambert has his sights set on a potential new suitor, accusing boys of his past of being all the same, he makes it clear that he's not up for the typical games this time around. With his lush falsetto, and English back with his funk guitar, the track garnered Prince comparisons that weren't too far off.
You can't always get what you want. “Roses” is another disco-funk number that doubles as Lambert’s third collaboration with Chic legend and guitarist Nile Rodgers. Released in February, a month reserved for romantic gestures and life-long commitments, the artist questions the concept of love and a partner’s ulterior motives. It's all about taking control of the situation, demanding your worth, and remaining levelheaded throughout.
*"Closer To You", the lone ballad, finds Lambert using pitch perfect, melodramatic vocals to express his love, gratitude and commitment to his new man. Singing that he would walk through fire, endure the eye of a hurricane, just to move a little closer to the one who makes his heart flutter. Besides the supporting bass, and with endearing sentiment at the forefront, the effort is simply an avenue to let the artist's immense talents thrive.
*That dominating bass continues through "Overglow", as Lambert longs for human connection, a presumed dig at the current state of relationships only surviving through devices and social media. Soothing, moody vocals are carried by alternative rock production and authentic conviction creating a sense of urgency and discontent. "If you want something real tonight, baby, you know where to get it," the artist confidently coos.
With references to red wine and weed, Lambert preps a serving of afternoon delight on “Comin In Hot”, a slow burn, 70s rock-inspired ode to passion. The track sets itself apart with groovy, uptempo supporting production. Funky electric guitar is prominent as Lambert hazily sings of igniting fires in the bedroom. Instead of trademark high notes and wailing, Lambert seduces potential suitors on the album cut with an enticing, subdued vocal performance.
The artist launches into outer space, both in sound and narrative, for the serene and oddly erotic "On the Moon". As Lambert's vocals effortlessly glide over a mix of echos and haze, he lures suitors into his soft, dark clutches. Higher than the atmosphere, all is lost as electric guitar slowly creeps its way in. "I just wanna feel what it's like, to be underneath your glow, like we're on the moon, baby," he sings in a state of ecstasy.
Production gears take a hard left with "Love Don't", an ode to missed connections dipped in Los Angeles punk rock flare. Lambert sings of quickly moving from guy to guy, unable to make a last connection. He acknowledges his own destructive flaws, but sounds ready to just throw in the towel. It's always the same old story. Though the track becomes slightly repetitive as it progress, it also gets strangely more infectious and alluring.
"Ready To Run", the most rock-forward effort on the release, closed Side A of the album. *Doubling as a criticism of a current relationship and the state of society, Lambert sings of running away to a better place. "Ain't no slowin' down from here, ain't no room for shackles, dear, so try to catch up if you dare," the artist taunts on the bridge as heavy bass and drums envelop his vocals to effectively connect what's been said, and what's still to come.
Restrained, sleek, instrumentally driven with intoxicating guitar riffs and heavy drums at the forefront, "New Eyes" signaled a vast departure from Lambert's pop heavy past. The hazy, 70s funk-rock vibe yanked Lambert out of familiar genre territory in exchange for a passionate performance, inspired by then-beau Javi Costa Polo, that felt more authentically aligned with personal desire. Though it opened with a bleak outlook, the artist became grateful and at ease.
Lambert opened up about a dark period in his career when he shared gospel-tinged "Feel Something", second guessing his own artistry and having his mental health take a hit because of it. In addition, life as a bachelor had him feeling empty and numb. The stripped back ballad touched on those struggles as the artist used his trademark powerhouse vocals, and the support of a backing choir, to get his message of loneliness and anxiety across.
*Velvet gives listeners a satisfying sampler of work four years in the making, work that provides a genuine representation of an artist that never conforms to the norm. The project also cleverly stays true to its name: smooth, elegant, vintage-inspired. Adam Lambert finally sounds as if truly inspired by his personal artistic influences, perhaps even his time on the road with Queen, instead of driven by label desires and current radio trends. While the production and instrumentals can criminally overpower Lambert's trademark powerhouse vocals at times, perhaps some flaws with mastering, it somehow still gives the finished product an appreciated raw edge. Possibly purposeful, that lack of sheen symbolizes an artist taking over the reins and following his creative intuition. The independence helped craft the artist's most impressive body of work yet.
Tracks to Hear: "Velvet", "Loverboy", "Roses", "Closer To You", "Overglow" and "Love Don't"
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