For Your Entertainment

Adam Lambert’s second-place finish in season eight of <i>American Idol</i> proved yet again that most of the time, it’s better to be the show’s supporting champ; he didn’t have to tame his vampy style, he was able to come out of the closet in a <i>Rolling Stone</i> interview, and he won’t have to water down his personality. <i>For Your Entertainment</i> features songwriting contributions by an array of notables including P!nk, Lady GaGa, Rivers Cuomo, Linda Perry and Justin Hawkins of the Darkness (to name a few). And though Lambert’s debut meshes Euro-pop, new wave, disco, stadium rock and contemporary R&B, it resonates with the honesty of a musician who isn’t apologetic in his flamboyance nor ashamed to fall back on his theatrical roots, which is quite refreshing. The Hawkins-penned “Music Again” opens with the operatic aplomb of a ‘70s Queen epic while Cuomo’s “Pick U Up” sounds like a lost Weezer hit. Lady GaGa’s “Fever” is so undeniably infectious and fun, it begs for more collaborations.