Idol Watch

Adam Lambert's fangtastic Boca gig

Adam Lambert, wearing fangs and his usual Idol "glampire wear," performed at the annual Party City Halloween Bash and Industry Awards on Oct. 24 at the Boca Raton Resort. Adam sang the first song that really catapulted him on Idol, Ring of Fire.

Party City, a Halloween retailer, has been collecting funds for the Boys & Girls Club of America since May and at the event the company presented a check of $400,000. Party City was not allowed to promote the Adam appearance beforehand.

Meantime, Adam is having to "defend" his glam shot CD cover for his coming For Your Entertainment. Why should he have to defend a cover shot that has people talking? For once, Idol finds an interesting, edgy entertainer and the star has to defend a cover choice? He's not dancing amid burning crosses or sacrificing animals. He's posing in makeup, something he's done since his Idol audition. Big deal. Let's just hope he gives us something to talk about for the music inside the pretty package.

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The Reveal: Adam Lambert's CD cover!

 

You know you were curious, so here you go: an early look at the front cover of Adam Lambert's forthcoming debut album, For Your Entertainment.

To these eyes, it's 1984 all over again, a retro hair metal Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Poison throwback, with a little Culture Club and Prince thrown into the pot. Here's hoping the music is at least as good as those oldies. (I'm decidedly not a fan of his first single, the theme from 2012, an overblown, overproduced sub-Aerosmith tune).

The album's out Nov. 24 and already is all-abuzz on the Internet, overshadowing the plethora of Idol-related albums yet to come from Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, Katharine McPhee, Jason Castro, not to mention current chart entries from David Archuleta (Christmas effort), Daughtry, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks, to name some.
 

What do you think of Adam's glamtastic cover?

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American (Idol) Music Awards? Idols pack awards program

It's been called the American Music Awards since Dick Clark first put the program on the air in Jan. 1974 but this year producers might as well insert the word "Idol" into the handle.

Idol alum either nominated or announced as performers for ABC's Nov. 22 extravaganza include Carrie Underwood (nominated and promoting her third CD, Play On (out Nov. 3)), Chris Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert, who will release his debut on Nov. 24 (a week after Kris Allen and the same day as Britain's Got Talent runnerup Susan Boyle).

Meantime, disappointing reaction to the first singles from new albums by Idol alum Katharine McPhee and Jason Castro means fans will have to wait until the first quarter of 2010 to hear their new albums as the labels have postponed their release dates.

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Kris Allen tailgates at Dolphins game

Season 8 winner Kris Allen offers a tailgate performance at Sunday's Miami Dolphins game at Landshark Stadium.

Miami.com has a contest to give away game tickets, a VIP spot to watch Kris sing (he'll be promoting his coming album and try to make up ground on runnerup Adam Lambert who leads in pre-sale orders) and a Dolphins football signed by Kris. Enter at miami.com/contests

For tickets to the game call 1-888-FINS-TIX or MiamiDolphins.com

 

First look at Katharine McPhee's sophomore CD

By all accounts, Katharine McPhee's eponymous 2007 debut was a misguided effort. The press materials over played her glamour looks, the off-the-shelf songs were all over the map, with nary a keeper and McPhee could never figure out who she was as an artist. The BMG album sold just over 350,000 or so copies and the American Idol:5 runner-up was justifiably dropped.

The good news for McPheever fans: Verve Forecast has picked her up and plans to issue her second album, Unbroken, on Jan. 10. The album was supposed to be out this month but has been delayed to the January date, presumably to give the label more time to promote. A first single, cowritten by Idol judge Kara DioGuardi (Had It All) hasn't exploded -- DioGuardi's prolific but not very good -- but Unbroken is a considerably more focused effort than the muddled Katharine McPhee.

Gone are the insipid songs about shoes and the ill-fitting R&B flavor of the debut has been excised in favor of a more appropriate pop/soft rock sound for the California girl.

 After one listen, standouts include the percussive How and Keep Drivin' (cowritten by McPhee). The disc closes with a cover of Melanie's chart-topping 1971 hit, Brand New Key. Album of the year material? Of course not. McPhee still doesn't sound like a distinctive song stylist. But improving's certainly a step in the right direction and I'm willing to give the disc more attention as the release date approaches.

The most striking element? Dig the new short blond hair. I don't recognize McPhee. Here's the cover of the advance CD.

 

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