I'm sure the speed of the passage of time is directly proportional to one's age. Time seems to have crept up on me in the Gridlock excitement and I've realised that I'm going away tomorrow for three weeks. No internet for three whole weeks! If that doesn't kill me, I'll be back blogging and finishing the Gridlock videos on my return (provided no one else has done them).
In the meantime, I'll leave you with some links to enjoy:
Adam Lambert Obsession:
http://bit.ly/4zo88D Re-live all of the AI journey including speculation, performances, reviews and articles
http://bit.ly/7Q5kSd Watch all of Adam's AI performances
http://bit.ly/6zXets Watch all of the AI group performances
http://bit.ly/5SVna4 Compare the rehearsals against the live performances
http://bit.ly/5oTa9z Read my articles
http://bit.ly/5Gqy0J Read my obsessings
http://bit.ly/57TCw8 Take the Adamometer fan test
http://bit.ly/2TK4zC Listen to the album from the Facebook stream (with lyrics)
Other sites:
http://adamholic.com/blog All the latest news and media
http://alreference.blogspot.com Facts and timeline
http://www.mr-l.org Collection of media
Communities:
Adam Without Pity
Hoopla Magnet
IDF
Planet Fierce
As tempting as it is to cancel, I'm slightly pleased that Adam Lambert doesn't quite rule my life to that extent! I know I'll be missing so much, so please enjoy all the upcoming events that little bit extra for me in my absence. I hope I'll see you back here when I return. Thank you all for visiting!
Friday, 8 January 2010
Friday, 1 January 2010
Happy New Decade(nce)!
UPDATE 10/02/10: Added Improved Soaked with comments.
UPDATE 06/01/10: Added Improved If I Had You with comments.
UPDATE 04/01/10: Added Improved Music Again with comments.
I hope you all enjoyed yourselves and had a blast! The build-up to Gridlock was all very exciting as we were all trying to guess yet again what Adam would be singing, how he'd be singing it and what he'd be wearing. This was one appearance where I wasn't at all nervous and it was a great feeling not to have the pressure of needing to behave in front of the TV cameras. I'm really not a morning person but managed to set my alarm to half wake up for the streams. Unfortunately only a couple of them worked, some lacked sound and another kept buffering so I'm thankful for all the videos that were taken.
Adam's look 'I wanted to look like a firework' was styled like the AMAs with the exception of a tailed coat with symmetrically rhinestoned shoulder detailing. From what I could tell, the set started with Music Again, leading to If I Had You. Adam's voice had somehow managed to slice through all the ear-bleeding static and I could hear its power and clarity on the second song. WWFM was next, followed by Strut, Sure Fire Winners, some beautiful vibrato on Soaked, FYE and Sleepwalker which had Adam doing the most incredible vocal 'guitar solo'. Next was Fever, and the set ended with a crazily pumping Down The Rabbit Hole. WLL was the encore and sounded very different with the new band and the inclusion of a drum solo. The gig seemed to have a club vibe rather than that of a rock concert, and Adam was on fire. It was a wild high-octane show with Adam's energy and dancing electrifying the whole audience, whichever corner of the globe. I wish I could have been there at the first Adam concert, as the advantage of the performance not being televised was that the reigns were finally fully off, and what better way to start off the new decade?
Here are the best quality videos of each performance so far, which I'll be updating and tweaking as they come. My improved versions are the big one. More comments will follow as I work through them.
MUSIC AGAIN
This video was a real labour of obsession, made out of 29 separate cuttings from various videos and I'm really pleased with the result. Thanks for all your help in keeping me up to date with all the latest uploads.
To steer clear of expectations, I hadn't really thought much about the set or the order when I tuned into the stream, but despite being able to hear jack shit, I could still make out the distinctive and cheeky ascending beats at the intro of Music Again. It's the perfect party starter.
The interaction with Pamela at the start was deemed interesting enough to have been reported by the British press. Although the exchange was friendly, they seemed to mirror each other's defensiveness by intercepting hands from wandering into their personal space.
Right from the start, Adam reminds us that having his ABC gig cancelled could actually be a good thing for us fans because he's allowed to welcome us into the new 'motherfucking decade' with a show on his own terms. He can let loose and enjoy himself without having to worry about the bullshit, and it reflects in this most thrilling and explosive party of his where the crowd are not just spectators but are participants providing Adam with energy to feed off. After all the chat show appearances, this makes a most welcome change. This isn't a concert about vocals despite their being perfect on this song, nor is it exactly about what Adam does on stage but it's all about the effect on the atmosphere of the party. Adam is here for our entertainment, making us enjoy ourselves.
It's a little strange seeing him under red lights instead of blue as it gives off a slightly different feel. I associate red lights with debauchery and my many crazy hazy drunken nights out in various clubs. My favourite parts of this song are his evil claw, his fluid hip action and the way he seems to be so relaxed and beaming with joy.
IF I HAD YOU
Flippin' heck these edits are getting more and more complicated - this was was made up of 39 pieces!
From when the bassline kicks in at the very start, we are powerless to resist stomping to its rhythm. The song is full of booty-shaking energy with a club vibe that just makes me wish I were there for the party. This was the first time I'd seen it performed, and although there is a very rare painful note in the recording, it more than achieves its goal in getting the party going. My favourite part has to be where he drops and is led back up by his crotch.
WWFM
STRUT
SURE FIRE WINNERS
SOAKED
Here's the first video I've done in a while, it was trying to make the best sound file I could that ended up taking the longest so I hope it was worth it.
This is the performance that epitomises the phrase “I'll show you theatrical, bitch!” where Adam works the mood right from the start as he shimmies on his stool. He physically interprets the cymbal clash with a snap pose, and watch how it looks like he hits Lisa in the head. His voice at the start has a floaty, quivering ethereal quality to it, aided by the deifying rotating halo spotlight. Since his movement around the stage is limited, all eyes are on him and I find his swaying and expressions ethralling; the way he stretches, moulds and folds his lips (especially at the 2:15 mark) to not only create the sounds but to evoke the feelings of self-loathing interpreted from the lyrics. He seems to lose time during 'Take shelter and hide forever' but swiftly corrects himself. During the instrumental break, we get a change to red lighting and Adam steps up the melodrama with his acting skills. We have hand gestures, panting, the rehearsed reach for his hip flask (I wonder what was in it) which arrives just a little bit early, and the angry sip and wipe of the mouth. I find myself laughing at the theatrics wishing I were a tipsy member of the audience rather than viewing him via the footage. From this song, we perhaps get a glimpse of what Adam would be like as a drunkard! I must comment on the spot-on vocals, the dynamic range of which are just staggering. It takes a quality singer with a huge voice to be able to bring this song to life as Adam has done. My favourite part has to be that note. It sounds ghostly the way it lingers in the air before drifting off, leaving a lasting impression that continues to haunt.
FYE AND SLEEPWALKER
FEVER
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
WLL
Happy new year! Happy new decade(nce)! Have a fun-filled glitterified one!
UPDATE 06/01/10: Added Improved If I Had You with comments.
UPDATE 04/01/10: Added Improved Music Again with comments.
I hope you all enjoyed yourselves and had a blast! The build-up to Gridlock was all very exciting as we were all trying to guess yet again what Adam would be singing, how he'd be singing it and what he'd be wearing. This was one appearance where I wasn't at all nervous and it was a great feeling not to have the pressure of needing to behave in front of the TV cameras. I'm really not a morning person but managed to set my alarm to half wake up for the streams. Unfortunately only a couple of them worked, some lacked sound and another kept buffering so I'm thankful for all the videos that were taken.
Adam's look 'I wanted to look like a firework' was styled like the AMAs with the exception of a tailed coat with symmetrically rhinestoned shoulder detailing. From what I could tell, the set started with Music Again, leading to If I Had You. Adam's voice had somehow managed to slice through all the ear-bleeding static and I could hear its power and clarity on the second song. WWFM was next, followed by Strut, Sure Fire Winners, some beautiful vibrato on Soaked, FYE and Sleepwalker which had Adam doing the most incredible vocal 'guitar solo'. Next was Fever, and the set ended with a crazily pumping Down The Rabbit Hole. WLL was the encore and sounded very different with the new band and the inclusion of a drum solo. The gig seemed to have a club vibe rather than that of a rock concert, and Adam was on fire. It was a wild high-octane show with Adam's energy and dancing electrifying the whole audience, whichever corner of the globe. I wish I could have been there at the first Adam concert, as the advantage of the performance not being televised was that the reigns were finally fully off, and what better way to start off the new decade?
Here are the best quality videos of each performance so far, which I'll be updating and tweaking as they come. My improved versions are the big one. More comments will follow as I work through them.
MUSIC AGAIN
This video was a real labour of obsession, made out of 29 separate cuttings from various videos and I'm really pleased with the result. Thanks for all your help in keeping me up to date with all the latest uploads.
To steer clear of expectations, I hadn't really thought much about the set or the order when I tuned into the stream, but despite being able to hear jack shit, I could still make out the distinctive and cheeky ascending beats at the intro of Music Again. It's the perfect party starter.
The interaction with Pamela at the start was deemed interesting enough to have been reported by the British press. Although the exchange was friendly, they seemed to mirror each other's defensiveness by intercepting hands from wandering into their personal space.
Right from the start, Adam reminds us that having his ABC gig cancelled could actually be a good thing for us fans because he's allowed to welcome us into the new 'motherfucking decade' with a show on his own terms. He can let loose and enjoy himself without having to worry about the bullshit, and it reflects in this most thrilling and explosive party of his where the crowd are not just spectators but are participants providing Adam with energy to feed off. After all the chat show appearances, this makes a most welcome change. This isn't a concert about vocals despite their being perfect on this song, nor is it exactly about what Adam does on stage but it's all about the effect on the atmosphere of the party. Adam is here for our entertainment, making us enjoy ourselves.
It's a little strange seeing him under red lights instead of blue as it gives off a slightly different feel. I associate red lights with debauchery and my many crazy hazy drunken nights out in various clubs. My favourite parts of this song are his evil claw, his fluid hip action and the way he seems to be so relaxed and beaming with joy.
IF I HAD YOU
Flippin' heck these edits are getting more and more complicated - this was was made up of 39 pieces!
From when the bassline kicks in at the very start, we are powerless to resist stomping to its rhythm. The song is full of booty-shaking energy with a club vibe that just makes me wish I were there for the party. This was the first time I'd seen it performed, and although there is a very rare painful note in the recording, it more than achieves its goal in getting the party going. My favourite part has to be where he drops and is led back up by his crotch.
WWFM
STRUT
SURE FIRE WINNERS
SOAKED
Here's the first video I've done in a while, it was trying to make the best sound file I could that ended up taking the longest so I hope it was worth it.
This is the performance that epitomises the phrase “I'll show you theatrical, bitch!” where Adam works the mood right from the start as he shimmies on his stool. He physically interprets the cymbal clash with a snap pose, and watch how it looks like he hits Lisa in the head. His voice at the start has a floaty, quivering ethereal quality to it, aided by the deifying rotating halo spotlight. Since his movement around the stage is limited, all eyes are on him and I find his swaying and expressions ethralling; the way he stretches, moulds and folds his lips (especially at the 2:15 mark) to not only create the sounds but to evoke the feelings of self-loathing interpreted from the lyrics. He seems to lose time during 'Take shelter and hide forever' but swiftly corrects himself. During the instrumental break, we get a change to red lighting and Adam steps up the melodrama with his acting skills. We have hand gestures, panting, the rehearsed reach for his hip flask (I wonder what was in it) which arrives just a little bit early, and the angry sip and wipe of the mouth. I find myself laughing at the theatrics wishing I were a tipsy member of the audience rather than viewing him via the footage. From this song, we perhaps get a glimpse of what Adam would be like as a drunkard! I must comment on the spot-on vocals, the dynamic range of which are just staggering. It takes a quality singer with a huge voice to be able to bring this song to life as Adam has done. My favourite part has to be that note. It sounds ghostly the way it lingers in the air before drifting off, leaving a lasting impression that continues to haunt.
FYE AND SLEEPWALKER
FEVER
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
WLL
Happy new year! Happy new decade(nce)! Have a fun-filled glitterified one!
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Whataya Want From Me? Whataya Want From Me?
It's been another day of celebration as Adam's sales figures are much better than expected, having sold 62,000 copies of FYE this week, increasing the total US sales to 417,000.
Yesterday was the first time I'd been aware (thanks to my fellow Lambrits) of WWFM getting played on UK radio via BBC Radio 2's 'The class of 2009,' a show where Paul Gambaccini presented his choice of the breakthrough artists of 2009. For those who can't listen to the segment that starts at about 20:30, I've transcribed the comments:
As you can gather from the title, this post compares all the different versions of WWFM as I did for MW. I'd been holding out for a video of the Vevo performance of WWFM to turn up before making this post, but decided to go ahead because we might be in for quite a wait.
The debut performance of WWFM was a live one at The Early Show, a last-minute booking after the GMA cancellation. This was before the magnitude of the over-reaction of drama-queen proportions had really sunk in. Vocally it's very strong and has my favourite 'don't' high note to date, which he nailed better than in any others as it's both powerful and full of grit. When I watch it now, I feel a little different about the presentation than I did at the time. I think the sassy outfit and look is the one that's least suited to WWFM but works better for Music Again.
The David Letterman one was the next to be broadcast but was actually the first performance of WWFM. This was filmed shortly after the AMAs and just after the news that the GMA performance had been cancelled. It feels much less polished than The Early Show one and is my least favourite of them all. There's too much echo and the timbre of Adam's voice doesn't sound as pleasant or as well-controlled as usual, even shouty in places. Anger and passion over the AMA fall-out probably played a significant role in the delivery. The vocals and expressions remind me of BoW.
The Ellen performance came after a rather depressing week which may have influenced how I perceived it. It was sad and breathy with slightly dissonant backing vocals. More cancellations, tweets that seemed to show he was shaken enough to shift his direction and his crestfallen demeanour all made this the softest and most vulnerable of his performances.
The View came at a time when I was buoyed by the fact that Adam's recent critics all did a U-turn, in effect looking like idiots while spraying him with the fragrant scent of roses. This was my favourite set design and he was dressed all in black, merging into the background a little. The soft glow from the lighting gave it a floaty glam dream-like feel from a different era, much like the album cover. This wasn't the tightest but very solid and felt quite relaxed. Circumstances probably made me project an atmosphere of serenity to this rendition.
The mix on Conan sounds a little thin to me, and Adam didn't hit the 'don't' but there was the introduction of the beautiful falsetto 'me'. This is quite a physical performance where he's comparatively animated with his movements and expressions, clad in plenty of leather to add a little spice.
I was a little nervous going into SYTYCD because there had been a few shaky notes in each of the performances so far. I didn't need to be though, as its my favourite one. The instrumental mix sounds much better and the voice is at its most dynamic, with the inclusion of the falsetto and showing plenty of lightness and shade. This is a near-perfect vocal and the best visual performance with fitting expressions, and make-up and styling that represent the song very well.
The universally positive reception on SYTYCD I think must have contributed to the the most polished and assured rendition on Leno. With a casual, almost grungy look like a loner being left out in the cold, the visuals are my favourite out of all the talk shows and come a very close second behind SYTYCD. Vocally, it's the cleanest yet with a new, low 'Please don't give in' but with the omission of the falsetto that I love.
I still feel that the song lacks punch and excitement, but it has grown on me because it's a fitting narrative to Adam's real-life situation. It does help to really be able feel it as you sing. There is one thing that I miss from these performances though, and it's the 'Ahh' at the synth break that's included in the single which is beautifully tender. Being obsessive, I've tried overlaying the different versions and synching them up to play simultaneously. I have to say I'm very impressed that the band is very tight. The timings are all remarkably precise as every single one stays exactly in time from start to finish. Try it!
And just because it's available, I've also included Ferras's cover which makes me very excited to hear an acoustic version from Adam sometime:
Which version of WWFM do you like the most?
Yesterday was the first time I'd been aware (thanks to my fellow Lambrits) of WWFM getting played on UK radio via BBC Radio 2's 'The class of 2009,' a show where Paul Gambaccini presented his choice of the breakthrough artists of 2009. For those who can't listen to the segment that starts at about 20:30, I've transcribed the comments:
“The year's best selling album by a UK artist in the US was 'I Dreamed a Dream' by Susan Boyle. This made a mockery of the year-end polls that attempt to predict who the stars of the following year are going to be, because at the end of 2008, Susan Boyle was on nobody's radar, not even the United States' early warning system. Her life and apparently ours, changed on the eleventh of April this year when she appeared on Britain's Got Talent. Within a week, her talent triumphs over prejudice video had been viewed millions of times around the world, and the 48 year old Scotswoman was a household name in America. Such is the power of modern media, and such is the influence of Simon Cowell. He is, in this phase of popular music history, the most significant single figure. There always is one, but usually it's an artist, like Elvis, the Beatles, or Michael Jackson. But beginning with Pop Idol, which he started with Simon Fuller of 19 Management, Cowell has built an empire of reality talent shows, that is the public's favourite mode of packaging and delivering ready-made, if usually short-term, pop stars. But no matter how strong his commercial sense, Simon can't control who the public votes for on his reality shows. This year, the two most obvious record-sellers came second. Susan Boyle lost to Diversity in the Britain's Got Talent final, and in the States, the dynamic Adam Lambert was beaten in American Idol by a more middle of the road artist, Kris Allen. Rarely am I musically impressed by reality show winners, but this year, both Lambert and Joe McElderry of X-Factor convinced me that they could have lengthy careers. Sure enough, when the new albums by Adam Lambert and Kris Allen were released at the end of the year, the man who made the top 10 debut was, Adam Lambert.► Whataya Want From Me?Whataya Want From Me? by Adam Lambert. The young Californian came to prominence this year via TV, which has also been the medium that has made Ingrid Michaelson. Granted, it's been a little slower for Ingrid, but her method of exposure was to get her songs featured in drama series popular with young viewers such as Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill.”
As you can gather from the title, this post compares all the different versions of WWFM as I did for MW. I'd been holding out for a video of the Vevo performance of WWFM to turn up before making this post, but decided to go ahead because we might be in for quite a wait.
The debut performance of WWFM was a live one at The Early Show, a last-minute booking after the GMA cancellation. This was before the magnitude of the over-reaction of drama-queen proportions had really sunk in. Vocally it's very strong and has my favourite 'don't' high note to date, which he nailed better than in any others as it's both powerful and full of grit. When I watch it now, I feel a little different about the presentation than I did at the time. I think the sassy outfit and look is the one that's least suited to WWFM but works better for Music Again.
The David Letterman one was the next to be broadcast but was actually the first performance of WWFM. This was filmed shortly after the AMAs and just after the news that the GMA performance had been cancelled. It feels much less polished than The Early Show one and is my least favourite of them all. There's too much echo and the timbre of Adam's voice doesn't sound as pleasant or as well-controlled as usual, even shouty in places. Anger and passion over the AMA fall-out probably played a significant role in the delivery. The vocals and expressions remind me of BoW.
The Ellen performance came after a rather depressing week which may have influenced how I perceived it. It was sad and breathy with slightly dissonant backing vocals. More cancellations, tweets that seemed to show he was shaken enough to shift his direction and his crestfallen demeanour all made this the softest and most vulnerable of his performances.
The View came at a time when I was buoyed by the fact that Adam's recent critics all did a U-turn, in effect looking like idiots while spraying him with the fragrant scent of roses. This was my favourite set design and he was dressed all in black, merging into the background a little. The soft glow from the lighting gave it a floaty glam dream-like feel from a different era, much like the album cover. This wasn't the tightest but very solid and felt quite relaxed. Circumstances probably made me project an atmosphere of serenity to this rendition.
The mix on Conan sounds a little thin to me, and Adam didn't hit the 'don't' but there was the introduction of the beautiful falsetto 'me'. This is quite a physical performance where he's comparatively animated with his movements and expressions, clad in plenty of leather to add a little spice.
I was a little nervous going into SYTYCD because there had been a few shaky notes in each of the performances so far. I didn't need to be though, as its my favourite one. The instrumental mix sounds much better and the voice is at its most dynamic, with the inclusion of the falsetto and showing plenty of lightness and shade. This is a near-perfect vocal and the best visual performance with fitting expressions, and make-up and styling that represent the song very well.
The universally positive reception on SYTYCD I think must have contributed to the the most polished and assured rendition on Leno. With a casual, almost grungy look like a loner being left out in the cold, the visuals are my favourite out of all the talk shows and come a very close second behind SYTYCD. Vocally, it's the cleanest yet with a new, low 'Please don't give in' but with the omission of the falsetto that I love.
I still feel that the song lacks punch and excitement, but it has grown on me because it's a fitting narrative to Adam's real-life situation. It does help to really be able feel it as you sing. There is one thing that I miss from these performances though, and it's the 'Ahh' at the synth break that's included in the single which is beautifully tender. Being obsessive, I've tried overlaying the different versions and synching them up to play simultaneously. I have to say I'm very impressed that the band is very tight. The timings are all remarkably precise as every single one stays exactly in time from start to finish. Try it!
And just because it's available, I've also included Ferras's cover which makes me very excited to hear an acoustic version from Adam sometime:
Which version of WWFM do you like the most?
Friday, 25 December 2009
Crazy Time of Year
Season's greetings everyone! And happy festival of rampant consumerism for all you jaded cynics out there! I hope you all have an enjoyable time no matter what you do. As a little something to say thank you for all your support, I've re-worked a classic Adam performance for you where I've enhanced the picture and stitched together the best shots from the three videos available. This ranks near the top of my favourite pre-Idol gigs and was one that nudged me off the precipice all those months ago, leaving an indelible impression.
A little thumbnail of Adam lined up with the dancers popped up when I performed that fateful Google search. This didn't look like Adam, didn't quite fit in with my impression of Adam at the time and I wondered whether he had a namesake. This matter was put to rest as soon as I heard that unmistakable voice.
From the wide-mouthed lick of the finger in the blue light, I could tell this was going to be one sexy performance. The bassline kicking in is dangerously seductive as Adam lazily rolls his head, stretching as if just waking up, preparing for round two, moaning in horny recovery. The clinging red trousers and vest not only reveal a lot of skin but also Adam's lithe figure amongst other things. His movements are a dance of sexual foreplay and I remember thinking that no straight guy moves like that. There's much focus on the crotch as he sits open-legged and grabs it like a handle to pull himself up with. He prowls the stage like a feline with dance moves that pay homage to Michael Jackson, Elvis and Britney. There's one part in the song where he's a little late coming in, but I love that imperfection because to me it shows that he's totally absorbed in the moment. Just seconds later, we get the crowning note with that astounding riff and just when I think he can't go higher, he hits me with the most incredible sustained and powerful belt. I remember my eyes just widened and I gasped completely awestruck by this bare-footed other-worldly creature who looked like a manga character and was armed with a supernatural voice. I loved the moves that followed. There's something extremely sexy about the neck roll followed by the grace of the pirouette and the lap-dancer gyration back into the chair. He's on fire, which in turn arouses us, the audience. After it's over, we see Adam out of the character, beaming back a smile that would guarantee he would always have his way.
This was one sizzling performance that cranked up the heat, turning me on and teasing me enough to be fucking begging for it by the end. I watched it over and over. This was the performance that told me about Adam's shape-shifting abilities, his sexuality, his swivel hips, his boldness, his boyish charm, his irresistible sex appeal, his talent, his shockingly perfect, powerhouse vocals. This was the performance that got me really excited about him, willing him to push it further on AI and freak people out, eager to see what he would do next. This was what seduced me into falling for him, tipping me over the edge and getting me committed to following him and obsessing about him all this time. He makes us all crazy, but there's something so pleasant about that space, no?
Happy holidays!
DOWNLOAD Crazy - iPod compatible mp4 40.1MB
A little thumbnail of Adam lined up with the dancers popped up when I performed that fateful Google search. This didn't look like Adam, didn't quite fit in with my impression of Adam at the time and I wondered whether he had a namesake. This matter was put to rest as soon as I heard that unmistakable voice.
From the wide-mouthed lick of the finger in the blue light, I could tell this was going to be one sexy performance. The bassline kicking in is dangerously seductive as Adam lazily rolls his head, stretching as if just waking up, preparing for round two, moaning in horny recovery. The clinging red trousers and vest not only reveal a lot of skin but also Adam's lithe figure amongst other things. His movements are a dance of sexual foreplay and I remember thinking that no straight guy moves like that. There's much focus on the crotch as he sits open-legged and grabs it like a handle to pull himself up with. He prowls the stage like a feline with dance moves that pay homage to Michael Jackson, Elvis and Britney. There's one part in the song where he's a little late coming in, but I love that imperfection because to me it shows that he's totally absorbed in the moment. Just seconds later, we get the crowning note with that astounding riff and just when I think he can't go higher, he hits me with the most incredible sustained and powerful belt. I remember my eyes just widened and I gasped completely awestruck by this bare-footed other-worldly creature who looked like a manga character and was armed with a supernatural voice. I loved the moves that followed. There's something extremely sexy about the neck roll followed by the grace of the pirouette and the lap-dancer gyration back into the chair. He's on fire, which in turn arouses us, the audience. After it's over, we see Adam out of the character, beaming back a smile that would guarantee he would always have his way.
This was one sizzling performance that cranked up the heat, turning me on and teasing me enough to be fucking begging for it by the end. I watched it over and over. This was the performance that told me about Adam's shape-shifting abilities, his sexuality, his swivel hips, his boldness, his boyish charm, his irresistible sex appeal, his talent, his shockingly perfect, powerhouse vocals. This was the performance that got me really excited about him, willing him to push it further on AI and freak people out, eager to see what he would do next. This was what seduced me into falling for him, tipping me over the edge and getting me committed to following him and obsessing about him all this time. He makes us all crazy, but there's something so pleasant about that space, no?
Happy holidays!
DOWNLOAD Crazy - iPod compatible mp4 40.1MB
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Leno Plucking Adam Out
I watched Leno in a very happy frame of mind after finding out Adam's album sales figures for the week, which were much higher than what I'd been expecting. Adam had already been a part of a few of Leno's sketches leading up to the appearance so I was looking forward to seeing the interaction between them.
I was amused by the house band's attempt to play FYE at Adam's entrance without any electronic effects, and the hug he gave Leno reminded me of the one he gave Randy Travis. Adam's look was the most casual I'd seen of late - no leather, not glam, and even slightly grungy. It most closely resembled that from the TFM video. There was plenty of make-up though, and I liked the jewellery, especially the snake.
The interview itself was one of the most enjoyable so far, talking about Adam's past and his family. He was so natural at endearing us to his human side and his voice impressions were funny. The pregnant pause and mischievous expression after Jay's emphasis on 'plucked' was a classic, and the 'safe plucking' response was hilarious, leaving us in no doubt once again as to his lightning-quick wit. It was reassuring that Jay was fanboying all over Adam, unable to resist touching him. One with lesser integrity and articulation skills may have nodded along and agreed with Jay's cynical take over the AMA furore, but it was admirable that Adam consistently continued to take responsibility for his actions. I loved the little sarcastic mention of Billy O'Reilly with a twinkle in the eye. I'm really curious to see them head-to-head, and whether he'd be able to resist Adam's charm.
Monte returned with the bejewelled guitar, with the foggy atmosphere and lighting Mad World-like. It was another beautiful and solid performance with a few changes like a low 'Please don't give in'. It just keeps improving. There was another back-to-back moment with Tommy but the camera went towards Lisa for the synth break. The sound mix was good and this was one of the best vocals of WWFM so far. Not glitzy, not angry, not sad but assured, very natural, understated and quietly confident.
I'll leave you the tweet of mine you liked the most, and as promised, part of the best plucking episode of Rainbow, a children's TV show - well worth watching for its innnuendo.
I was amused by the house band's attempt to play FYE at Adam's entrance without any electronic effects, and the hug he gave Leno reminded me of the one he gave Randy Travis. Adam's look was the most casual I'd seen of late - no leather, not glam, and even slightly grungy. It most closely resembled that from the TFM video. There was plenty of make-up though, and I liked the jewellery, especially the snake.
The interview itself was one of the most enjoyable so far, talking about Adam's past and his family. He was so natural at endearing us to his human side and his voice impressions were funny. The pregnant pause and mischievous expression after Jay's emphasis on 'plucked' was a classic, and the 'safe plucking' response was hilarious, leaving us in no doubt once again as to his lightning-quick wit. It was reassuring that Jay was fanboying all over Adam, unable to resist touching him. One with lesser integrity and articulation skills may have nodded along and agreed with Jay's cynical take over the AMA furore, but it was admirable that Adam consistently continued to take responsibility for his actions. I loved the little sarcastic mention of Billy O'Reilly with a twinkle in the eye. I'm really curious to see them head-to-head, and whether he'd be able to resist Adam's charm.
Monte returned with the bejewelled guitar, with the foggy atmosphere and lighting Mad World-like. It was another beautiful and solid performance with a few changes like a low 'Please don't give in'. It just keeps improving. There was another back-to-back moment with Tommy but the camera went towards Lisa for the synth break. The sound mix was good and this was one of the best vocals of WWFM so far. Not glitzy, not angry, not sad but assured, very natural, understated and quietly confident.
I'll leave you the tweet of mine you liked the most, and as promised, part of the best plucking episode of Rainbow, a children's TV show - well worth watching for its innnuendo.
Thursday, 17 December 2009
We KNOW Adam Can Sang!
When I'd heard that Adam was singing WWFM on the final of So You Think You Can Dance, I was disappointed that this was probably the end for TV performances of FYE in the US. I was hoping he'd be able to derive the satisfaction of nailing a new and improved FYE dance number proving he could sing it live, but alas it was not to be. My expectations of this performance after seeing all the multiple versions of WWFM had been tweaked. I thought it might be a slightly toned-down affair where he would dial it back and put the focus back onto his voice.
As soon as he got introduced (notice how Cat Deeley's face suddenly lit up on mentioning his name), I was scrambling to see what he looked like and it seemed to take a frustratingly long time to pan in from various wide-angle shots. After seeing all the photos of him dressed down in 'day clothes' on the various shows and hosting gigs, I yelped with delight that he'd dressed up for the occasion. The light grey suit was slim-fitting and was jazzed up a with a random dead black thing as a shoulder accoutrement. One of the first things that came to mind for some reason was a Bond villain, namely Blofeld with his cat. I half expected him, with a menacing grin to stroke it and it would twitch back to life. The button-down shirt was the one from the AMA red carpet, and the hairdo was an upswept asymmetrical fauxhawk. To give him that extra bit of edge, the look was completed with a metallic-looking glittery tie, fingerless leather gloves and spats on his feet. His makeup with the tear streak was a beautiful touch.
One of the things that struck me was the similarity to the AMA look and I think this was a clever move. Since the song has a very different vibe, he could've chosen a very different look to disassociate himself with the AMA performance, re-establishing himself with a different image, but I think the point was to stamp his identity even further into our consciousness. The fact that he came out looking similar says to me that he's owning that performance and and has no regrets. It's to confirm that, yes, it's the same person doing both performances even though they're very different, and range is an integral part of who Adam is as an artist. There are also some marked differences as well. Where he previously had vicious spikes adorning his shoulder, there's something quite mournful about the slightly pitiful remains of the twisted black 'corsage'. There's no aggression, and coupled with the tear stain the look suggests a vulnerable and tragic hero who has somewhat fallen from grace and is pleading for patience, fitting in perfectly with the song's narrative and real-life circumstance.
Leona didn't sound great earlier on in the evening, so I wasn't without concern about sound issues and held my breath for so long I almost fainted. But WOWOWOWOW! Fucking hell! That was by far the best vocal of WWFM yet! Those first few soft notes were very promising, delivered as Adam scanned the crowd before pulling out his earpiece. I loved the scrapey tone of 'afraid' that was missing from the recent renditions and was pleased that the sound mix was was much better and fuller. He was subtle with his expressions but did look straight at the camera with a knowing twitch of the eyebrow at 'But now'. The falsetto 'It's me' first debuted on Conan made a very welcome return. When he took the mic off the stand, about 50 different clip snippets of WLL from the tour flashed in front of my eyes and I wonder how much conscious effort it took to refrain from stroking it suggestively. I worried for a moment that he got caught short of breath at 'Please, please don't give in' but it was just a means of varying up the song. When Tommy pressed his back to Adam's I half expected a butt-grab, especially as I'd been looking at the looping gif from the FYE music video. But what we got was an even more delicious blink-and-you'll-miss-it sneaky smirk with a quick and naughty flick of the tongue. Oh Adam! Even on his best behaviour he can't resist a little mischief! We got to see the Lite Stix that Longineu was campaigning for, and did you notice Monte's huge platforms and Lisa's new hairdo? Well neither did I as it took me several watches too, but the whole ensemble looked fabulous. The bit of the song I'd been most nervous about was the high 'don't' after the synth break because he'd often been sharp on it but I found myself whooping and punching the air in exhaltation as he nailed it. When he let rip at the end, I was already celebrating and doing a happy dance at what had been a fantastic few days in the Adam world. The last shot was of a strained face as on the end of ToMT before the camera zoomed out. There were a few too many wide angle shots during the song for my liking, but right at the end when Adam, smiling and gracious, turned to acknowledge the band, I was transported all the way back to AI and felt like I was about to burst with pride. It had been a while since I'd last felt such a happy buzz after watching Adam. It was a beautiful performance which I loved.
This brought the focus back to Adam's undeniable talent and once-in-a-generation voice. Although his shoulder ornament is an amusing talking point and has taken some column inches, there is absolutely no slack to hand to the critics. It was the most perfect vocal of WWFM to date and he certainly stepped it up and delivered on the right occasion. He worked the stage like an ex-lover confidently dressed to the nines, bringing everyone touched by his aura onto their knees and eliciting schadenfreude-loaded glances directed at ABC. The tease painfully wrung out of ABC nothing but regret. This was the ideal high-profile follow-up which has successfully exorcised the demons of the AMA fall-out. Maybe that's what those shoulder remnants are.
Bravo Adam & band! *Standing ovation*
I was still buzzing with excitement and wide awake when Chelsea Lately was on but unfortunately couldn't find a stream. She seemed to be rushing the interview along and I would have preferred if she'd done a little less talking. I loved Adam's sarcasm when dealing with the erroneous assumption that gay people automatically find other gay people attractive. It's rather ridiculous when you think of the straight equivalent. Adam was charming throughout and I was pleased that he was so comfortable and open talking about his acid trip.
As soon as he got introduced (notice how Cat Deeley's face suddenly lit up on mentioning his name), I was scrambling to see what he looked like and it seemed to take a frustratingly long time to pan in from various wide-angle shots. After seeing all the photos of him dressed down in 'day clothes' on the various shows and hosting gigs, I yelped with delight that he'd dressed up for the occasion. The light grey suit was slim-fitting and was jazzed up a with a random dead black thing as a shoulder accoutrement. One of the first things that came to mind for some reason was a Bond villain, namely Blofeld with his cat. I half expected him, with a menacing grin to stroke it and it would twitch back to life. The button-down shirt was the one from the AMA red carpet, and the hairdo was an upswept asymmetrical fauxhawk. To give him that extra bit of edge, the look was completed with a metallic-looking glittery tie, fingerless leather gloves and spats on his feet. His makeup with the tear streak was a beautiful touch.
One of the things that struck me was the similarity to the AMA look and I think this was a clever move. Since the song has a very different vibe, he could've chosen a very different look to disassociate himself with the AMA performance, re-establishing himself with a different image, but I think the point was to stamp his identity even further into our consciousness. The fact that he came out looking similar says to me that he's owning that performance and and has no regrets. It's to confirm that, yes, it's the same person doing both performances even though they're very different, and range is an integral part of who Adam is as an artist. There are also some marked differences as well. Where he previously had vicious spikes adorning his shoulder, there's something quite mournful about the slightly pitiful remains of the twisted black 'corsage'. There's no aggression, and coupled with the tear stain the look suggests a vulnerable and tragic hero who has somewhat fallen from grace and is pleading for patience, fitting in perfectly with the song's narrative and real-life circumstance.
Leona didn't sound great earlier on in the evening, so I wasn't without concern about sound issues and held my breath for so long I almost fainted. But WOWOWOWOW! Fucking hell! That was by far the best vocal of WWFM yet! Those first few soft notes were very promising, delivered as Adam scanned the crowd before pulling out his earpiece. I loved the scrapey tone of 'afraid' that was missing from the recent renditions and was pleased that the sound mix was was much better and fuller. He was subtle with his expressions but did look straight at the camera with a knowing twitch of the eyebrow at 'But now'. The falsetto 'It's me' first debuted on Conan made a very welcome return. When he took the mic off the stand, about 50 different clip snippets of WLL from the tour flashed in front of my eyes and I wonder how much conscious effort it took to refrain from stroking it suggestively. I worried for a moment that he got caught short of breath at 'Please, please don't give in' but it was just a means of varying up the song. When Tommy pressed his back to Adam's I half expected a butt-grab, especially as I'd been looking at the looping gif from the FYE music video. But what we got was an even more delicious blink-and-you'll-miss-it sneaky smirk with a quick and naughty flick of the tongue. Oh Adam! Even on his best behaviour he can't resist a little mischief! We got to see the Lite Stix that Longineu was campaigning for, and did you notice Monte's huge platforms and Lisa's new hairdo? Well neither did I as it took me several watches too, but the whole ensemble looked fabulous. The bit of the song I'd been most nervous about was the high 'don't' after the synth break because he'd often been sharp on it but I found myself whooping and punching the air in exhaltation as he nailed it. When he let rip at the end, I was already celebrating and doing a happy dance at what had been a fantastic few days in the Adam world. The last shot was of a strained face as on the end of ToMT before the camera zoomed out. There were a few too many wide angle shots during the song for my liking, but right at the end when Adam, smiling and gracious, turned to acknowledge the band, I was transported all the way back to AI and felt like I was about to burst with pride. It had been a while since I'd last felt such a happy buzz after watching Adam. It was a beautiful performance which I loved.
This brought the focus back to Adam's undeniable talent and once-in-a-generation voice. Although his shoulder ornament is an amusing talking point and has taken some column inches, there is absolutely no slack to hand to the critics. It was the most perfect vocal of WWFM to date and he certainly stepped it up and delivered on the right occasion. He worked the stage like an ex-lover confidently dressed to the nines, bringing everyone touched by his aura onto their knees and eliciting schadenfreude-loaded glances directed at ABC. The tease painfully wrung out of ABC nothing but regret. This was the ideal high-profile follow-up which has successfully exorcised the demons of the AMA fall-out. Maybe that's what those shoulder remnants are.
Bravo Adam & band! *Standing ovation*
I was still buzzing with excitement and wide awake when Chelsea Lately was on but unfortunately couldn't find a stream. She seemed to be rushing the interview along and I would have preferred if she'd done a little less talking. I loved Adam's sarcasm when dealing with the erroneous assumption that gay people automatically find other gay people attractive. It's rather ridiculous when you think of the straight equivalent. Adam was charming throughout and I was pleased that he was so comfortable and open talking about his acid trip.
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