High Drama is such an ideal title for
Adam Lambert, a singer who specializes in grand, overheated gestures, that it comes as a slight disappointment to realize that it arrives in service of a covers album. Thankfully,
Lambert doesn't take his task lightly here: he takes pains to give the 11 songs on
High Drama distinctive arrangements that clearly delineate his version from the original. Also, he doesn't stick to classics, either of the canon or cult variety. A few warhorses are hauled out onto the track --
Duran Duran's "Ordinary World,"
Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero,"
Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain,"
Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" -- but they're heard alongside selections from
Billie Eilish,
Sia,
Lana Del Rey,
P!nk, and
Kings of Leon. For good measure, he adds an unexpected coda of pioneering glam rocker
Jobriath's "I'm a Man" and
Noel Coward's "Mad About the Boy," functioning as a nod to queer pop history. This pair of songs are the only tunes on
High Drama that couldn't conceivably be heard on American Idol, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There's a certain kick in hearing
Lambert effectively return to his roots, scheming to deliver snazzy, memorable renditions of songs the audience knows by heart. More often than not, he delivers on
High Drama, particularly on the insistent glitter march of "Holding Out for a Hero" and a smoldering electro makeover of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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