Saturday 31 October 2009

Happy Halloween!


“The box with the Halloween costumes stayed out all year” - Leila Lambert (Rolling Stone)

Adam Lambert Halloween child vampire with pumpkinAdam Lambert white Glamazonian ice queen Halloween costume

“My favorite holiday is coming! I think i shall rock Halloween as a GLAMPIRE. What are you going to dress up as?” - Adam Lambert (Twitter)

Adam Lambert Halloween vampireAdam Lambert Victorian gothic vampire

“Ah yes.. the only kid in Hebrew school that insisted that Halloween was a High Holy day” - Eber Lambert (Adam's old MySpace)

Adam Lambert blue skin Halloween costume with skullsAdam Lambert green incredible cross-eyed hulk costume

“Adam's favourite thing was a big box of Halloween costumes. Halloween could happen at any time and anywhere during the year for Adam.” - Neil Lambert (E! True Hollywood Story)

What a fantastic Halloween treat we have in being able to party to Adam's new single. Now, who's excited about his costume for today? What's your favourite costume of his?

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Artwork For Your Entertainment


When I first found out the title of the album, I was a little surprised that it wasn't more abstract. I expected there to be a play on words with some clever oblique references and enough ambiguity for multiple interpretations. I've obviously spent much too long poring over it! Instead it's quite direct, descriptive of Adam not just as a singer or a musician but as an entertainer. The title takes me back to my initial thoughts about Adam's tour jacket where he would play the part of an eccentric circus ringmaster from a twisted fantasy world, perhaps like a glammed-up alien Willy Wonka for adults. That was the image I had in mind before I saw the cover.

Adam Lambert For Your Entertainment FYE album cover

When I first saw it, I thought it was fan art done in an '80s fantasy style (unicorns, planets and stoner paraphernalia come to mind) because of the airbrushed plastic-smooth complexion, the glittery background nebulae and the simplicity of the composition. Someone had skillfully created the image from scratch for a remarkable likeness which was more sophisticated than all the fan creations I'd previously seen. I then realised it was a photo but couldn't recall which one was used as a base before realising it was new and it hit me that this was the album cover. Yes, I'm that slow!

Unsurprisingly, I love the electric blue hair and the colour scheme, which fits in perfectly with this blog. Adam went for a gender-bending androgynous look, a prettier David Bowie, a softer Annie Lennox. When he's been dressed up before, his look has never been as feminine as this. Even when he's gone for the pretty, there's still plenty of masculinity. For example, in the photo used in one of my attempts at artwork some time ago (see the similarities?), he's all glammed up but still retains a patch of glittery beard. I'm not a fan of the pose which I find a little too passive, and coupled with the soft focus is like the result of one of those 'free' makeover adverts that charge ridiculous amounts for the photos. I would have liked to have seen him with a more animated expression in a composition that pushes the envelope more.  I don't like the over-used airbrushing but I understand its contribution to the other-worldly ethereal android look, like he's a CGI Final Fantasy character. Although radiant, he just manages to escape looking like a cosmetics advert thanks to the cold colours. His shoulder just looks strange, very 2-D. I do love the fierce stare enhanced by the dramatic eye make-up, and where he pulls his eye slightly taut changes the shape of his face making him look even more feminine. Those and the dreamy alien glow remind me of Princess Aura (below) from Flash Gordon. There's no denying that it's a bold image and Adam looks beautifully bewitching. But how well does it work as his first album cover?


Adam described the album sound as being "as if a '70s time-capsule blasted off into space and you're watching it through a holographic filter." The artwork does indeed embody those words with a very kitsch glam retro feel. It complements the rather conventional title of the album by paying homage to some of Adam's influences which some bloggers have pointed out. The fundamental issue I have with it as a cover is, although it's beautiful, it looks too dated and could easily pass as an old vinyl cover from the early '80s. Albeit not as important in the digital age, it's still supposed to help establish the image of an artist but there's nothing new and the typography incorporated looks like it's from the cheesy side of that era. It makes me think that the album is all retro-glam, which may perhaps be correct, we don't know yet, but I'm disappointed by the distinct absence of modern elements being represented. It lacks fun, doesn't tell me it's fresh, nor does it tell me it's something completely new and monumentally different, which is what I've been led to believe. It's soft rather than hard and edgy and it conflicts with my personal expectations for the album. But that's part of the problem - Adam is so versatile and spans such varied genres that we all have different expectations and it's hard to find an all-encompassing cohesive image to please us all.

The artwork, like the title, is only a component of the album.  In the way that the cover's references make up for the title's lack of them, only when I hear the album will I really be able to judge how effective it is. Maybe Adam warps retro through his holographic filter, making us see something modern and futuristic. We'll just have to wait and see. Judging by your comments, it's very polarising and that in itself has generated plenty of buzz. It still represents Adam's view that if you're pleasing everyone, you're playing it too safe. I'm happy that the album cover is not a safe choice. It is distinctive and challenges people's discomfort and acceptance of feminine beauty in men.

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Time for Miracles - Video Review


Yes, I'm slow. I wasn't going to do a review of the TfM video (HQ version here) but since there's not been a lot over the last few days, I thought I might as well. I wasn't as excited about seeing it I was on hearing the song probably due to a slight aversion to big budget Hollywood disaster flicks. All the film-makers seem to have gone to the same school, churning out the same disaster-movies-by-numbers stuff. I guess it's like one of those foil balloons that come in certain shapes - all garishly decorated on the outside and hollow on the inside. Maybe I should stop turning my nose up at these but I'm just too jaded for my own good.

I didn't have high expectations because of this but was still hoping that what I predicted turned out to be very wrong. The opening shot is one of Adam looking reflective, crouched up on a city rooftop in front of an apocalyptic sky. Although the colours are pretty, we know it's a harbinger of looming disaster. Walking through a burnt-out smoky landscape interspersed with solar prominences, we get to see end-of-the-world Adam close up singing the first verse. A little unkempt and stubbly, his skin looks darkened by dirt although his eyes remain gleaming and his teeth shine a bit too brightly. His hair is a little matted but slightly different on each shot. The epauletted coat and scarf are a little scruffed up but the look is still signature Adam. He finishes the verse with puppy-dog eyes and a pleading look. I'm not a fan of the clichéd slow-motion shots especially as they're not synched very well.



On reaching the chorus, we get to see more destruction including the obligatory explosions and cars on fire. Some of the expressions seem inconsistent, cutting from sad resignation to singing his guts out. In the first close-up on the roof the lighting is a little strange and quite unflattering. Adam's blue-grey eyeshadow looks much too dark, almost like he's just changed out of drag and hasn't had enough time to remove the excess make-up. It doesn't seem to be in keeping with his overall look, which takes me back to his semi-final performance of Satisfaction. It's followed by some close-ups sans eyeliner that make up for it though.

The second verse is illustrated by a walk down a panicked street with chaos all around and people bumping into Adam but he seems oblivious and very much focused on his own inner struggle - hoping for a miracle to save a doomed relationship. There are some pretty shots but I find myself distracted by the mysterious appearance of Groucho Marx eyebrows.

The scenes of destruction and explosions become grander in scale as the whole world seemingly crumbles when we approach the climax. Adam breaks into a march with a purpose and sings with ferocity, flared nostrils and all. His expressions emote the magnitude of the OTT scenes of the planet's annihilation. Subtle it is not but suitable it is. We're later greeted with sunny scenes that spoil the end of the film - not that anyone thought there would be anything but a happy ending. The video ends with Adam in a memorable and commanding pose in front of the city skyline.

The video is shorter than the mp3, omitting some of the chorus repetition after the crescendo. The cutting between scenes is a little too fragmented for my liking and ends up impeding my enjoyment of the video. It doesn't do justice to Adam's acting abilities. Although I would have preferred more Adam time, I think it hit a fairly good balance in not being too self-indulgent. It doesn't look like it was done on the cheap with all the special effects but what I find strange is there seem to be many details that were overlooked which leaves ample room for improvement. This is his first music video but it's not his project - he's merely the paint for the canvas, not the artist. The result is predictable and lacks imagination but it has a brief to fulfil which I think is met with fairly enjoyable results.

What I'm really looking forward to though is seeing the canvas by Adam the artist. I have no idea what to expect which makes it all the more exciting. The only expectation I do have is that he won't be painting by numbers. We are so agonisingly close. Aaagh! I can't wait!

Wednesday 21 October 2009

Intimate Details


Before chiming in, I thought I'd wait to see the actual photos from the Details shoot rather than the distorted and slightly out-of-focus photos of the magazine that were in circulation. I had wondered beforehand where exactly 'racy' sat on the Adam barometer, thinking it would probably be very sexually suggestive, maybe a little kinky. In terms of this wave of publicity though, I think it came a little too soon after the leak of TfM. In the morning we were all excited about TfM and later on that day, it was all about the photos which ended up slightly overshadowing the music.

The cover shot features a heart-stopping look directly at you, brooding and slightly accusatory. The styling is Teddy Boy meets Top Gun, the result a dark and mysterious stranger. The pose looks a little unnaturally forced, but overall I like the result and I'm very thankful it wasn't artificially smoothed over with an airbrush.

When I first saw the portrait of Adam at the start of the article, I thought it looked very strange - it didn't resemble him and looked conspicuously photoshopped. He looked way too thin and angular but the light reflection suggested the magazine wasn't flat. No wonder Details was trying to get the photo pulled because it didn't do it justice. The black and white image is striking and you're drawn straight to his intense gaze. The feel of it hearkens back to classic Hollywood screen icons of the 50s. The chiselled features, the strong jaw, the slightly stubbly rugged complexion, the pensive gaze with the wrinkled forehead and thick furrowed brows all make him look classically handsome. The slicked hair, the simple white T-shirt with the gathered sleeves and the earring give off a rebellious air - the dangerous bad boy you want to ride off into the sunset with. It's a beautiful portrait.


The rest of the photos see Adam with closed eyes sporting a strange manicure posing with a naked model in various positions for some intimate shots. The photos are sensual but due to the light touch and positioning of Adam's hands, I don't see them as that sexual. Neither Adam nor the model look fully engaged in each other but absorbed in their individual pleasure. For the model it appears to be pride at achieving her conquest and for Adam it's the fascination of the female aesthetic. The kiss I find a tiny bit clumsy because their mouths are so far apart. The horizontal one shows his passion for the female form as if it were a work of art, a sculpture. His plain black T-shirt and position makes me think of him as an artist, maybe a dancer. The last one in the mag is the most explicit where he's sporting a Teddy Boy look. I think this is my least favourite because it lacks the believability factor for me. On seeing the rest of the photos on the site, the kissing one works better cropped without the hand cupping the breast, and the licking one works better without the model's rear on full display. I actually find the shots they didn't use in the mag more beautiful and prefer the one with the exposed nipple to the one where Adam's hand is on it.


The photos portray Adam as very masculine which I find very different to the RS shoot where I thought his effeminacy was highlighted. The imagery and feel of the photo shoot, although not quite as steamy, remind me of the work by Herb Ritts, who in addition to being a photographer, directed one of the most beautiful music videos - Wicked Game which I've included here. Watch it and you'll know what I mean. The portraits of Adam are quite reminiscent of the close-ups of Chris Isaak in the video.


The racy photos I'm sure have already been discussed to death but I might as well pitch in.  I don't see it as Adam betraying his sexuality and selling out. The shoot is for a lads' mag, and lads' mags aren't subtle and need breasts to sell. These are comparatively high-brow compared to the bulk of them. I think the point of those photos is to illustrate the sub-heading of the article 'Why does every woman in America want to sleep with Adam Lambert?' and to reinforce Adam's view that attraction isn't necessarily dictated by sexual orientation. Being gay doesn't exclude you from appreciating the opposite sex and the photos show him exploring that beauty. The editor decided to include in the mag the shots with the greatest shock factor, which I find a little vulgar and gimmicky. I'm fine with the nudity but I'm one who prefers the sexy to be implied and think the same message could have been put across without resorting to as much gratuitous flesh fondling. I think Adam was rather shocked himself on seeing them but seemed to get a kick out of it.  He liked the results and I consider them a success having achieved the goal of fuelling fantasies and generating quite a stir. It's kept us talking, given headlines to the magazine and helped maintain the buzz. It also gets the controversy over and done with should Adam want to put his bi-curiosity into practice or cavort with the opposite gender in his music videos. It's certainly keeping people very interested in what he does next.

The article, although eclipsed by the photos, is interesting and elaborates on what was said in RS. Adam appears to be getting comfortable with being more forthright in his speech. I felt he had an increased impatience towards the overzealous Christians who he's mentioned before, and more annoyance directed at those fans who think he owes them. Although he was a big tease about being tempted to make out with women, I think the article could have delved a little deeper. After all, that was supposed to be the heart of the article but I felt that it was more like an excuse to show the photos. He talked in a bit more detail about his past issues and his destructive streak. I have a liberal attitude towards recreational drug use and don't find it surprising, but I'd suspected he'd done speed rather than coke judging by some old photos where he looked very thin. It surprised me a little that he talked about having slept around, I thought he'd keep that a mystery but I guess its purpose is to lay the foundations for future eye-rolling if anyone steps forward with a tabloid kiss and tell. I'm pleased for his success and it's always reassuring to know that Simon Fuller recognises what a rare talent Adam is, putting him amongst the all-time great singers. I often find myself shaking my head in disbelief when I remember that Adam came out of Idol. Looking at this latest article, it seems he couldn't be further from it.

Saturday 17 October 2009

Now it's Time For Miracles!


WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!



A few more words to come after I put in on repeat a few more times and gather my brain together. That voice is just unfuckingbelievable.

EDIT: After about a zillion listens and an attack of lazy-itis, I've finally managed to get enough of my brain together to give you my thoughts on the song.

After a strummy soft-rock start, which isn't what I associate with Adam, the first verse kicks in and that's all forgotten because it's all about THE VOICE.  The voice that is all-enveloping.  It starts off pretty - silken chocolate melting, luxuriously smooth and creamy until 'thinking' and 'ain't broken yet' where we get to the exquisite velvety texture of the praline wrapped inside.  On 'stop' we get to the fine grains at the core which have a rougher sensation between tongue and mouth that is simply divine.  Mmmmm.  I love this timbre of his layered voice and its rich texture, which never fails to make me tingle.  The first verse tells me that I need not worry about surplus processing with artificial colours or flavours.

The chorus sees the crashing drums and full orchestra kick in, in suitably dramatic fashion.  The harmonising is full and resonant, adding another sumptuous layer that hits a sweet spot that I just want to sink my teeth into.  The instrumentals are complementary to the voice if just a touch loud but the keys just after the chorus I think could be a little softer.

Time for another chocolate - did I mention that the voice has a synaesthetic effect on me?

The ascending crashing chords and sweeping strings build the tension and you can feel the drama and anticipation leading up to the bridge.  When I first heard it, it sounded very familiar and highly reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir' or the opening chords of Rage Against The Machine's 'Wake Up' that was featured in the Matrix.  At the bridge, the powerhouse vocals are let loose, soaring up to an explosive crescendo.  The overlaid wailing afterwards is a little too smoothed for my liking, removing some of the rock grit, but at least it's still there in the main part and I love it in the penultimate 'up' and the bluesy riffing at the end.

Everything about the song is grand - the instrumentals, the vocals, the production, the blockbuster film it's the soundtrack to.  It sounds anthemic and I can see it sticking around for a long time.  I can even imagine it being butchered by future karaoke-show contestants with Simon Cowell telling them 'That song's just too big for you'.  It is a bit of a formulaic power-ballad and isn't something I would normally choose to listen to were it not for Adam's vocals.  But appreciation of music is much more than simply liking melodies and rhythms - it's also about the memories and emotions imbued in them that give them that special meaning and this song is ripe for absorbing them.  Adam manages to somehow bypass cheese overkill, and I'll use one of his own quotes back from the disco results show to explain how: 'The lyrics, as long as they were sung honestly, that it would work.' and work it does.  What do you think of it?

Please feel free to correct me but here are the lyrics according to my ear:
It's late at night and I can't sleep
Missing you just runs too deep
Oh I can't breathe thinking of your smile
Every kiss I can't forget
This aching heart ain't broken yet
Oh God I wish I could make you see

'Cause I know this flame isn't dying
So nothing can stop me from trying

Baby you know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
No i ain't giving up on us

I just wanna be with you
'Cause living is so hard to do
When all I know is trapped inside your eyes
The future I can not forget
This aching heart ain't broken yet
Oh God I wish I could make you see

'Cause I know this flame isn't dying
So nothing can stop me from trying

Baby you know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I aint giving up on love
No I ain't giving up on us

Baby can you feel it coming
You know I can hear it
Hear every soul
Baby when you feel
Me feeling you
You know it's time

Baby you know that
Lately it's time for some miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't, I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for a miracle yeah
'Cause I ain't, I ain't giving up on love
No I ain't giving up on love
I ain't giving up no
Oh I ain't giving up on us

Wednesday 14 October 2009

The Start of a Glitterier Era


After the long drought, it seems the floodgates finally opened today, releasing a torrent of Adam-related goodness.  It's been a busy day for Adam followers, kicking off with a radio interview with the news that he's lined up to perform his as-yet undecided single at the American Music Awards on November 22nd - huge exposure and perfect timing just two days before the release of his album.  The prospect of an OTT spectacle involving Adam, fire and dancers has gotten me bursting with excitement.

Next on the itinerary was the announcing of the AMA nominations in a press conference.  It had been a long time since the last public appearance and that familiar curiosity over how he'd look returned.  He looked striking and radiant, with none of that tiredness I'd gotten used to seeing during the tour.  He added his own unique edge to dressing smart for the occasion.  I loved the details of the outfit - the colour and sheen of his shirt which managed to prevent the ensemble looking antiquated, the ribbon tie, the double-fronted waistcoat, the studded belt, the loose trousers and the upturned shoes.  I wasn't so keen on the gloves though, I thought the black leather was a bit too heavy for the rest of the outfit, which overall, just inched over into costume territory.  I'm a fan of the big shiny-looking manga hair which I think flatters the shape of his face.

There were plenty of interviews conducted after the press conference. I'll update and post links to the ones with new and interesting info here when they surface.
EDIT: Laura Saltman's interview - Adam seems very happy and dispels rumours of future gigs.  We know to expect something big next Tuesday.
EDIT II: MTV interview - Adam reveals that the leaked 'Michelin man' look constitutes part of the album artwork.

Another interesting development today was an interview with Rob Cavallo, who is heavily involved in producing Adam's album.  In addition to mentioning Adam's 'limitless' vocal range, he revealed the names of some of the songs: 'Winners', 'Music Again' and 'Suburban Decay' which will give us fuel to speculate and entertain ourselves as we wait.  What was more interesting though, is that he considers the sound to be a new 'Adam' sound.  My impatience is hitting its maximum setting.

The other huge news of the day, and what a day it has been indeed, is that Adam's TFM music video will be premiering as a trailer before 'Michael Jackson's This Is It'.  The worldwide audience for that is going to be colossal.  Apologies but eloquence has completely escaped me for now so I'll just end by stating what we all already knew.  Exciting times lie ahead - ADAM IS GOING TO BE FUCKING MASSIVE!!!

Tuesday 13 October 2009

If it Ain't Broke...


I feel that there's too much fixation on 'perfection' in society and especially celebrity culture today. Although it's a tribute to how far we've moved up the hierarchy of needs in order to get to this point, the fact that so much effort is dedicated to perfecting the superficial seems vacuous, leaving me feeling a little disturbed. It sometimes feels like the Borg have taken on the form of Barbie and Ken armies to assimilate everyone into identikit replicas complete with plastic perma-smiles, and we're erasing the quirks and oddities that make us unique. What's wrong with allowing nature to assume its natural state? Sometimes I think we're going to stop ourselves evolving because of the desire to rectify even the slightest mutation.

A good reason to celebrate Adam Lambert is that to many, he seems to lead the resistance against conformity, which I hope doesn't get eroded over time. He's the weird kid who's strong enough to rebel against societal pressures but even he isn't immune to this human affliction. He's not completely comfortable in his own skin having changed his natural appearance and has mentioned issues with his weight.

As you can gather from the title of this post, I'm not fan of meddling with natural beauty just for the sake of it but I see it happening all the time. Firstly there's Adam's voice. I've always preferred the live to the studio recordings where we hear more of its raw dynamic quality. Tampering with it on those tracks for me is a definite no-no. There seems to be little of the rough guttural tone left after the studio manipulation although the later ones did show an improvement. Of all the studio versions, I believe BTBW is the closest to what the album will sound like. I love the heavy driving bassline and can see where he wanted to go with it. But I don't love that they cleaned up the voice and removed the gritty edge, making it too thin and light for the instrumentals. The snippet of Time for Miracles suggests that they didn't overdo it, but when it comes to the soaring backing wail, it sounds a bit too smoothed over, losing many of the qualities that uniquely distinguish it as Adam's. Why anyone would want to artificially hinder the biggest selling point to its detriment is beyond me. I hope that the production on the album steers well clear of masking the natural vocals to sound like any other good singer's. To tame them and not allow them to flourish is an injustice to their splendour. It's like dyeing the vibrant hues of autumn maple leaves green.

Another example that comes to mind are recent photo shoots. Apart from Rolling Stone, I haven't liked the results of any. There are the 'vampire' photos which don't look like Adam and resemble a heroin junkie, and the Sebree ones which should have been so much better. They are excessively airbrushed, sucking the life out him and making him look like an exhibit from Madame Tussauds. Considering how photogenic Adam is, they somehow turn him into a plastic still life subject, the eyes and expressions vacant, allowing little of his personality to shine through. There's just no need for such liberal use of the airbrush if there's little that needs to be covered. It removes the natural contours of his face, not to mention the freckles. He may not have the smoothest skin, but just look at someone like Brad Pitt to see how necessary that is. I can appreciate that the photos are meant to be highly stylised and I like the colour composition, but I prefer almost any other candid or any of the pre-Idol photo shoots. The three below are my least favourite:

Photobucket      Photobucket      Photobucket

The first one strikes me as just odd - the pose, the line of the clothes, the expression. It doesn't work for me. He looks uncomfortably awkward, like he's throwing a strop after having been forced to do something against his will so is subsequently giving you the evil eye. The next one strikes me as your bog-standard catalogue underwear pose where the requisite look far-off into the distance is replaced by a rather blank expression. I just don't get it. I'm really bemused by the last one. I like the chair, I like the background, I love the lighting, but WTF? There's just too much going on with the clash of clothing styles. It's like he couldn't decide what to wear, so decided to wear everything and as a result, the clothes wear him and drown him. I expected so much better from a professional photo shoot.

Not to be all negative, there are a couple that I do like, and they are the ones featured at the start of this post. In the first one, Adam wears a commanding expression with eyes that bore into you with the slightest trace of a smile, like he's daring you to do something and waiting for your response, finding mild amusement in your dilemma. Here the futuristic mediaeval knight/count of the castle look works well, keeping the focus on Adam. The next one looks like a Tim Burton creation, a little camp and melodramatic, where he's the dandy eccentric gent in charge. The pose is one I envisage Jack Skellington of The Nightmare Before Christmas might strike due the graceful elongated figure he cuts. The airbrushing still makes his complexion look like a Ken doll's though.

I'm crossing my fingers that whoever's in charge of Adam's music artwork for his upcoming single and album will resist the temptation to doctor the image beyond recognition and whoever's in charge of the sound mixing won't feel the need to obscure some of that magnificent voice.  I think it's a huge a mistake to try to 'fix' something that's already so close to perfection.

Friday 9 October 2009

It's Time!


The wait is over, get ready to lose your shit!



Hearing the voice again is like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. My insatiable thirst is temporarily quenched. It pleases me to no end that we'll get a whole 4:53 worth of Adam Lambert singing something new in Time For Miracles. I'm relieved to hear his voice hasn't been excessively smoothed over to lose its rawness as was the case with most of the AI studio recordings. He sings his own backing vocals with the harmonies resonantly spot-on. The song is nothing groundbreaking, being typical dramatic power-ballad anthemic soundtrack fare and far from what he's going for on the album. There are shades of Want in it, but he passionately sings the crap out of it. It's Adam's voice that really carries it and drives it and will ultimately keep us listening. And keep us fervently listening out for the rest of the song.

Get ready to hit replay. Repeatedly.

Monday 5 October 2009

Waiting


Tap... Tap... Tap... go the sound of our twitchy impatient fingers. Chin resting in cupped hand, expectant eyes locked onto a flickering screen filled with familiar sights, willing the repetitive depression of F5 to gift us with the Adam Lambert news we've all been waiting for. Exasperated sighs when it doesn't. Still no date. Hmph. Oh, the album's still going strong. DonorsChoose.org's raking it in. Proud smile. Tap.. Tap.. Tap.. they continue rhythmically, slowly accelerating into what will eventually become a drum-roll.

Let's go to the Twitter tab to see what's happening. More studio time, alleged sightings, video shoot. Nothing to refresh the weary eyes or appease the ears screaming themselves deaf in the agony of radio silence. Another sigh. Wandering over to the bookmarks that have gradually become invisible to jaded eyes, brushing the cobwebs off old important items still indexed at the back of the mind. Temporary relief. Oh, I'd forgotten he'd said that in the interview. The discussion going on over there used to be quite interesting. That was a great article. He looked so different, so young back in that performance. I ought to organise all my media and links.

Done.

A pang of hunger needing future certainty snapping attention back to the present. The F5 key once a matt surface now a smooth sheen, polished by keen fingertips, its lettering patchy and barely visible.  The loud stiff click now soft and muted. Back to eagerly hitting F5. Ooh, new photos? Nope. Just new old photos. Sigh. Shoulders hunching, chin increasingly heavy and tipping in cupped hand, bending back a resigned wrist. Still no date. Restive leg shaking in indefinite suspense.  Lets check YouTube, see if there's anything new. Nope, just some more fan videos and re-posted stuff. F5. Could this be THE link? Sharp intake of breath. What? Where's the song? False alarm. Sinking back, taking another deep, agitated sigh.  Tap. Tap. Tap.  Tick... Tick... Tick...  TapTapTap.  Tick ... Tick  . . .  Tick   .  .  .