Beg For Mercy

What do these bands have in common: 94 East, Y Kant Tori Read, Late, Parva, The Star Children/The Marked, On A Friday and The Upholsterers. Prince, Tori Amos, Dave Grohl, The Kaiser Chiefs, The Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead and Jack White were in them before they became famous. They all released music under these monikers. While the music is often different than their current sound, it is very much worth listening to.Before Adam Lambert struck it big on American Idol, he was a session musician - and for a brief time, he was in a band called Citizen Vein. They recorded some great music together and gigged at some clubs along the Sunset Strip. A few of Adam Lambert's zealot fans have organized to do everything in their power to ensure you never hear it.I will had them this point. This album would have been much better if it was called something clunky but clear like:Citizen Vein (featuring Adam Lambert) "Beg For Mercy (2006 Hollywood Sessions).But it's not - still, it's a pretty good album and totally worthwhile for true Adam fans to investigate.If you read every other comment on this page, you will not find a single review of the album. All you're gonna get is a bunch of fear mongering - seriously these people are crying in the street - that purchasing this album is going to upset or hurt Adam's feelings and that you're almost single-handedly destroying his career if you like what you hear. They think that next year when Adam's next album, Trespassing, comes out, you'll say "I'm confused, I just bought a new Adam Lambert album last year - I'm going to leave Trespassing on the store shelf and hide underneath my bed until the world makes sense again."Every "not helpful" vote you see above has nothing to do with the artistic integrity of this release - they are votes of ignorance and hatred. If you're really a fan of Adam Lambert the artist, you're missing out if you don't at least listen to the tracks and form your own opinion.Why do I like this album? I loved how Adam redefined Idol with his brazen hard rock performances like Slow Ride, Born to Be Wild and the Kiss Medley. While I loved For Your Entertainment, it went in a dance pop direction. And Trespassing, according to Adam himself, promises to be even darker.If you ever wondered what Adam would have sounded like as a true rocker - this album offers a glimpse. It does not contain all the answers. They are solid full-band demos polished up to studio quality. If you like 80's hair metal and glam rock, you just might like this. If you're only into safer, softer ballads and dance pop - steer clear (except for the ballad Just The Way It Is). Remember, these are not additional tracks from the truly awful Take One and Paramount sessions. Those tracks were written by someone else. These songs were co-written and performed by Adam - and they rock.And to those who fear putting a single dollar into "greedy" record executive hands, don't bother buying Trespassing either. Almost all of your money will fall into the hands of the label, 19 Management, the Idol producers and the record's producers and song co-writers before Adam sees a single cent. Grow up - the entire record industry is evil. If you don't like it, stop buying music (and don't download it illegally either - that's bad karma). Enjoy the silence.Still with me? Want to dip your toes in the water? Here's where to start:Beg For Mercy, Pop Goes the Camera and MP3 Killed The Record Companies - Adam really lets loose and the music propels him forward - this is glamorous hard rock - diamonds in the rough - great choruses - monster hooks - timely lyrics.The rest of the songs are good or very good. The only misfire is Sacrifice - a plodding, repetitive track that was clearly a work in progress - as if the band said, "we gotta have a song called Sacrifice" and was just improving - desperately searching for lyrics and a hook.If you want insight into an artist's evolution, this is the place to start. It's a great showcase of Adam and his friends, young and hungry on the streets of Hollywood - with loads of talent and nothing to lose.But don't listen to me. Don't listen to the people who hate this review. Listen to the songs. Decide for yourself.

As it's been pointed out, this is not Adam's new CD, but an album of rocks songs recorded prior to American Idol. Those who enjoyed what Adam did on AI and prefer rock to pop songs (especially those with a lot of electronic music) will likely enjoy this album. I personally like to hear the power in his voice, which is more obvious in rock songs (like when he sang "Whole Lotta Love" on AI) than pop songs, as well as the pure beauty of his voice in ballads. If you really like Adam's voice, you can't call this album "crap", even though Adam didn't want it released because he has apparently moved on from this style of music. I have pre-ordered Adam's new CD "Trespassing" and got his new single as well, but I wasn't impressed by it (although I am warming up to it after many listens) because of the electronic sound. I'm one of those fans who miss what he did on AI, and therefore can appreciate his old songs.On this album, my favorites are "Turning On" (where he "screams" at the end like he did on AI), "The Circle", "Pop Goes The Camera" and "Crawl Through the Fire" (this last song was even better when he sang it live as seen on "You Tube", but he often sounds better live than on the original CD, just like his live GNT "Sleepwalker" version is much more powerful than the original.Like another comment said, this CD should have been presented as "songs from a band that Adam used to be a part of" instead of as Adam's current songs.

For those of you bent out of shape about this release,Adam made his deals, it's legal so get over your righteous indignation.Having said that, this is a great album.It has a harder edge than his other post-Idol releases and it givessome glimpses of his developing vocal acrobatics. More importantly,it exhibits the passion and personality you heard during his Idolcompetition that has been sorely lacking from his post-Idol releases.This is the Adam I hope we see in his official March release.One more thing, everyone worked up because this may have been promotedas a "new" album need to realize that this is a common marketing ployused by EVERYONE. There are hundreds of releases every year of a megastar's "new" album that is simply a compilation of old hits.At least this is previously unheard music.

I was excited to see this album, though I obviously knew it wasn't new. I was still really impressed with the music. Is it the same as Adam's current music? No, but I still think the songs are well written. If you're a true Adam Lambert fan, you'll love the music and it's diversity. I still listen to mine everyday.

I like this CD, LOVE Adams vocal abilities, Trespassing and Entertainment are must haves for your collection, i am excited to hear what the amazing artist will do next, i have an extensive music collection and I can't seem to go a day without his music; TOTALLY AWESOME

I truly love Adam Lambert and his fabulous voice but this one is Not my favorite CD of Adam Lambert songs. This album was not approved by him to release i understand.

I confess . . .I went ahead and bought this CD despite all the warnings that I should not. And I LOVE it. The songs and Adam's voice are great. I'm glad to have something different to listen to from Adam while waiting for his real new CD "Trespassing" to come out.

I was so looking forward to listening to Adam's new songs. I really like the title song "Beg for Mercy". The other songs are also good but I have to admit that they were not as good as I had expected.

So not a proper album and not one Adam or his fans are too happy to see released,but this does offer some gems and looks into the mind of Adam while he was still striving for fame.Several of these songs,all written and performed by Adam are close to brilliant,it seems quite clear at times that they were unfinished works,but they've been nicely polished and put together for this pre-fame Adam cd.Songs such as MP3S KILLED THE RECORD COMPANIES will get you singing along in no time,showing signs that Adam clealry had a great deal to offer,with the need of those with the knowhow to makes great songs brilliant and with a few more lyrics these could have been gold. But as they stand,these songs may not be approved,but this short album is one i'm quite happy to play.

I bought this in the strength of Here for your entertainment Cd, i must say at first i was fairly dissappointed , but i have to be honest although no where near as brilliant as the former, beg for mercy has grown on me, or maybe i am just too mad on adam lambert that i cant see or hear clearly anymore, i think he is simply in a class of his own , i just want to get up and dance whenever i hear his voice.

Although I read all the reviews prior to ordering, I thought I had to check it out.Although it's not an 'official' Adam Lambert album I quite enjoyed it. Not a patch on his official releases but as a massive fan of Adam, it's always good to hear him sing different styles!Worth a buy for any hardcore Adam fans!

In good condition.

I bought this specifically for three or four songs as it isn't apparently approved by Adam but I liked what I had heard.