Company Line: To be sure, the unflinching self-examination of Want One leaves Wainwright open to all sorts of scrutiny. But so does his insistence on being a cultural maverick. Pop records like this one don’t grow on trees; indeed, very few artists in any idiom possess the vocal, compositional or psychological wherewithal to create a work of this quality.
“Yeah, yeah,” Wainwright says, dismissing any larger discussion of his gifts, “but sometimes I wish I could just make a dance record or something.”
The Good:
“Oh What A World” – Absolutely gorgeous. Good God Rufus doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
“I Don’t Know What It Is” – Starts off slow but when Rufus builds up a head of steam look out. Brilliant. Wait for the crescendo… it’s worth it.
“Pretty Things” – Don’t listen if you aren’t up for a tear or two.
“Go Or Go Ahead” – Starts off slow but once it builds up you’ll get Rufus in all his glory.
“Want” – You feel this is song coming straight from Wainwright’s heart and soul.
“4th Street” and “Harvester O’Hearts” – Oh let the lovely melodies sweep you away.
“Dinner At Eight” – Leaves us on a wonderful high note.
The Average:
“Vicious World” – It’s hard to call this average – in comparison to most of the tracks it suffers under the intensity.
“Movies Of Myself” – Again, with the lush choruses of the tracks before hand that almost sound operatic and screams for attention.
“Natasha” – Good until the chorus comes and he starts to sing “Natasha.”
The Ugly:
“Vibrate” – About a phone on vibrate and the feeling of that sensation? Analogy or not, it doesn’t work.
Frankly: Rufus Wainwright will restore your hope that good music is still being made.
+ Rae Gun
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