Want One

Sounds like the marketing department opted to keep me out of the target audience for this one.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a Rufus "the Hallelujah guy" Wainwright, but this definitely exceeded my expectations. It has many sounds to be later found in later alt / indie music of the next few years. Specifically reminiscent of artists like Andrew Bird and Sufjan Stevens. Really excellent songwriting with a lot of eccentric charm throughout the different styles. Heartfelt and theatrical, bits of whimsy intercede with deep emotion. Put it on early thinking it'd be casual but it really gripped me while listening

Something disgustingly beautiful about the way he sings and the way these songs are orchestrated. I can appreciate it but it's not something I will likely choose to listen to. One of my favorite parts was the very end of "Harvester of Hearts" when he says "that's all you're getting tonight" then laughs that goofy strange laugh. It felt like a glimpse behind a lush facade to something that is hiding behind meticulously crafted prose and arrangement - something that I'm more interested in seeing that what's being shown.

So emotional that I get the feeling That this is Music for People with no feeling, for those who do not listen to music but get these 1 or 2 recommendations per year they completely dig. CD rack holds 27 albums.

Exceptional. I loved every song on this. Jericho was a personal favorite.

A great flowering of talent here, it seems. Rich and lush and layered and interesting – "breathtaking, eccentric opulence" is about right. A criticism might be that it all runs together a bit, in tempo and mood and excess layering, but how enjoyable and engaging it all is along the way and the combo of ambition/vision and fearless execution/willingness to go for it on every cut seems borderline genius. It’s a steady flow from strength to strength, with every cut registering – “Oh What a World” is a strong opener and great mood-setter, “Vicious World” and “Movies of Myself” keep things moving in rich cinematic fashion, And then what a sequence from the power of intense “Go or Go Ahead” to the yearning “Vibrate” to the rollicking “14th Street” to the legit-lovely “Natasha” to the wry “Harvester of Hearts” – RW leaves nothing on the table (hard to believe another record is coming). “Want” is beautiful, too, with the strong “11:11” and the riveting (if maybe overwrought) “Dinner at 8” make for an extraordinary (and fitting) close. Maybe it’s a little weak vocally, with a one-note style that throws up the same modulations and tics at every song. And it’s not hard to see how the overall feel might be overly dramatic for some tastes (not to mention excessively multi-tracked and overly instrumented/orchestrated). But the payoff is there, song after song after song. One expects to build a long-term relationship with this record (and its twin, which is nearly – but not quite – as excellent) as they have already repaid multiple listenings and definitively give off the air of a masterpiece.

Not bad at all. Never listened to him before. A little much in parts. Kind of Nilsson in parts. A little like Thom Yorke but more theatrical. Go or Go Ahead is great! Sounds a bit like a Radiohead song. Overall pretty good! At least a 3.5. Cover is weird though.

The ultimate hipster album.

what a great album of awful songs!

My grocery store needs new music. I will suggest this.

I listened for a few tracks, lost interest, shut it off and didn’t feel bad about it, because this album has been removed from the book.

Lush and gorgeous

got better and better the more i listened to it. beautiful lyrics! first track kinda reminds me of FUN.'s music

Great album. One of the best two-song openers of any album I've heard. Movies of Myself, 14th Street, Go or Go Ahead are also great. The inbetweeners also have a lot to offer. Well done, everybody.

This one really worked for me. Every song is expertly crafted, expansive, and poetic. It's night and day compared to the second entry. Best track: Oh What A World

Distinto, místico, mágico. Para mí este siempre fue un disco perfecto de punta a punta.

Interesting, very different to any kind of music that I have listened to before. Very funky but enjoyable to listen to.

awesome

A great album all around.

Even though I listened to Want Two first, this is The Return of the King

Now THIS is how you pop a baroque.

Dásemd! Hvílík rödd! Hvílíkar laga- og textasmíðar! Elsk <3

BEAUTIFUL

Never heard of him before, but I'm now a big fan.

Wonderful - like a warm hug on a cold day. An artist I have never appreciated before this, but now have a huge admiration for. A great voice, interesting songs (lyrically and musically) - all round, a brilliant album

I wasn't overly familiar with Rufus Wainwright coming into this, but I was pleasantly surprised. The opening song is fantastic with the marching band sound going behind the lyrics. And it just gets better. Really one of my favorite albums thus far.

Pretty darned lovely. 4.5 stars... Oh. what the heck, give him 5.

Þessi plata er ógeðslega góð. Við fyrstu hlustun er þetta ekki rödd sem ætti að ná til mín, en hún gerir það nú bara samt. Productionin íburðarmikil en aldrei of, og lögin eru góð, sum hver geggjuð. Óskiljanlegt að hann sé ekki stærra nafn.

Masterpiece

simply lovely. i love this style of music.

Oh good, so Want One was in the book at one point. I am very clear that they kept the wrong one in, Want Two is not a patch on this. Incoming message from the Big Giant Head - "this is The best album ever made containing a reference to Third Rock from the Sun." Not a big Rufus fan tbh, but I was introduced to this album a few years back and for me it's a masterpiece. Very much enjoyed the performance he did of this with BBC Phil a couple of months ago also. I see a review call him Rufus 'Hallelujah' Wainwright which I thought odd as there's at least 3 other artists I think of for that song before him, not sure I've heard his version much at all. This record appeals to the side of me that loves the Divine Comedy - indeed the central chord progression in Go or Go Ahead massively reminds me of the Certainty of Chance. But wider than that the general vibe and sweeping instrumentation really scratches something for me. Gloriously overblown from the off, occasionally evoking a stage musical, and delivered beautifully. Most obviously with the bolero of Oh What a World. The voice described as Broadway meets Thom Yorke pretty much nails it. Also a rare example of a really long album which I wouldn't drop a song from. Honestly it's the only record he's done which I like, but I bloody love it. Favourites, Beautiful Child, Go or Go Ahead, 14th Street.

Me ha gustado bastante...se parecían a panic at the disco

I haven't listened to this in years, I had forgotten how good it is.

Oh What A World I don't know what it is Vicious World Big drama, ali nježne i zanimljive stvari.

I haven't actually made it all the way through this album yet, despite starting it about 5 times. The opening track hooks me in and I want to keep teasing it apart, so I start back at track 1 after every interruption. I'm enjoying Rufus's voice, and the contrasts between vocal and instrumentation on various tracks. Some of the harmonies are wonderfully unexpected. An album to return to, and an artist to explore.

I was familiar with this album back in the day. It was good to return to this! The two opening numbers are exquisite, and the rest of the album is pretty darn good as well.

Oh, I'm so glad this one's on the list. I became a fan of this album after hearing Beautiful Child in a movie. That's still a favorite, along with What a World and 11:11. I like Wainwright's whole deal.

Oh yeah, I know Rufus Wainwright. Wait, looking at the cover, maybe I don't. Oh yeah, I am familiar with this sound. Wait, maybe I don't know what I am talking about at all. Whatever, it was pretty amazing!

I love the lyrics, the music, the voice. One I want to keep listening to. Wonderful!

I like the guy - similar vein to Sufjan Stevens although more emotive and theatrical. Loads of references to other songs throughout. Other than Poses, not listened to one of his albums all the way through. A bit samey but I think this is partially due to how he sings - the orchestration and songwriting are fantastic. On the fence between a 4 and 5. Feeling kind.

For want two I said I enjoyed it but wouldn't go back (and I haven't) but I'll definitely go back to this. It was still a singer songwriter version of Thom Yorke in parts but also reminded me of Jeff Buckley and Beirut. The classical influences were a bit too thick in parts, preferred it when it was a bit more indie. Otherwise a really good album. 4.5

Adored everything about this. It made me very emotional. The variety and layers to this really got me. I'm going to want to dedicate time to dig deeper into this.

Delicate and brash, pulling from a wide array of genres. Lyrically playful and vocally enticing, the songs ebb and flow throughout. A beautiful album

I've enjoyed Rufus from afar for years, but have never listened to a full album. Marvellous, heartfelt, theatrical, passionate, and vintage are all words that come to mind, and it all comes together in such a uniquely rich and unique way. Love it.

I discovered Rufus through Elton John, who recommended him in an interview in his beginnings. I loved him in many of his songs! Thanks, Reg!

Amazing listen. Vocals, melody, lyrics. Emotional waves and one great song follows another.

Great album

Pop with super dense and complex layering. His vocals are like Broadway meets Thom Yorke.

Liked it more than I thought. Wanted to check him out much earlier, always think of Hallelujah and Shrek when I read his name. But this was refreshingly thoughtful, the album. Dreamy, thought-provoking... I liked the atmosphere. Some of the notes about the making of the songs resonated with me. + Oh What A World + I Don't Know What It Is + Vicious World + Vibrate + Harvester of Hearts + Want

peut etre un peu long mais j’ai dormi donc pas un problème

very good album, I would rate a 4.5. Enjoyed the varied style and sound! Reminded me of Kevin Max

First song is really great. I love this orchestral build up. It made me hyped up for the rest of the album and "Go or go ahead" and "14th street" were the only ones that were up to the challenge. The rest was dissapointing, vastly different in terms of atmosphere and boring. I would love shorter album with development based on ideas more similair to that from mentioned songs. In my opinion 5/5 album would be possible. But with all things considered it is 3.6/5

I'd really like to rate it 5, because there are some 5 star songs, but inbetween them there are some others that are not quite so brilliant. I wouldn't say they're bad, but simply forgettable

Once Rufus sang "Still, I think I'm doing fine". Yes, he's doing fine, the album is nice. The first part is much better than the end, the album could be shorter. It was a pleasure to hear, I think I'll forget about it quickly. 3.5/5

I think I got the second half of this quite a ways back and I'm wondering what I said about it. I liked this, he's clearly very talented, but there is an element of a little too clever (and well aware of the fact) and a little too gloss. I'd like to hear him a little rawer, a little rougher, a little closer to the heart.

Huh. Really similar experience rating this as "Want Two", which already came up. I _really_ dug the first track, and although the rest of the album has its charms, I can't help but wish it was all like the opener. Maybe one of his other albums is that level of OTT throughout? Fave track - "Oh What A World", as mentioned...

Totally captivated by the first track. The rest were really good too, but a little too much all at once. This guy really seems to construct a song deliberately, carefully, with purpose and patience. Really beautiful throughout.

Lots of surprising tracks! He's like a more mournful Elton John

Own this record, love this record. Every time I see a clock that reads "11:11" I immediately think of that song and it makes me happy. Waking up at 11:11 would also make me VERY happy, btw. "A little piece of bacon never eaten by Elvis," is one of my favorite bits of pop-adjacent lyrics ever. Great, lush record!

Lovely voice. Strong start to the album, some intelligent songwriting and a couple of musical twists I appreciated, but it just started to fade into the background a little in the second half. Glad I've had the experience though - songsterism with heart.

Not usually my vibe but pretty into this one, good stuff, 4 stars

I don't know why I don't listen to Rufus more often. He has such a great voice, which the simple instrumentation makes beautifully clear on this album. It's not something I'd ever put on to "jam" to, but it really draws me in when it's on. Great work.

As soon as I say I don't like pretty, sad, slightly whiny songs I find some pretty, sad, slightly whiny songs to like. But they weren't all that way, which helps! I really liked this, I'll definitely listen again and listen to more of his work. Also, I totally called it when I thought spotify would pick Nick Drake to play after this album finished.

This one surprised me. Very beautiful.

Rufus Wainwright sounds like Father John Misty for people who aren't that depressed. 8/10

7/10. Yeah, I like this guy. Very consistent sound, but I don't get bored of it over the length of his albums.

Typically great.

Yeah it's quite good but very hipster I guess?

I'm a fan of all the Wainwrights, and this one is particularly good. Heartfelt 4/4 time.

This grew in me immensely as it went on. Ended sounding like Radiohead or Fun. or something.

It turns out that the most charming baroque pop that I've ever heard is something from 2003.

Enjoyed this much more than I expected to!

Had forgotten this album (and Want 2) existed. Very relaxing, although I can imagine his voice being a bit marmitey to some.

Gorgeous!

Not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. Beautiful album, start to finish.

The Wainwrights are an interesting musical family dynasty - critically beloved but only ever surfacing into mainstream appeal as fits and starts. I still haven't found a Rufus track I love as much as I have singles from his sister (like Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole) or albums from his dad Loudon III (like Unrequited) and he always feels a bit too Andrew Bird/Sufjan adjacent for my taste for me to actively seek out his music, but I think this is a solid effort. I Don't Know What It Is and Go Or Go Ahead remind me of the sensibility later fine tuned by contemporaries like Keane, and I think he's stronger when he doesn't lean so heavily into baroque elements and lets the powerful sustain in his voice take center stage. Would go 3.5 but I'll round up to balance out the diversity of opinions on the merits of Rufus's music within our group. No shade though, I get it, I feel that way about Death Cab for Cutie

AMAZING

I had gotten a Rufus Wainwright album prior (the "sequel" to this one, "Want Two"), but admittedly didn't remember much of it. Without revisiting it, this sounds a bit like that one, but maybe less (as I described it) "theatrical". The impulses are still there, but they feel like they mix in to the straight-forward pop provided. Certain parts remind me a little of Rod Stewart, but with a nicer voice. It started losing me a little near the end, but call it a 3.5 cos it never truly lost me, just made me ready to move on to the next one. Favorite tracks: "Go Or Go Ahead", "14th Street", "11:11"

Chillax la max. Très sympa pour se reposer

Hmmmm i didn't get to pay super close attention to it, but I did like the vibe.

Was skeptical at first but maybe ruffie is all(wain)wright

Pop. Dudo entre un 3 o un 4. Venga, un 4 porque tiene algo de pop barroco en alguna canción.

Very cool, good for Sunday listening

Not my favourite Rufus Wainwright album, but still very.

Ik vind niet alle nummers even goed, maar die stem 😍.

Zucht.... wat een held toch die Rufus. Al de bombastiek en het dik-aangezette kan ik van hem allemaal hebben. Prachtige stem.

Really solid.

Rich and lush, this album is the companion of its successor 'Want Two', which I really liked. This is the better of the two. Gorgeous instrumentation throughout, the album really shows off Wainwright's voice, which has a Thom Yorkian quality to it. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: Oh What A World Date listened: 05/12/23

This is lowkey goated I can't even lie. I enjoyed the theatrical/grand instrumentals; I liked how large some of the songs sounded. I'd give a 5 but I didn't like some songs in the 2nd half.

En el seu moment va sorgir com un petit secret que cada vegada es va anar donant a conèixer més i més. Sobretot pel boca-orella dels seus shows, gairebé performances artístiques més que concerts a l'ús. Tot i ser el tecer disc, molts el vam conèixer amb aquest 'Want One' i la seva segona part. Era l'artista més cool del món. La seva música, la seva actitud i, és clar, la seva veu. Però també tenia cançons increïbles. Moltes. Al final el personatge es va anar menjant l'artista, però en aquell moment era imbatible

Lots of decent moments and pretty enjoyable overall

First 2 songs were really good, never really heard anything like it. Next couple weren't as good but not bad. Overall a solid album.

Liked this, especially ’Movies of Myself’, he has a really good voice

Like radiohead but happy. The album was decorated but still in stature.

4/5

Really enjoyed this one. His voice is great, and the song composition and lyrics are really good.

Favorite Tracks: Oh What A World I Don’t Know What It Is Beautiful Child

I get it

This was a good album however, his voice is unique and I found that I could not listen to it for long periods of time.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Oh what a world, Vicious world, Go or go around, 11:11