Want One

I respect the ambition and the grandiose of it all. objectively good just not really my schtick yet I did add 5 songs to my playlist so make of that what you will. Fav: 14th Street Least Fav: Vibrate

5/10

Oh, look! Less talented Radiohead!

Speechless... not from awe but from lack of it

It's not my music, but I do appreciate the high quality voice and songwriting (and production).

Sad and emotional in a 2021 TikTok lockdown kind of way, me personally I moved on from that so I find it a bit cringy... Movies of myself could've been soooo good if only he didn't fucking sing like that!!! He sounds like he's frowning while singing Go or go ahead same thing. Had potential, ruined it by singing like he was forced to do it

The singer has a voice similar to Thom York to me, and kind of like that one guy in Tally Hall, pretty good.

I don’t get it. Bland lyrics about mundane garbage set against music that is a mishmash of broadway and 1920s influences just doesn’t resonate with me. I think I stopped the album at least twice to see how much longer I had.

Well, it all sounds gorgeous. The arrangements swoop and soar, and young Wainwright understands the dynamics of an epic pop song like few others. I’m not sure that he’s got much to say and I’m not sure I care, because Want One is an album to lose yourself in, and his voice and words just add to the splendour. Highlights are plentiful, but really it’s a luxurious bathtime soak of an album, with never-ending hot water and a whole bottle of Radox chucked in – the blue one. You gotta get out at some point, but not yet. 8/10

rufuuuuus im so drunk @rufusssss

3.8

Sounds like Muse meets Queen meets Bruce Springsteen and then making ballads

Retírenlo, Pidanlo, Abortenlo, Arrebátenlo, solo eso

O melhor Musical BOM da disney que você irá ouvir hoje. Me lembrou muito aquele filme: Tick Tick Boom, porém menos de performance, e totalmente teatral, no sentido de música. Sentimentais, ocasionalmente com sua cota de orquestra. Todas as músicas são bastante cinematográficas, no sentido de se encaixarem em qualquer filme. Gostei. HIGHLIGHTS: GO OR GO AHEAD, Oh what a world, Movies of myself, 14th street, Harvester of Hearts, Beautiful Child 9/10

Soothing vocals

Idk if this is a hot take but I actually love Rufus Wainwright

no thats okay

Oh what a world - 4 I don't know what it is - 3 Vicious world - 2 Movies of myself - 3 Pretty things - 3 Go or go ahead - 4 Vibrate - 3 14th street - 4 Natasha - 3 Harvester of hearts - 3 Beautiful child - 3 Want - 3 11:11 - 3 Dinner at eight - 3

Great album. He's talented

I know the name, but I've never listened to anything he's done. Now I know why. It's interesting, kinda like a new school Billy Joel thing he's got going on, but his vocal delivery is a bit boring and sounds the same throughout the album. The listener counts are pretty good from top to bottom, averaging about 1M listens. "Oh What A World" racked up 7.5M, but no hits that I'm aware of. I didn't find anything worth listening to twice and it's likely to his voice and the feeling it just sounds one dimensional and feels theater-like. He was definitely in Drama Club!! I could be off base, but this feels like an album for sad lonely people. I got no joy out of it. I'm confused as to the merits of it making a list of Must Hear albums, nothing stood out to me. 2.5 stars but I'm rounding down.

Meh. I couldn't finish this one.

All I really knew about this guy is he did the version of Hallelujah that's on the Shrek soundtrack. After listening to this album, I'm not that motivated to learn much more.

Overall, the songs sounded good, loved the production and mix, but it dragged on too much and I would have to listen more carefully to appreciate it as it should.

Не знаю почему здесь все навоняли, я забалдела очень сильно

I would like to believe that I've been pretty kind to Rufus Wainwright throughout my time doing this project. When he wanted two, he got a two. And now he wants one, so for doing an even worse imitation of Radiohead that's exactly what he gets!

There’s a lot going on here. Some of which I love, some not so much. I really enjoyed Wainwright’s embrace of polyphony (something that is not found enough in popular music), especially when introducing Gershwinesque chords, like in “Oh What A World.” But as much as I enjoyed the lushness of some tracks, my favorite part was the sparse intro to “Go or Go Ahead,” and I really would’ve preferred listening to an album with that treatment. In line with this maximalism, the record is a bit longer than I would have liked. I think it could’ve ended with “14th Street” and been all the better for it. I’ve said this about Arcade Fire as well, but there’s just too many finales to the album. It’s a difficult one to rate because it’s like a great meal with some unnecessary sides…but I’ll give it 3.5 stars rounded up.

Store brand combo of David Byrne and Thom York

oh hey, Mr. Hallelujah is back. i reviewed Want Two some time last year when it came up on thisbgenerator. we'll see how this one is in comparison Oh What a World - 2/5 I Don't Know What It Is - 3/5 Vicious World - 3/5 Movies of Myself - 4/5 Pretty Things - 3/5 Go or Go Ahead - 5/5 Vibrate - 3/5 14th Street - 4/5 Natasha - 3/5 Harvester of Hearts - 3/5 Beautiful Child - 4/5 Want - 2/5 11:11 - 3/5 Dinner at Eight - 3/5 Average score: 3.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ my enjoyment of this is about the same as Want Two (maybe slightly less?) like i mentioned last time, he's got a nice voice (even if he wants to be Thom Yorke really bad), and his musical arrangements are well-crafted. his music is pretty inoffensive overall, which is neither good nor bad. very middle-of-the-road music overall, though i'll admit a couple songs pulled at my heartstrings

Sometimes an album is inextricably tied to a very specific time in your life. For me, Rufus Wainwright's Want One came during a particularly tumultuous and developmental time for me personally. And, like many of these moments, it was connected to a girl... we'll call her Julia. Julia and I met while studying abroad. She had suffered a tragic loss of her boyfriend in a car accident about a year prior, and I had just ended (in hindsight, it was a break) a long-term serious relationship. It was lightning in a bottle, and it was never bound to work even if we had spent years together, but Julia making the decision to head home just a few weeks into our program, cemented the temporality of our romance. But for those few short weeks, we laughed, we cried, we stayed up all night talking in each other's arms, and we shared music. Julia had great taste, a lot of her favorite artists like Ben Folds (her biggest obsession) and The Beatles, overlapped between us. But Rufus Wainwright I had never heard before. I think outside of this moment, I might not have had as much an appreciation for this album, but given the circumstances and the connection to her, it will forever mean something to me. In fact, even though I am the reason we didn't work out (she waited for me back home in the States), I can't listen to this without feeling some type of loss and melancholy...but to be fair, Rufus can probably bring that out in anyone. For the longest time I felt I had fumbled something special seeing as how I ultimately choose my off-again, on-again manipulative ex over Julia to continue a relationship that crashed and burned in glorious fashion about a year later. But, it was probably all for the best because that led me down a much better path in life that resulted in the wife, family, and even career I have today. So, no, I don't pine for Julia, but goodness I cannot listen to this without thinking of her both with fondness and regret and for this reason, I haven't heard this album in probably 20 years. It pokes and prods at a scar that healed but is still sensitive. So why tell all of this in an anonymous Internet blog reviewing the album? Well, partly it's because it's impossible to separate the emotion from the review, at least when my intent here is to be personal and subjective, not calculated and objective. My feelings are intertwined with how I feel about an album. But I also share this because love, loss, heartbreak, loneliness, and finding oneself are all themes Rufus touches on in his music. And he does so with such emotional depth both to his lyrics and in his delivery. I get verklempt listening to this not just because of nostalgia and the memories that surface (old men do this, you know?) but because he himself evokes that with his music. Is it a perfect album? No, far from it. Are my memories associated with this album and the time when this was part of the soundtrack of my life clouding my judgment of it? Absolutely. But give it a listen, and if you aren't a 20-year-old on your own for the first time in your life, trying to figure it all out while you get your heart broken, fall in and out of love, get drunk and homesick, and come out on the other side battered, bruised and lost but ultimately a better person then maybe try to imagine what that might be like and listen to this album from the perspective of someone who was able to deeply connect with Rufus, if only for a fleeting moment in time.

An undeniably gifted singer and songwriter, Wainwright's never been afraid to revel in excess, and that trait tends to dominate here, for better and for worse.

Not sure I had a Want for this album but it’s a Vicious World out there.

The big band songs were great very catch Rest was ok

gave me heavy bo burnham energy in the way that its heavy theatery vibes. ai goblins said he once cited rufus as an influence so im not wrong. sike i think it hallucinated but anyways i like the vibes, julie was onto something.

This was lame as fuck. It's so sweet and benevolent that it gave me cavities. Despite his voice being on pitch, I pity the lazy, drawling pronunciation. Really clashes with an otherwise classically-inclined release. Also, minus ten points from Gryffindor for quoting Ravel's Bolero in the opening number.

This wasn’t too bad..I actually really liked a couple of the songs. But overall, I give it a three. There are too many songs here, and some are too long.

I absolutely love some of his songs but never quite connected with the majority of his work.

you got it buddy!

Instant places me at a numbered table waiting for my meal I picked on a RSVP Card 3 months ago. Wedding tunes.

lips too numb

Naaa

I enjoyed this one 4/5

I’ve been programmed to not like this guy and his music. I don’t remember why so I’m going in with an open mind and blocking out the hate. Oh What a World is a good start. But after that I’m not so sure. Like, it’s not unbearable. Sort of a slower Billy Joel. Musically, not mentally, I have no idea about that. Vibrate is another good one, sort of a Radiohead sound. But really, that’s 2 songs out of 7 right now that are listenable to me. This really did fail to impress me. I don’t dislike this guy as much as I thought I was supposed to . The music is just sort of meaningless from what i get out of it.

Self-proclaimed gay messiah Rufus Wainwright.

If Michael Bublé decided to do an album of Radiohead covers it wouldn’t be too dissimilar to this. Not an entirely bad album, but the production value kind of gives the game away for me, there’s no real grit or soul to this. It’s highly produced, ready made for commercial radio which kills any sense of realness

Best chill

The curse of being born with a thom yorke voice is that you’re lucky enough to have a good voice, but you’ll always be labeled a thom yorke knock off. Which I think is unfair because Rufus is doing a lot of cool stuff here

Almost made it through the album, got to track 11 and kept asking myself “what the hell am I listening to”. Sure glad I got to hear that before I died - not.

if radiohead did musical theatre

Some lush production and lovely tunes, but also rambles about being stuck in airport security and what he had for breakfast.

This was much better than Want Two in my opinion. I kinda wish I had gotten this one first.

STANDOUTS: I Don't Know What It Is, Go or Go Ahead, Dinner at Eight I have nothing against music that feels theatrical, for example I think this is quite comparable to something like Illinois by Sufjan Stevens in terms of theatrics, which is an album I absolutely adore. My problem with Want One is that its theatrics is the only thing it has going for it. Rufus Wainwright isn't a particularly great vocalist in my opinion, and his songwriting, while not bad, is noticeably weaker than the songwriting of similar artists. This results in an album that sounds just fine but feels like it's missing something. 5.5/10

I really like the first song in the album "Oh What A World". Not too sure what the genre but nevertheless it was a good listen.

This album wasn't bad, but was way too long for me. This style of music just tends to drag on me after a while.

I loved Want Two when it came up on this list so I was excited for this. Overall it’s a good album with lush sounds, but I don’t think it reaches the peaks Two does.

Odd that I should get this only days after Want 2. I prefer this one a bit.

Decent sound. He's got an interesting voice

To paraphrase my biting review of Rufus' "Want Two" Want One? Get Two... You're not that bad Rufus, but you still suck...

Feels like a lavish throwback to the classic singer‑songwriter era—equal parts Harry Nilsson’s theatrical whimsy and Billy Joel’s piano‑driven melodrama. At times you could almost believe either of those two had wandered into the studio and taken over. That’s both the album’s charm and its ceiling. It’s undeniably gorgeous, but it leans so heavily on those vintage influences that it never quite escapes their shadow. Wainwright’s voice and arrangements are unmistakable, but the material itself doesn’t feel especially original. It’s a fine listen—rich, dramatic, and expertly crafted—but it rarely surprises.

I listened to this album twice. My first listening I did not like Wainwright's voice, lyrics, or music. I found it barely tolerable. *This* is the guy who sings Hallelujah on the Shrek soundtrack? So, I listened to him sing Hallelujah, and then re-listened to Want One again. It was better. I could hear the nuances in his voice once I paid better attention. All that to say, not a fan. I'll stick to Hallelujah.

On est en 2003, et je me demande encore comment on a pu en arriver là. Le monde est en train de se demander si le rock à guitares des Strokes va sauver la planète, et au milieu de ce foutoir, déboule un mec avec un piano, une voix de dandy d’opéra et une ambition qui ferait passer Napoléon pour un joueur de flûte à bec débutant. Ce mec, c’est Rufus Wainwright et l’album, c’est Want One. Want One, c’est le premier volet d’un diptyque (le second étant logiquement Want Two, pour ceux qui suivent au fond). À l'époque, Rufus sortait d'une période de défonce à la crystal meth qui l'avait laissé sur le carreau, à moitié aveugle et totalement parano. Forcément, ça donne une autre profondeur à ces chansons qui, de prime abord, pourraient passer pour des ritournelles de Broadway. Allez je pose le diamant sur le sillon — ou j'appuie sur "play", peu importe le support, le choc est le même. Dès les premières secondes, on comprend que la subtilité a été jetée par la fenêtre. Rufus ne fait pas dans la demi-mesure, il ne veut pas juste faire un disque, il veut construire une cathédrale de son, un truc tellement massif que même les nuages s’écartent pour le laisser passer. Le premier constat, et c’est là que le "JE" entre en scène avec toute sa subjectivité, c’est que le bonhomme a une voix de dingue. Une voix de canard aristocratique, traînante, nasillarde, mais d’une puissance émotionnelle assez dingue. Il se balade dans les aigus, il redescend dans les graves avec une aisance qui m'agace presque. C'est le genre de talent brut qui te saute à la gorge, mais le talent, c’est comme le beurre : si t’en mets trop partout, ça finit par t’écœurer. Et Rufus, il adore le beurre. L’album s’ouvre sur des envolées orchestrales qui te donnent l’impression d’être assis au premier rang d’une comédie musicale à Broadway, mais une comédie musicale qui aurait été écrite par un génie un peu trop porté sur les substances lyriques. Marius de Vries à la production, c'est le complice idéal pour ce genre de délire. Les mecs ont dû se dire : « Tiens, il reste un peu de place pour une section de cuivres ici ? Allez, on la met. Et des chorales ? Oui, trois ou quatre couches de chorales, ça fera l’affaire. » C’est là que mon enthousiasme commence à stagner. Quand j’écoute de la musique, j’aime qu’on me laisse un peu d’air. J’aime les silences, j’aime les respirations et ici, c’est l’asphyxie par le luxe. C'est superbe, attention, je ne dis pas le contraire, c'est d'une richesse mélodique rare. Mais c'est tellement plein, tellement léché, tellement "parfait" que ça finit par manquer de ce petit quelque chose qui fait qu'un album devient organique. Je me balade dans les morceaux et je vois bien l’exercice de style. Rufus rend hommage à tout ce qu’il aime : l’opéra, la pop des années 70, le folk de ses parents (même s'il le dynamite à coups de violons), et une sorte de cabaret moderne complètement déjanté. C’est brillant, c’est intelligent, c’est plein de références culturelles que les critiques adorent déterrer pour se sentir intelligents. Mais est-ce que ça me touche ? Pas vraiment. Prenez un titre comme "I Don't Know What It Is", c’est une machine de guerre. C’est épique, ça monte, ça descend, ça explose. C'est le genre de morceau fait pour les stades ou les opéras de Vienne. Mais une fois l’explosion passée, il reste une impression de "trop". Rufus est un boulimique e il veut tout bouffer, tout embrasser, tout posséder. C’est d'ailleurs le titre de l'album : Want One. Alors oui, il y a des moments de calme, comme "Dinner at Eight", où il s'adresse à son père. Là, on touche à quelque chose d'un peu plus vrai, d'un peu plus dépouillé. Mais très vite, la grosse machine orchestrale repart de plus belle. On ne peut pas rester dans le simple avec lui, il faut que ça brille, il faut que ça pète. En 2003, cet album a été reçu comme le messie de la "Baroque Pop". Pour moi, c'est surtout un disque qui regarde beaucoup dans le rétroviseur. Il ne révolutionne rien, il recycle avec un brio incroyable des codes qui existent depuis des décennies. Il les mélange, il les pimente avec son charisme de dandy queer, mais au fond, la structure reste très classique. Ce n’est pas ici que vous trouverez le futur de la musique, c’est plutôt une très belle lettre d’adieu à un certain type de pop grandiloquente. Le problème de ce genre d'album "parfait", c'est qu'il ne laisse aucune place à l'imprévu car tout est calculé. Chaque coup de cymbale, chaque envolée de cordes semble avoir été pesée sur une balance de précision. Et moi, j'aime bien quand les musiciens perdent un peu le contrôle. J'aime bien quand ça dérape, quand la sueur vient tâcher le costume trois-pièces. Mais chez Rufus, même la sueur doit avoir un goût de champagne millésimé. C’est pour toutes ces raisons que je m’arrête à un 3 sur 5. C'est une note de respect. Je respecte le travail immense, je respecte la voix hors norme, je respecte l'audace de sortir un truc pareil à une époque où le rock devenait de plus en plus minimaliste. Mais je ne peux pas m'empêcher de trouver ça un peu pompeux. Il y a une sorte de distance froide dans cette débauche de moyens. On sent que Rufus joue le rôle de Rufus. Il est le héros de son propre film, et nous, on est juste les spectateurs assis dans le noir. C'est flatteur pour l'oreille, mais ça ne vient jamais vraiment nous bousculer dans nos certitudes. Finalement, Want One reste avant tout le témoignage d'une époque qui cherchait encore ses nouvelles icônes. Rufus Wainwright en est devenu une, assurément. Mais est-ce que cet album mérite sa place parmi les 1001 qu'il "faut" avoir entendus ? Peut-être pour son côté ovni dans le paysage de l'époque. Mais pour moi, il reste un bel objet de curiosité.

Rufus has an interesting voice, and it is enjoyable to listen to, but not particularly noteworthy.

This plays like it’s the sound track to the off broadway musical called nepo baby. He at least has a genuine and deep affection for the arts but at this point in his career did not have the talent to match. How could an album from anyone of his pedigree not be included in such a list…

Rufus Wainwright has one of my favorite singing voices of all time, moving and creative lyrics, and beautiful melodies, but something stops me from giving this a 5. For all I love it, it is not something I come back to very often. Sorry, Rufus!

He has such an irritating voice. The songs seem to have some merit, if I could concentrate on them long enough to appreciate them, but they are spoiled by his whiny vibrato. He should have changed his LinkedIn profile from Singer/Songwriter to Songwriter after this album but it seems he didn't. Now that I've suffered both the albums he somehow managed to get on this list, I never want to hear from him again.

Can this dude possibly not wail for a just few seconds per song? Maybe? No? Fine. One star because it made me angry.

I can't keep defending you, Rufus Wainwright :c Honestly not a fan. Quite a let-down compared to "Want Two."

Love the composition in this album and a few of the singer-songwriter aspects but honestly this was kind of boring to listen to. Every song felt sort of redundant except in its story telling but I don't really lean to that aspect in songs personally. Favorite Song: Beautiful Child, 5/10

Another guy I'd never heard of (I like some of his dad's stuff), and really loved. Very easy listening, but I'm of that age, I guess.

This was a lot - LOT! - better than Want Two. It felt wat more sincere, and significantly less annoying. There's still a weird musical theatre vibe to the whole thing, led by his insistence on over enunciation all the time. But the songwriting is very good and the album flows along beautifully. Interestingly (insofar as any of this is) I listened to it in the gym, and it worked a little better than you might imagine.

Completely whatever, really forgettable, just like the last one I got

Pretty enjoyable album with a very enjoyable cover. Nice piano melodies

A light four? But tbf, I listened to this twice yesterday. Rufus Wainwright IS pompous, navel-gave-y, and self-important, clearly convinced of his own intelligence, but hey, I liked the songs, and that’s what this project is about. Gets a little long in the tooth towards the end of this very long album as a lot of albums of the CD era do. But hey, whatever, I was down with this vibe yesterday. Starbucks hipster music, take me back to the early 2000s.

mid surfjan

Not my thing

not my style

nah no 4 me

I like the more upbeat songs than the slower songs. The slower songs can be dull & overtly long. I found Vibrate to be interesting song, the lyrics are quirky enough but takes itself seriously. I laughed at it a bit but its a good song. It's a little uneven but it's alright. A bit too theatrical for my tastes. The album cover reminds me of the Sword in the Stone Disney movie because from a distance Want looks like Wart. Wainwright is also dressed as knight. Wart was the Arthur's nickname in said movie. His name's font reminds me of Mother Love Bone or Temple of a Dog album cover.

maybe I'm just in a bad mood but I see through this and him

The dipthongy quality is a bit too much for me. I heard Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk a while ago and it was ok, but a whole album of that I couldn't take. Like a lot of albums on here no question about the talent displayed, but the rating has to reflect my personal preferences.

Second album proposé après un 'Want Two' terriblement ennuyeux (noté 1/5), il part donc avec un gros désavantage ... Et n'arrive pas à une meilleure note que le précédent. Ennui complet dès le premier morceau, je ne suis pas allé au bout non plus. =>1/5

I actually quite enjoyed this!!

Great voice but no songs grabbed me

I didn’t really know what to expect going in. The only thing I knew of his was his feature on The Loneliest Time by Carly Rae Jepsen, which I loved. His voice struck me immediately as something special, elegant, emotional, and very distinctive. That alone made me curious to hear more. And knowing that he was already openly gay at the time this album was released added another layer of interest for me. I was genuinely excited to hear his perspective, his emotional world. But the album itself surprised me. Not in a bad way, but in an unsettling one. It has a theatricality that I wasn’t expecting, something very dramatic, very ornate, almost excessive at times. It feels deeply performative, like it was created by someone with a strong background in theater. And I mean that as a compliment. There’s a sense of grandeur and intention behind everything. His voice often reminded me of Chris Colfer’s voice as Kurt on Glee, that same fragile clarity mixed with emotional intensity. At the same time, it wasn’t an easy listen for me. The album made me restless. I couldn’t listen to it all in one sitting. I had to pause several times, not because it was bad, but because it demanded a certain emotional attention that felt exhausting. It’s long, dense, and sometimes overwhelming. I ended up giving it three stars, because while I admire it, I didn’t fully connect with it. Out of the fourteen tracks, I saved five that really stood out to me, I Don't Know What It Is, Pretty Things, Vibrate, 11:11, and especially Dinner at Eight. “Dinner at Eight” is, without question, the emotional centerpiece. It’s stunning. The piano, the vocal performance, the vulnerability of the lyrics, everything comes together in a way that feels devastating and intimate. It’s easily the best moment on the album. I don’t regret listening to Want One at all. In fact, I’m glad I did. It challenged me. It showed me something different. But I also don’t see myself returning to it often.

Pretty good. Nice sound but nothing special.

Shut up shut up SHUT UUUP

Good musicianship, but the lyrics seem so pedestrian, sometimes rising to the level of cringe. Not poetry.

Love. This man's an incredible talent. Love his voice, love his range, love his songwriting. And he does a lot of things. I'm not into all of it, but the bits I do like are fantastic.

Boring

Radiohead on broadway. I liked the first three tracks a bit aside from the bolero interpolation but then the songs started to be really hit or miss. He leans too much into the musical theater-ness for my taste but I actually like his tenor-y voice. Very mixed feelings on the whole thing

This album was interesting for me. I appreciated a lot of things about it and other things I really bugged me. The sound of his voice was initially bothering me and it couldn’t put my finger on why. I actually googled critiques of his voice and saw the phrase “lazy whine” and thought , that’s it!!! That kind of nasal lazy whine quality didn’t always fit with what else I was hearing which was theatrical arrangements well delivered. His voice reminds me of grunge music singers. I liked the first two tracks and Beautiful Child but the rest of the songs I did not care for.

Decent 2. The first song was great I thought I was going to like it, but it all went downhill from there.

This album was a very pleasant surprise - ar first. I had never listened to Rufus Wainwright’s music before. The first two songs really grabbed me, especially the orchestrations and countermelodies. The complexity made for an interesting and enjoyable listen. Go or Go Ahead was another highlight for me. However, the further I got into the album, the more tiresome it became. Wainwright’s voice started to grate on me. I think I like this album but in small doses - a couple of tracks at a time.

This was just a boring album to me. The music was slow and his voice kind of annoys me.

Eh… 3/5

A pleasant surprise. Will listen again

very soothing, slightly boring

1.5 - not very good nothing memorable

First Listen; 2.5; The first track had me interested - it sounded very lush but still quirky. From there though, too much of the album was too sweet and formulaic sounding. I did enjoy the vocals on some of the tracks, reminded me of Thom Yorke. Overall though, I found it a little boring. Favorite Track: Oh What A World

Hadn't listened to this in probably 20 years and not a lot when it came out, even though I bought it. An hour of Rufus is usually a little much for me at one time, but a lot of great highs here, it was really fun to revisit. "Go or Go Ahead" is epic! Maybe some more revisiting of his catalog is in order.

Soviet immigration x fair ground intro Pretty similiar throughiut m, show tune esc stuff Chilled ending Too long

It almost feels like a musical. I dig it

It’s really not my cup of tea. The songs sound to poppy and whiny for my liking. They all sound kind of similar to each other, therefore the album isn’t that diverse.

David Bowie, Elton John, and Entertainment Weekly may love him, but not everyone can access that Wainwright feeling. Even though the orchestrations sound rich, the whole project between Want One and Want Two feels a bit over indulgent.

Beautiful piano songs.

This was nice but I couldn't shake the "reminds me of Michael Bublé" allegations

Whiney to the point of bothersome

decent

00’s Pop Rock ⭐️Go Or Go Ahead

Theatre kid feelings

I love you, Rufus Wainwright.

Tedious, unaffecting rubbish. Imagine if Radiohead went a bit more theatrical, whilst simultaneously stripping away everything from their sound which makes them compelling and shifting their lyrical focus towards teeny boppy nonsense, and you'd have something which closely resembles this. Seriously, who is this for? People going through a mid life crisis?

Listened Before? N I've heard of the artist, but his music never crossed my radar until now. I hope this is representative of his whole catalog because I really liked this album. It was easy to listen to, and the range of styles from folk-ish to big avant-garde pop sounds was intriguing. It was maybe a touch too long at nearly an hour, but that's forgivable. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Oh What A World

Ok but not my normal tatse

This album just was not very interesting to me, makes me wonder why I am listening to all of these albums. Sure we get to hear the best music ever and discover what is really good that we have never heard before, but then you get something like this, nothing wrong with it but Rufus just does not seem like he has created one of the great albums it is just another record that if I head a song on the radio I would switch stations immediately. To me 1 star is offensive, 2 stars is boring, and 3 stars is an album I would be willing to listen to again. This is just a 2 star and again felt like it was stealing my time that could be better spent listening to something that was actually good

This album is pleasant but a little bland. It does seem like a precursor to a lot of indie music, so I guess there's a reason for the album to be on this list. I was reminded of Andrew Bird a lot, which is just fine by me. I don't think I would ever tell anyone they absolutely had to listen to this, though. Yet another album that is good but forgettable. Favorite track: "Oh What a World." Unfortunately I was kind of tuned out before too much further into the album, but nothing else really stood out. Nice album art, though.

Wonderful Way better than I expected

Want One ist das dritte Studioalbum des kanadisch-amerikanischen Singer-Songwriters Rufus Wainwright, erschienen im September 2003. Es wurde in mehreren Studios aufgenommen, darunter The Maid’s Room, Bearsville Studio A, Loho Studios (alle New York City) sowie Looking Glass Studios (NYC) und The Strongroom in London. Produziert wurde es von Marius de Vries. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Album im Bereich Pop mit Elementen aus barocker Pop- und Chamber-Pop-Ästhetik, ergänzt durch orchestrale Arrangements und teilweise rockige Passagen. Wainwrights Stil zeichnet sich durch dichte Instrumentierung und verschachtelte vokale Strukturen aus. Das Album enthält mehrere der bekanntesten Songs aus Wainwrights Schaffen dieser Phase, darunter „Oh What a World“, „I Don’t Know What It Is“ und das abschließende „Dinner at Eight“, das eine persönliche Auseinandersetzung thematisiert. Want One zeigt eine Bandbreite von theatralischen, emotional direkten Momenten bis zu komplex arrangierten Popstücken. Die Produktion ist sorgfältig durchdacht, die Stimmung variiert zwischen introspektiv und opulent. Die Stärke des Albums liegt in seiner kohärenten künstlerischen Vision, auch wenn einige Stücke in der zweiten Hälfte weniger markant erscheinen. Abschließend bleibt Want One ein charakteristisches Werk in Wainwrights Diskografie mit persönlicher Note und ausdifferenziertem Klangbild.

This is a narcissistic vanity project from a pretentious nepo baby who has absolutely believed the parental gushing about how special and wonderful he is. “Want One” is not even style over substance. It’s not written for fans, it’s written to feed his own ego. Self indulgent, meretricious, god awful rubbish.

Enjoyed how the songs were structured, excellent buildup every time. But it was just dull otherwise

This is Rufus Wainwright's second album on this list. I didn't like the vocals or arrangements throughout the entire album. In the end, I was glad when it was over. I don't think I'll be listening to this album again anytime soon. 3/5

I like the instrumentals but it’s also a little boring

I can't imagine seeing this performed live, very lovely but kinda a bore.

this was rough to get through

This is an album that makes you realize how good people with full orchestration like Vampire weekend are. He hits the mark a couple times but overshoots most. There’s a great, lush backing world to live in, but the lyrics and songs don’t always mesh. He sure went for it, and sometime he made it, but too many times he didn’t.

It feels like a heartfelt mixtape of rock and pop history, filtered through one very very confident voice. Moving very fluidly through moods and eras - tender, theatrical, playful, downright heavy - but still feels like one cohesive record. I'm makin' more time for ol' Rufus. Fun fact: with a name like Rufus Wainwright - I definitely thought this chap was going to be from the 60s era.

The sloppy loose vocals make me uncomfortable in a way I find difficult to describe. "my phone's on viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiibraaaaaaate" gtfo. Perhaps if I gave more of his catalog a listen, I'd uncover some gems, but as an entire album idk if I'm totally in on this guy...

Good one

Not my thing

Absolutely stunning theatrical pop. Love the vocals, the music, the builds. Great album cover. What's not to like?

9/10

A bit samey

Overblown guff with an annoying vocal delivery. Some nice little moments. 1 feels hard but I just gave TTD a 2 and that had 3 80's classics on it. So i think that makes this a 1. A bit harsh but I need a few more 1's that are not heavy/thrash metal.

Want One I had this when it came out and I think I convinced myself I liked it then, and I tried hard with Want Two, and gave it a three, but after listening twice through I realise that I actually hate this album. I started off thinking this wasn’t without merit, appreciating the size and lushness of the sound as well as the excellent guest list, but that it just wasn’t for me, but that feeling hardened and metastasized into genuine annoyance. His melodic style is not to my taste, and I’m not a fan of his voice, but those two things in combination are a super charged kind of awful; flat, lacking personality, jarring against the grandiosity of the music and creating an atmosphere of tedious, droning, moaning, solipsistic self-importance. It felt like I had been listening for about 2 hours but I had only got to track 8, and it was a relief when it finally finished, but that was soon replaced with a sense of dread at having to listen again. It did not improve on second listen, and I ultimately came to the conclusion that this album is some bullshit Emperor’s New Clothes wankfest. Want One = 1. 🛞

Gayly overblown, Rufus can be an acquired taste. It's certainly a bloated album and could well do with a bit of editing to bring it down to the 40 minute mark, but I guess that's not his modus operandi. It's a mix of theatre meets pageantry, meets pop, meets confessional. Oftentimes it's not in balance, such as 'Dinner at Eight' addressed to his erstwhile absent father with heartfelt and excoriating lyrics - but drenched in Disney strings. The scene is set here with the interpolation of Ravel's Bolero in the opening track - theatrical and over the top. But if nothing else, it's a solid collection of pop songs, and has a Beatlesque sensibility running through a fair bit of it. 'Movies of Myself' is particularly like an 80s Harrison pop number, with excellent bass. It doesn't quite match up to 'Want Two' which is full of more delicate moments such as 'The Art Teacher' and 'Peach Trees'. But there are excellent elements when untangled from all the showmanship. The more restrained arrangements work best. In addition to that he's quite a unique character, mixing show tunes, classical, baroque and credible pop and folk, with a good vocal - all of which is thrown in the positive pot.

Album Review 053 Want One by Rufus Wainwright (2003) Rating 4/5 If I were to review this album in one line it would be this: “Want One is an album that insists upon itself”. (Queue the Family Guy meme) So, what do I mean by that? Want One is pompous, grandiose, and seems full of its own self-importance, which is an approach that works for or can even define some artists (Freddie Mercury??). But, unless it’s done with enough character or authenticity, depth, grandiose pomposity would be something I’d find off-putting at best, repellent at worst. I really didn’t think I’d like this album but there is some charm and even an occasional glimpse of brilliance here, and I’m already looking forward to listening to Want Two.

This is nice. Very dramatic singer songwriter. The singer is very good. Songs kind of stay in the background so not very memorable. Three stars? I’m doing two because I’m in a bad mood.

Que grande voz, grande produção, instrumentos, tudo. É um forte 3/5. I Don't Know What It Is e Go or Go Ahead foram as minhas favoritas, mas todas as músicas são bonitas e especiais. Sei exatamente a quem mostrar este álbum e essa pessoa tem muito onde se inspirar para fazer mais música.

Orchestral & cool

I wasn’t expecting much because I’d never heard of Rufus Wainwright and the album cover is a strange one but this really sort of hooked me. Interesting and beautiful.

not for me..

4.5

Look, if you put a guy in armour holding a sword on the cover of your album, and your music isn’t some sort of medieval/fantasy themed folk music or metal, I am going to be disappointed. The fact that the music is actually some sort of soulless whiney droning pop is just crap icing on this particularly shot cake

Bland and shit.

Meh

I can certainly appreciate him, but I’ve just never liked his voice. And I can’t get beyond that. But I certainly appreciate his talent. 2

Didn’t love it or hate it, middle of road for me.

There was a certain panache to it that made it more intriguing than recent albums

This was kinda mid. His voice was just okay, nothing extraordinary, the songs were the same. This really wasn't anything to write home about.

musically it was interesting to listen to.....but it drug on. and his voice gives off really heavy Radiohead vibes (not in a good way)

Didn't really like it was very droney singing. Some songs got stuck in my head after second listen though

Previously rated: #601 - Want Two (2/5) ************************ Album #1,017 Did I warm up to him a bit, or is this just a better album? I don't know. I listened to 400+ albums between the two of his, so it's hard to compare them without a second listen, which isn't going to happen. I certainly don't love this, but it's got some good moments. I heard some very Beatles-like sounds (She's Leaving Home and Ringo's solo Photograph) in here. I still don't like the lazy way he pronounces some of his lyrics (saying "fwee" instead of "free," for instance). I liked when there were accompanying vocals to break up the monotony of hearing just him for an hour. I’m not usually big on lush productions, but I didn’t mind it here – it’s OK. The last few tracks are a bore, so I’ll give this a very low 3/5 whereas his other was barely a 2/5.

Decent, first track by far the best

first surprise of the year. wonderfully arranged and produced. his voice is pitch perfect and masterfully utilized throughout. does get a bit long in the tooth at the last 3 songs though.

Væl

Svakalega dauft og svæfandi. Ekkert að gerast. Sýnist líka öll hans vinsælustu lög vera cover lög.

Really enjoyed this one. There’s almost a musical/showtunes type aspect to this album. Saved several songs.

14th Street, Beautiful Child, Dinner at Eight, Go or go ahead. This has been a top album in my life and these songs have been so important to me to at many times. These songs. Bliss! 4.5

With a name like Rufus Wainwright and cover art that looks like that, you better make a damn good album. Oh wait..

Argh! I kinda love this but... OK. So honestly Rufus Wainwright is awesome. Lovely voice, good solid lyrics... great band, the whole nine yards. This is technically a gem to be held and cherished. ... ... But I suffer from a "thing." That thing is that some bands, often ones I really like, I just can't do "in a row" like in listening to a whole album. There is a redundancy that builds up and I get like a kind of "hurry up" boredom instead of enjoying what comes next. So, I love Rufus Wainwright, but I don't want to listen to a whole album of him in a row. I want him on a playlist where I can revel in the beauty of his music. That said: I can't say the ALBUM is a must listen, but I can say HE is!!

Like Want Two, I didn’t like this record all that much. I do like it slightly better because it’s a lot more acoustic guitar and piano backed by synths instead of the opposite. Again, he can sing. And the music is done well but it’s still soft pop crooners that don’t really interest me a lot.

Good and appealing but I just can’t envisage myself listening to it much.

Not bad

beautiful as always

loser ahh music fav vicious world 8/10 2026/1/9

One of those albums I can sense is probably quite musically but didn't quite bowl me away as a casual listener

Fuck this was a drain to listen to. Normally I don't give a 1 out but this deserves it.

Want None

first impressions are that the album cover is great. the music is pretty but i find the lyrical style a bit too blunt and the vocals a bit too dramatic. Go Or Go Ahead is striking though. deserves to be one of the 1001? i'm quite iffy on Rufus Wainwright having one album on this list, and there are two? i wouldn't.

no thank you

like a lullaby

I, like most people, are probably only really familiar with Rufus Wainwright through his accidental inclusion on the first Shrek’s soundtrack. For those that didn’t know, the Hallelujah in the movie is actually perform by John Cale but someone made an error and licensed Rufus’s version on the soundtrack album, not John’s which was in the movie. Anyway, I think there’s a reason his Hallelujah is the only song people really know by him. He has a fine voice and he’s a solid singer, his songs are just incredibly bland. This whole album was very inoffensive and I just got bored and tuned out after a while.

sounds good

no no absolutely no

It’s fine. Nothing more than that.

Few artists have grown in me like Rufus. His melodies have a half-baked taste and invite you join him in sorrow. Love his theatrics and poetry. He’s there for me, between Father John Misty and Sufjan

3 stars

Want One > Want Two

it wasn't horrendous but i also couldn't recall any of what i just listened to.

Unlike anything I've heard before. This record is very much off the beaten track for my tastes, but I can't deny how majestically and beautifully rich this is. The variety of instrumentation is really fun to listen through - from lush orchestra to a lonely piano, the harmonies are very complex and deep. Rufus' voice morphs easily between a broken Thom Yorke, to a triumphant Mercury/Keane. Best Tracks: - Go or Go Ahead - 14th Street - Natasha - Harvester of Hearts Worst Tracks: - Oh What A World Rating: 8/10

HOW DO YOU DO YOU LIKE ME NOW GAY BOY...you're music is tighter than dick skin

I expected even whinier

Palju põnevaid ideid ja harmooniaid. Ükski lugu kõrva ei kriibi, aga samas on ikka meeldivalt kuulatav. Mõni lugu läks mul Liked Songs nimekirja ka, aga mul on tunne, et siin albumil lihtsalt ei ole piisavalt midagi huvitavat, et olla 4 punni väärt, kõik lood on lihtsalt "OK", aga erakordset pole. 3.5/5, kaldub pigem 3 poole.

J'ai adoré certains morceaux mais d'autres sont trop répétitifs malheureusement.

I can tell he put a lot of work into this album, a lot of production quality. But it feels like a dull Radiohead album. Lots of bells and whistles, but no hooks, no over the moon instrumentalization.

Well... That was ...okay. Rather merged into the background, like at a trendy bistro. Won't be listening again.

Want One showcases Rufus Wainwright as operatic yet introspective. There's a running theme of low-key melancholy and theatrics, with modern flourishes.

That was pretty good, he has his own unique spin on baroque pop. There were a handful that stuck with me, I wouldn’t mind going through his other stuff if I was bored. Rating: 3.2

Very talented theater kid energy

Started out beautiful and got progressively more tedious as the songs went on (and on).

Some ok songs. Mostly boring. Tired of his voice by the end. Gayer than if scissor sisters and Elton john had a baby. Which is fine.

Really liked a few songs but most didn’t make a big impression on me.

I knew Rufus Wainwright, but not much of his work before listening to this album. For me, this is one of those musicians where there are some songs I really love and then on the other side there are some I absolutely don't like. For certain he is a great musician with very good songwriting skills but that is not enough for me to give a 4. Unfortunately.

Symphonic

I fell asleep but in a good way

Like Radiohead, but if they were forced to release a Disney movie soundtrack. Rufus has an annoying habit of slurring his words, not too bad to begin with, but by the halfway mark it was killing me. I think if this album had ended eight tracks in, I might have considered two stars, but it kept going and going, so one star it is.

He really does sound like Thom Yorke, doesn't he? I probably would have been into it more if I listened to it when it came out. I was listening to a lot of this sort of thing back then. I don't really dislike it. I'd just rather listen to so many other things.

One for the Radiohead / Coldplay crowd. Competent songwriting. Ambitious arrangements. Bit dull.

Too much McGarrigle and not enough Wainwright and come to think of it I am not a big fan of Wainwright, except, of course, for the dead skunk that is. 2 stars or D+.

If Radiohead teamed up with Neil Hannon. I'm up for it.

I enjoyed the album musically but not so much the voice that delivered it. There's a quality to Wainwright's voice that's kind of irritating and even more so when he goes into vibrato. I think I might have enjoyed this much more with a different singer.

One of the soundtracks of my youth in the 70’s. Brings back great memories!

This had ups and downs but the highs were pretty high. The intro (oh what a world, I don't know what it is) and the outro (want, 11:11) are real good

Stellar voice and interesting album. I like it.

Interesting

This is tough one for me. First time it was really good. But it also has many things that I don’t like. His vocal range is actually very narrow. And he chose to use a more pointy tone when he’s in his comfortable range. Just a few notes higher, he has to switch to mix belting, that’s when I found he’s got a good voice. It’s be very nice if the producer or the song writers can challenge him to showcase more techniques. Music wise, pleasant, poppy and they tried their best to be catchy. Nice work overall I like it.

listened on friday, completely forgot what i heard by monday. ill give it a three because i don't recall actively disliking it.

A little conflicted with this one. On one hand, it’s whiny as hell. On the other hand, I kinda don’t mind? I really enjoyed I Don’t Know What It Is and Vibrate, and there were some decent songs mixed in, but was still a longer album than I would have preferred. I could argue for a low three but I’ll go with a two for the only two songs I’ll come back to.

Rufus sounds so bored on this album. Like putting this together is just another day at work. "I guess I'll make a new album, but only if I get to look like a bored knight on the cover" - Rufus Wainwright.

Theatrical, meh

6/10 - nice chilled album but can become slightly grating towards the end

Another solid Rufus album. Liked this a bit more than Want 2

Really well composed and written songs, at least for the first half of the album. Rufus clearly has a lot of talent, though his voice is at its best when he’s hitting higher notes. Sometimes his vocals get a bit croony or monotone. But he clearly has range. I feel like I want to like this more but the album just drags on too long and only a few of the songs really resonated with me. Still a decent and interesting record worthy of being on this list.

Great album. I always feel like I’m listening to Radiohead when I listen to him.

Just some meh

10 WTF! 20 Skip 30 End (A review for spectrum owners)

Never heard of this guy, he was pretty good

I like it

Never heard of this guy before this selection. It's easy to see a Canadian artist and quietly think to yourself if the government funded promotion of Canadian musical artists has struck gold with this guy. I also question why that very same government can't help an impeccable band like Voivod, but alas. I'll get this out of the way: not a chamber music fella. I like rhythm and upbeat stuff, and chamber is simply not for my musical DNA. When my favorite artist Frank Zappa composed a chamber music album I still disliked it. Baroque stuff I don't feel as strongly. That stuff works well. The production is incredibly well put together. Lots of background instruments in good space from one another, creating a great theatrical vibe while feeling like some sort of Britpop record at times, except with better production (I'm explicitly calling out Oasis right here). The slower parts of this album make me question why this could be pop when it doesn't really gauge the listener too much, especially with longer than average pop tracks for all but two songs. I wish it blended more of an art rock sort of sound because this dude surely loves to use banjos on a bunch of songs. I can recognize that this simply isn't for me, with a couple of tracks I can highlight that I liked: Vicious World, Movies of Myself (mainly for the piano/organ/synthesizers) and Beautiful Child. But the rest is droll at best and I hate to say it but the album is just a drag to listen to and get to. It will appeal to probably some more musical-inclined people, chamber music folk, but I NEED DRUMS. I NEED PERCUSSION. I NEED RHYTHM AHHHHHH SHIT GOD DAMN FUCK. Fucking get vibraphones and make them louder or something. Marimbas are a fine substitute, but all this extra background shit and you only add percussive stuff on a couple songs is where it pushes me too far. Listen Canada, you're 1:1 with good and bad music. That's good! But it's also bad. As a result, there's plenty of mid. I'm sure there are better representation of your country's music than this guy. Great production only goes so far to save an album. This album has a sequel that is also in this collection. Perhaps I'm not aware of the significance of Rufus Wainwright in the chamber/baroque/"pop opera" world, but I don't think he needs two albums to be mentioned here.

A name I know but not much else. It is that kind of baraoque pop that occasionally veers into interesting, but never quite makes it. Like a radiohead pastiche in many places. Long album... 2.5 rounded down Heard before? No Owned: No: 35/138 (25%) Will I get? No.

I liked the orchestra vibe. I did not like the lyrics / singing as it felt very imagine dragons cringe

Good, he’s got a great voice.

Fabulous, transcendent, over the top... Of course I've heard of Rufus, maybe even heard some of his music but never really paid attention. Starting from this, he's incredible. Is it sometimes too much sugar and syrup? Maybe, but in small doses it's perfect. Beautiful, beautiful music. Looking forward to exploring his work.

Not for me.

Cant say it’s a bad album. It feels like a lot of other 00s soft rock

Labai gražu buvo, klausysumiuksi antrą kartą, nes jaučiu, kad nesu tinkamai įsiklausiusi.

Nice Radiohead like sound. Usually this is my sound but for some reason this album just didn't grab me and I struggled to finish it.

Seen him preform much of this album live in Coventry Cathedral...Beautiful album by far his best....

this is exactly my cup of tea. so cute, so medieval knight saving me.

Nice easy listening kind of indie-pop

I thought Rufus Wainwright was more country but he’s just a very beautiful melodic folk/rock or something. Man am I bad at genres but he reminds me of Bob Dylan. Beautiful melodies, orchestral moments, piano solos. Nostalgic vibe. It was a good time and I am now on my second listen.

canadian baroque pop, I don't even know where to start

Sorry, but I just found this tedious and boring with no redeeming features. 1

A surprising 3 star rating from this tired listener. It matched my Sunday night mood. The excellent “Fo or Go Ahead” was the standout for me.

I have no idea what the hell this was or whether I actually enjoyed it. That is a problem. I guess I didn't or I would be saying nice things about it. Want one? I havent a clue. For being not run of the mill it will get a 2 star award. That's fair isn't it?

Too saccharine, feels both overproduced and too sparse in instrumentation. Theater kid music, but in an off-putting way. I want to blame this for AJR

This was pretty good. I had heard of Rufus Wainwright before today, and had heard some of his stuff, but I really couldn't name a song by him or describe his style, so I didn't really know what to expect from this. I liked it, and hummed along to the harmonies the whole time. He's clearly a very talented musician and there were a few places where his sound _really_ reminded me of Muse, which is a very good thing. I enjoyed listening to this but wasn't blown away and I don't know if I'd listen to it again any time soon. Four stars.

I like dis

It got good towards the end of the album - it took effort to listen to when it was very poppy initially, but the nearer it got to an approximation of the Eels, the more I liked it.

Completely over blown but that is very much to its credit

The faster tunes are pretty solid, but the ballads are tough to get through. It's something about his voice for me. The long drawn out notes just feel flat, or something like that. It averages out to 3 stars for me.

I can't wait for this album to be over

I found it! My first one star album. What an unending snooze fest. An hour of slow piano and whiny male vocals. So boring.

Not bad but I can’t say that any of these sonts really stuck with me

Rufus could use a less wimpy sound, but it's still quite alright overall.

Well... Everything was well produced and arranged, the songs were not bad at all! I liked it, but it won't be a keeper.

You get the sense there's a much better album in there, if he can just get over himself. The instinct to just do a bit more, more orchestration, more vocals, more production, just seems as if it overwhelmed Rufus. Plus, what's with the whiney singing voice, it's an annoying affection. Nobody sings like that normally.

Couple of good songs, couple that got a bit droney but overall not that memorable for me.

The kind of album I'd listen to when I'm doing the cleaning - but I say this in a good way. I don't think I'd pick out any tracks that I'd blast out again and again but its beautifully composed and arranged. Bit of a Queen feel to some tracks, which I quite like.

Went into this with no knowledge of the artist at all. Enjoyed this, especially when it went full bends era Radiohead on Go or Go Ahead

Meh, it was ok. One or two songs I really enjoyed but the rest of the album just droned on tbh 3 ⭐️

Not in my edition of the book! 2003. 2 stars. This is what you get if you splice the DNA of Michael Buble, Robbie Williams and early Billy Joel. Cracking voice, but let down by substandard songs. Not essential listening.

Oh What a World I Don't Know What It Is

The pros of this release is that a good number of these songs are done very well. Rufus Wainwright is a very accomplished vocalist and I commend his work on this release. Someone even compared this to Thom Yorke's solo stuff and I do hear it somewhat. The cons are that sometimes the theatrical nature of the record may be too much for me sometimes, but it works most of the time. My biggest gripe with this is the run-time. 58 minutes of this kind of baroque-operatic style is much to take in. The great stuff goes above and beyond (Movies Of Myself, Go Or Go Ahead) and if it doesn't quite match up with the quality, it's a simple pass. It should be noted that nothing sucks here. I am left with a fine impression of Mr. Wainwright's abilities and my sleep schedule is suffering (1:32am) (6/10, 3/5 on this scale)

Vocals got a bit boring after a while. It's not necessarily a bad album, but nothing sticks out. It's like a not so good version of Keane.

Part of this is genuinely amazing work, branching multiple styles and genres together into a concise and beautiful work. Another part is a decent to good assortment of ideas and concepts, with some humour to remind you that a human was behind all of this somewhere. It certainly sounds like something made 22 year ago, but it feels like it holds up can't really fault that. I enjoyed this. It's quaint. Feels like an ornate Christmas card given by a colleague. Best Tracks: Go or Go Ahead, 14th Street, Want, Harvester of Hearts, Dinner at Eight

The first thing that hit me was how smooth Rufus Wainwright’s voice is. He sounds effortless, and that alone makes the album easy to fall into. The songs flow well, the production is clean, and the whole thing has this calm vibe that’s just nice to have on. Simple, solid, and a really easy album to enjoy. Favorite song: I Don’t Know What It Is

One of one, and I kinda dig it.

A chorus of celebration from a real one in the early 2000s.

I’ve never listened to Rufus Wainwright but know him for his overwrought interpretation of Hallelujah so I wasn’t expecting much. First song Oh What A World was a pop dirge I really enjoyed but unfortunately that was the high point of the album. Most of the songs fell flat void of any semblance of melody.

Brilliant album.

It's..random. First Bolero then Natasha....what's going on? Ok, in the end I should say it was calm and nice

Gooooo or go aheeeeead 3.5

Nothing interesting on this record. It's almost offensive how middling it is.

Maybe I wasn't in the right mood but I found this absolutely boring. I like what Rufus did with Chaka Khan, but haven't heard much else from him. This sounded like a soundtrack to a movie I would fall asleep through.

It's ok, but it's pretty inconsiqunetial. Feels like the soundtrack to a musical that doesn't go anywhere

The only thing I knew about Rufus going into this album is that he sings my least favorite cover of Hallelujah. With that, I really didn't have high expectations. That said, there are some great tracks on here, especially early on in the album! He creates some great, layered music, and although his vocals took some getting used to, they really grew on me by the end. Still, a couple low points on here (looking at you, Vibrate).

I wasn't a fan at first but it grew on me. Each song has a feeling of bigness that I can't quite describe.

This is very pretty music but I think I'm craving something with a few scuff marks. Did the song 11:11 playing exactly at 11:11 blow my mind today? You bet

Goxtei mas nada extraordinário

5/10

He's gotta be one of my favorite artists I never listen to. Time and place kinda thing, I guess

感觉像美声

I love you Rufus Wainwright. I just wish you enunciated.

3/5

first listen artistic and beautiful

3.5

Chill, folksy - a good listen.

I bought this cd when it came out but to go back reminds why I got it in the first place. Symphonic, pop, baroque, broadway but so melodic and these long drawn out lines that reel in you into this music are his signature.

this was beautiful through and through sorry, his voice is so good and its a really nice and intimate singer songwriter record

If a person should ever like a person Then a person should like you Being that I'm only just a person What would you do? If a person should ever like a person Then a person should like me Being that you're only just a person Wow, this guy sucks!

We have many artists that tend to be more theatrical in their music, but they typically come to it by development or paying their dues in good old rock and roll. I am intrigued by the scope of Rufus Wainwright's musical talent and execution, but I think this album suffers from him standing on the shoulders of giants.

Quality stuff. Whenever I see a DreamWorks album, my mental image is a wunderkind showered with money and resources, like the orchestra that appears on this album. That might not be the truth here, but the preconception does make this less relatable.

Listened to it and a road trip and it was good for driving!

The perfect playlist for a rainy road trip when you don't have to pay too much attention to the lyrics and can instead drift along to the orchestration. I wasn't the biggest fan of his vocals and the lyricism held nothing spectacular - it felt a little kitsch (do i dare?, but there was an ethereal quality to this album which I enjoyed. I'll give it a solid 3.

It was pleasant enough, but nothing I would listen to again. 5/10, but a 2/5. Favorite track: Oh What a World.

It just doesn't end 😫

I should think of something to say about this, but right now I can't be bothered. It was pretty good.

Не прошло и недели, а я уже и забыл, что слушал это

Ah yes, this album. The one which features Rufus looking like a gloriously sexy alt sadboy knight on the cover, and sounding like an extra moany Thom Yorke most of the time inside. Some of it is pretty good - the opening track gives dark cabaret vibes, but not in a terrible Amanda Palmer kind of way. Some of it sounds like outtakes from one of the more mediocre Radiohead albums. Four stars for at least trying to be something interesting?

This one kinda just washed over me and made me feel nothing at all, no utter dislike, no enjoyment really, it just played through and then it was done. Seemed Wainwright was doing a bit of a Thom York thing with his vocals at times and his performance had a bit of a theatre kid vibe to it. Good voice but this wasn’t for me. 2 stars

Nope, just nope

How much did this Rufus guy pay to be on this list?

First time listening to this artist. Giving me a Billy Joel vibe. Music arrangement is spectacular. Need to listen a few more times.

The album artwork to "Want One" is superb, with a front cover so striking it demands attention and prompts immediate curiosity about the music. As for the music, "Want One" is a nice listen, well written, performed, arranged and produced. Rufus Wainwright has a lovely voice, very soothing. Across the albums fourteen tracks "Go or Go Ahead", "14th Street", "Natasha", "Beautiful Child", "11:11" (Wainwright sounds similar to Thom Yorke here) and "Dinner at Eight" stood out as excellent tracks. The constraint of a rapid, high-volume listen (like the 1001 albums project) makes deep immersion difficult. This feels like a record that would slowly reveal itself and become a comfortable favourite over time, enveloping the listener like a warm hug. Based on this initial experience, "Want One" is good, intriguing, and certainly warrants further listens, earning it an initial three star rating. 1. "Oh What a World" – (3/5) 2. "I Don't Know What It Is" – (3/5) 3. "Vicious World" – (3/5) 4. "Movies of Myself" – (3/5) 5. "Pretty Things" – (3/5) 6. "Go or Go Ahead" – (4/5) 7. "Vibrate" – (3/5) 8. "14th Street" – (4/5) 9. "Natasha" – (4/5) 10. "Harvester of Hearts" – (3/5) 11. "Beautiful Child" – (4/5) 12. "Want" – (3/5) 13. "11:11" – (4/5) 14. "Dinner at Eight" – (4/5) Total - 48 Average - 3.43 72/138 albums reviewed were new to me.

I call Rufus Wainwright "dramatic pop" because his sound is so orchestral, elaborate and it feels very overdramatic, yet accessible. His sister, Martha, makes music that is just as dramatic, but she hides a lot of her drama behind biting lyrics. Martha wants attention and will work to get it, while Rufus seems like he doesn't care for the attention, but he is going to certainly give a show if you are going to notice him. Rufus Wainwright can be an acquired taste and I am sure he's too theatrical for some people to enjoy. I don't know if this is my favorite Rufus Wainwright album, as I enjoy Release the Stars more. Overall, this is a good introduction to Rufus Wainwright and the first album I would consider him to have found his voice on. My favorite tracks: Oh What a World I Don't Know What It Is Movies of Myself Go or Go Ahead Beautiful Child Dinner at Eight

Another artist I typically like when I hear him but haven't given a lot of close attention. Wainwright has a lack for plaintive melodies, poignant lyrics, and dramatic, even flamboyant instrumentation that avoids camp and cringe both. Had to listen to this album in a car with three friends, so maybe this vote is a little more for the artist than the album itself.

So much production for so little spine

There’s a lot to not like here

2nd album of his I've been assigned. It's much better music and voice wise, but still has nonsensical lyrics.

Men reading fashion magazines, oh, what a world it seems we live in. Straight men, oh, what a world we live in.