Want One

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

If Thom Yorke went full singer-songwriter, you’d end up here. Theatrical, lush, and self-serious in a way that somehow kind of works?

Amazing. Not what I usually listen to, but really gray

Whats the obsession with straight men reading fashion magazines?

Oh What a World is so great, and a few more come close, several don't on early listens. But there's a ton going on in the lyrics - I don't think there's going to be a middle ground, I'll either get sick of the self-reflection of it all or love it.

Nope.

na paar nummers ben ik brakend naar de wc gelopen... leek alsof Radiohead een slechte dag had... en ik ben al geen fan als ze een goeie dag hebben

Come and delve into this pseudo-musical, fuelled by characteristic crooning and happy-go-lucky big band theatrics, garnished with a dash of nepotism. That’s how I’m expressing my mild dislike of this album. My main takeaway from this really is how hard it’s trying, how seriously it’s taking itself, and how it ends up being just... not much besides an hour of Broadway, ‘theatre kid’, unimpactful (apart from maybe Go or Go Ahead) songs that you’d like to give a chance but after half an hour you’d wish it was over. I’d hoped that my initial feelings would be proven wrong, but nope, from the lyrics of Oh What a World, where Wainwright ponders why he’s always, always travelling! I think it might be because you’re on tour, Rufus. There’s really not much lyrically that you couldn’t get from your mate who fancies himself as a poet, and the musical backing is overwhelmingly that of, well, a musical, again, apart from Go or Go Ahead, which is a pretty good song amongst thirteen OK ones. Well, the whole thing is just OK then, isn’t it.

Beautifully arranged songs with a breathtaking voice

not good. Don't go back.

I’m such a slut for Rufus’ voice. Plus the musicianship and music writing age top notch. One of my favourites in this project for sure. 5/5

I found this pretty mediocre and bland for my taste

I loathed this. Wanted it to be done as soon as it started. I hate everything about Rufus, the smug sounding prick. God I am furious with this.

Beautiful and thoughtful, Want Two is better.

Someone bought this for me many moons ago. Would not have bought myself. But through many listens really came to appreciate it. Objectively don't think I can give it a 5 but it's a great bit of art to me. 4.

some cool things here and there but honestly didn’t care about much of this. hints of radiohead shined through (derogatory)

Music for hipster w4nkers, dull as F!

Magnolia paint in musical form - Inoffensive and no distinct identity but something you’ll never want to have in your house after 6 months

Too many albums on this list where they start great then either the artist or label wants more songs and the artist has no idea how to fill the extra time other than repeating what they’ve been doing.

Listening to this kind of felt like watching a Baz Luhrmann film. Nice Bolero reference in the first track, Oh What A World, fitting of it's rather orchestral arrangement. Not too often you hear oboe and bassoon in a "pop" song. Very cute that his mom played the banjo part on the 8th track, 14th Street.

Really enjoyed this album. The vocalizing and song writing have me hooked!

It’s just the same the whole time. If I was rating a single song I could maybe rate it higher but it’s not

This album started off very strong for me because I *love* the first song, Oh What a World. The song interpolates Ravel's Bolero which is super cool. I enjoyed the rest of the album, though none of the other songs stood out to me too much. I like the pleasant, folky vibe though. 8/10 (if the rest of the songs were as good as the first song I would give it 10/10).

Beautiful songwriting! Album flowed well and I appreciated the family contributions, his sister and mom are both on the album! Sometimes the dynamic similarities made it feel like some tracks were blending, but overall I enjoyed the listen! 7/10

“This music sounds so boring. It all sounds exactly the same.” - Kerri This album would be a great one to listen to while crying yourself to sleep. Clearly some people enjoy it but I agree with Kerri.

Rufus Wainwright has a really strong singing voice. This album had great instrumentation and some cool orchestral/big band influence

Started off pleasant, but I found it got old pretty quick. Same sort of airy vocal style and heavily layered instrumentation that started to blend together a bit. Still an enjoyable listen through! Not surprised this eventually got bumped from the list to make room for newer better albums (this online list has 1089 albums, all albums to have ever made the list are on here). Favorite song: Go or Go Ahead 6.5/10

Day 57 Only had time to listen once so may edit in future but on first listen found it quite same, not bad but didn’t really hold my interest, will try it again over coming days. For now 4/10 Highlights Oh what a world Go or go ahead

Som en riktigt tråkig musikal

Det här var rikigt bra!

Gillade inte riktigt lika mycket som Want Two (som jag hörde först) men stundtals spännande!

Jag gillar hans systers (Martha) skiva från ungefär samma tid. Men nu var det inte den vi skulle recensera ...dessvärre. Rufus låter mest som en dålig Peter Jöback med alldeles för stor stråkbudget. Minst dålig är han när han håller det sparsmakat som i t.ex. "Pretty things" Detta gör att en del låtar börjar helt acceptabelt, om än lite tråkigt, för att efter nån dryg minut totalt haverera. Ett par spår håller dock hela vägen som "Harvester of hearts" och "Want", kanske “11:11" också om jag är på mitt mildaste humör. Men det räcker inte för att lyfta det till godkänt, haverierna är för djupa och många. En stark etta

Rufus kan sjunga långa toner med vibrato. Vaarje ooooord skaaa draaas uuuut. Någon borde säga till honom att sjunga kortare. Eller helst inget alls.

Det här var rätt segt (syrran är intressantare). Rösten är rejält gnällig (påminner om Thom Yorke). Inte mycket som sticker ut. Men det maler på i nästan en timme. Slogs tydligen samman med uppföljaren till en dubbel! Vem orkar med det?

Vilket sömnpiller. Tur att det inte blev en dubbel som planerat. Är det en musikal? Ett Disney-soundtrack? Artar sig något de sista spåren. Titelspåret Want och 11:11 är helt ok låtar. Men jag får ingen lust att höra Want two.

It's fine but too mundane for me

I had never heard of Rufus Wainwright or any of the other names in the wikipedia snippet. Oh What A World caught me off guard and I really liked it. It was big and ambitious and sounded like indie from the early 2000s and got pretty stoked if the rest of the album was going to be like that. Then I Don't Know What It Is came on and now it sounds like generic theater kid pop. Go Or Go Ahead was also pretty good even though it sounded very heavily Radiohead inspired. Overall I liked 2 songs and disliked the rest so I’d probably give this a 2.5 but am going to round down on this one.

This is 2003 Benson Boone. In fact, it feels like Benson Boone, if he listened to Radiohead and was just generally more sad. That being said, I really loved the opening track. And it kind of picked up again for me about midway through. Most of this record was kind of meh for me, I don’t love tortured male centered anthemic pop. But at the exact same time, some of the sad tortured songs were pretty good. Maybe that’s why I despise indie pop, it tricks me. I go from hating 5 songs to suddenly feeling all the things in next. Tasting Notes: Elvis Costello, Andrew Bird, Radiohead, fun.

Definitely didn't expect this to be as good as it is. Like a less crazy Radiohead. But man, that runtime is brutal. I was kinda just over the whole sound by the 40 minute mark and it had 20 minutes of songs I didn't at all care for. So I gotta dock it a star for that

This was actually OK. A bit too much like Radiohead, whom I love, but wasn't looking for a clone of. Rufus worked hard and achieved his goals here

# Album Name: Want One # Artist: Rufus Wainright # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Its alriiiiigggghhhhttttt. Too long though. Gets boring after a while. Hence the down mark from a 3 > 2. # Top Tunes: Who knows # Would I listen to it again? No

Absolutely solid.

perfect. I could listen to this all day on repeat.

This was ok, very theatrical and show tuney, and much of it quite good. In small batches I can dig it, but an album worth kinda wears on me. It doesn't help that he reminds me of Thom York.

what if thom yorke was frank sinatra

Very cool, nice production, like a movie score maybe.

I knew Rufus Wainwright from, of course, his Hallelujah cover. He definitely has pipes, and I thought that his vocal talents were showcased phenomenally in this album. It's, at times, a bit too dramatic with the vibrato. VERY theatrical. However, it still felt like a breath of fresh air after the last few albums I had. This was something different, fresh, and a great listen.

Guys got talent

It felt really long and the guy just likes to sing long notes. I was wishing for it to be over. I am scared that the book has want two in it, meaning I might have to slog through another album....

He's a really good singer and composer (at least I hope he's written and composed all these songs), but it all feels very theatric to me, which sets me off. Good music, but not really for me. My Rating: 2.5/5, rounding to 3.

Grade: 5

A lot sounded whiny, kind of the same. Doesn't reach the excitement and variety of other singer-songwriters. Michael Buble but make it more broadway. 2*

Great voice and pleasant songs

Vocals gave me Radiohead vibes, solid album I liked a few songs especially

Great voice and a lovely mellow album. Worth another listen

Good

1. uuorld -1.5 2. knouu - 1.5 3. viciouz - 1 4. moviez - 1 5. pretty - 1.5 6. go - 2.5 7. Vibrate - 1.5 8. Street 0 9. Natasha - 1.5 10. Hearts - 1.5 11. Child -1 12. Want - 2.5 13. Eleven - 1 14. Dinner - 1.5

J'ai trop aimé, les instrus et les rythmes sont super cool, dynamique et émouvant, la voix un peu un mix de Radiohead et U2, les instrus variées m'ont fait penser à Scissor Sisters parfois, un peu Elton John d'autres, franchement super découverte je l'ai écouté 2 fois de suite. Chansons pref : I don't know what It Is, Dinner at eight, mais en vrai j'ai tout aimé

Je le connaissais pour sa cover d’hallelujah (Shrek 1), agréable d’en découvrir plus ! Tres belle voix. J’ai beaucoup apprécié « dinner at eight ». Certains morceaux faisaient très comédie musicale, très comédie musicale, très film

J'ai vraiment adoré, hyper musical, plein de changements de rythmes et d'instruments, une très bonne découverte. J'avais déjà entendu parler de lui mais je crois pas avoir déjà écouté. 5/5

'Want One' started off very strongly, I really thought I was in for another big discovery. The wow-factor doesn't hold till the end though. Most tracks are good and enjoyable. The album as a whole leaves things wanting. But it is one I will turn back to shortly.

9/24/25 - played this album a lot. It reminded me of another group but can't remember. But even having it on repeat by accident all day, it's just not for me. 2.5

The grandiosity is a bit obnoxious. Combined with my distaste for Rufus' voice and this was a chore to get through. 4/10

Its alright

I thought this album looked familiar but I'd gotten Want Two already and the covers are similar. This is a really solid album. I'm just ok on the vocals but the songwriting and execution is top notch.

Meh. Feels overproduced.

I ended up liking this one more than I thought I would. I can definitely hear the influence he's had on some of the artists I love now (Muse came to mind).

Could have been great if it wasn’t for the annoying singing. The man knows his classics. I heard Ravel and Bach. If only he put a tiny bit of effort into singing properly instead of the unsteady Radiohead wail.

Das sind alles Songs die der character in einer Serie auf Kopfhörer für 20 Sekunden hört du siehst das Auto von oben Kamera Fahrten etc und dann steigt die Person aus und nimmt Kopfhörer ab Musik blendet aus Soll heißen klingt nicht sehr Special ein paar coole lyrics/ad lips waren drin Aber sehr white basic Special mention: Beautiful Child Best Song: Go Or Go Ahead Rating 2,3/5

kinda show tune-y not bad but not my thing

Shutup man

A great storyteller with a distinctive sound and good use of music - but so distinctive it kinda became samey. You have to give props to the only person on both the Shrek and Moulin Rouge soundtracks

Had never listened to Rufus Wainwright before but was pleasantly surprised. He has a very unusual langid sounding voice that suits his music perfectly. I enjoyed how much instrumentation there was which I think was a source of criticism at the time but that I appreciate. Something new is happening on every song. Fave Tune: Go or Go Ahead.

Was a bit surprised to see that this album was from 2003 after I had listened to it. Thought it would be more recent. I actually enjoyed a lot of the harmonic movements on the tracks and his singing is not bad at all. His voice reminded me a bit of Thom Yorke sometimes. What I DID find lacking was the execution and, especially, the lack of any interesting, or at least intriguing, rythms. I just feel some more intricate drum patterns and a more active bass lines than those pulled straight out of a German Schlager would have done a lot for this album. And it did feel a bit long too, as I was quite honestly relieved when it indeed. BUT, I still think the listening experience was interesting and different enough keep it from 2 starts.

This was much better than I expected it to be

I already knew (and liked) the first song "Oh what a world". The rest of the album is not bad, but less memorable.

I do not like his voice

For all the bombast that Wainwright included, I found this album remarkably boring. There were a few grabbing moments in songs, but I found myself consistently losing interest. Wholly uninteresting

There are moments when it feels like the song is on the verge of going somewhere unexpected or exciting, but then pulls back and stays the course, leaving me feeling disappointed. It stays predictably on pace and never bends to be different; like the complacency of settling for what you know. His voice comes across like a bland Thom Yorke impression. Good to put on in you’re about to take a nap maybe. Sorry Rufus, but when it comes to a chance to hear to this album again, I do not want one.

3.5

this wacky guy is alright!

This album feels fairly inconsistent and a bit dated in parts. In fairness to it the song-writing is fairly intricate and a few of the songs do feel up-beat and anthemic - Go Or Go Ahead is by far the best song for me. But overall the album feels scattered and forgettable. Left it feeling quite bored if I was being brutal.

Entirely unremarkable.

Like a weird mix of Thom York singing for the Beatles. I didn't think I'd enjoy it and I was pretty correct. It was fine, just not something I'd choose to listen to.

Very mediocre

I really struggle with this type of orchestral pop that sounds like it's out of a musical. I just keep imagining dancers pirouetting during the bridges and interludes. For some reason Jeff Buckley is what's coming to mind as a comparison (probably not fairly), and he did this sooooo much better. ...And this is certainly some of the worst album art on the list.

Sounds like musical theatre kid music. I can’t think of one scenario where I’d want to listen to this. While not technically bad, it’s somehow bombastic and boring at the same time. It feels like “pick me” music.

Pretty good

Back in 2003, I was very into Punk, Metal, Jungle and Drum and Bass; this passed me by then. So I gave it a chance, but Wainwright’s theatrical delivery doesn't do it for me. It's bland and pretentious

This is a name I remember hearing a lot but couldn’t say anything about. Pretty clever instrumentation but only okay singing

Decent sound but not my cup of tea

Somebody else described this as "Thom Yorke sings Broadway tunes." It's pretty accurate. When it's good, it's really good. Tracks like "Oh What A World", "Pretty Things", "Go Or Go Ahead", and "Want" are very good. But the rest feels too much like lounge music or something. While it's not outright bad, it's just not to my liking. 3/5

This was a little like listening to a Harry Nilsson album. Lots of flights of fancy and high-voice singing. Not my usual style, but there was something about it that was interesting. A few songs stood out, but I doubt I'd actually search him out again. Definitely different, which I always appreciate, and wholly himself.

Kind of annoying and sounds repetitive. Bounced halfway through .Two stars.

So it’s definitely not a top tier chamber or baroque pop album, but it’s good for what it is. Rufus leans a little too far into the theatrical and dramatic side of the spectrum for my taste, but it wasn’t bad by any means. I’d be willing to give it another chance later on down the road.

Big swelling emotional songs with no substance. Radiodead. He sings the same way almost completely unchanged in every song. Sounds like he is drunk stringing words together. The Stroked. I think the composition and instrumentals are very well done and then he comes in and kind of just fucks everything up. 4/10

it was all right

Not quite my thing.

I didn't think it was that bad until Apple Music immediately followed this with 90s Radiohead and made everything I had heard sound so much worse by comparison. It was fine. I would listen to it and smile at my wife if she put it on. I couldn't imagine putting it on myself, though. It sounds too much like other music that I like better.

It's a good album with lots of interesting ideas and a lovely blend of singing and (for lack of a better word) whimsical music. But... it's too much for me personally, as a whole album at least. I would love to listen to the songs individually, but while listening to the entire thing at once I felt overwhelmed. It's too much coming too quickly, and therefore I have to be a bit more critical with my rating than I'd like.

Love Rufus Wainwright

I want to be clear, it's not bad, I just find it kinda plain 😔 I feel like I've heard a 100 songs like the ones on this album.. so nothing grabbed me.. but I would probably appreciate this at the right moment

Not really needing to be on this list and not to my taste.

I don't understand the hate this album received in it's ratings. Compared to the last albums I have heard, this was better than most of them by far. I saw many 1 star reviews and I was just doubting if my tastes are that bad. I guess I am biased as I like this type of pop and rock music. I didn't get tired or started watching the clock to wait for the album to end. It was pretty solid and it actually sounds as if it was released yesterday indicating how stagnant this music genre is. Anyways, I had a good time listening to this. I never heard of this artist before but their voice are pretty undistinguished from other artists in the genre.

Curious album. Hard to describe. I liked elements of it. Some interfering songs, a unique sound, however his voice sounds like he's not trying and about halfway through I found it getting to be too much. He literally drones on and on.

I did not go into this with high hopes, considering I rated Want Two a 1/5 - an album so forgettable I had to go back and review what the fuck even was the significance of it. Similarly, I'm struggling to see the significance of this record as well. The first couple of tracks seemed to change my mind, that I could indeed enjoy a Rufus Wainwright album. Once I got to "Pretty Things" (which took me 3 seperate attempts at listening to this album) I was pretty much done. Somehow the cunts whiney voice got even WHINIER. Genuinely I couldn't tell you what a single word of Pretty Things even meant, he sounds almost drunk the way he slurs his words when he's trying to be emotional. It's horrific. The rest of the album stays relatively upbeat, with Vibrate and 14th Street keeping me from killing myself. 14th Street was actually a pretty good song. Anyways, I think if I managed to get through this in one setting (and it wasn't an hour fucking long of the same shit as Want Two), I would have probably given this a 2 - but since I genuinely took 4-5 attempts of having to take constant breaks from this thing (and still couldn't finish the last 2 songs) because of how annoying it got, I'm putting this down to a 1. Enjoy your new spot in my Worst Artists column, Rufus.

Listening to this was very much like its successor in the 'want' duology in which I could liken it to getting an injection. I dreaded it far more than what I ended up feeling about it afterwards (I would like to think this album didn't have anything to do with me taking a long hiatus from this website and that it was just me being lazy but who knows). This didn't really provide me with any health benefits though it just left me pondering once again how Wainwright has a mixture of the zesty queer posturing of Robbie Williams as well as the snobbiness of Thom Yorke. From memory I enjoyed this a lot more than Want Two though I can't comfortably say that I liked it enough to give it a 4.

BOOOOOORRRRRRINNNNNNGGGGGGG

This album doesn't have the repeated sucking of the last album so he clearly developed a smoking habit between the two releases. Probably said this last time I reviewed Rufus but this guy really is the final boss and progenitor of overproduced indie, which i will never forgive him. The worst part is, his stuff isnt even bad its just so painfully mediocre. 5/10

The first song excited me because the tuba line sounded like the Papers, Please intro song (shoutout to Nick Hitchens for playing the tuba on this track). There is a (deliberate?) dissonance on this song which is present on many of the songs on this album between the monotone and dreary lead vocals and the bombastic and lively instrumentation. It could have worked well, but it sounded like the musical version of that smudged-up Spanish painting of Jesus. The pedigree of the producer and performer really makes me feel like this album should have been better. Unfortunately, there are very few engaging songs on here. It's not unlistenable, but it's also not re-listenable. Highlights: Oh What a World

I knew Rufus mostly through his piano pieces—the ones that feel like he’s singing directly into your living room. Want One is _like_ that… but blown up to cathedral scale. It’s Rufus fully unrestrained: orchestral, theatrical, and absolutely unapologetic about being larger than life. What surprised me is how coherent it all feels. He piles on drama, strings, choirs, crescendos—yet nothing collapses under its own weight. It’s still him at the center: that voice, that melodic sense, that emotional clarity. The simple songwriter I knew is still there, just dressed in full regalia. It’s beautiful, decadent, and unmistakably Rufus.

Some of the songs reminded me of Billy Joel B-sides, or even tracks that he'd left in the vault on purpose. Some were amazing. I'm going to listen to this one again to see if I come around about the songs I didn't care for as much.

I loved relistening to this album. Beautiful and filled with irony.

Budget Thom York, now 30% off! Nothing special about this tbh, only get Radiohead vibes but more pop friendly and less iconic. this type of voice is very easy to sound monotone and boring in and i think this slips into the boring and monotone category. So if you like this go and listen to Radiohead instead.

First song is very papers please. Not a fan of 'pretty things', his voice sounds very whiney. Overall it's too long and whiney for my liking. 2 might be a bit harsh but oh well.

por que esse site tá fazendo isso comigo meu deus isso é tortura

olha a capa disso vai tomar no cu radiohead para fãs de broadway o estrago que o mano thom yorke fez na música "alternativa" no início dos anos 2000. o instrumental eh até legal pra hipsters. de resto, eu dobro e passo pro próximo.

Decent album

Pretty solid singing and songwriting, not necessarily my preferred genre but I could put it on again for some kinda background listening. I’ll give it more listens.

It’s ok. It’s not a bad rainy day album, it kind of has that feel. There are some tracks that were alright but for the most part I don’t think I would ever revisit it.

Creative and pop driven, but not too deep lyrically or musically. not what I’d normally be into but I’m happy to have this kind of thing get inserted into my algorithm so that I can be exposed to newer/more recent music that might interest me more than the same old 60’s/70s/80s/90s rock that I’ve been stuck with for a while

I don’t know what it is sounds like a bad Radiohead song

I’m enjoying this today.

Sounds like a parallel universe where Thom Yorke went to stage school and decided to make cabaret style baroque pop instead of Kid A I think I slated the previous Rufus Wainwright album I've heard on this list, but I'm either in a better mood today, or this one is better. It's a nicely textured and layered album. Some of the complex vocal arrangements reminded me a bit of Queen My interest waned a bit in the second half but decent album

He has a great voice.

There were a lot of albums and artists like this floating around in the early to mid 2000s - Anthony and the Johnsons, Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae, James Blunt, or the Magic Numbers for example. That doesn’t mean that they were good, but they were inoffensive and easy for people who don’t really listen to music to listen to. This is bland, inoffensive, forgettable, and very beige. It’s not terrible, it’s not even bad, really - it’s just … there. There are a couple of good-ish tunes, but this album is nearly an hour long and a couple of tunes is just not enough to make me like the album. It’s three stars, but really it is 2.5 as it’s totally mid and rounding makes it 3, but it couldn’t be any lower on that grade without dropping.

I've never been a fan of Rufus Wainwright's voice, in particular, but also a lot of his songwriting sensibilities and style. However, he is a very good songwriter and composer, and there are songs of his that I could definitely see myself really loving if another band or artist were to do them in a slightly different way. Therefore, this album is a 3.5 or maybe 4 stars for me, weighing all of that. Not something I will go back to, but I do respect it.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be special just like there is nothing wrong with wanting to be cute, unique or cool for that matter. Rufus Wainwright wants to be all three and the kitchen sink in some trendy bar in Soho that reminds you the returning world traveler of that spot in Berlin back at the turn of the century. You know the one. He wants it bad. For the first 15 minutes or so he has enough bells and whistles in his cannon that you do in fact start thinking that you are listening to something special or at the very least to an album by someone who knows his shit. You're not and he doesn't. What you are actually hearing is an album by someone who is so hellbent on appearing precious that he borrows from endless genres that he heard in his room at The Chelsea Hotel on endless albums that he borrowed from his father to hopefully get inspiration during his six-month meth bender. When you realize this, you will feel like an ass for being artistically fleeced so easily by yet another pretender with delusions of splendor. Don't feel too bad if there is anything masterful about Want One it's Wainwright's ability to keep the listener so drowned and spent with so much kitsch that one can't help but think that one is hearing greatness when in fact what you are hearing is an hour of schmaltzy pretentious misfires. This album of 14 dreary songs each one more desperate & less amusing than the last will leave you with a deep need to go home a need so strong that you start packing & when as you finally hear the click of the suitcase closing you realize that you are at home and that your whole fucking life (all of it) has been a long drunk piss of lies.

Great voice

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: ⚔️😒🪙 Production: 🔊🎆👍 Music: ✨💔🙄 Rating: 🤺(🤺)/5

For the life of me I will never understand what this decades obsession with mellow dramatic solo singers wailing over a piano. There was some interesting, theatrical production to this but on the whole it felt like sitting through another dreadful episodes of American Idol and that was something I really wanted to leave decades in the past.

Some pretty music, with overly emotional delivery of vacuous pretentious lyrics. It’s a shame. Also, Jane Curtin deserves better.

Well. He likes Radiohead. This album just sounds like the bends to me. Quiet lyrics then a big sound comes in to emphasize the lyrics. It's an ok album. It's not going to stick with me at all. I get what he's going for but it's not my scene or vibe. Well made album though. I enjoyed the music over the lyrics personally but I can see this man have a serious rabid following.

A beautiful album from a beautiful artist.

The first couple songs are incredible, but the rest all sorta hit the same two tones. Impeccably produced and written with true talent.

I absolutely LOVED this. I've long been aware of Rufus Wainwright and thought he was fine. This album, though, had a bunch of uptempo songs with big sound and they worked incredibly well for me. There are a handful that are more what I'm used to from him that are fine, but the 5-6 peppier songs on this really made the entire thing sing for me.

It was pleasant to listen to on my ride to and from work. I actually had two people recognize the music and compliment me on my taste. I don't remember a single song from the album five hours later.

his thom yorke voice is awesome

I like his voice. I can't say that the music stood out to me in a special way but I did appreciate it.

This album feels like Radiohead sings schmaltzy Broadway songs. These are two things I like separately; they are not two great tastes that taste great together. 2⭐️

For some reason, my brain wants me to believe that "Rufus Wainwright" must be a contemporary of Lionel Richie and his voice sounds like Ray LaMontagne's. Wildly wrong on both counts. I really couldn't get past this on my first listen and needed to come back to it. What an unexpectedly beautiful baroque pop album.

This was really hard to get through. So boring, excruciating.

Ça partait pas si mal, puis je me suis souvenu de lui là, le wannabe Thom Yorke, avec sa voix fragile et geignarde. Mais le reste est pas mal meilleurs que Want Two, donc 2+1=3.

I had heard the name Rufus Wainwright but had never heard his music. Based on his name I always assumed he was a country singer. (I know, it's stupid to make assumptions). He's obviously got a ton of talent. I'm just not a fan of the overly theatrical style.

Slow and sleepy, even when it tries to be upbeat.

I enjoyed "Want Two" when it came up a while back, and this is very much along the same lines. I like this about the same amount; a solid four stars.

Kanye sucks

I listened to this, but I didn’t actually listen. Nothing caught me. I remember saying this the last time he had an album on here. Rufus has TWO albums on this list??!

Sorry Rufus, you’re talented and there’s a world where I’d really dig your dig if your voice was entirely different.

Very very flamingo. Camp, repetitive and just not very interesting.

Day565 - i finally get the rufus wainwright hype. really good album

I think I would've appreciated these songs much more if I could have listened to them spread out and on their own. Hearing them all together in one go got a bit tedious and I was getting annoyed with his voice by the end of the album. Still, these are some beautiful and poetic songs. I really enjoyed Oh What A World, Natasha, Beautiful Child and Dinner At Eight.

This album needs to come off the list ASAP! Mediocre at best. The only listenable original song was "Vicious World" and was added to my Liked list. He has a very nice voice. However most of his most popular work are covers and he does them with Beatle like quality. His 2nd most liked song "Another Believer" isn't on this album either. I'd never heard it and he co-wrote it. Not a great pick for his work. None of his top ten popular songs are from this album. I take that back, one is, "Oh What A World"

Go Or Go Ahead sounds like a B Tier Radiohead song, and this is the one I've enjoyed the most by far. The rest of the album sounds like a collection of Broadway songs that didn't make the cut.

Enjoyed this and can see it being better with more repeat listens. Got Want Two to check out now which I'm excited for!

Nostalgic 🩷 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fine enough, but it just dragged on for too long

Interesting start. Rufus Wainwright has always been someone I had avoided somewhat consciously - not sure why I know he is well regarded. I know my friend Joe likes him although that isn't always a reason I would like it. Already I can tell I will like it and it is really good.

The performances and the production are exceptional. This man singing is very smooth and calming and everything else sounds super clear. So while the sound of this album is high quality, when talking about the songs, this album is quite stale. Almost every song feels the same, and I believe it is due to both the lack of variation in the songs and charm. Talking about the lack of variation, it is true that there are songs which introduce elements that are not present in other songs, like the trumpets or the choir in 'Beautiful Child', the structures and the emotions portrayed feel vey similar from one song to the other; and some traits don't even change, like his style of singing, which is very reminiscent of the operatic way of singing of Thom Yorke from Radiohead (and would even compare the whole style of some of his songs to Radiohead). When talking about the lack of charm, I'm refering to the absence of that power to keep me engage. When written about the previous point, it came to my mind the first three albums of Leonard Cohen. I think that, in terms of variation, what Leonard did with those album are in a similar level as what Rufus did with this one. But I find that Leonard Cohen music to be way more interesting and captivating. Maybe this comparition seems unfair, but the point I'm trying to make is that I don't mind the lack of variation when I find the music charming enough. So thats the reason whyI feel that this album is very one-dimentional, and even a bit too long. Maybe it would be a better experience to listen to the songs outside of the context of this album. When it comes to a rating, I'm not confident enough to give it just 2 stars, as I found a lot of quality in the performances and production.

This was very different but actually quite enjoyable.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Jesus, this man’s voice is beautiful and I’m a sucker for schmaltz.

I almost stopped listening during the first song. His voice was whiny, warbling, and sounded like he was a terrible vocalist. The second song redeemed his singing qualities. He has a pleasant voice and an excellent range. But, and of course there’s a but coming!…I don’t like his music. I think it’s boring and, as a result, his stories don’t grab my attention. Each song seemed too long and they all droned on, blending into a mash of boring background music that I couldn’t finish.

Good listen, I liked the bolero effect of Oh What a World.

an album that feels so unique, from such a precise point a view. I'm so grateful Rufus had his own voice to express all these songs with superb arrangements and melodies

Very interesting. Cool songs, unique vocal delivery, melodies and songs seem to have some influence from classical and musical theater which is an odd but appealing addition to a pop music record

Standout Songs: Movies Of Myself Beautiful Child A slow, sad album that all blends together just like every chamber pop album. Nothing really interesting to me

Wel oke maar iets ''te'' Go or Go ahead is wel een nice nummertje

Hated the opening track, but started liking the album more and more after that

# 521 : Want One The ultimate hipster album. I don't hate it and nothing stands out as bad, but nothing stands out in a good way either. It's just so slow and boring, and it was a struggle to stay connected. Its nicely made, with good musicianship but I really like the nice album art, so one extra star for that :-) If I had to pick a song : I Don't Know What It Is Listened : 10/07/2025

There a lot of music there, but it's just so so mid

As a long time fan of Rufus’ Dad, I had never quite got into the ‘tit man’ before and was initially put off by his vocal style. This album is outstanding though and I listened several times. Echoes of Radiohead and a lot of Beatlesque moments. Oh What A World Is a great opener. Will keep coming back to this album.

Starts great and then just seems to get repetitive

Ugh. Nope.

I have never heard this artist before. This is the first time I do. I listened to all of the tracks. Did he compose all of these songs? I think if he would have had someone prepare the arrangements, he would have had better success.

Kind of reminds me of the singer of Radiohead and the music was boring but bearable. 2.5/5

It was pretty enjoyable, but by the end I was tired of it. The music was effective at pulling me into a melancholy, lazy, and wistful state of mind, but it didn't keep me there after the album was over.

Nice lush sensitive pop. Doesn’t quite achieve greatness for me, but I can appreciate the ambition

This is very similar in quality to want two which I got first, I can respect he has his own theatre play, broadway style of music and aims for an album experience with big explosive chord changes which sound like a Disney soundtrack but for me it’s just pretty good at best. I think this has a slight edge over the second one though as it sounds more original as he doesn’t sound like a Thom Yorke clone as much. I also wish they just put these two albums together as the double album rather than taking up two spaces on here but oh well, he definitely deserves to have at least one on here though. Favourites: I don’t know what it is and movies of myself. Overall, 6/10.

¨rescindible.

This does nothing for me. He’s trying maybe too hard idk. And his voice just sounds the same the whole time. What more can I say? 2.5

Complete shit. Dude sounds like he was forced to record the album.

Didn't finish, but maybe that was more me than the album. I think it waas listenable, it just wasn't what I was in the mood for. Perhaps revisit.

Alright, so I finally gave Rufus Wainwright's Want One a proper listen. And, well, it's just not really my thing. Honestly, I found him a bit whiny on this album. And the lyrics? Pretty boring, to be frank. Nothing really grabbed me or made me think twice. But hey, that's okay. Different strokes for different folks, right? It would be pretty lame if we all liked the exact same stuff. I gave it a fair shot, but this one isn't going to be in my regular rotation. It's not horrible, but it just didn't click with me.

I don't understand why this is on the list. I don't say that to be mean, but I can't hear anything here that feels different or more influential than other singer-songwriter albums of this time, or decades before. Maybe the devil is in the details and I am too bored to listen for those details. Rufus Wainwright sings like a sad teenager who only owns Thom Yorke and Chris Martin records. The album opens with a dirge that really set a tone I couldn't get past. I can't pick out any hits, and there are a lot of songs that feel like they would be that final slow song you'd play to end a concert, but then it keeps going. Makes for a long hour, and probably an even longer concert.

Maybe this just isn’t for me. This seems like something that someone would show you on YouTube between classes during high school claiming this “saved their life”. Well made, but none of these songs really stick with me. Favorite song was Go Or Go Ahead.

Not bad, but quite bland. 6/10

Love this and have for 20 years. No one sounds like Rufus. Perhaps I should look into more Baroque Pop. *does some digging* Oh, I've listened to and like a lot of other bands in this genre. Excluding fucking Nick Drake, ugh. I think maybe I want more post 2000 Baroque Pop, like Hey Marseilles and Fleet Foxes (which I consider more Chamber Pop, if I were to split hair).

"Dinner At Eight" is a nice track, but otherwise the album is a little too close to Radiohead for me.

This guy has got to be least talented person in the Wainwright Family. Before listening to this album, I didn’t think that songs with an orchestra could be boring. This album proved me wrong. Maybe if it didn’t have all of the orchestration, it would have been better.

i liked the mix of classical music and pop, but the style of music just wasn’t appeasing to me, though i understand why people may like him. it’s just theater kid music

Not my music

ok so i’m obsessed with every part of this album except his voice. every single song feels like it’s lifting me up into heaven through air and im levitating. im obsessed with the rock but heavenly vibe. i just think his voice is trying something that doesn’t work but it’s such a beautiful album im obsessed.

While enjoying a nice 48 hour migraine, hearing a vocalist that's copping a more precious Thom Yorke can be a bit of a struggle. And I absolutely love Radiohead. But I'm told that's what drugs are for, so bottoms up. First song is indeed too precious and I was a bit put off while nauseous but it gets rolling with "I Don't Know What It Is" "Want Two" was the "darker sibling" to this album - in Adam Wainwright's own words - and I'll agree. This is a tough one in some ways - the talent and songwriting is truly top shelf; there's some weird mix of ragtime, 90s-moody alt Britpop, and glossy showtunes. Much like "Want Two" it's truly not easy to ... just get into. Feels a bit too .... <parade-y/showy> for me to give a 4 as I could see it going either way with 5 more listens - either I love it or I'd want to buy a physical copy to break in half. Depends on the drugs. 7/10 3 stars

This is a true neutral. It wasn’t bad but it did drone on and on and became a bit of a chore towards the tail end. He sounds fine it just didn’t do anything for me

made me close my eyes so many times so I could just feel the music

i liked this. sounds like radiohead in places!

Quite artsy, not really my style Feels like a prototype for the indie sadboys of the 2010s "Straight men, oh what a world" is a strange lyric all the songs sound kinda the same

YESTERDAY I HAD WANT TWO!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN!!!! Thankfully enjoyed this one more than Want Two, since it has catchier baroque pop songs, even though the ballads are dreary and directionless.

ursäkta men den här är fan jättebra. får kanske omvärdera want two också? 14th street är ju en magisk låt.

4/5

Feels a bit like listening to a musical soundtrack without context.

This guy annoys me. It's his voice

A nice and mellow album. And the first song reminded me to listen to Ravels Bolero again.

I know the name Rufus Wainwright, but I don’t know the music. I dig the tuba though. This is a good start. This is a fantastic album. I need to dig through his catalog. I’m really enjoying this.

Brilliant song writing. Not a destination album for me, but not something I’m ever gonna be mad about being played I compare it to Beck’s “Sea Change” but cleaner and not as heavy.

Ah, ungdom. Det e lenge lenge siden sist æ hørte på det her albumet, og etter å ha hørt det igjen kan æ ikke helt skjønne koffor, for det e jo vakkert og orkestralt og flott og gjør mæ glad, så det skal ikke gå like lenge til neste gang, håpe æ.

I'm sure he's very talented but I can't stand the poor man's voice at all. Much prefer Martha.

Not for me, annoying voice

Boring

Singer-songwriter is my go-to genre, but this guy seems to be another loser in the Radiohead auditions. He has a great voice, but his vocal style is a little nasal and often quite whiney. I can't say I enjoyed more than a few minutes of this one.

2.7 2x decent enough but not memorable

Too slow very samy

Talented but songwriting is inconsistent. Some songs like Go or Go Ahead are quite good. Sounds like a decent Radiohead song. Others like Natasha are terrible and sound like a trashy Disney song

This is not so good. So far, it's the worst album I've been presented on this list Sounds really boring

A little too Broadway for my taste

Never heard of Rufus Wainwright before. Album cover is interesting, kinda like the poster for a rejected YA fantasy movie adaptation. The tracks themselves though....they were just kinda meh? Every track sounded like it was meant to be in a movie but got rejected, and I swear I heard threads of much more famous movie sountracks woven throughout the album. Not one I'll be coming back to. 2/5

He's good

Am I supposed to care that this guy got into a fight with his famous dad? Who gives a fuck

Think i like it more than the other one he has on the list, but it's still overly long and gets boring after a while. He's also channeling Thom Yorke a little too much for my ears

Given how much this guy sounds like Thom Yorke I was surprised to find out he wasn't english. Unsurprised to find out his parents named are hyperlinks on wikipedia lol its that kinda music. But its good, well crafted songs, some excellent production choices, yeah just a good chamber pop album. Favourites - Vicious World, Movies Of Myself, Pretty Things, Go Or Go Ahead, Beautiful Child

If Radiohead decided to do an acoustic alternative album to follow up OK Computer, I’m certain this is what it would have sounded like. Oh What a World (6/10) I Don’t Know What it Is (7/10) Vicious World (7/10) Movies of Myself (7/10) Pretty Things (7/10) Go or Go Ahead (9/10) Vibrate (7/10) 14th Street (8/10) Natasha (6/10) Harvester of Hearts (7/10) Beautiful Child (6/10) Want (5/10) 11:11 (6/10) Dinner at Eight (6/10) 6.7/10

There's one song on this that I adored. It's called "Go Or Go Ahead". Wainwright would make a great singer for Radiohead if Thom leaves. The rest of the songs on "Want One" are average. It appears my next album is "Surf's Up" by the Beach Boys. 3 stars for "Want One".

boring as hell

This album hit absolutely right with me today. Great voice slow music with clear lyrics and great feeling throughout.

Sounds like the shins or the eels But I like it

I’m not sure what to make of this one as it’s somewhat inconsistent. There’s moments in this where I found it a bit droney and uninteresting, but other times it just seems to explode into life and is really quite something. I was quite glad to receive this as I’d heard of him before, but had literally no idea what he actually sounded like. Now I can say that I think there’s a lot to admire. He seems like a truly accomplished artist – I just may admire this more than I like it. I really love the moments in this where it swells with a real sense of feeling. I like it when bands or artists go BIG, I just do. In a genuine, heart on sleeve kind of way, not an anaemic, pop, punch it up an octave for extra feels kind of way. And this isn’t afraid to go there, with sudden explosions of brass, belted out vocals, and a whole range of interesting instrumentation. At other times the music is really lush. The backing vocals are superb and deserve a special shout-out, as I think they add so much at times, and in interesting ways as well. There’s definite Radiohead vibes at times too, and that’s no bad thing. I’m going generous with this, as I suspect this may grow on me with repeat listens. It’s definitely bold and really unique – and that has to be admired.

not for me - a little bland

Was really excited to revisit this one until I remembered that the songs I really like from this period of Rufus’ career are all on Want Two. Still good though.

“Oh, what a world my parents gave me, always traveling but not in love. ” I say again: what a beautiful voice. I don’t know if this is more “accessible” in some way or if I’m just in a better mood, but I liked this way, way more than ‘Want Two’. (I liked this enough that I feel I should give ‘Want Two’ another shot.) His writing is sharp and often funny, the melodies are lovely, and the production is lush and deft. Maybe opulent to the point of being divisive.

No private session used for Spotify. I have never been a huge fan of Rufus's voice, I fine it whiney, mumbled and sounds like he just woke up, but probably should have stayed in bed longer. His voice is featured a lot in his music, so it's a problem.

3.5 stars. Lots of layers in the chamber pop album. Occasionally very listenable voice, but a lot of flat and nasally affect brings it down a bit. Lots of good harmonies and backing vocals help though. Album at it's best when he brings in orchestral elements. Standout is opening track "Oh What a World" which heavily "samples" Ravel's Bolero and elevates it beyond a standard pop song.

Liked the sound like the vibe but not the songs

man this almost killed me to get through

Wainwright's music, while very theatrical, always leaves me on the verge on wonder, without ever being truly dazzled by it. I have to assume if I was seeing this in a live setting, with stage direction, lights, and choreography, I'd feel a lot different about it.

Not one I want to return to.

Halvandet lyt, og der var momenter af albummet som ikke var kedeligt, jeg kommer dog aldrig til at huske tilbage på andet end cover billedet som er ret fint.

Var ret godt underholdt. Nok ikke noget jeg kommer til at opsøge selv

Good album overall. This is definitely something for musicians to hear. The way he weaves in themes from well known classical works was really quite something in this album.

4/10, I wasn’t that impressed but it’s fine, won’t listen to it again tho i don’t think.

I love the orchestration and the grandness of the pieces; the mixture of pop with a variety of backing audio. Unfortunately, I'm quite sensitive to singing and I don't like his. The combination of the muffled diction - like he has something in his mouth that he's trying to talk around - combined with the aspect of his voice that becomes whiny and annoying when he sings sustained notes (which is often in this album) makes me want to turn it off, despite the cool and interesting support music. Weird and interesting album cover. 🎵Pwretty thiiiiaaiiingssss🎵

First impression is that it has a very 'theatrical' production, which isn't my favourite. However, after a few listens I came to appreciate Wainwright's voice, which reminded me of an early Thom Yorke (when he used to sing lower). There were parts of the album which also reminded me of k. d. lang, which I also appreciated. The lyrics are not my favourite - a bit too sentimental for my taste; at times morose without actually being deep. Will probably not be returning to this.

68% Best: Movies Of Myself; 14th Street Must-Hear? No

I think had a similar experience with the other Rufus Wainwright album I’ve rolled on this list - I liked the first track, but it started to seem too overwrought and dramatic. While I didn’t exactly dislike it, I can’t really say I liked it, either (and if anything, I think I preferred “Want Two”). Oh What a World, Vibrate 3-3.5

Very Queen-like. Talented writer.

His third album. Oh What A World is a gorgeous opening track. I like the album cover on this album too. The album is a bit like Thom Yorke sings West End tunes. Vocally, after about four or five tracks Rufus starts to grate on you. Nothing here is great but nothinng here is bad either. It's also a well produced album.

2003. Relaxed kind of theater songs. Depth of story and sound.

If he wants a one, he can have it. Annoying

A very good album. Enjoyed it.

the first of a two part, theatrical pop album. compared to other baroque pop albums I've listened to, this one takes the cake for being the most maximalist and otherworldly. you've most definitely heard his cover of "hallelujah", but he has so much more in store. with layered vocals, orchestral arrangements and a vibe that doesn't know when to be sad or carefree, this album is a spectacle in this list. this album demands your attention, and you literally won't expect how the next song will sound. it's not too often you find something this emotionally... layered. that's the word i'm gonna use to describe this.

14th Street is up there in my favourite songs. This album is beautifully gay and so full of big band energy. I have not listened to it in a long time and really enjoyed the listen

I... I think I like Rufus Wainwright? Singer songwriter but more produced, almost a Sufjan vibe with a little less melody but no less poetry. A great album, added some tracks.

Not bad but kind of blah to me.

This album felt theatrical in many moments. The instrumentals arrangements, the harmonies, the production, the interesting lyrics, all made for something really intriguing and fun. The most impactful song for me was “Go Or Go Ahead” which felt completely different from the rest of the album, yet fit perfectly. It was transcendent, and I felt his vocals took a different direction than the other songs where it felt he was mainly level toned, almost monotonous at times. However, learning that Rufus Wainwright is Canadian, and that this album was categorized as baroque pop (by combining rock with some classical elements), made me appreciate this album a little differently, not just because it’s a part of my heritage but also because I never knew there was a genre like this. It was something I never heard before. Overall, I found this album to be a little vocally monotonous, even if the instrumentals were theatrical at times, minus the absolute gem “Go Or Go Ahead”. I guess in a way I was craving something more from it, but rereading through other reviews I’m curious to hear Want Two and see if it’s more of what enjoy from Rufus. Nonetheless he was something different from my regular gravitational pulls to other genres. Standout Tracks: “Oh What A World”, “I Don’t Know What It Is”, “Vicious World”, “Go Or Go Ahead”, “Beautiful Child”, and “Want”

2.5

Unexpectedly bright and whimsical album. A couple duds. A couple bangers.

So Want One and Two should really be the same album. I did like this a long time ago. Less now.

The compositions are bold, brash and basic, often even underdeveloped. The humour fails to charm me, in fact the lyrics generally lack detail or focus. To top it off it’s a frustratingly long release. At best it’s pleasant and inoffensive, at worst the unearned “punch the air” moments gnaw away at you while Rufus does a Thom Yorke impression.

🗡️

Another guy I've always heard about and never really listened to it, can't believe this came out all the way back in 2003, which is the same year White Winos by Loudon Wainwright III came out which was a song I was quite obsessed with. This feels like Billy Joel meets Radiohead both of whom instill existential anxiety in me. 3.5/5

For years I though Rufus Wainwright was terrible because I thought he was another artist. This album is very much my thing. (33 known/73 new)

Had a nice melody

Really emotional pop (like kind of too emotional) though the good songs are good

whiny white man music (WWMM)

It’s not terrible but I would never think of listening to it again.

10/10 loved Want Two when I first had that generated for me way back, and this is great too!

Each song was worse than the last.

Want One is a bit dramatic and grandiose, it's ambitious and bold, and feels personal too. It does feel a bit too much at times, and at other times, it felt a bit boring. "Go or Go Ahead" was pretty interesting, a very powerful song about addiction, Wainwright delivers it well with his distinctive singing style and the backing vocals are pretty good, specially during the chorus. "14th street" was nice too.

No, I'm good. Favorite Track: "Movies Of Myself".

Music for the kids that took drama in High School...and I was in drama.

Rufust Wainwright - Want One Gave Want Two a 3 and this gets a 3 too, but a slightly different, better 3. Surprised both of these made the list and surprised to pull them both in my first 50.

really enjoyed. radiohead vibes

Didn't really care for it.

The streak of perfectly okay albums is alive and well

pretty sound, songs that i moreso want to enjoy than actually do little did the world know it would just take a few years for him to hone his skills for the meet the robinsons soundtrack so he could peak

i’ve got a few records by this guys dad but i’ve never listened to them and i’ve never heard of rufus so i went into this kinda blind. i thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing this typa pop is top tier. the lyrics kinda confused me at points cause he was really just saying shit but i didn’t really mind

Oh What A World // Go Or Go Ahead // 14th Street // 3.5/5

Really pleasant surprise

Het is theatraal, rijk, meanderend, er is kortom werk gestopt in de arrangementen en productie, maar al met al raakt deze Elton-Johnesque excercitie me niet zo. De stem is een verkouden Billy Joel, het geheel is nogal sloom. In plaats dat de muziek me meesleept, word ik er vooral kriegel van. Daar is muziek toch niet voor bedoeld, dacht ik zo.

Ik behoed de klusmaatjes maar voor de noise-rock en heavy-metal albums. Krijg ik straks zelf wel uren achter elkaar gitaar-geweld. Maar tja, de zeurstem van Rufus kreeg eerder van mij 2 sterren. Dus kan ik de klusmaatjes dit wel aandoen? Ze houden zich stil over de muziek. Dus het kan blijkbaar, Zelf hoor ik toch weer een zeurstem. Het komt ook door het oprekken van de laatste lettergrepen van woorden. Als een klein kind...."Mag ik een snoepjeeeee....weeehhhh....." Hoe moet die stijl iemand nu overtuigen? Muzikaal zit het wel goed in elkaar gelukkig. Met 2,5 ster komt Rufus goed weg lijkt me.

Ah, daar hebben we weer een product van het aanstellerige New Yorkse theaterensemble. De mannelijke tegenhanger van beroepszeurpieten Fiona Apple en Aimee Mann. Highbrow, snobistisch, etc. Kijk alleen al naar die hoes, waar Rufus de 3e in een ridderpakje zit met een groot zwaard naast zich. Waarschijnlijk ging Rufus vroeger al huilen als iemand goedemorgen tegen hem zei, dus hij doet zich nu graag stoerder voor dan hij is. Ik word hier bij voorbaat al gruwelijk agressief van, dus of hier een objectieve review uit voortvloeit, dat waag ik te betwijfelen. Zeker aangezien we "Want Two" al hebben gehad. Ik wil er helemaal geen twee, ik wil er helemaal geen een, I Want Zero. Maar als Rufus een 1 wil, dan hij die krijgen hoor. Ik zal het album voor de volledigheid wel luisteren, ondanks al mijn vooringenomenheid. Zijn theatrale stem die bij elk nummer hetzelfde is, zit nog steeds zwaar in mijn irritatiezone, net als Joni dat altijd doet. Het is dodelijk vermoeiend. Net als sommige nummers, maar hij varieert gelukkig wel iets in de genres. Go or Go Ahead is prima mainstreamrock. Ik denk dat een nummer als Beautiful Child het beste past bij zijn stem. Dat gemaakte misplaatste zogenaamde gevoel dat hij overal in legt, wat natuurlijk lulkoek is, met je ogen dicht zingen betekent niet ineens dat je je ziel en zaligheid erin stopt, maar dat zogenaamde gevoel van hem, dat past wel bij zo'n nummer, omdat zo'n nummer wat meer opgetogen is. Bij de 'gevoelige' nummers valt het misplaatste van zijn zang teveel op. Het is al met al ook weer niet zo slecht dat het een 1 moet krijgen, maar ik vind dit zoals verwacht wel zwaar overschat. Er is een (theater)publiek voor, prima, daar hoor ik niet bij. Twee sterretjes dus.

Pleasant on the ear.

Not every song was a 5 but a lot sure were. Really enjoyed all the instrumentation backing up. Definitely heard this composer/singer before, so it was nice to become more acquainted with their music.

Feel like I'm in a musical

This was very interesting given that I did not know what to expect especially from a guy whose father wrote “Dead Skunk”. Despite that, I thought it was a pretty good album.

The backing beat on "Oh What a World" reminds me of the title music in the game Papers, Please, which is kind of fun. The album kind of sounds like the soundtrack to an on-stage musical play. Is that a bad thing? I'm really not sure. I don't hate it, but... I also don't think I particularly like it, either. His voice can be quite irritating, especially in "Pretty Things". Best track: Go or Go Ahead Worst track: Pretty Things 2/5

Troubador with a good voice and sweeping orchestration. Couldn’t make heads or tails of it and will need another listen. But i didn’t hear anything that made me want to give it another listen. It’s a 2.

Solid. Not great, not bad. Solid 3

Oh great, Rufus again. I've heard this one before a long time ago, so I'll pass.

We listened to this many times but kept forgetting to rate it. It's pretty decent.

I'm gonna go with my first impression of this album.... "This is what Radiohead would sound like if you took away everything cool about Radiohead."

Did I hate this because I was in a bad mood, or was I in a bad mood because I hated this?

At least it's something different. Not really my bag though

Great one quite surprised by it

Got 80% through. I can't really say what I didn't like about it. Maybe its just a preference? Felt over produced and the songs didn't do anything for me. Talented singer for sure.

I personally dont get the appeal. Rufus has a great voice, but the music doesnt keep my interest. It sounds like Muse without the edge. Is this the ultimate example of music that doesnt offend anyone? Not the worst we’ve heard, but barely 1.5 stars

Clearly a talented individual but it was blah for me.

Comenzando

It’s okay. Felt kind of generic at times, but had some good parts. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again

Was really good, just didn't really wow me either. Kinda like an OK Computer era Radiohead if they mixed in Billy Joel influence?

a very theatrical and musical sounding album. it lies somewhere in between the 3 and 4 territory, can’t quite make up my mind about it. i don’t really see myself putting this on again. “i don’t know what it is” - i quite like this!! “14th street” was fun. “beautiful child” is my favourite song on the album. it’s amazing! the last song “dinner at eight” was really beautiful 😭 i do really like his voice, but i understand why some people don’t.