Want Two

Didn't finish this but it was because I was trying to listen to both parts of the double album of which this is the latter half. I really enjoyed what I heard although the songs I loved the most were near the start of part 1.

I've never paid much attention to the various Wainwrights over the years, but maybe I should’ve based on this album. Want Two features a broad range of styles, loosely connected by Rufus’s voice and a general sense of artsiness. This diversity kept things interesting for me, and despite a couple of lulls I found it a very pleasant listen. Even the 9-minute closer held my attention. No idea where it stands on the ‘must-hear’ scale among RW’s catalogue let alone every album ever, but for enjoyment alone it deserves a good score.

c'est un 3 et demi mais bon comme c'est mieux que janet jackson

Listened to a lot of Rufus years ago after his Want One and want Two albums. Really love his music and vocals. He can sing some beautiful songs, only criticism would be the occasional over-theatrical aspect at times but that's him.

Album number 200! Want Two is pretty good. My favorite songs were ‘The One You Love’, ‘Peach Trees’, and ‘The Art Teacher'. They’re just good, I guess. One of the top reviews says that he sounds like Thom Yorke at moments, which he does, but it bothers me because he hits the high notes in a similar way but just doesn’t have the same voice. For some reason I knew of him before this project? Like, I had no idea who he was, but I knew there was a musician named Rufus Wainwright. I thought he was from the 60’s-70’s, honestly. Anyway good album.

My name in Latin Club was Rufus. I always hated that name, but it seems to fit here. Not that I hated this album, or any RW album for that matter. Just a fact. I spent a summer, most of it at least, listening to Poses. I listened to that too much and got really tired of him. When this came out I steered clear. Now, 20+ years later, this is really nice to listen to. I've missed this guy. Angus Dei is really nice, and the balance of the album fit just perfectly into my day. Rufus, the name is unique, vomitus and ugly. But pairing it with such a beautiful voice used so delicately makes me reconsider understandings and definitions.

Rufus melds orchestral elements into his music so well. The drama is palpable. I need to listen to this album more and explore Rufus’s catalogue too.

Having read some of the reviews on here, you’d think the album is insufferable garbage but it’s actually pretty good. Want Two is a very orchestral, baroque pop record, with a hint of indie pop thrown in the mix. It’s sort of operatic and grandiose but I think it works. The vocals are also pretty good. They remind me of a mix between Thom Yorke and Rivers Cuomo. Maybe it’s just me. Either the mix of soft, mellow guitar melodies and the more grand orchestras sound really nice. The album is very ornate and clean sounding, maybe being too clean, but it’s not too big a problem. Either way, I think the song Peach Trees is a good example. It has a good mix of more simple indie pop and more orchestral sounding music. It’s very pretty and it just sounds really nice. I will mention, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the lyrics. I probably should’ve because, from what it sounded like, there were introspective and more societally aware tracks coupled with some sweet love songs. I didn’t pay too much attention (I’m way to tired right now), so maybe I misheard something but that’s my mistake so I don’t know. All in all though, I liked this album. It’s very pretty and nice sounding, I can understand why someone would really enjoy this. Me personally, I’d give this a 8/10.

Reminds me of Keane but more gay (this is a good thing)

Heeft me in de positieve zin verbaasd.

Stylish and not excessively wordy

The vocals on this album are so eerily like Thom Yorke's vocals on early Radiohead albums it's uncanny. I kept thinking that it was indeed a Yorke solo album. I think the last song on the album was a bit...rough. Otherwise, I liked this album quite a bit. There was a good deal of variation, it wasn't like he was singing old torch songs. Everything seemed o be in his vocal wheelhouse. I may have to listen to it again, but because of the Yorke soundalike, it does to get to be a bit... depressing. Still, I will give it a 4. I liked the overall sound and feel of the album.

I really enjoyed Agnus Dei, his operatic interest and skills on full display (great musical accompaniment too). It made for such a great start to the album, even though he changes styles a lot. For example, The One You Love was more indie pop/rock but fun, Peach Trees was more straight indie folk, and then Little Sister was back to a classical feel given the piano and backing instruments, though no operatic vocals this time. The Art Teacher and This Love Affair were another two favorites; simple and beautiful piano-driven tunes (reminded me of Adele ballads). And Wainwright's vocals are really strong - I was getting vibes of Jeff Buckley or Thom Yorke. Solid lyrics too. I got a little bored over the last few songs but overall this guy is good and this is a good album.

wild and wonderful. 4 stars.

I’ve not heard anything from Rufus before but this was great. Really varied and engaging songs.

This is pretty good. Interesting and orchestrical. Agnus Dei is awesome, very good start. Second song is unlike the first one. But I like it. Altough it worsened near the end.

This was nice. I enjoyed it. Definitely worth a listen.

Heard this one before. keen

I really liked this!

Just Rufus doing Rufus things for almost an hour straight. While this might be just a tad too long for my taste, the man really knows how to write hauntingly beautiful melodies over minor chords. The almost trip-hoppy 'Waiting For A Dream' was a nice surprise!

Balances elegantly on the line between painstakingly beauty and extremely demanding. Rufus Wainwright is pretentious as fuck. And it doesn’t bother me one bit.

Prefer Want One a little more

Rufus Wainwright is, to my ear, a fantastic composer and performer. I realize as I listen to this album that I have heard only a small portion of his creative output, so I'll spend more time with him. Quite a lot of nice layers in here. Very interesting.

This album was pretty good to just sit and relax to. Like to just take 40 minutes and hang out was really nice.

Álbum tranquilo, gostei de ouvir mas dificilmente vai ser o favorito de alguém.

Geweldige artiest die Rufus! En wat een stem. Van hem kan ik het theatrale bombastische altijd prima hebben.

Fan. Niet alles op deze plaat even interessant, maar ik ben verliefd op deze stem.

Kind of a strange variety but I really appreciated the artistry of this and I genuinely enjoyed most of the album. Easy listening voice from Rufus Wainwright. A couple of songs gave me Coldplay vibes (ugh) but I would listen to most of this again for sure.

This was a great listen - enjoyed the variety of styles and moods. Would certainly enjoy listening again. Fave tracks - "Agnus Dei" - I'd happily listen to a whole album of stuff that sounds like that. "Old Whore's Diet" was great, too...

Really good. I was only familiar with a few songs - none of which are in this album - and am glad to have heard this album.

Who does he remind me of :-) Interesting. This guy's incredibly varied in the material and styles. He is trying to do everything with his instrument. Musical peregrinations. Good.

Beautiful instrumentation and arrangements. The lyrics are either thematic or deeply personal. Everything seems to click into place and fits his vocal range nicely. It does drag a bit, especially the second half, but it's a very interesting record.

Beautiful opening track. Very lush instrumentation that supports Rufus' intriguing vocal melodies. (I almost called them unique but they do remind me of Thom Yorke's and Thom Yorke wanna-be Matt Bellamy.) Evocative lyrics tell personal stories. I feel the album wanders a little in the second half. More focus on the particular sounds on some of the earlier songs would make this one perfect.

Epic in scope but shockingly intimate lyrically, a project almost too ridiculous to succeed that somehow does. Wainwright’s vulnerability is his best quality.

I think Rufus Wainwright has the most beautiful voice. I wasn’t already familiar with any of these songs, but I am generally a big fan. I will say I was nervous/angry during the first 90 seconds of weird violin tuning cranking noises, thinking the whole album would be like that. Overall, I don’t think I’m adding any tracks to my list of favorites of his, but I enjoyed the album.

Rufus Wainwright was on my list of artists I had been meaning to listen to, now he is on my list of artists I need to explore further. Mellow Americana with hints of light Opera make this feel like I am in a dream. I had Want Two on repeat for most of yesterday and followed that up with Want One. Which meant I had to listen to this album again to see how they fit together. Rather than an extension or a repeat the work as parts of a whole that can be enjoyed on their own

He has a gorgeous voice, is witty as hell and is beautiful - everything is set up for me to fall madly in love with Rufus Wainwright. However I only ever really like him. This album, much like those before is full of songs I enjoy, but there's only ever one I truly bond with each time - this time it's Gay Messiah, though the closer, with Antony is really good (historically, Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk and I'm So Tired of America are classics). It's a solid four stars, but I wish I could find the key to five stars with Rufus. Definitely feels like a me problem not a him problem.

Knew very little about Rufus Wainwright so I was looking forward to this. Incredible voice, excellent lyrics, and on a whole really well put together. At times it did drift in and out of substance and I think it’s probably a bit too long, but overall thought it was very good. Will return. Particularly liked the tracks that flirted with Radiohead

Never listened to Rufus Wainwright before, great singer and songs were engaging the whole way through. Sometimes sounded like a 'singer-songwriter' version of Thom Yorke. Not sure if it's a style I'd go back to again and again but would like to hear other albums.

Really enjoyable.

Having no prconceptions of this album, its epic opener, Agnus Dei left me stunned and feeling like the album could go one of two ways, either an absolute better or a confused abstract mess. Though it was neither, it veered far closer to the former with poignant lyrics and fresh instrumentation. At its conclusion, I felt I had experienced something, though I wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not. Moving.

The first few songs were really intriguing, but then it got a bit boring in the middle part. The end was more interesting again though, so I think I will give 4 stars.

Impassioned, passionate, heartfelt. Really pleased to hear this. Always considered Wainwright to over-wring his songs to death, but to hear them in a collection gives them so much power.

Wasn't sure what to expect, especially after Agnus Dei, but I really loved it. Even more after a second listen.

I loved this album! It was artistic and whimsical. I really enjoyed pretty much the whole album.

So, I did my best with this one. YouTube didn't have the full album, and the one thing I could find was several of the songs together with a bunch of other Rufus Wainwright songs that are not on the album. I simply don't care enough to seek out another version, so here we are. This is not particularly my genre, as the music is driven entirely by Wainwright's voice, with little focus on anything else. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just not to my taste. On the other hand, his voice is fucking spectacular. It's sort of like if Thom Yorke from Radiohead didn't want to make fucking weirdo music. It's incredibly beautiful and the songs are constructed well around his voice. Again, it's not my thing, but it's well worth a listen 4/5

As luck would have it, I had just heard an excellent cover by Rufus Wainwright of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” the night before this album came up. RW is another artist I’ve heard great things about, and very occasional songs from, but never really listened to. This time, I was hooked from the opening of the most unexpected track (“Agnus Dei”), followed by a remarkable range of songs. Masterful arranging and production. Nice lyrical connections between some of the songs, without trying to be a unified concept album. I’m not sure that every song will sustain my interest over repeat listens, but there’s plenty to come back to and enjoy.

For a moment when this popped up, I though this was going to be Rufus featuring Chaka Khan. I confess to a second of disappointment when I realised it wasn't. I approached this album with caution. I have heard the occasional Rufus Wainwright track, and I like his voice, but I have not listened to a whole album of his all the way through. Given the size of his catalogue, it is helpful to have somewhere to start. I have some trepidation based on a number of interviews I have read with him over the years, where he often appears (highly) pretentious and quite unlikable. But what a revelation this record is. Listening to it, I was constantly reminded of Jeff Buckley, who was clearly an influential contemporary (rival?) of Rufus, directly stated in Memphis Skyline. But the similar influences (Judy Garland, chanteuse, folk, rock), sensitive lyrics and vocal phrasing (including use of falsetto), beautiful orchestration. In the same way that Buckley took a wide range of source material and constructed his own world, Wainwright does similarly. But this is no mere Buckley-copy. He uses his (non-rock) popular music influences to create a distinct and beautiful musical world. This is an album that I am sure I will come back to.

Adorable

New to me. Really good.

I liked this record. I always enjoyed pop music influenced and directly inspired by classical and baroque music. Haven't heard something as original as this in a long while.

Ja Rufusa jako volim. Nadam se da ce Poses album bit tu jer mislim da je bolji. Al dobar je i ovaj. Svidaju mi se jako the one you love, peach trees i old whore's diet. A gay messiah tekst je top notch.

Необычный альбом. Не зря в этот список попал. Но не мой по настроению. Очень грустный и тоскливый, хотя местами необыкновенно романтичный и красивый.

A beautiful album, lush and sweeping.

Very enjoyable.

Good vibes. Made me rethink discordance

first listen a wonderful journey

Excellent. But it is an interesting vibe

Kinda goated not gonna lie.

3.5, Art Teacher deserves a 5

Before this listen, I knew him as the guy who sang "Hallelujah" on the Shrek soundtrack. I gotta say, I'm impressed. I feel like he's probably a bit polarizing, but I enjoyed what I heard. Sometimes it dragged, but for the most part it tugged at my heart strings. The opening track is probably my favorite.

This is a mostly low tempo album with an excessive number of ballads. It's not overly repetetive, but I have heard better melodies from Rufus Wrainwright. Still a nice listen, but without standouts. 3.5/5

Ugh do I like Rufus Wainwright?

What an opening track! Some pretty great storytelling too. Will listen to more stuff.

Loved it. Odd start moves on to something extraordinary. Has never listened to his music before - certainly glad to have been introduced to it.

Glorious, elegant, flaming singer songwriting from Rufus Wainwright. Some really absorbing tracks with a stylistic strings and drum machine flavour. Normally strings are added to hide the shortcomings of the singer or the singing but not so here - the vocals and music together to make a chamber pop classic.

Geggjuð plata, fyrir utan fiðluskratsjið á fyrstu sekúndunum!

Gute Musik für ganz besondere Stimmungen. Etwas the verve viel muse

grew on me. interesting vocals. Art Teacher, Old Whore's Diet

did not expect to like it that much but that was a pleasant surprise!

Wow!! Första gången jag lyssnar på Rufus Wainwright men kommer inte vara sista. Extremt imponerad av tonspråket, variationen, texterna, arrangemangen, allt! Jag personligen hade kunnat leva med en eller två låtar med lite högre tempo, och hans släpiga sätt att sjunga är inte helt min favvo, men då letar jag ursäkter att inte dela ut en femma. Superplatta!

finaste rufus! även om jag föredrar hans andra skivor

Always wanted to delve into Rufus Wainwright (who I always call "Adam" in my head. Baseball.) and my immediate reaction here is that the first song should be the album closer :D - it's a challenging intro, leading off with "Agnus Dei" - this being my idea of Thom Yorke given the assignment of leading a cathedral congregation in a Latin dirge for 5 minutes. It's not *not* impressive - just ... well, listen to it. Once the album gets started properly with "The One You Love" the Thom Yorke comparison really holds for me; the voice and manner of laconic singing. But there's a lot going on here - a few odd chord turns that really make me sit up and take notice. "Little Sister" and "The Art Teacher" are the early standouts for me on this album - one a complex layered orchestration and the next mostly just vocals and piano (with a subtle/tasteful horn part) - the latter feels like it could have fit comfortably on Elton John's self-titled 1970 album. That said, this album is probably not gonna be for everyone and is a little tough in spots but the music for me is really intriguing - complex, lush, very very melodic. It's not easily digestible. I like that. Dammit I feel like I give everything a 3 - because of the density of this one, I think it's hard to get a real feel for the album with 1 or 2 spins. But the talent, diversity, and thought that clearly went into this recording for me make me push this to 4 - I feel like I'm anticipating eventually liking this album more than I already do right now :) 8/10 4 stars

There's a lot going on here, much of which is a little strange. The regency music of Little Sister is perhaps the most unusual amongst a lot of different styles. Musical theatre vocals, asian instrumentation, orchestral and choral elements run throughout and hold the album together. Overall, an interesting album, which is tender, epic and funny in places. The more I listened, the more I liked it. 4/5.

Really enjoyed on second listen. Interesting sound with classical strings and orchestra over modern lyrics. Creative verses with introspective reflections delivered by strong vocals (also grew on me on second listen). Broad variety of styles throughout. Agnus Dei, the art teacher, this love affair, crumb by crumb, old whores diet

Fav songs: - The One You Love - This Love Affair - Waiting For A Dream

Not my usual album and not one I’d go back to on a regular basis but this guy is a modern day talent. Knew only the name but expected something totally different. Getting vibes of Matt Bellamy and Thom Yorke.

Not what I was expecting at all, but I was surprised to find I really liked this. Ended up listening to it twice in a row.

Kinda like if Thom Yorke made a solo album during The Bends era, though I’m not sure he would’ve ever made anything this lush and orchestrated.

Not bothered by the French chansons but the other tracks are beautiful

Rufus has always been one of those "artsy" pop artists for me. I have liked some of his stuff though (Moulin Rouge). Glad to finally give him a proper listen. Thoroughly enjoyed this interesting album. Very pleasant throughout.

Good but not my vibe

The vocals are so amazing. Great atmosphere and vibe too. Definitely need to relisten.

Generally a good album. I enjoyed especially the first track.

This guy sounds like U2. Opening track is neat.

Weird....but in a good way!

Best tracks: Agnus Dei, Little Sister

Cool! I enjoyed it... not that sure at first, but I will probably listen the whole album again!

psyché et en francais

genre-bending thrift store kinda album. pretty cool!

Miellyttävää musaa. Loppua kohden kävi ehkä vähän yksitoikkoiseksi, mutta eipä tuo haittaa. Kiva kun löytyy näitä iloisesti yllättäviä uusia tuttavuuksia.

Legend. The art teacher is one of the best songs ever

Interesting and inventive—incorporates a lot of classical music/operatic themes throughout which was cool to hear. Storytelling songs sometimes didn’t work but some did. Especially liked the one you love and waiting for a dream

Art pop at its most magnificent. You have to listen carefully to let yourself go with the intricate melodies and arrangements but it's worth it. The One You Love is simply one of best 00's singles

Impressive vocals, clean production, and interesting instrumentals made for a surprisingly enjoyable album. It was long and had some slow burns but overall quite good. 8

i keep hoping he'll cover dead skunk. that would be hilarious. i've always loved the art teacher - it's so raw, which is such a contrast to the rest of this album.

This was nice. His voice grates after a full album but this was well put together.

Very good, although I feel like somebody tried to engineer the living defi option of "too clever by half"

Levy jota kuuntelin varmaan lähemmäs kymmeneen kertaan, enkä oikein vieläkään tiedä mitä tästä ajattelen. Rufus Wainwright toki artistina on tuttu, mutta tämä on jäänyt kuuntelematta. Ehkä jonkinlainen linjattomuus häiritsee levyssä, vaikka yleisfiilis on todella positiivinen. Parhaimmillaan vitosen arvoista mahtavuutta, heikoimmillaan kolmosen arvoisia tylähköjä rallatuksia. Nelonen lienee oikeutettu arvosana.

Really unique, mournful, poetic, cool. I liked this more than expected.

I get the artistry but you have to be in the mood to listen and appreciate.

Good album, there's a classic vibe to it, I'm not sure how to describe it. I digg it - I can see me listening to this record while cleaning the house or cooking.

Enjoyable!

that was pleasant! no experience prior. (also i wanna look like the album cover person pls)

4 and 1/2 but that’s not an option

2004: The One You Love, The Art Teacher, Gay Messiah

Really enjoyed this album.

Overall: 6/10 I'm gonna be that guy and compare this to Radiohead, cause Rufus sounds so much like Thom Yorke that it's insane. I used to really hate Radiohead, and it was in the past couple of years that they finally clicked for me, but there was/is still one big issue I have with them: the whiney vocals. This is like Radiohead without the incredible songwriting. It's very whiney and the notes are ALWAYS drawn out like crazy. I do think the album is good, but it would have been even better if Rufus actually knew how to write an interesting melody. Fav Song: Peach Trees

...𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵 - *𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨* 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘦. 2.5/5 -> 3/5

"Angus Dei" starts with a childlike experimentation with a violin bow and holy opening sung with Mideastern flair causes a listener to pay attention and wonder where this album's expedition is going to take them. Take the steady mumble of Tom Petty and throw in a new age music sound, and you get the next track "The One You Love." The dancing piano chords towards the end stands out. The long, and I mean long drone of Wainwright's singing of each lyric and floaty sounds of the instruments feels like this was produced under the influence of some great psychedelics. Maybe in the right circumstances, I could embrace the journey he wants us to partake. "Little Siter" is a fun contemporary orchestral melody which seems like something a young Mozart would create with his sister if they were alive today. Several songs have felt a little like Billy Joel with flowing piano tunes to go along with sweet reminiscing memories. “Crumb by Crumb” is a great track seeming to explore where love can take us. It captures us, we want more, it's scary like a dark forest, but it's important to take it step by step, crumb by crumb. Very clever and fun, just like the rest of the album. Naturally with a title of "Want Two," curiosity led to my discovery of his previous album "Want One." The covers complement each other hinting at how the two go together. I could sign up to listen to them in sequential order to aid in a new listening adventure.

Always liked Rufus and wanted to listen to a full album. I wanted to like it more.

Rigtig fint, men lidt langtrukkent.

This is like if Radiohead released a "Most Mediocre Hits" compilation

I do love Rufus Wainwright’s voice (and piano), but this is not my favourite album of his (possibly not even my favourite’Want’). Technically brilliant but just lacks a song to properly grab you and lift it to just being a very good, very beautiful set of songs.

This was a weird one for me: I really liked parts of this and really didn't enjoy others. I'm not sure it helped that he frequently sounds like Thom York, and I feel very conflicted about his singing voice too. I liked The One You Love, Hometown Waltz (because it reminded me of Harry Nillson), Memphis Skyline and Waiting For A Dream. Ultimately I think this ends up a pretty middle of the road: 3/5

There’s a quality about his voice I love, but also an aspect that I don’t like. Overall really enjoyable

What an oddly theatrical/musical album. Feels story first, doesn’t fit into any genre.

Not again

Yes Rufus!!***

It's not bad, a bit whiny. Oddly, my favourite tracks of his are the French language ones. (Random note: as a yarn spinner, it's always nice to see a spindle in media.)

I feel like I would enjoy this more if his voice had more variety. The songs are good but it becomes a bit funeral dirge-y by the end

Some tracks dragged a little bit, but I enjoyed the overall atmosphere of this record. 3.5/5

Pas aussi bien que le premier album qu'on avait écouté de lui, un peu traînant, bon, bof

C’est joli mais on s’emmerde Il pourrait faire un super album de Noël

J'ai oublié de noter mon avis mais il me semble que c'était sympa!

Ah, another record that employs the strategy of the test track to check our faith and commitment to listening...this is a 5:45 minute signal that this one is for the fans, the rabid true Rufites. I would not be surprised to learn that Agnus Dei is played when you enter the House of Rufus. The One You Love picks things up to let you know the entire album won't be like the first song, but the third, Peach Trees, brings it back down with a remarkably great Thom Yorke impression over a relaxed, vibey, slightly surf-sounding declaration of location. By Little Sister you're made aware that Want Two is going to be an exercise in demonstrating Wainwright's songwriting range and talent. Committing to a wide range of styles is a difficult strategy for Rufus here in some ways because it gives listeners who are not already aligned with him more possible ways to reject or object to some aesthetic aspect; e.g. Oh I don't like this kind of song or genre, or instrumentation, or approach, or whatever that's here and here on this record. And even if they find no objection, they may not know quite where to locate him. Whereas, an album that commits to a more singular aesthetic may be rejected initially, true, but if the listener is hooked, then they are in for the entire ride. Of course, this broad and nomadic approach is a totally legitimate strategy. And maybe Rufus doesn't want to be in a fixed position, maybe where he's at in his arc means he needs to chart different territories and to bring back a record of his explorations. Or maybe he sees a different kind of confessional connector through the tracks than one that constrains the music, forcing a consistency of sound and style. Since this is my first Rufus Wainwright record I have more questions than answers. I've learned this is meant as an extension of Want One (and the two have ultimately been combined in a reissue), I've discovered that saying he comes from a musical family is an understatement, and that he's no stranger to both privilege and hardship (not all of either are material) is evident in the sensitivity of his writing. So how is this record? Kind of overwhelming, a little too grab bag for me, and for all the stylistic range it obviously centers his voice, which is perhaps best summed up as potentially divisive (operatic resonance vs whiny, grating and self-indulgent). But even on first listen I can hear what's heartfelt and honest about Wainwright on the album — longing and identity. If you're not interested in these themes and find his voice to slide on the negative pole, then I don't think a broad range of styles is going to save your review, but overall I found it compelling on first listen.

I really don't understand this genre, but it seems like a good album if you're into that sort of thing.

very country

I must admit to being surprised that we had the sequel to 'Want one' in this list though this seems a much darker and serious album with an even stronger sense of Thom Yorke and 2000s Radiohead in both his voice and aspects of the writing. He certainly seems to be able to turn his hand to a lot of musical approaches and lyrical themes that are miles away from mainstream pop. Not bowled over but not unimpressed either.

Pretty nice, but at the same time slightly too unhinged.

Just a whole bunch of moaning and wailing.

Did I click on a Radiohead album by mistake?

At times I thought it was a poor Radiohead homage but it definitely grew on me. Worth another listen.

Favorite Track: The One You Love

an interesting part two (pun) to want one. almost feels like b sides but still really cool ornate/medieval/chamber instrumentation and songrwriting.

ok

s'alright 2004 whining 3/5

I only know Wainwright from his cover of Hallelujah, but damn is he a talented vocalist and musician. I love how theatrical he is and how operatic his songs are. That being said, this album isn’t something I’d go searching to listen to in any context aside from wanting to put it into a movie or TV show. My favorite songs are This Love Affair and Waiting For A Dream. I sort of got Robbie Williams vibes in the latter song!

I had a review. It got deleted. I am not writing that again. Damn you, Mexican internet service. To sum it up, I've grown to understand Want One more over the months. It stays locked in a dreamier headspace while this is more spent on operatic tragedy; the darker half of Want. I didn't realize Rufus dragged out his words until someone pointed it out and now I cannnnnnnn'ttttttt stooooppppp catcchinnnngggggg onnnnnnn tooooo itttt. I do enjoy Thom Yorke (Sail To The Moon) and Cameron Winter ($0) however. I have no issues with Rufus' voice or his songwriting, but the baroque style comes across as a novelty to my ears more than anything. I much prefer his more alternative stylings on Want One than this. For some positives, The Art Teacher is very well-done and prime shoutout to Anohni on Old Whore's Diet. Please don't fuck this up, Mexican Internet (5/10, 3/5 on this scale)

I've gotta stop reading the reviews on this site man. You people are homophobic as shit, uncurious as shit, and pretentious as shit. "Duhhh durrr it sounds like opera music, duhhh why does he sing like that????" How about read the fucking article! Are you a worm?

I'm so conflicted. Half of the songs I really liked the instrumentation on and I didn't even mind the voice really. Then the other half were so grating and drawn out and too long. I don't know! I truly don't know! I think I'm just gonna go with a 3 because I can't decide whether it was bad and I still enjoyed it or whether I thought I'd hate it more and I didn't.

Diferente OK

Very talented guy making music I just can't get into

Strong start and then boring. I liked Old Whore's Diet. 3/5

Really good But really long Its good and none of its bad. But its very very long

3.5

A bit theathrical at tlmes, but mostly good. 3.5 stars

I do think this album is pretty cool. Rufus is an interesting artist -- he has super famous musican parents, but has gone out of his way not to sound much like either. A lot of his stuff is in this caberet style that isn't following any current trends. He's like a gay Tom Waits that can really sing. Not his best album, but still good. Highlights for me were "The One You Love", "Gay Messiah", and "Old Whore's Diet". High 3.5 stars.

Talented but a little odd and airy

Um álbum intrigante. O tipo de disco que toda faixa é uma surpresa, e você nunca sabe o que virá a seguir. Desse modo, acaba se tornando uma escuta engajante e fascinante, então ao menos isso, o disco certamente não causa tédio e monotonia. Em alguns momentos, me lembrou bastante Radiohead, tanto no sentido instrumental mas principalmente no sentido vocal, com a voz do cantor me lembrando muito a voz de Thom Yorke. Comparação positiva, é claro. Todas as canções tiveram o mesmo resultado em mim. No começo eu estava apreensivo, chegava a levantar uma sobrancelha em espanto, mas até o final da faixa eu “entendia” o que estava acontecendo. Infelizmente, nem todo experimento aqui é totalmente contente. Há algumas canções que se estendem por tempo demais, e o disco em si poderia ter sido encurtado. 3/5

I really enjoyed "Waiting for a Dream" and a few other songs, but as a full album I think his vocal quirks (lotta mouth breathing) are kind of hard to listen to on end and some of the songs were really like...sharp? forlorn?

there's a fire in the priory and an ogre in the oval office <3

Some songs i really like but as a whole idk how to feel about this guy lol

Ok album beautiful voice

fav songs: waiting for a dream crumb by crumb theatrical, emotioal, well-composed 50/100

Not quite what I was looking for this morning, but I admire how singular Wainwright is, and what a set of pipes! Favourite track: Old Whore’s Diet

Waar Loverman zijn mosterd haalt… Tussen goed en art-farty

Interesting. It does sound like movie or even game soundtracks, probably because of the ballad character

He’s so dreamy. I’m fascinated by his whole family, and their work. But Rufus might be my favorite.

First listen

Good slow burn

It was ok but didn't really make me think it was great or anything.

Overrought and lovely.

This was pretty interesting. Good songwriting, introspective, a nice variety of sound here. Not really a Wainwright fan or anything but this whole listen kept my attention, I like the classical touches here and there, strings, piano, etc. It does get a little up its own ass here and there and that takes me out but overall I think its worth a listen, you might find something you like.

The Pepsi to Radioheads Coca Cola Classic

Surprised to see Rufus on this list. Proud Canadian. Excellent quality not too memorable for me.

A good album overall, I like the vibe. I don’t see myself go gojng back to it at all through. 3 stars

Thought I was gonna like this more when it started pero rapido se puso medio monotono. Su voz me acuerda Thom de Radiohead o el cantante de Keane pero the whailing quickly got old. Still an enjoyable sound y me gusto particularmente la instrumentacion 3/5

The cover is stunning, it really piqued my interest with the Art Nouveau theming. Very good album Rating: 3.5/5 GEMV (08.04.2026)

I think I mentioned it in my Want One review, but this just sounds like a discount (If fine) OK Computer from Radiohead. It's fine, but still not really wowing me. Like all the quiet chill parts of Radiohead without the more upbeat or urgent stuff like a Paranoid Android.

Ok

Noget af det havde nærmest en mellemøstlig lyd (fx åbningsnummeret), det var jeg ret vild med. Jeg kunne godt lide the one you love og flere andre sange, men i længden blev jeg lidt træt af hans jammer-tone

interesting. unfolds like a thom yorke musical.

++: Agnus Dei, Peach Trees, Gay Messiah, Crumb by Crumb +: The One You Love, Hometown Waltz, Memphis Skyline, Old Whore's Diet +-: The Art Teacher, This Love Affair, Waiting for a Dream -: Little Sister 5,8/10

He's got an amazing voice. I just think the songs are a bit too low key for me.

5/10

On my first listen I didn't really enjoy, but after listening to it a second time I thoroughly enjoyed. Will definitely be listening to more Rufus Wainwright!

I already got this album again and couldn’t bare to give it another listen. Here is my review from last year: 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.

2,6/5

Want None

I didn't even Want One in the first place, why would I Want Two? No, seriously, I should enjoy this much more than I did. Nothing bad, but nothing memorable either. It's like Radiohead, but without the spark.

This album is full of very rich arrangements and harmonies, I can't doubt it, it's great! That said, I just can't hook with Rufus Wainwright music. I'll give it a 3.

Overall, it’s a good album. Very melodic, very emotional, and there’s a kind of sadness running through it from the very beginning. Right away, it feels like there’s a strong influence from Jeff Buckley, almost like that same dramatic, expressive approach to vocals and songwriting. But at the same time, it never quite reaches the level of something like Grace. As the album goes on, it starts to feel a bit heavy. The sound and structure become repetitive, and by the last few tracks it gets a little strange and tiring, like it’s doing too much without enough variation. There’s a lot of intensity packed into it, which at first is interesting, but over time it can feel overwhelming. Still, there are some really beautiful moments, and you can tell there’s a lot of emotion behind it.

Nicht meins

Much better than I though!

6.5 / 10

Calming but a little samey. As much as I think the instrumentals to be quite well done, some of the text choices sour the album for me. Best songs are Little Sister and Old Whore's Diet. 6/10, a bit too slow for my taste.

Want Two is the moodier and melancholic sibling of the more upbeat and showtunesy Want One. I personally prefer Want One but my favorite song by Wainwright is on Want Two (The Art Teacher), but that's my point. You're never going to go wrong because everything he's released is worth your time.

6.5/10

This does sound like radiohead/thom yorke! With possibly the music bombasticness of Muse during The Resistance. Because this is so reminiscent of two bands I love, I don't hate this, but it's maybe a little slow for me. His singing is a bit pretentious and wore me out. 3*

Dirge

About 10% less pretentious then Want One

An impressive album for sure, I love how big and ambitions this album feels.. I don't think is on my taste to listen to it again 3/5

It's interesting that one of the songs here is a tribute to Jeff Buckley, because it does feel like Rufus Wainwright may have (inadvertently) slotted into a gap left by Buckley's death. Angus Dei was the track that most made me wish I was listening to Buckley instead (as has been pointed out, Wainwright's voice sounds more like Thom Yorke), but I liked a lot of this.

Bueno

I want one more then two actually

I’ve owned this album for years but hadn’t listened to anything but The Art Teacher for a long time. Love the concept, and the only album on the list that uses the line “baptized in cum.”

Rufus Wainwright is a type of artist you instantly recognize if you know him. I think sometimes he sounds really wonderful, and sometimes he’s just too much. I have seen him live once, and I have one of his other albums, Release The Stars, that I think is a pretty good album. This album I never really connected to. I enjoyed one song, and the rest was just okay. Favourite song: The One You Love

Not what I was expecting. He sounds like Thom Yorke. Like if Radiohead weren't experimental at all.

Want two more albums

Es loco no estoy segura de si me gustó

I don’t know if this is the only Rufus album on the list, but if so, I think Poses is far more deserving. Having not listened to Want One or Two before, I decided to listen to both, and also preferred Want One. So, I’m not sure why they chose the most boring of his albums to represent him. A lot of people here think he sounds like Thom Yorke, and I can see that more on his other albums than this one too! I will say, I’d never noticed the similarity until now, and now I can’t unhear it.

A beautifully haunting voice. Better in French

Solid singer-songwriter stuff from an absolute gayboss - supplemented by the generous strings, Rufus' voice really carries these tunes.

I have no idea how to rate this. A voice that was a mix of Muse’s Matt Bellamy and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, which definitely overshadowed anything else that was going on. Could’ve worked better with different instruments going on, but for the most part it was fine. 2.5 rounded up

I find the Victorian influence here pretty interesting but it sounds underbaked, with the instrumentation only really shining on a few standout tracks. Rufus' voice is doing the heavy lifting for most of the runtime, and while I do find it beautiful, it can't quite manage to carry the 53 minutes with minimal supporting arrangements. I happened to stumble onto a more recent performance of his, "I'm A Stranger Here Myself", and the difference is night and day! The Pacific Jazz Orchestra there complements his voice so much better than anything on Want Two, and ironically makes it shine all the more by making it less of a centered focus. Coming back to this project afterwards for a second listen, I still don't think the Thom Yorke thing he's doing works all that well, but knowing that Rufus can actually sound heavenly in the right context does make me appreciate the experimentation and the personality found here a bit more. Standouts: The One You Love • Hometown Waltz • Gay Messiah • Old Whore's Diet

I quite like Rufus, I saw live once and it was a great evening. I think this falls a bit short of greatness though: a bit too long and overwrought.

Agnus Dei - 3.5/5 The One You Love - 4.5/5 Peach Trees - 3/5 Little Sister - 3/5 The Art Teacher - 2.5/5 Hometown Waltz - 4/5 This Love Affair - 3/5 Gay Messiah - 3/5 Memphis Skyline - 2.5/5 Waiting For A Dream - 2.5/5 Crumb by Crumb - 3/5 Old Whore's Diet - 4/5

The last song is brilliant.

This sounded a lot like Radiohead. Pretty interesting album with solid voice and pacing. Lyrics were solid too. Old Whore's Diet was a interesting little samba diddy to end the whole thing. This one feels like a 3.5 and I'm rounding down because I know it isn't a 4.

A few songs in and this guy gives me Sufjan Stevens vibes. I do really like the strings in some of these songs. I really like his voice, but the songs end up kinda boring for me. It wasn't until Waiting for a Dream that my ears really perked up. I feel like I should like this because it has some really beautiful elements to it, but something about it falls flat. A bit too baroque and theatrical for me.

The musical equivalent of Radiohead fan fiction. Good, but not as good as the real thing.

have to retype this since the website keeps lagging… i thought this was alright honestly. does go on slightly too long but i do think rufus has quite an interesting voice. just maybe not being used quite as well as it could be here. not bad at all in my opinion though 😆

Suicide inducing. But not bad. 3

There's nothing really offensively bad about these albums. They are well made and well recorded. I don't really care much about singing voices but I'm sure Rufus Wainwright is considered a good singer. I really don't know why these just bounce off of me but it probably has to do with the fact that it is fairly seamless and polished but there's nothing strange enough for me to remember or be interested in. None of the hooks stick in my head for hours.

I dug it

Very grand. Good for listening to while doing something else. Not my style but the songwriting is great

nice, muse-eqsue. some songs better than others

Not my jam

As a zoomer, a lot of music like this sits in a total blind spot for me, cause I did not exist when most of it was made, and my parents were not into this kind of music. So I barely know anything about this stuff, let alone actually hearing it. My dad didn’t really get back into modern music till I could walk, and the stuff from the 2000s that I’ve gone back to listen to is mostly electronic and hip hop, or harder rock music. So a lot of this alternative soft adjacent kind of music that doesn’t get played on the radio has gone completely under the radar for me. Will all that being said, with all my love for other singer songwriters types (hell, I discovered badly drawn boy and Joanna newsom from this list!) I really thought I’d like this more. But it doesn’t do much for me. Maybe it’s too theatric? I can’t really but my finger on it but it’s just not my thing I guess. Gay Jesus kinda rules though.

It's clear that Wainwright wants to be Thom Yorke. I'm not the only one who has made that assumption. Unlike Radiohead, Rufus's output sounds repetitive. However, I like "Want Two"; it's a nice album. Now, on to the next record. 3 stars for "Want Two".

Nothing wrong with it, but not something I'd listen to again.

Beautiful singing. Not for me.

No one does the big camp wry yearning spectacle that is Rufus, or at least they didn't back in the 00s. Like at least of a few of his albums it's a sort of coming of age- ranging from the empassioned opener Agnes Dei, the meandering dreaminess of Peach Trees, via little baroque ditties, seasick burlesque choruses, and possibly the greatest show tune that never was - Gay Messiah. Excellent baroque pop piano and soft sweet harmonies. Not quite as consistent as I remember but still full of charm and originality. High 3

I like how they experiment with different sounds. Some tracks are not too bad. I don’t mind melancholic music but the problem is his voice.. he is fine but most time it feels like he just keeps singing only 2-3 notes…it sounds terribly hypnotic.

3.75

First impression - really nice. But on a second listen, I felt this album relied really heavily on Rufus amazing voice. I don't mind a good voice, but I feel musically this album isn't really my thing (too musical-like, or opera-like, same thing). It starts to feel samey after a few songs, in fact maybe the fantastic, but dominant voice doesn't help. A harsh 3, even though I'll happily enjoy the odd individual song. But this is an Album list.

Solid album heavily influenced by Radiohead

Although not the highest score, definitely an artist I'll be revisiting. I find the mix of studio recordings and live recordings off putting but I great overall sound. Obvious influence from Thom Yorke is also distracting

Unfortunately, Trump did.

7/10

Didn't get to this yesterday but I'll check it out right now. Hmmmm this is super cool sounding! whoa, that sure shifted from the first song to the next one. Okay some interesting songs here. I'm giving it 3.

It’s not completely terrible but self indulgent and overly whimsical are quite accurate descriptions. Not sure you need that many indie pop hipster albums on this list

Not super exciting but very pretty

I liked this album. My favorite track was The One You Love. There really isn’t much more to say about it lol.

Day 175 Heck of a voice, nice as background music. Highlights Little Sister The Art Teacher

really unique with a couple of standout tracks that i especially enjoyed (little sister, peach trees)

Weird, ok

Talented

I want to like this but there's just something missing that I can't put my finger on, I like his voice and the lyrical content but just something about the album is hitting my brain in the wrong way to really connect

could only get one song from the 'tube. It was ok.

There are some highlights on this such as the art teacher, memphis skyline and the one you love. All 3 are works of art. The rest of the album had me pining for the superior want one though. This is still a better album than all of his contemporaries were releasing at the time however.

Interesting album, didn't know what to expect. Very operatic pop sound and Rufus has a great voice for this style. Some boring tracks but was still a unique listening experience

He sings like Thom Yorke if he was trained as a choirboy. I liked some of this, but I found some of it quite dreary and forgettable. I will be returning to some songs though.

I want two give this one three stars

definitely noise

I wanted to not like it but it wasn't awful. Nice for when you want something chill.

Pretty good.

Is this a Thom Yorke alias? A lot of resemblance here to the Radiohead lead. Overall, the record is eclectic and unique. It’s a good sound throughout and has some enchanting harmonies. Very easy going.

Rufus almost lost me in the very first minute with his nails on a chalkboard instrumental interlude but if you can survive that to the introduction of his melodious vocals you might be pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album that floats like a feather on a light breeze.

Very interesting sounding record, reminds me a lot of radio head especially the vocals. But to me it’s not as groundbreaking and the first track is a total write off that I had to skip, but not bad otherwise

This an artist that I knew the name, but couldn't really tell you a song by them. I really like the vibe of this album, kind of reminds me of Keane, one of my OG fav bands!

3.2 2-3x catch up over multiple days, rated on 2/25. it grew on me for sure

Why are we hearing him taking so many loud breaths in some of these songs? Is this more common than I realize and I'm just noticing it for the first time? Maybe it's the combo of his breath and how pronounced his esses are that makes it particularly distracting. I also don't love his voice in general. Anyway, there's something that feels kind of pretentious about this. I can't really put my finger on why, I just couldn't connect with what he was putting down in any meaningful way. And some of it sounded like bad Radiohead music. I wouldn't listen to this again but the second song was decent, and the last song came out with some grooves and some Anohni that I guess saved it from Twosville (the parts when Rufus isn't singing).

Wahrscheinlich musikalisch ziemlich gut. Speziell, nicht mein Ding. Der Track mit dem Kunstlehrer war weird..

simultaneously interesting and obnoxious. "Memphis Skyline" is a nice tribute to Jeff Buckley.

Pretty alright but not as good as Want One

Oeeh, The one you love is een heerlijk popplaatje! Die komt wel ff binnen, maar ik maak me wel ook meteen een klein beetje zorgen; de stem kan nogal zeikerig gaan worden na een tijdje dus ben ik benieuwd of ik me er aan ga irriteren na een tijdje! Heel bijzonder album, ik heb het idee dat Rufus gewoon alle genres probeert af te vinken en maar door blijft gaan. Er is pop, er is een ballad, er is een soort theater/musical nummer, er is een wals. Niet alles werkt, en ik denk altijd meteen weer aan de vergelijking met een all you can eat buffet, maar in deze lijst vind ik het eigenlijk wel een hele prettige afwisseling. Ik was wat bang dat zn stem me kapot zou irriteren omdat het wel wat zeikerig kan zijn, maar tot nu toe(ruim over de helft van het album) valt het me mee. Waarschijnlijk ook weer omdat de muziek interessant en afwisselend genoeg is dat het me er bij houdt. Want uiteindelijk is de stem van de zanger toch wel heel erg Radiohead. En daar ben ik nog altijd geen fan van. Maar ik denk dat de afwisseling me er toch een beetje bij helpt. Nummer als Old Whore's diet is bijvoorbeeld echt Hi-la-risch. Wtf is dit? Op een positieve manier, dit album gaat alle kanten op. Zang is ok, niet geweldig, maar instrumentaal en qua genres maakt het dit album toch net iets interessanter dan een normaal indie album. Ik twijfel tussen 3 en 4 sterren, maar neig denk ik net naar 3 vanwege de zanger die me toch niet helemaal pakt en net iets te veel Radiohead vibes geeft. FAVO: The one you love, Hometown Waltz, Waiting for a dream

What can I say about this album...it was great! I enjoy hearing Rufus sing.

6/10 This is an interesting album. I know Rufus Wainwright by name, but I’m not really familiar with his work. He’s a very talented vocalist that drifts quite nicely between a Thom Yorke style and a more flamboyant folksy pop style. There were some really lovely moments on the record, and I found myself kind of lost in the sound mix now and again, which is generally a pretty nice place to be. With that being said, there were also moments when I was trying to find something to hold on to and I couldn’t quite find it, despite enjoying the auditory experience. It was kind of like trying to catch smoke in that a little motif or moment would happen and you’d reach for it, but by the time you got there, it slipped between your fingers and went off in a slightly different direction. It also felt a little jumbled stylistically, as there were very sparse, pretty piano and vocal focused pieces, those with more of a musical theatre edge and those with almost more of an indie edge to them, and the way the album went from one to the other of those styles didn’t seem altogether that smooth. When things connected, this was a very pretty wash of sound, but I don’t think that, having listened to it a couple of times, there are any real moments that have stuck in my head by the time the album ends, which is a little bit of a shame. I fell like with a little bit of trimming and some song sequencing changes, I’d probably get a bit more out of this album, but it’s probably a touch too inconsistent and long for my particular tastes. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, but I find it unlikely that I’ll be returning to an album that didn’t really click with me in any meaningful way. Agnus Dei - There’s some pretty horrible scratchy strings in the beginning of this. They’re bad enough that the dog got disturbed and ran out of the room. When the vocal comes in, it’s really pretty. The wash of tone in the orchestration is really, really lovely and warms things up for the album. It’s not necessarily a brilliant track on its own, but as an album opener, it’s really good. The One You Love - We get a bit more of a groove here. He makes some nice rhythmic choices with his vocal delivery. It kind of sounds like a more upbeat Radiohead, but with less nuance and variation in the main melodic lines than their better work. It’s still decent though, and there’s some nice work across the instrumentation to keep things fresh. Peach Trees - Another Radiohead-lite song, but with a slightly latin edge to it. It’s very pretty, but it’s also quite one paced. There’s plenty going on that floats around the main vocal and guitar lines to give things a bit more depth, and some of the backing vocal additions are really nice, but it all feels just a tiny bit too locked into one rhythm for my taste. Little Sister - I’m beginning to get the ‘baroque-pop’ tag that this gets. It’s quite twee. His vocal is very good, but it’s all a bit too roaming and whimsical for me, and lacks a coherent centre, preferring to float around and create a pleasant embrace of tonality, and it ends on quite a funny and overly dramatic note. The Art Teacher - This is far more sparse. It’s again very pretty but is another quite meandering track and despite his vocal flourishes, it’s all a little bit samey throughout. It feels a very personal track, but it still feels a little bit aimless and despite bing pleasant also isn’t that exciting. Hometown Waltz - This feels like a kind of transitional song from a musical. The piano work is good, but it’s all a little bit too whimsical for my tastes. I feel like the album is kind of drifting around to too many styles to feel completely coherent at this point. This Love Affair - Another sparse number that soars and dives with great dynamic range. There’s a bit more musical variety to the track here and his vocal is wonderful. It’s perhaps still not got a real hook to it, but I think it really works despite that. Some of the orchestration is lovely too. Gay Messiah - This is quite plodding and aimless. It picks up the pace a little bit half way through, but the rhythm still remains pretty metronomic. I feel like he hasn’t really found the central motif for this song and just wanders around over the top of a fairly basic repeating chord structure. Tonally, it’s a pleasant listen, but musically it feels a little lacking. Memphis Skyline - This is about Jeff Buckley, apparently. There’s a bit of a theme here in that it’s very pretty, but feels a bit meandering and aimless in some respects. Again, it’s a sparse arrangement and I do appreciate the dynamic range and subtlety of the performance, but it also feels like there’s nothing substantial to grab on to. Waiting For A Dream - The alternating between the effect soaked and very forward vocals is a bit jarring to begin with, but it feels like it’s building to something. The slow groove to this is nice in an almost Air or Zero-7 way. It’s a little disconnected from the rest of the album in that way, but again, this is a very pretty song. There’s more of a central focus to this and while it does drift around, it feels a bit more anchored. Crumb By Crumb - This is another with a bit of a show tune edge to it. There are moments that are decent here, but it’s quite cheesy and doesn’t have the depth of emotion or range to the composition that a lot of the rest of the album has. It’s a pleasant enough pop song, but it doesn’t really completely connect with me. Old Whore's Diet - Theres quite a lot that goes on with this track. It’s a bit of a journey that transitions through different phases and sections. It’s quite a spectacle of a song and leans a bit more to that showy side again. It’s all a little bit too grand for me and feels a little too crowded in places too.

If I could give this negative stars I would

Too much of this album reminded me of a lounge singer. When he picked up the energy it was much better. 3+

Listening to Rufus makes me sleepy. Don't really dig his stuff.

Very melodic, very uplifting, a bit dreamy and drifty. I liked it. I wish I could make more out of the lyrics, but it's still a jam. I like the strong power cords and ethereal voice work.

I listened to this twice and enjoyed it both times. Hours later I’ve forgotten which songs were which. Thus the 3 rating.

This was a pretty good album! I like Rufus wainwright he has some pretty good stuff!

Little sister is cool. Agnus Dei is cool. Don’t think I’ll be going back to this one though

Globalement j’ai plutôt bien aimé, mais je suis mitigée sur certaines sonoritésw.

Want Two is a pretty solid album. It has been quite a while since i have heard Want One and this album is described as it's darker cousin but i find both these albums to be cut from the same cloth. This album also seems to juggle several tones from love songs to tragic songs and from comedic songs to serious songs. I did quite like what the album did, i thought that it could sound pretty darn beautiful and the regular pop rock songs (Mainly The One You Love) were pretty good listens to. I think i prefer this album to Want One but i think that might be a recency bias thing. Other than that, i don't have much else to say about this album. Best Song: This Love Affair Worst Song: Crumb by Crumb

Slow, stripped-down tracks reminiscent of Radiohead. I feel like I'm in a Frieren episode listening to Thom Yorke narrate our journey thus far.

While there has been too many albums that I just hated as their genre just doesn't work for me, you also come across pieces like this. I'd never heard of this artist, but I enjoyed it. This is the important component of this journey.

Familiar with name, not the music. Seemed like ok singer songwriter stuff that had a couple different elements to it but nothing was really capturing my attention. About halfway through I was getting bored and a little annoyed it wasn't over yet. Not for me, but nothing wrong with it

Me entró muy bien, aunque luego fui perdiendo interés 7

I wanted to like this more. 3.5 rounded down.

Apple Music listed this as “rock”. I’d call it “pop”. Some good stuff here (Peach Trees) but he has always been hit and miss for me. 2.5 rounded up.

I didn't mind this album and enjoyed the sound of his vocals - but I think I wasn't in the mood. I'd be interested to pop this one on for a listen when I'm feeling moody and whiney - just the ticket.

Not the biggest fan of the drawling and monotone vocals, but I appreciate Rufus' lyricism and guitar work.

I want to like this album more than I actually do. It's a bit too experimental for my taste and there are a few songs where I got tired of Wainwright's technique. So I am inclined to round my 3.5 stars down to 3 as a consequence.

There was certainly a buck to be made trying to be like radiohead. This album is certainly listenable but not very memorable. I guess I'll give it a 3 because I think it was well produced and I like the cover etc.

It sounds quite gay to me, which I like. Very emotional. Bit whiny. The drama! Few ups and downs tho. 3.

Really loved this album when it came out (and a lot more than Want One)-lots of beauty and theatrics. Upon a re-listen, it doesn’t quite hold up, but it’s pretty good. Really like 2.5 stars.

Drags on a bit, though ironically the longest track (Old Whore's Diet) is my favourite by a mile

3,5

Not my style on anyway shape or form but not unpleasant. Rufus is undeniably a good vocalist with an excellent tonal quality that fits nicely with this big band lite pop music. While the lyrics are remarkably personal, they seem somehow to fit the mood of the album. At times upbeat but mostly sad, the theatrical quality to this pop music makes it enjoyable. What I do recognize is that I am unqualified to judge this work. I’m sure those who connect with this left field form of pop will love it and consider it an exemplar of the form. I absolutely have no idea. I do note the shift in music sound and form and am impressed with the attention to detail in the sound quality. Thus would make perfect headphone music. For me, in terms of enjoyment it’s a 3/5 but completely subjective.

Hørtes ut som Jeff Buckley hadde digga Beatles enda mer. Eventuelt Tim Buckley? Hadde store forventninger til plata, men følte ikke helt at det innfridde. Noen fine låter, kanskje særlig "Hometown Waltz", men kjedet meg litt fordi det føltes litt tannløst. Flinkismusikk

Interesting listen. Has some accoustic Radiohead vibes in spots. Good background album. Doesn't command attention but I feel if I were listening with headphones I would be transported.

Not for me, but still better than Radiohead. True rating would be a 2.5.

Whining like a ghost

Only know mr Wainwright from singing the hallelujah cover featured in Shrek. This album was alright but a little sleepy from listening to it all in one sitting. The songs all felt very similar. I did like the Art Teacher.

First two tracks and the last one were great, the rest just didn’t do much for me. Rufus does have a great voice.

had no idea what this was going on but i enjoyed it and will probably go back soon. good autumnal music

3+ Stars (9/15)

Übergang Agnus Dei zu the one you love —> whiplash Lyrics nicht so stark Violins Violins Violins!! Letztes drittel wieder stärker

Not as good as the previous album, by far, though still rather good.

It feels like he’s trying to do too much. It’s not bad. He is ambitious and that’s respectable. But there’s a lot here. And a good portion sounds like mediocre Thom Yorke impression. I don’t hate it. This might be better than the first. It just doesn’t feel like a complete project. And we really did not need more than one record from this artist, if any. 3/5

*A heavy emotional album that is beautiful at times, but drags a bit as well *This grew on me as I listened...didn't like it at first, but thought it was ok by the end.

I really liked this

A bit depressing

Umm. Not bad. Glad I heard it, I like his vocal style, sounds a bit like a more easy listening Radiohead. But all the songs seem a bit samey here with not much standing out. Also seems like this isn't his notably best album, so this is another one why I'm not sure this is the one featured on this generator?

French jumpscare in this. I mean, it's alright. I was pretty negative at first but it won me over towards the end when it became less folk and more alt rock. Kind of forgettable overall.