Want Two

Dross

Catchy lyrics and emotive vocals. Enjoyed the operatic quality of the album. Really helps bring the listener in for a musical voyage.

That was awesome. Genuinely surprised the lead singer wasn’t the guy from Muse, but definitely vocally similar to him/Thom Yorke

Just a lot of audible groaning sounds to me

forgettable

A long drawn out opening, followed by The One You Love. Great track, tight and inviting. A lot of the songs are pleasant - no more. It can sometimes feel like listening to Thom Yorke with a less talented group of musicians in support. So he can sing. I wish he dropped the classical songs completely. Little Sister is just annoying, as is Hometown Waltz. If I’m being honest I was glad when it ended. He wants two, he can have two. 2/5

A tepid bowl of weak soup

There’s an awful lot going on here and it takes time, several listens, to unpack it all. The sweepingly ambitious atmosphere belies the lyrics which give the sense of a man wondering what the world is becoming and what his place might be within it. The production veers between incredibly lush orchestral treatments to stripped down numbers, and often a highly effective mixture of both. It’s the interplay of light and shade, weight and lightness, as much as anything that makes this album work. Dinner At Eight has been justly lauded (including by David Bowie no less) as one of the great father and son songs, heartbreaking, angry, pleading and defiant all at once. Harvester is an odd conception of a love song but poignantly beautiful. Fun facts: the father with whom Rufus ’interacts’ is Loudon Wainright (also III).

Breathtakingly pretentious. Want to love it. He can be brilliant, obviously, but more often works my nerves a bit.

It was good. Almost sounded like early Radiohead Thom Yorke.

Prefer the first one - but ok

Fell asleep halfway

Album went from chamber music to borderline reggae in parts of the last song. I appreciate the ambitious effort but it’s simply too spread out to be cohesive. Long, drawn out songs didn’t help the case either

It was pretty good

Mediocre melancholy rock. Gay Messiah and Crumb by Crumb were interesting but not representative of the rest of the album

Freaky ah dude

Pretty good album, felt like it was from a different era but I enjoyed the listen.

I guess it wasn't awful, but it was just so low energy. It felt like it drug on and on and I was just waiting for it to be over.

So much good music in here and you just know it's going to grow on you.

Yeah you can tell he likes radiohead 2/5

I prefer Want Two quite a bit to Want One. Rufus is more enjoyable in this darker mode, especially when it's just him at the piano and he dials back the pomp and humour. The Thom Yorke comparisons (sorry) continue to be inevitable because he does just sound so similar, especially the major to minor transitions, but in its own way this is an enhancer. The weakest moments for me are when his trying to make the audience laugh.

I think the fact that the Legacy section on wikipedia article for this album only says it was included on this list sums it up better than I possibly could. Bad songs, badly performed.

Wow, this was boring. His voice is so dreary that I had to go and eat some ice cream just to cheer myself up

Want two, get two

You can tell it's the album he wanted to make, but it's not doing much for me. 2.5☆

giving Thom Yorke

Good music very esoteric

3/5

Beautiful album. The Art Teacher was my favourite song.

Too whiney for my taste

Kind of an interesting album. Getting the sequel before the first album in this duology is a curious choice. This is allegedly the darker of the two, and it certainly sounds that way so far. There's a kind of operatic and dreamlike feel to much of the album, which gives it a distinct sound. I don't think I'd seek out this album again but it was quite interesting to hear. I look forward to when Want One is put my way.

I really liked this album from the guy that I thought sang the best version of Hallelujah for a minute before I found out it was actually John Cale on Shrek

This guy kinda sounds like the radio head singer

Boring…

It’s a grower … I liked it more the longer it was on. Old Whore’s Diet is a highlight.

den andra låten var kanon men sen blir det bara mycket piano och stråkar

Slightly better than Radiohead.

I don't Want Two listen to this album again

I liked this rather a lot. Pretty close to a five star album. His voice seems to annoy folks here, but I liked it, for the most part (there was one song where his audible inhales were a little annoying). Waiting for a Dream reminded me of Elbow.

i liked this more than i thought, which still isn't much. while there is some interesting stuff going on here it overall just feels so dated, like more than 20 years dated. won't be returning to it any time soon.

How can an album with songs called “Gay Messiah” and “Old Whore’s Diet” be so fucking BORING. Also, dude needs to stop slurp-breathing into the microphone.

Why Two and not the two? That aside, I think I prefer One to Two.

Points for anyone who is a singer songwriter. Solid performance

recognized his name because he’s collabed with carly rae jepsen. respect. i also liked this!

I’m not sure what exactly I thought this would be but I don’t think this was it. Nothing really stood out to me.

Really nice album.

rubbish

Rufus actually wrote Old Whores Diet about Lens 13th wife. To be fair, it was a terrible diet! 2.1

meh

i like this one

Un poco engolado, alguna buena canción.

If i spent more time with this I could see it creeping up to a low 4, some really interesting things going on and generally up my street. After one listen though i find it a bit too disjointed and there are 3-4 tracks that don’t do much for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've had want one for years, can't believe I never got around to this. Lovely.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. Quite a breath of fresh air

Just giving him what he asked for.

Un álbum de pop ¿barroco? muy interesante por su ambición y eclecticismo. Tiene un poco de todo: pop, gospel, vals, toques arabescos, y hasta una misa en latín. La voz es muy buena, y técnicamente es un álbum impecable. Pero a pesar de su calidad, se me ha hecho un poco pesado. Me ha parecido un álbum demasiado pretencioso, con una voz muy quejica y monótona en todas las canciones. Tiene partes muy buenas, pero no me apetece mucho volver a escucharlo.

Two too many from Rufus on this list. In the four songs I lasted a vocal similarity to Thom Yorke reared its head, but otherwise its OTT business as usual.

What really lowered this for me was that clear winking desire to "elevate" mall muzak offerings with that specific brand of smug Bush-era liberalism. I believe Rufus could have made good music instead, he has it in him, but he made Dear Sister which is just the worst. I know that's "the point" but there's not love or fun like a Residents song it's just disgustingly and puke-inducingly sweet in tone. This whole album is a Poe's Law situation,

Heard of Rufus but never listened to him before. Dude thinks he's Radiohead 1/5

Someone's review was "this is the worst Radiohead album" and I'm not sure there's a better explanation.

Want Two is a decent album, beautifully written and well produced. But it feels so pretentious. Like this was the culmination of all music that came before, and all music that would come after. There were a couple tracks that I enjoyed more, Gay Messiah and Waiting for a Dream were worth adding to my list. But odds are unlikely that I’ll revisit this one.

the one you love

Compared to his other entry on this list, "Want One", I could almost copy and paste my review for that album and put it down here. Still very heartfelt, I still enjoy listening more than I think I will, still pleasantly surprised, still simple, yet entirely complex, still a great album start to finish, if not, a little repetitive. Main difference to me are the opener and closers. They stand apart from the rest of the album (as well as the previous album) as being freeingly experimental. I enjoyed that a lot, but for the rest of the tracks, not as good on the whole as Want One. Otherwise, hurrah. 4/5

Musically this is good, and usually something I would like, but omfg his singing is horrible. He whines and drones on. I don't want to hear this guy again.

My wife’s a big Rufus Wainwright fan but I’d not heard any of his stuff save for a handful of songs and his cover of Hallelujah from the Shrek soundtrack. This was a superb album, so many beautifully miserable ballads. Standouts were The Art Teacher and Old Whore’s Diet, as well as the couple of live tracks sung in French.

wasnt that big on it

it's very cool + cancon. i think i will warm up to this more listening to it

sounds classy but also quiet boring

It's quite nice, but it didn't really captivate me

Very strong opening with Agnus Dei, reminded me of Popol Vuh. However the second track The One You Love went downhill immediately. His singing strongly reminds me of Thom Yorke, sounding like some kind of acoustic Radiohead, with his weird mumbly vocals, and the vocals on The Art Teacher I especially ssssssfffff hated because of the ssssssffff way he would suck in ssssssffffff breaths between his sssssssffffff teeth throughout. In a word, pretentious. In two words, pretentious and insufferable. In three words, pretentious, insufferable and overlong.

A tantalizing recording

The opening track was not it, a straight minute of noise from a violin that leads into some over the top introduction. After that things definitely got better, the soft ambience that casted across most of the songs was nice (albeit repetitive at times). I do enjoy baroque pop every now and then but this album was a bit too classical for my taste. Not to say this was bad in fact I did like a majority of the songs on here. A great album for those who like a mix of classical, pop, and a bit of homosexuality. Best - The One You Love, The Art Teacher, Gay Messiah (fav), Crumb By Crumb (close second) Worst - Agnus Dei 3.50/5

Wainwright seems to be aiming for something grandiose on this album, but a lot of the songs are overcooked and have too many sections or parts, and the net effect is that they meander rather than getting to the point; some judicious editing could have helped tighten them up. The arrangements on this album also pile on instrument after instrument but paradoxically they make the songs more generic-sounding. At its worst, the overly-busy instrumentation is practically in competition with Wainwright's voice. (I'm looking at you, "Little Sister".) However, the two standout tracks on the album, "The Art Teacher" and "Waiting for a Dream", avoid both of those mistakes - the songwriting on these is uncomplicated and direct, and the restrained arrangements give Wainwright's vocals room to breathe.

My expectations were much higher, Rufus

Eh it was okay. I'm not sure if I was in a mood or it just didn't speak to me.

Nice

I find the vocals on this irritating.

I take pains not to compare or mention other artists in any of my reviews. But I must in this case say that Rufus Wainwright gives me Radiohead vibes. The reason I bring this up is once I couldn't shake that comparison Then the issues crop up, until I stopped and said "but he is NOT, and this is not the same thing!" Right, he has that vibe but he is is own musician. Yes. Also he is pretty good on his own as it is. His dynamic overall did not entice me too much, although I paid attention here and there. He is one of those musicians that you "almost thought you heard that song" from, but realize it must have been someone else. (That search is always continuing). Maybe that is what it is with Rufus Wainwright? Maybe he is "like" and "almost" but not just quite there among similar artists.

Decent music. Just not really my thing, and not really the mood I'm in atm. 3/5

From Kings of Leon to the Beta Band to this guy, I can’t help but feel like the makers of this list did not have great foresight about who was going to come out of the 2000s interesting or relevant. Best song: Peach Trees

Un album lyrique dans tous les sens du terme, où les textes sont aussi très porteurs, couplés à des arrangements sensuels et luxuriants. La voix de Wainwright m'agace un peu, mais je reconnais la qualité de l'ensemble

Canadiohead

Очень прикольно

Pretty voice, but for an artist in my usual favorite genre of singer-songwriter folk, didn’t grab me as much as I would hope. I enjoyed “Peach Trees”. Solid record.

Interesting

Quite like the album before this one, and I quite like Rufus' voice but this one was a lot more bland and wishy washy. Highly mid - a 2.5 which I've generously rounded up

I'm glad that "Want One" was taken off the list at some point because the inclusion of two of these fucking albums is ridiculous. 1.41

Rufus Wainwright is great

Why is he mumbling?

This was unexpected and pretty awesome. Reminded me of Vampire Weekend in a good way. Will definitely be returning to this.

Similar to the last album I got of his on this challenge, this music is fine as background music as I am going through daily motions. I don’t understand why we needed more than 1 album of his on this list though. It just makes me think of how many better and more deserving albums are left off because of decisions like this.

Dollar-store Thom Yorke, but with much less melody and control over chords and vocals. 2-3 decent songs.

Didn't seem like anything too exceptional to me, was an average album with some weird french bits in it.

Strange but endearing. Not sure how to feel about it all to be honest. Some of the songs are looong, and the vocals are quite drawn out and whiny. Would have been cool to have more riffs instead of mostly straight tones. Some fun instrumentals and backing vocals. Some dissonant harmonies which I enjoy. Kinda reminds me of a musical.

Wainwright called this album the darker sibling of "Want One" and that's pretty accurate. In my review of that album, I compared it Sufjan Stevens, who has his share of dark songs, but they're usually disguised as fairly upbeat numbers. Maybe this one is somewhere in between that and Leonard Cohen, though it doesn't quite match. At any rate, it's not a bad album and one that I might return to. The appearance by Anohni was a nice surprise.

Every nothing-much album that turns up on this list reminds me that the brilliant Midnight Oil don't appear at all. In fact, no Australian bands appear on it. Anyway, This album is just nothing. Leave the singing to daddy.

This album has some really great stuff but also some crap. I guess I'll give it a 3 even though it would be funnier to give it a 2 (songs are either 2 or 4 songs for me).

Put this guy and the singer from Muse in a room and lock the door. Forever.

Not too bad, solid songwriting, elaborate arrangements, heartfelt singing. Just not my cup of tea.

I did like this more than expected but overall not exceptional

Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Not sure what to expect from each song and it kept me on my toes.

is the dude trying to sound like thom yorke? methinks the answer is “yes”. twas ok.

Whiny and gross. A few songs were ok but overall, hard pass.

I question this entire list!

This is the guy that shows up at a party with a guitar and thinks everyone everyone wants plain sing and no one does.

Hot garbage! I had to turn it off. I fucking hate this guy

I was liking this at first but the style got boring fast and really dragged on in the middle. He has a very whiney style of singing. I’m not sure if the first few songs were better than the next seven or if I was just more receptive before hearing 20 minutes the same. Favorite songs were: The one you love - liked the rhythm and pace of the song Crumb by Crumb - upbeat and melodic; even Rufus’ vocals on this track were less droney 4/10

Rufus is just not my guy. He's not bad, but he really doesn't seem special or stand out at all. So far that's two Rufus albums, which seems excessive. I have consulted the list and know that there is not a single Danzig album on here. Two Rufus' and no Danzigs? Explain yourself. Album cover: (B+) It looks like someone who's into magic the gathering decided to start making candles. I can dig it.

We listened to "Want One" very recently. He is once again immediately reminding me of Andrew Bird with the string instruments being played unusually. "The One You Love" is another Andrew Bird ass song. They were releasing music right at the same time, I wonder if they hung out. This song is really good. "Little Sister" has great strings and a fun pacing. I feel a little like it's a big orchestral disney number. This could be in a musical or an animated movie. "Hometown Waltz" also has great vocals and backing instrumental. Rufus has a very full sound, so many instruments and big swells. "Waiting For A Dream" has a fun bass heavy backing. The backing vocalists on "Crumb by Crumb" sound really nice. This man is plucking his violin strings. I know what that sounds like Rufus. 8/10

There's a quality to his voice that just doesn't sit well on my ears and gets kind of annoying so I didn't really enjoy this.

"Hometown", "Crumb by Crumb" are good. They are also the most upbeat songs. But other songs - "This love affair", for example - are mopey, which invites comparisons to Radiohead.

This didn't do much for me. Not bad, just nothing special.

This sounded like a high school version of Radiohead. It was awful.

4.5

Simply not my cup of tea. I like several of the songs that were more traditionally structured as a song cycle of AABA, but the operatic cuts left me cold.

Pretty big fan of Rufus and the whole Wainwright family. Used to listen to Poses a lot back in the day, but don't I ever listened to this one all the way through. And I think it might be my favorite by him. Sounds more like a cohesive album than some of his other records

Love Me some Rufus! Love how he unabashedly sings!

I love Rufus Wainwright for his candor and wit as much for his voice, but this album has a little too much remove for it to grab me. Poses is the RW for me, particularly "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk", one of the best songs ever.

To peruse his back catalog, with its interpretations of Shakespearean sonnets and even opera (Prima Donna, 2009), Rufus Wainwright seems like a man born in the wrong era. I had that sense while listening to Want Two, that he should really focus his energies on writing musicals (which is what sent me looking through his discography). Listening to him makes me wish that my mom, a classically trained soprano who was never short of opinions about contemporary vocalists, were still alive, because I find his voice to be my primary sticking point. While he's clearly not shy about belting it out, to me it's not quite up to the primary billing he gives it in his music. That said, Wainwright is clearly capable of creating lush stirring music — check out "April Fool's" from an earlier release, one of my favorite songs from the early aughts, or Prima Donna (he merely composed the music but doesn't sing). These are strong compositions with good arrangements. "Gay Messiah" is a great song.

Never listened to this Canadian all that much but there's a nice lil ridiculosity to his lyrics and man does he sound like a happy Thom Yorke or what? Go pick some tulips Rufus come back and tell us about your tulips

My first wife was really into Wainwright around the time we broke up, so you can probably imagine that I don't love to hear his voice even 20+ years later. That said, it's an objectively good voice, and he's a clever enough songwriter. Just happens to be something I'll probably never choose to listen to for personal reasons.

Gay Radiohead somehow escaped my notice but I actually really like this. I'm not sure it belongs on The List but I dig it a lot.

This is maybe where I get petty. Or lazy. Or probably both. I didn't make it through this one. I really do not mesh with Rufus' voice. (Though for some reason I love Martha's...go figure.) Super talented dude. But yea, just can't do that voice.

What a strong, enchanting voice, even if he gets a little mush-mouthed sometimes. The writing is strong, but the songs themselves felt sometimes tedious. I thought it was too self-serious, then read the lyrics and found them often funny or at least tongue-in-cheek. I'd missed it because the words and melodies were so drawn out. So it's a great showcase of his voice, but not so much his songwriting. I wanted to enjoy it but ultimately couldn't wait for it to be over.

8/10. This is a really majestic album. I felt Thom Yorke vibes coming from this album, for some reason.

Some quite interesting tracks. Quite a few crap ones!

3 - I liked it, but I just don't think its one for the list tbh

Peach Trees sounds like a Radiohead song. A lot of this sounds like Radiohead tbh. I like the less theatrical bits generally. Fave Tracks: Agnus Dei, The One You Love, Peach Trees, Old Whore's Diet 3.5/5

Music for people with rather low interest in music. Emo nudger par excellence

Want Two is certainly more than I wanted. It’s a decent album, I don’t quite get the hype, he’s no Elliott Smith, as I’ve seen him compared too. Maybe to baroque for me. Want one was enough. 5.7/10

I liked the first song with the Latin lyrics kinda gave a Beatles/Led Zeppelin psychedelic vibe. After that tho the songs were very average and nothing really stood out to me

i really liked it. i didn’t finish my review but the albums done so im just writing this here before it boots me out. great album for shaz. also shoutout to the album cover because it’s easily the prettiest we had like i love the aesthetic stand-out songs: the one you love, peach trees🥇, the art teacher, gay messiah, crumb by crumb

⭐⭐⭐⭐ – 3[.8] of 5 stars. This one was really interesting in my opinion. Definitely not an easy listen, and it's one that I'm definitely going to need to go back on. But this review is mainly just my first impression. It's very classical-inspired and I really like the wide range of instruments throughout, it's another really unique-sounding album in my opinion. I really liked the dissonance between the voice and instruments in "The One You Love," the really whack instrument arrangements of the opener, and the constant build-up of the last track. Favourites: Memphis Skyline, Peach Trees⭐, The One You Love.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM A LOT 🔥🔥🔥🔥 4.6/5

Started off as a 1 for me - too annoying. Worked itself up to a 3 by the end - some catchy bits. Averages out to a 2

Too theatrical for me, but there are nice songs here and there.

Enjoyed this one.

Such a pretty album. Hypnotizing vocals and instrumentals. Three stars, at least!

Densely pretty and melancholy. I’m not sure I needed to listen to it before I died. I imagine it would’ve been better had it just been a part of Want One.

This is the album that got me in to Rufus. This is him at the height of his powers, a perfect album.

I've never been a huge fan of Rufus Wainwright, but I've had a soft spot for him since first hearing his cover of "Across the Universe." There's something about his voice that manages to sound warm and soothing without crossing the line into annoying Kermit impersonation (but just barely). I've never listened to one of his albums though, so I the only other songs I know are "California" and his cover of "Hallelujah." I vaguely remember seeing him perform at my college back in the day for like $10, though I can't really remember anything about the show, other than that his sister Martha was also there and she had a good voice too. All that to say I didn't hate this album, but it didn't do much for me either. His voice is good, and he has an impressive range, both in terms of physical vocal range and genre. I'm usually not a fan of melodramatic baroque music, but I've heard worse than this (though I prefer the more conventional songs on here). I honestly wasn't paying super close attention to a lot of the lyrics. Mostly I just found it kind of boring, which is how I'd sum him up in general. A talented guy with a pleasant voice who makes music I don't really love. He seems like a very niche act, and I'm not really sure how much of an impact his music has on anyone outside of the small group who listen to him, so I'm not really sure why this album is on here. 3/5

Lite skumt, men helt ok

You all heard about my Rufus Wainwright debacle… but here are my serious thoughts: Yo am I crazy or does this sound like Radiohead for normies??🤣

Took me a couple tries to listen. Not entirely unpleasant but it did piss me off

not my cuppa tea but nice nonetheless !

Gooood his voice gets grating after a while

Eclectic mix

Too mellow for me. Interesting that it has medieval or historical sounds to it.

Sing Songwriter, sing!

Didn't give this a 1 because there were some interesting instrumental parts and a few solid grooves. However, wow, I hate his "singing." I get trying to have a unique sound but he doesn't have the resonance in his voice to pull off those long notes. Also you cannot have an 8 minute long song where you only repeat one phrase over and over again. It's not interesting, even if the background music changes and even worse like in this album where it doesn't.

Ok I guess. A lot of soulful mourning and moaning.

it's a good album, i've actually studied this album in a lecture before haha. not too outstanding in anyway thoooo fav song: i don't know what it is

I'm not the biggest fan of the intro. The album is melodic, and sounds like he appreciates nice artwork. His calm voice complements the music. It's probably a good album to listen to while driving with a girl however, I would skip the last song.

a weirdly interesting voice, songs are ok

Id maybe give this one a 2.5 but that would be a bit generous. Overall it was pretty boring.

On par with the Beatles

A long the since I've heard this album. Wainwright has a beautiful melliferous voice and his music has it's very own inimitable style. This would be a good album to check out if you're new to Rufus Wainwright. 4/5

Usually I like baroque pop and singer-songwriter albums but somehow it wasn't for me, I've found it quite boring and not really interesting and his voice isn't nice either. Good album cover though.

4-5 (5) The one you love

No

I briefly dated someone who ripped me the first 4 of Rufus Wainwright's albums, which included this one. I dutifully listened to all of them at the time, and then left them sitting in my collection untouched ever since. Listening to this album again today, I'm reminded why. He's a talented songwriter who makes some beautiful music, but his vocal delivery quickly gets on my nerves. I can't take a whole album of songs with him crooning his way through them. Didn't realize until today that one of these songs is about Jeff Buckley. That's cool. But yeah, this just isn't for me.

I’ve had another album by Rufus Wainwright, and this led me to being quite excited to hear this one. Thankfully it lived up to the hyped that I’d generated in my own head. It’s a lovely calm and chilled out sprinkle of angel dust in my ear holes. I’m sorry, I’ve drank some rum and don’t know how to write good. This will have to do. Point being, though, I really enjoyed this album. Give it a listen if you want. Or don’t. I’m not your boss.

Musical polenta: In theory, I like it, but in practice, it's somehow too folksy, too hippie, too samey, too bland for me to really enjoy.

Moody, not quite dark and beautiful. Love the ways he builds up some of these songs until the crescendo. Wonderful arrangements, many different instruments. Rufus has a great voice as well…lowkey jealous. Gay Messiah, I really loved that. Also love that he comes back to earth through heaven at studio 54. Great. Memphis Skyline is super sad and haunting, read somewhere that it’s about Jeff Buckley? Guess it makes sense why it’s sad. I love the piano bridge in it, wow. I think the highlight of the album for me is Hometown Waltz, but maybe that’s because my mum grew up outside Montreal.

I almost stopped after the first song. Which is awful. There were some moderately decent songs and some bad songs but nothing that would make me replay this again. Reminded me a bit of The Shin.

This was a little more playful and varied than Want One, but nothing that really wowed me. It was decent for a single listen, but not something I'll be revisiting most likely.

More Wainwright bangers. I think I liked this slightly less than Want One, but still really good. 3.5/5

C+

Rating: 5/10 Meh.

I like Rufus Wainwright. I did not like this album. It was tedious, whiny, and boring.

There are some wonderful songs bookending this album (which I list below). But in the middle there is a lot of quite miserable sound-alikes. Top songs: Agnus Dei The One You Love Crumb by Crumb Old Whore's Diet

Gay Thom Yorke

Highlights include “Angus Dei” “Crumb by Crumb” Idk this one didn’t click with me- Rufus Wainwright is clearly talented.

An enjoyable album of different styles

I really enjoyed this. In another universe this could be a Radiohead album

Agnus Dei // The One You Love // Peach Trees // The Art Teacher // Gay Messiah //

Liked it

Muy subibaja entre estilos, rara la mezcla

Angus Dei, the creeek??? violin??? immediately a no from me. i’m scared in broad daylight in my nice area in london. ohh the vocals are haunting in a nice way? i think they may be reversed? conflicted atm. Half way thru and he’s worshiping what can only be the devil. It’s pretty. I’m warming up to it. Ooo there’s been a major release. yum. No idea what direction this album is gonna go in, exciting. The one that you love, was not ready for a jaunt like this. Still seems sadistic but in an upbeat way Rhythm section is great. “Let’s fuck this awful art party” great line. The production is really tight. Everything’s really balanced well. Sharp ending. Peach trees, he’s continuing to question what love is. Honestly comforting that he was 31 when making this. The sounds is putting you into his world, there’s a lot of tension and suspense there. He’s tied of “reading the critics and comics alone”, that’s an all encompassing line for sure. Do peach trees grow in New York? yeah they do, in the outskirts anyway. Little Sister, oh this will make me cry. I’m a little sister, sending it to my brother immediately. The classical element reminds me of our late granddad too. This is so beautiful, and so raw. Loved it. The Art Teacher, wow. To be adored like that. An art teacher being a muse is so so poetic. “Never have I turned to any another man again”. He owns a turner now, people that leave a mark on you, you find a way to carry them with you. And he carries us through that yearning feeling with that song. Hometown Waltz, everyone had wanted to burn there hometown down no?? I have. And ive come to understand recently that as much as you hate it sometimes “all the roads lead back to home”. Litterally or metaphorically it’s most likely, you will end up where you began. The sound of this song is like a slightly broken music box to me. This Love Affair, “Not that i don’t like cruzin’, Just that i’m bruisin from you”. Lyrics that take somthing, like this phrase, and flip it on its head make me giddy. That’s songwriting at its finest to me. To take a slightly comical and painful comment and split it up, so that it hits (pardon the pun) that bit deeper. This song captures the feeling of limerence. Gay Messiah, a count in, in 6/4? “He will fall from the star, Studio 54” so “better pray for your sins”. What a song by the true diva, Rufus. That’s all that needs to be said. Memphis Skyline, this is him and the piano. A simple composition, that then blooms into this subtle sonata. For me, he can really make me feel what he’s feeling?! It’s stunning. The sudden start of Waiting For A Dream, is soothing. The effects on the voice, im loving, feeling dreamlike for sure. Everyone hates a cocktail party being ruined! And in 2025 there is still “an ogre in the oval office”, history does love to repeat doesn’t it! I do hope you have been sleeping Rufus. Crumb by Crumb, feels like a musical chorus number. “Many a time before, Before i’ve many a time” love this and he does it multiple times. This feels like the feeling of looking for someone to believe in, and taking it that little bit to far, moving into obsession. I have been there. “Behind the facade is a lonely angel, still” He has an ability to hit you with realism in between somewhat nonsensical lyricism. Old Whores Diet, this man is a vocal powerhouse btw, he’s secure in that chest voice. I was about to type this isn’t my favourite, then the chorus and the samba instrumentation? and multiple voices that he’s doing?? came in. Yet again he got me. And i’ll leave it there, no need to keep dissecting. I have learnt from looking that there is Want One and this one (Want Two) so i’m intrigued. I went in to this pessimistic, and came out being brought to tears, consistently surprised and with new favourite lyrics of all time. A shocker of a 5 for me.

This one really surprised me. After listening to the album I went and looked at some of the reviews left by others on this site and I was frankly shocked. There are so many people who are just ready to pounce on anything remotely artsy / flamboyant. Stop wasting your life hating. Especially something as lovely as music. So as I already mentioned, I was truly taken aback by this one. I absolutely did not expect the lush, beautifully layered, and frankly beautiful set of tunes. It is without a doubt supremely top-heavy. The first half of the album tears the second apart, but the whole thing is worth a listen. 4.2/5

Lush, pretty, lasting, not quite as good as want one

Pleeeeaaaasssseeee, veldig kjedelig, veldig lange ord, sytete. Verdens verste Radiohead-album?

This one was pretty good, I think

Beautiful songs and amazing vocal, just simple and enjoyable...I love to listen to this type of music once in a while. 3.5-4/5

Not really my thing.

Definitely didn’t think this was going to sound like poor man’s Radiohead.

stan is banger

In general, I enjoy a song or two by Rufus Wainright, but for an entire album all enjoyment is lost. His voice is producing sound 95% of the time, and I found myself wondering multiple times when the album would be done. Still the classical/orchestral elements are interesting, and probably the music is qualitatively good.

Wow...."Want One" was SOOOOO much better. I was soooo excited for this album and I just feel like it fell flat. Ugh...I was so let down. There just really wasn't much here that I enjoyed. Actual Rating...a 1.5. Liked Songs: The One You Love, The Art Teacher

liked songs: This Love Affair, Gay Messiah This album does not hit quite the same way that Want One does. Some songs feel like they drag on way too long (Old Whore's Diet). I expected more of a continuation of that album, but this is not that. There's still good stuff in here, but the overall quality is not the same. 2.5

Relaxing

Interesting and very different from what I typically listen to. I really enjoy Rufus' voice. He reminds me of Tom York and/or Matt Bellamy from Muse. The lyrics are engaging and the soundscapes created are beautiful. I'd say it was way better then I expected.

Does less than nothing for me. Orchestral Thom Yorke? I like Radiohead, but I couldnt make it through this.

Album 644 of 1001 Rufus Wainwright - Want Two (2004) Rating : 3.5/ 5 Good listen. Nice arrangements, blending several styles into a cohesive and compelling album. A "unique blend of baroque pop and alternative rock".

This album felt monotonous until the end, which makes me sad because I liked the man's voice

Never liked his music

Challenge music!!! As pretentious as I imagined. They’ve been listening to Thom Yorke way too much. Do I have to listen to this?

8/10

He has a nice voice and I enjoyed the songs but can’t see myself returning to this.

Ok for a song or two but eventually the whining is overwhelming. 2.5

Soit j'étais dans une meilleure humeur quand j'ai écouté Want One ou il est simplement meilleur que Two, mais j'ai trouvé ça plus long et pénible. Ses chants en lamentation sont vraiment énnervants à la longue. Un bon poète par contre. 5/10

I found Want One very irritating. This was more interesting. I still don't like his vocal stylings and i find most of it pretentious guff. However there were some nice bits but overall not for me.

Rufus es un músico en toda su extensión. De rancio linaje musical, tanto él como su hermana gozaron de reconocimiento de público y crítica a principios de siglo. Sus dos primeros álbumes son excelentes, y tanto Want one como Want two son aún mejores. Luego no bajó el nivel pero son menos accesibles, incluyendo dos óperas y un retorno a las melodías con Unfollow The Rules. Su mayor exposición fue con la banda sonora de Shrek donde interpreta la versión, en clave Buckleyana del Hallelujah de Cohen -a quien le dio una nieta- (aunque en la peli la voz no es la suya sino la de John Cale). Este Want two es una excelente entrada a su mundo: La impactante apertura con Agnus Dei (cercana a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan), la melódica The one you love, la imponente presencia de The Art Teacher y Gay Messiah, ambas publicadas previamente en el exquisito Waiting for a want. Old Whore´s Diet, junto a Antony, es una joya más. Otros discos de 2004: Heroes to Zeros de The Beta Band, Nick Cave- Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus, Arcade Fire- Funeral, Wilco – A Ghost Is Born, Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand, Tom Waits – Real gone, Morrissey - You are the quarry. También: Sonic Youth- Sonic Nurse, TV on the radio- Desperate, Youth, Blood, Green Day - American Idiot, Bart Davenport – Game Preserve, Interpol – Antics, Modest Mouse – Good news for people who love bad news, Brian Wilson – Smile, Lambchop – Aw c’mon / No you c’mon, The Dears – No cities left, The Divine Comedy – Absent friends, The Delgados – Universal audio, Kasabian-Kasabian, The Organ - The Organ, Adan Green - Friends of mine, Ye (Kanye West)- The College dropout, Keane- Hopes and feras, Pinback-Summer in Abaddon...

Rufus Wainwright's "Want Two" is a rich tapestry of sound and emotion, showcasing his impressive vocal range and intricate songwriting. This album, released in 2004, is a continuation of the thematic explorations found in its predecessor, "Want One." Wainwright blends elements of pop, classical, and theatrical music, creating a unique listening experience that resonates with both intimacy and grandeur. Standout tracks like "Waiting for a Dream" highlight his ability to merge poignant lyrics with lush orchestration, inviting listeners into his world of heartache and longing. Moreover, "Want Two" is marked by a sense of vulnerability and introspection, as Wainwright delves into personal struggles and emotional complexities. Songs like "Go Or Go Ahead" exude a sense of urgency and yearning, capturing the essence of his lyrical prowess. The album's arrangement features a mesmerizing combination of piano, strings, and soft percussion, which perfectly complements Wainwright's sophisticated vocal delivery. Overall, "Want Two" solidifies Rufus Wainwright's status as a formidable artist, blending his classical influences with modern sensibilities and crafting a timeless, poignant musical journey.

Wainwright is an amazing artist, but this just didn't appeal to me.

Maybe one song here and there would be ok but not all at the same time. Pretty droning and down sound

I think I prefer Rufus Wainwright in smaller doses. I like songs he's featured on and a few of his singles, but a whole album from him was a bit much. A lot of the songs sounded the same and were quite overwrought. Not necessarily bad, and Rufus has a lovely voice, but this was just okay. Not sure this needs to be heard before you die.

Enjoyed the first couple songs but then it started to sound like a Michael Buble Christmas album

An interesting album, was good as background music. I liked the songs The Art Teacher and Old Whore's Diet

Some good and some bad. Not sure how I feel about this guy. Will I listen to again: 15%

Whiny - with occasional moments of interest but it’s overlong and nothing stood out to me.

Beautiful record. Well recorded.

Rufus clearly likes Radiohead, wow. I am not a huge fan of this, he can sing but the songs just don't grab me and it all sounds a bit samey

Booooooooring

It was OK bit radiohead in parts

It is amazing how huge of an influence Thom Yorke has had on singers. It reminds me of Eddie Vedder in the 90s when so many vocalists copied his vocal style that now it is just an accepted, normal way to sing. This could be Thom Yorke singing on much of this album. All of that said, I didn't completely hate it...mostly just mild annoyance. Too operatic for my tastes but some original ideas keep it afloat.

Not a taste which I have acquired.

I had never heard of Rufus Wainwright before. As a fan of Shrek, I was of course familiar with the song Hallelujah. The cover of the album reminded me of a funny book about pre-Rafaelite girls explaining the internet. However, this rather lowered my expectations. I found the first track a bit difficult. But I quite liked the second one. I wasn't sure whether I would listen to the whole album. But suddenly it was over. It was fun and sparked my interest in more music by Rufus Wainwright. That's exactly what this project is for. Great. 4/5

radiohead wannabe

Want Two? Get Two...

This is my first time listening to a full album from Rufus. My impression is that he’s fantastic. A true character. I loved his work. Great finding!

The first time I heard Want One I was seduced and entranced and it struck every string of my soul. I got a copy of Want Two about four months early and excitedly I listened and strangely got sad. It wasn't Want One. For that I shunned it. Listening back I realise I was wrong. It just was a different album. That today I have loved to see again as a beautiful eccentric friend

it’s a decent listen, though nothing i feel compelled to revisit in full. the art teacher is a beautiful track, easily my favorite.

It sounds like Thom Yorke singing fake plastic trees over and over.

Blegh. Boring, mostly. 1 star for effort, I didnt actively hate it.

I don't think I'm the target audience for this. I think there's some ok parts but probably won't listen again to confirm.

he has a way with melody and the orchestration is nice

It has a slight touch of Radiohead (well, at least the singer's voice sounds like Thom York). It sounds very good at some points, at others it is very dragging and tiring. However, the whole album has a very touching atmosphere. Not bad! I will leave 3 stars today.

Want twoah. Spit on that thang.

With the exception of 1 or 2 decent tracks, this album is a bore and a chore to get through. That lazy, nasally whining vocal style irritates me as well. Can’t relate to the gay stuff either. A hair away from a 1/5. Favorite track: The One You Love

Ugh no

Want one took me by surprise. This one doubled down. Lots of muse/Radiohead sounds in this.

Male Sia (annoying voice) but the chord progressions and melodies are interesting

He is fine but I'm not sure why he has two albums on this list

Really enjoyed this. Very laid back and chilled. Possibly a little repetitive because the songs do sound basically the same when listening to the whole album but pretty good overall

Hoy toca en este reto un artista que desconozco totalmente. Veo en la review que en una de las canciones del álbum canta Anohni, así que eso me da una mejor idea de lo que puede llegar a ser éste disco. Sonidos etéreos, muy trabajados, con una voz que me recuerda a Thom Yorke. Disco relajado, muy fino. Se agradece la novedad.

For all the people that said this is a worse version of Radiohead, I beg to differ. Lyrics were reflective, songs could be jarring, but the instrumentation really drew me in. It was one that made me stop and think, especially from the first song. That one forced me to stop what I was doing and listen. I'll be back to this one with more focus for sure.

Didn't realise he was canadian

The Thom Yorke comparisons are valid, just wish he went for the rock persona and not the moody one.

Nothing terrible and nothing great.

Pretty meh throughout. Standout songs: The One you Love The Art Teacher

No one sounds like Rufus Wainwright. I see the evolution to this point, and it's definitely a continuation of Want One, but, while it's lovely, I don't really see it as the essential representation of his work. At least not over WO.

no idea why i never bothered to listen this album before , although i did like the first one . it’s good , more of the dramatic ‘ want one ‘ style . 3

My first Rufus album without Chaka Khan - no jk ofc. Witty songcraft and clever arrangements, that I’m sure I would enjoy even more on further listens

I like Rufus Wainwright, but this album did nothing for me.

Very dramatic and woeful I like the imagery

I found this album really fascinating, but the middle portion of it was not necessarily a great listen. Regardless, it's unlike anything I've heard before. I'm not sure exactly what genre this would even be called. The symphonic elements straddle the line between pretentious and grandiose, but I think it's effective. Favorites: Agnus Dei, The One You Love, and Old Whore's Diet

bueno pero cansa la voz del chaboncin

lindo descubrimiento

che muy bueno, no le pongo un cinco porque no me ENCANTÓ pero me gustó bastante. Cositas beatles también.

I don't get what the big fuss is with this guy. 2.5 stars

No thanks. I've heard such good things about his music, but this just wasn't very good at all.

almost completely forgot ab the project today but i was rewarded for remembering with uh....the best album ever???? idk??? faggy forest prince music...just an immaculate vibe set almost entirely to my specific tastes. eccentric and longing songs with rly expressive and surprising compositions set to a bunch of creative ideas and/or beautiful piano playing, all overgrown with moss and mushrooms and ivy. will take a few more listens on my own time to rly pull apart, but i cant imagine i wont be rewarded. makes me think i like thom yorke's voice a lot more than i think i do, or that what he was rly missing was to sound way gayer, cuz Gay Ass Thom Yorke kept flashing in my mind!!!

I really did not enjoy this album.

Not the kind of melancholia that resonates with me. It's OK to listen to once, but I don't think I'd want two listen any more.

He has an interesting voice but the music is a different pair of shoes.

A little weird but honestly not bad. I have too many 3 star ratings :/

Pretty good

1. Agnus Dei The beginning with the bow sound is very cool. I like this song. Long slow building journey 2. The one you love Nice lush vocal textures. I like this song ok This may be the kind of album that’s hard to digest in one day because it’s more singer songwriter 3. Peach trees “Is true love a trip to Chinatown?” Outstanding first line. Grabs you and syllables sound nice Beautiful strings. Unusual choice for this kind of song 4. The art teacher Very straightforward sentences in the storytelling. Tongue-in-cheek lines. Song feels serious and the lyrics don’t take themselves too seriously 5. Hometown waltz Accordion for the waltz 6. This love affair This is the more low key ballad part of the album I see. A few in a row “I don’t know why I’m watching all these white people dancing” 🤣 7. Gay messiah More not taking itself too seriously lyrically Obviously blasphemous Beautiful progression, melodies, and BGVs Ends even more blasphemous than it began. Beautiful composition minus the content. Even the “better pray for your sins” maybe my favorite hook on the album so far 8. Memphis skyline More poetic lyrically. Beautiful composition again. I could hear this being one of Sufjan’s inspirations 9. Waiting for a dream Cool phasey filtery effect on the vocals The rest of the songs haven’t had bass lines and drums like this song. But it still fits 10. Crumb by crumb 11. Old whore’s diet Beautiful strings The album is bookended by fuller production. More minimal production in the middle I enjoyed the middle parts the most. Lush thoughtful arrangements

- gay theater kid music nice! It’s not too bad. I had no idea who Rufus Wainwright was but he has a really really good voice so I’m not complaining. That being said the album started to fall victim to the “all tracks sound kind of the same and it’s getting dull” up until the end when ANOHNI came in -Favorites are Agnus Dei, Peach Trees, and Old Whore’s Diet

ah it's fine. not for me.

Rufus Wainwright makes theatrical pop - dramatically orchestrated pieces that wander towards opera. His songs are beautiful, lush, rich pieces, with a narrative sense of songs from musical theater. Want Two is his fourth studio album, which was well received critically. Wainwright makes lovely songs, with engaging stories and interesting arrangements. His music isn't of a particular era - it seems to be something of a throwback - but it certainly isn't typical of pop of the aughts.

Very grandiose and elegant with clean vocals. Depth of lyrics.

I don’t love Rufus but gotta say this is pretty unique and powerful. I can see how his voice could easily annoy, but it works for me. I’d like to find the time to find out more.

I do like his voice but this album seems a bit more whiney than Want one. Didn’t enjoy it as much

Grew on me after a couple listens. Great voice, great instruments and orchestral arrangements, interesting lyrics. I expected to not like it and was surprised I did.

Confirma a qualidade do canto, só que sempre fica a expectativa de quando vai começar a cantar hallelujah.

Kind of reminds me of Jeff Buckley in his style. It's not bad but I feel like it's more for a contemplative audience. There might be something going on in the lyrics that I didn't get, maybe it's genius, I don't know. I probably won't go out of my way to listen to it again though.

Aight

3.5

Before listening to "Want Two", my impression of Rufus Wainwright was that he was a maudlin, theatrical singer-songwriter, most notable for covering "Hallelujah" in Shrek. After hearing this album, I can happily say that I wasn't far wrong (though perhaps I didn't imagine him to be quite THIS morose). There were, however, some very welcome surprises. For starters, I was absolutely NOT expecting "Agnus Dei", which is a Latin hymn translated as "Lamb of God." It's no picnic, but it sets a stunning atmosphere, reaches dizzying dramatic heights and casts Wainwright's vocals in a staggering light. When it ends, and the drums come plodding in for "The One You Love", it's hard not to feel just a little disappointed. The music that follows throughout the album remains lush and languid, but the eloquent orchestrations are masking fairly straight-lace compositions. Ballads like "Peach Trees" and "The Art Teacher" don't do a great deal for me, and neither does single "The One You Love". Later in the album, there's a creeping rise of peppier numbers like "Crumb by Crumb" and "Old Whore's Diet", which I actually enjoyed quite a bit. The centrepiece of the album, though, is Wainwright's vocals. It's impossible to get through a "Want Two" review without pointing out that the vocals are a dead-ringer for Thom Yorke, with very similar enunciation, timbre and stylings. But closer to Wainwright's heart is Jeff Buckley, whom he addresses directly on "Memphis Skyline". Just like Buckley, Wainwright's voice is very impressive, but it's clear he looooooovveeeeeees the sooooooooouuuunnnnd of iiii-yii-yiiiii-yiiiiiiit. The man's histrionics are on the same level as Buckley, approaching Mariah Carey… which all adds up to "Want Two" being fairly tricky to digest. Mostly, "Want Two" is a impressive but sluggish album of bloated, decadent indulgence. It's also a noteworthy statement for 21st century singer-songwriters, calling to mind subsequent champions of navel-gazing chamber-pop like John Grant and Father John Misty. Perhaps they, and all men who writhe in torment and theatre hereafter, can be traced in part back to Wainwright: I'll look forward to hearing them appear in Shrek 5.

Reminded of the muse. Definite modern classical

Liked Crumb by Crumb and Old Whore's Diet but the rest was pretty meh.

Very French Canadian, singer songwriter, heartfelt lyric, tuneful background -ish. That's not meant as a criticism, but ... there is so much similar stuff on this 1001 listing. Enjoyable, but ... it sort of merges in with other singer/songwriters' output

First track was an immediate turn-off - very self-indulgent & pompous. Designed entirely just to showcase his voice without anything substantial in the music. Did not get much better after that. A few decent sounds but overall not my type of music.

4/5

I think we can safely say that 'theatrical pop' is not for me. Downbeat throughout, this really didn't enhance a grey rainy Wednesday in London. All blurred into one after a while. It perks up a bit from Crumb By Crumb, but I had pretty much switched off by then. Extra star for the Antony / Anohni guest appearance, though.

I thought this was Radiohead at first.

Didn't know anything about this artist before listening, only heard a couple of tracks. It's pretty interesting, I enjoy his combination of baroque classical, piano, folk, and pop. His voice is a little whiney and not something I'd typically listen to. Reminds me a bit of Thom Yorke actually. Hard to really classify what genre this is, but enjoyable

I know some songs from Want One but I had never listened to Want Two. Either way, my favorite Rufus Wainwright project is his Judy Garland Live at Carnegie Hall cover album.

Kedelige og pretentiøse kærlighedssange, ikke mig. Åbningssangen har den mest irriterende lyd jeg nogensinde har hørt i et stykke udgivet musik, en knirkende dør? Hvorfor? Anyway, får dog 1 op fordi forsangeren er enormt dygtig, meget interessant meget dyb kvindestemme

The One You Love The Art Teacher

Although I can see how people might not like this album, I really enjoyed it. It is not without flaw, however, it was entertaining and unique. It reminded me of Radiohead.

Soundtechnisch interessant aber zu depressiv verkopft. Nicht an einem grauen Herbsttag hören!

I love Rufus Wainwright. However, I do not love this album. It's all a bit too much. Too show-tuney, too melodramatic, too drawn out, too theatrical, too self-indulgent, too Wainwrighty. I wanted to like it more but, alas, the longer it went on the more it grew tiresome. I'll go listen to his good stuff instead, he does a killer version of Hallelujah that I insist is the best version anyone did.

This is so weird. But I bet some people really like it

Not really sure what I was listening to.

Nice in parts but nothing ever massively interests me.

This one surprised me!

Liked this, bonus track shite tho

crazy stuff, really weird in a good way

listened to track one and gave up

The compositions on this album are very nice, and there were some songs that I somewhat liked, but, overall, Rufus Wainwright has never been for me, and this album didn't change my mind. However, it is pleasant enough to have on, and I can definitely understand why some people really like his music.

Olha bixo, q negócio chato. Musica para dormir

Amazing vocals, like Freddie Mercury without the grit but all of the control and emotion. Eclectic mix of instruments. Will give this album and artist a spin in the future for sure.

Rufus Wainwright can fuck off

Notable tracks: The One You Love, Peach Trees, The Art Teacher, Memphis Skyline

Strikes me as movie soundtrack music that works really hard to create a vibe, but the vibe is not something I would seek out. Peach Trees is relaxing, but the album overall has a hint of depression that I don't like. There are other albums with a depressing tone that I like better. Still, I had never heard the album but I'm glad I have now.

I enjoyed some of it, but other parts were offputting and the whole thing was tinged with pretentiousness.

Oh, there’s a second one. 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. It’s like he’s still searching and experimenting. Which is fine. It just doesn’t feel like he’s found himself entirely. 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.