Want Two

Not really my bag

Want Two is just an iteration of Want One. Overproduced, annoying singing, and somehow lacks emotion—everything over the top.

Fuck idk man, it is kind of annoying somehow. I feel he tries to be interesting in his harmony in an uninteresting way.

This album is pretty shit. I’m not sure how it even made it onto to the list.

Ligger fem album efter pga det här var så segt att ta sig igenom

This one never took off for me. I liked The Art Teacher. The rest of it was arduous and plodding to me. I also dislike when a final song of an album that isn't working for you is nearly 9 minutes long.

Deff not a top 1001 album of all time. First two songs where intriguing, but after that it went downhill fast.

So many obvious and great influences on display here but the sum is so much less than the parts. Like if you’re making a suicide at the soda fountain, and you put Coke, iced tea, coffee, Horchata, clam chowder, gazpacho, and Jack Daniels. All delicious things, but.

I promise I tried so hard to hear this from a fan’s perspective, but still couldn’t turn the corner on Rufus. I’m not an idiot and understand the talent behind it all, but it’s annoying!!

I enjoyed only two tracks on this album and they sit pretty far apart in the sequence. They also happen to be the only two songs with any noticeable percussion. I feel like more percussion would have been a nice distraction from Rufus singing primarily in whole notes.

knew I’d hate this just by looking at the track list

starts interesting but becomes boring

I don't know what's so revolutionary about this album. It's like a whiny Radiohead, 10 years after Tommy Yorke & the boys did it better and whinier. I can't see any scenario where I would rather listen to this album than any Radiohead album (and I'm no Radiohead fan, by a long shot). Similarly to another reviewer, I share the same sentiment: He "Want Two", I give him two (stars).

Laaangeee voookaaaaleeeeer Mye jeg ikke likte; kanskje ikke objektivt dårlig, men absolutt ikke for meg. Waiting for a Dream var ikke så verst.

Han er sikkert flink og sånn, men det her var ikke noe for meg. Hørtes ut som en mid musikal, og jeg er ikke så veldig glad i musikaler i utgangspunktet.

Baroque pop /chamber pop / art pop så det er med arrangementer ofte lidt mere intime settings. Så det er ikke stort orkester. Klaver og strygere. Der er også mundharmonika med nogle steder? Det er sgu ikke mig i dag. Jeg er simpelthen ikke i stemning til lige netop det her. MEn jeg kunne godt forestille mig der eksisterer tidspunkter det ville være fedt at lytte til. Det der teatralske univers er ikke noget jeg synes går godt sammen med det stille og rolige her. Det bliver sgu lidt for kedeligt for mig. Men jeg har en ide om at der bliver kompenseret for det i teksterne. På den anden side synes jeg det er en fed måde at gøre pop spændende og jeg synes virkelig det er en sjov blanding af genre. Jeg kan åbenbart bare ikke værdsætte det. Måske er det fordi jeg lyttede til det som baggrundsmusik. Nok noget som kræver mere opmærksomhed.

This album was a very cool, and what I perceived as niche vibe. Very wispy, high, falsetto almost vocals over low piano which was an interesting combination. The album did well to highlight the singers voice, but fell flat because how every word they say is drawn way out and makes the vocals almost annoyingly sung. That being said, calming listen. Favorite track was Memphis Skyline.

Most of the songs are drawn out and boring.

So much less endurable than Want One. His voice grates because the songs are kinda samey here.

2+

I had no idea what to expect. Turns out to be singer-songwriter-pop. Yes, definitely pop. And as usual in pop music, according to my taste there's not much happening. But that's not my biggest problem. That's the production choices, and in particular I mean the sometimes horrible backing vocals, the choirs. 'The one you love', 'Gay Messiah', "Crumb by crumb'. Dear Lord, why on earth? It destroys the music. But that's still far from the low point. 'Old whore's diet', with an annoying latin-like rhythm, has truly horrible guest vocals by Anohni. It's not about their voice - it's the appalling vibrato that they use. I can't listen to that. This could have been a better album, the songs aren't bad.

Baroque pop at its worst. I was absolutely bored by this album. Rufus Wainwright's voice just drones on and on. It's really too bad; I have always loved his cover of "Hallelujah" (not on this album) but that song is definitely not reflective of this exhausting body of work. Oh, you want me to say something nice about this album? Ummm...okay. "Gay Messiah" has funny lyrics. There, I did it.

Not my brand of alternative sound.

I really appreciate the immense talent that this man has. Like his voice is incredible and flawless. His lyrics are sharp and clever. His instrumentation, while subtle and understated, manages to be incredibly powerful along side his incredible voice. The song Gay Messiah was fucking awesome, and I also liked The Art Teacher to a lesser extent. I think the album cover is also sick. The problem though is just that this music isn’t for me. It alittle too quiet and subtle for me most of the album. And I always struggle with slower songs and there’s a lot of slow songs on this album. This is just one of those times where I’m wildly impressed and I even looked up a couple of videos of his playing live cause I was so interested in his singing. But sadly this album specifically didn’t do a lot for me, there wasn’t any songs that I connected with and sonically this album is just too slow and depressing for me to truly connect with it. So don’t take this star rating very seriously, this dude is wildly talented, it’s just not for me sadly.

He has a tempting voice, but the arrangements are too pompous.

Halfway through the album, it sounds pretty good. The vocals remind me of Matt Bellamy or Thom Yorke. But at the end of the album, I'd say this is an okay melodramatic singer song-writer ballads album. Nothing stood out to me. Well except for the abrupt switch to a reggae finale.

There is a universe where I connect to this guys music and really like it. This is not that universe and I don’t like this very much. Like Thom Yorke if he was boring. Favorite song was Gay Messiah.

meh 2.5

This is pretty bad but I can’t 1 it for its sheer inventiveness and variety of shite

The hell is this

Do you like when Radiohead does that whiny kind of wail but don't want the music building and crescendo'ing and for the whole album? Then this album is for you! I don't even like Radiohead let alone someone doing one of their bits but worse. Slow piano whiny wail.

I only listened to half. Some of the songs were too slow for the modi I was in but beautiful

Pretty, but the crooning got to me eventually.

listened to it a few hours ago and i don't remember a thing

I didn’t Want One and I definitely don’t Want Two.

I didn’t like Want One and I don’t like this either. This dude can’t annunciate to save his life. It’s great that he likes opera but I’m trying to listen to regular people music. And this ain’t it.

A couple of songs I liked, but mostly not for me. Not always a big fan of his voice on this, find the songs to drag a bit at times. Opening and closing tracks both pretty bad for me. Won’t listen to this one again.

пару неплохих песен и блядская скукота от руфуса

Zzzzz...

I enjoy Rufus Wainwright, but i didn't find a foot hold in this. It had all the usual sweeping grandeur, but i didn't find a huge amount to grab onto that brought me on. Maybe its me. Who knows?

Nice voice. Not mu cup of tea.

Ah, I felt like Want One was such an interesting album, bigger than life. Maybe also because it was one of my first here, but I rather liked it. Want Two has some great parts to it. Still greater than life, but some parts too self-indulgent, too non-sensical, abrasive. Ultimately, I think it is lesser than the sum of its parts.

Rufus Wainwright is clearly very talented. I feel bad rating this a 2, but I also try to keep my rating score honest to how I felt while listening. Sometimes this sounded like Radiohead but sleepier. Sometimes it felt like homework. I kept waiting for a song to grab me and pull me in, but I couldn’t find an entry point. This is impressive music on a technical level, but nothing hit me at a gut level. Very little of it moved me. “Gay Messiah” made me smile though. And “Waiting for a Dream” was good too.

Rather disappointing for my 100th album

Boring.

For some reason I always expected to like Rufus Wainwright more than I do. I do like his voice but I find the songs too slow.

Not a fan.

Première et deuxième chanson sont très intéressantes, avec des arrangements surprenants. Le reste de l'album se répète et se ressemble. On aime ou on aime pas, et pour ma part, c'est malheureusement le second. La voix est simplement trop divagante et planante, avec un peu toujours la même émotion. Le thème est weird aussi.

Talented guy, gifted songwriter. Just didn't appeal to me

I still can't get past Rufus's lazy, whiny voice that sounds like he's disinterested, but in reality he's engaged, enthused and it's just the way he sounds. His choice of material is music is well suited to this voice, that sounds generations old, overly melodramatic, and theatrical (no wonder he did do a Judy Garland LP) and basically, songs I have no interest in. It was Canada Day this week and ironically, Rufus Wainwright is the most non-Canadian sounding artist I can think of. Good music for nostalgic, sad people, but for modern hipsters, stay clear.

It's different at least. I enjoyed the music on about half the tracks, the other half were either annoying or boring. I really don't like his voice. It bothered me even on the tracks with good music.

No doubt he is talented but I can't say I was overly excited by this one, not the most accessible album on the first listen.

Can someone please tell me what I'm missing?

I love the cover art, it really lines up with what I was expecting based off the first song. I think I would’ve enjoyed this a lot more as an instrumental, but I found his voice a little bit insufferable after awhile.

2.5. I liked like 3 songs out of 12 so there you have it

Want Two is strange, drawn out art. And very Jeff Buckley-esque. I wanted to like this album more, but it moved at a snail’s pace. Gay Messiah is catchy (best song) followed by Old Whore’s Diet which is just plain old weird but good. Enjoyed both of these songs, rest of the album too sloooowww for me. (2.2*s) I’m still wondering what an old whore has for breakfast…

That's a lot of range to display on a single album. Even if every song isn't top notch it's cool to see he can vary between genres and styles and weave some classical music influence into it. Seems like something I would have been exposed to at some point but perhaps it's a little too niche to have wide appeal? Rufus Wainwright is clearly very talented and I appreciated a lot of what I got on Want Two as something different. There may be a time and place where I come back to this but it isn't something I would slate for everyday listening. In the long run this ends up on the shelf but a good entry for 1001 nonetheless. 2.40 stars

Tu veux un deux? Vraiment? J'hésitais entre deux et trois pendant mon écoute, mais si tu insistes, merci de trancher!

1.9 Oof, not long after Want One I get this. Similar to last time, sounds identical to Thom Yorke but with dull and often annoying songs. It actually makes me like Thom Yorke less it's that powerful. Comes across like pretentious shite.

The guy at the ren faire who takes it a bit too seriously

A theater kid who is a big Radiohead fan. Not something for me honestly, it often feels very very derivative and when it doesn't it sounds insane

was excited to see what this was about because i loved his hallelujah cover. not for me

Agnes Dei - Interesting intro, with that scraping woodblock thing. The man can sing. This kind of thing goes better as soundtrack, to me. The One You Love - Scissor Sisters Go To Prep School. Peach Trees - I like the dry strum guitars. I’m just really not into pretty voices. “All my favorite singers couldn’t sing.” Little Sister - I like the jaunty strings. Strip down the production and you’ve got a little Van Dyke Parks (who I really should have talked about in my ‘SMILE’ rating) ditty. The Art Teacher - I like it when every word is a different note. I don’t like it when every word is multiple notes. Hometown Waltz - My favorite so far. I dig a waltz. If his voice was as shabby as the instrumentation I think I’d really like his records. This Love Affair - A soap opera. Gay Messiah - Best lyrics. This one feels real, if filtered through this cocktail lounge performative veil. Maybe it’s not “pretty voices” I don’t vibe with. (Wedren, for example, I love.) Maybe it’s FORMAL or TRADITIONAL voices. Vibrato on every word. Everything all stretched out. The way you’re “supposed to sing”. Lounge music? IDK. Memphis Skyline - This music makes me impatient. Maybe it’s an ADHD thing. Waiting For a Dream - Maybe I’m too working class to properly appreciate this. That statement would send most of my family into hysterics. Crumb by Crumb - I remember Squirrel Nut Zippers. Old Whore’s Diet - “Either here or Hell will employ you.” Great lyric. If the record sounded like this funky Sly and the Family Stone shit all the way through, it’d own me. Something about this undercuts the histrionics. The man can sing. I’m glad he has done well. Just not my bag.

I listened to this the day after we got it and neglected to write my review at the time and cannot remember a single thought I had about this, which I think speaks volumes about the album.

The squeaky strings at the start went for 0.1 one seconds too long so you already know that certain people listening are immediately filtered on arrival and have decided they hate the album. First track has some beautiful vocals and composition. On the one you know I love the refrain before the hook. On peach trees hes obviously going for a Thom Yorke style of vocalisation. It works here tbh and when his voice comes i er the backing vocals its quite angelic. They die down only to pick back up over the vocalist its really awesome stuff. Little Sister is a little overproduced but another incredible vocal performance. This album clearly inspired a lot of indie which came out following this release for better and for worse. The Art teacher is where I first noticed the sucking of air through his teeth, but it really impacts the track and the rest of the album from here. A lot of the tracks past the Art teacher see a noticeable drop in the quality of the vocal performance, the lyrics become uninspired. The ability to hit continuous notes is impressive though, even if the sucking gets more noticeable, which it usually does. The longer the album goes the more over produced and melodramatic it gets, which is a shame cause it started strong. Surely this guy can just turn his head away from the mic while breathing. 5/10

A really great album cover, which would probably be a lot of fun to look at while you sit and listen to this album because it is pretty boring. There are a lot of comparisons to Thom Yorke in the global reviews on this site (many of which are negative) which does answer the question of "What if Radiohead wasn't popular and English?". The answer is that nobody would pretend like they're the second coming. A competently-performed and well-made album. I just don't gel with it. Each successive listen had me alt-tabbing more frequently to see how long is left on this. It's not you Rufus, it's me. I just don't like your singing enough to enjoy this. Literally only the last track had me perk up because it's at least something different. Highlights: Realising the last track on spotify is a bonus track so I can skip it and save 2 minutes and 46 seconds

I don't think I needed any Rufus before I died let alone two albums by him. Here are some albums to hear instead which aren't on the list at all for no good reason: Robyn "Body Talk"; Robyn "Robyn", Patti Smith "Radio Ethiopia," Hank Williams "Hank Williams Sings," Steve Miller Band "Fly Like an Eagle," The Supremes "Where Did Our Love Go." Etc.

Not into this at all.

With a name like Rufus, I thought this was going to be cool. 2.5 rounding down

I feel like ever since Poses, and even intermittently with Poses, RH has been interested in style more than substance. II really like the style of the album and can feel what he's trying to do, but just doesn't quite stick the landing. It's good, but far from great.

I didn't really care for this album too much. Rufus Wainwright's vocals were a bit reminiscent of Thom Yorke, and some of this album had the feel of Radiohead demos or outtakes. I'm not really very sure what qualified this as a great album.

I really liked Want One. Not so much Want Two. I want Want One, but I don't want Want Two too.

He's got a very nice voice. And points for uniqueness. But it's pretty boring pop, and the lyrics can be cringe or just bad (way more composition issues than content).

At first I was like "oooh the first song is goooood", then I listened to the rest, was like "meh, better listen to the goooood song again". I play it now and it's no longer goooood Ballads sucked balls and non-ballads were ok

Perhaps the worst workout album ive ever heard. At least the bicep pump looks decent

Not much appears to have changed since the first album which very much underwhelmed me. He still sings in that affected, Thom Yorke style where every syllable is drawn out until it collapses under its own weight and you’ve lost track of what he was singing at the start of the verse. I genuinely thought he was singing about being “under the pastries” at one point. Musically, there elements of classical stuff and hints of Phillip Glass, but it’s mostly inoffensive stuff. There’s nothing like the weird experimental pieces on a Radiohead album, for example. Apparently iTunes wanted me to listen to the Canadian version of this album, which turned out to have some bonus live tracks sung in French which I ended up liking quite a bit more than the rest! How aboot that, eh?

Dross

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

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

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.

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.

Want two, get two

Boring…

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

wasnt that big on it

sounds classy but also quiet boring

My expectations were much higher, Rufus

I find the vocals on this irritating.

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

Canadiohead

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

I did like this more than expected but overall not exceptional

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Some quite interesting tracks. Quite a few crap ones!

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

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

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.

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

Eclectic mix

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Rating: 5/10 Meh.

Gay Thom Yorke

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

Muy subibaja entre estilos, rara la mezcla

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

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

Never liked his music

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.

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

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

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 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.

Want Two? Get Two...

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.

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

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

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

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

Very dramatic and woeful I like the imagery

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

listened to track one and gave up

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.

# Album Name: Want Two # Artist: Rufus Wanright # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Interesting start with the opening track. Quite operatic. Im not going to lie, this album did not click with me. It felt like a poor mans thom york. Personally, i dont mind that style of vocals. Its just the music didnt work for me. it sounds like this guy may have potential which is a shame. I think i'll check out his other album - want one - based on user reviews. The album is simply too long. # Top Tunes: None that stood out to me. Waiting for a dream was probably the closest i got to a decent song. # Would I listen to it again? Probably not. But sometimes an album does need a few listens to click. Sadly, it didnt give me that itch.

Words smushed, contorted, Sang in dramatic fashion To fancy tent tunes

Yeesh. Well, my business partner just came into my office and asked, “what the hell are you listening to?”. He said at the low volume I was playing it at, it sounded like chanting monks through the doorway. I can’t say that I enjoyed it much better than I would have enjoyed the monks. This one doesn’t get a second listen. Sorry, ears.

Could have fold me by telling me this was a Thom York solo album. I enjoyed parts, some of it was irritating, would i recommend to listen to this before you die? I don’t think so.

Something about his voice/style sets me on edge. Couldn't wait for it to be over.

Never heard this album before. I really don't like his voice. The accompaniment is okay on a few songs. Overall didn't find much to like. I listened to it all in hopes of finding a hidden nugget. But I my search ended without success. Completely forgettable and unremarkable. Shouldn't be on the list. Barely gets 2 stars for me.

Want Two? Got Two.

An artistic album with a lot of intention, but lacking musical hooks for me.

A da funds like a bad Radiohead version to me.

While there's certainly no doubt Wainright has a once-in-a-generation voice, and boy would I love to see him doing show tunes, this album is at most a cute, cheeky and forgettable record, and at worst, sleepy as fuck. And I just had 2 shots of espresso.

Have two.

Yikes. Way too long and way too one note.

Första två låtarna är okej. Resten är rena sömnpillret.

The One You Love and Peach Trees are good, but the rest of the album isn't really to my taste.

Fun fact: Wainwright's Agnus Dei is just Bridge Over Troubled Water played backwards

Sounds beautiful but in the end its boring.

Unique strange voice. Some good songs.

Not my thing

Let me start out by saying the album as a whole is not really my taste, although I enjoyed the first song "Agnus Dei" which seemingly held me through the rest of the album. Gay Messiah also stood out but overall an uneventful album.

4/10

his voice is a little over the top for me. some of the songs are okay but most of it is tedious and hard to listen to.

This is Thom Yorke-ish. Like Radiohead but if you sucked the life out of it.

meh

Rufus Wainwright's Want Two is an intriguing and challenging album that defies easy categorisation. The record's lush orchestration and operatic flair often feel like the score to an unmade film, transporting listeners to a world of dramatic emotional landscapes. Wainwright's honest and vulnerable lyricism is both captivating and confrontational, demanding an attentive and reflective ear. Tracks like The Art Teacher and Agnus Dei showcase his knack for storytelling and his bold musical vision. While some may find the album's grandiosity and theatricality overwhelming, others will appreciate its artistic ambition and emotional depth. Wainwright's voice, rich and expressive, anchors the album's eclectic soundscape, from baroque pop to folk influences. Though not everyone's cup of tea, Want Two is a testament to Wainwright's unique talent and willingness to push creative boundaries. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 2 STAND OUT TRACK - Gay Messiah

Ah man, Rufus! I have such respect for you, but I didn't want to finish this! Too much, too much. I'm a little annoyed by the vocal delivery, it's kind of fatiguing after a while. But man, what beautiful tracks, there's this lovely gold, brass sheen on every song in my mind. The musical sense here is very good. Something that I really should like on paper, but ended up kind of bouncing off of! Sorry! 2/5

Really love Rufus's voice, didn't care for this album.

Rufus Wainwright’s Want Two is ass. It feels like an indie album, but somewhere along the way, he forgot to make it sound good. Most songs are bland, overextended, and unenjoyable. Not listening to this ever again. All in all, Want Two is a bad album. Best Song: The One You Love Worst Song: Gay Messiah

Meh. He has a good voice but definitely not something I would ever que up.

I already listened to Want One, I don't Want Two. He has a good voice, sometimes a little over the top.

Never really listened to Rufus before. I'm having difficulty figuring out where this would fit into my broad spectrum of "that's what I'm in the mood for." As of now it doesn't fit, in spite of some talent he seems to have.

2004. Kinda orchestral

Flotte arrangementer, men den går og står meget på, at man kan lide Rufus Wainwrights stemme, og det kan jeg ikke rigtigt :/ forkølet Thom Yorke

This is Radiohead in many different flavors. I do appreciate that every song sounds like its of a different genre, though. The downside is that it took me three days to finish listening to this, due to a pure lack of interest. Whoops. Standouts are Little Sister and Waiting for a Dream.

Iffy

Some interesting songs on this album, but probably won’t listen to it again

Mostly not really songs. More like sung-spoken word. I found it annoying after a few tracks.

cool

An uneventful experience

I thought I liked Rufus after hearing Rufus Does Judy, but everything I've heard after that just hasn't lived up to that performance. I like Sassy Rufus; this is just gay Thom Yorke (not that there's anything wrong with that.)

I don't think I've listened to any Rufus Wainwright music before, but I want to say I've heard him being talked about lately, but I can't remember in what capacity that was. Anywho. I thought this album was okay. Rufus is an incredibly talented vocalist, and this album had some really pretty arrangements on it, but it just felt like the album relied heavily on being 'high art' without much substance to back it up. "The One You Love" and "Little Sister" were my favorite tracks on the album. I loved the guitar and vocals on "The One You Love," and the baroque feel of "Little Sister" really set it apart from the rest of the album. The other songs on the album were fine for the most part; only "Peach Trees" and the closing "Old Whore's Diet" were really off-putting to me. Rufus Wainwright is clearly talented, but this album was pretty boring, and it's not something I'd listen to again.

This got more uninteresting as it went. It peaked in the first few and was downhill from there. Maybe I’m not gay enough to like it.

Very musical theatre. Rufus is someone that I really think I should like, but it's all a bit too much for me. His singing style is affected and annoying, I feel like I'm at the front row while he plays the piano and stares directly at me. It's not that it's bad, it's that I don't like it very much. It feels a bit false. When he drops his guard, which he does on occasion, it's truly lovely, but that's all too rare.

Droning lyrics with very eclectic instrumentals and LGBT themes. It's definitely a strong piece of work, but not really my jam.

Is this a musical soundtrack? Is he as good a singer as he thinks he is? Found it a bit annoying.

2 or 3 okay songs and the rest was all dreary moaning

Too slow. Not my thing at all

I feel like such a hater saying this, but I've never found Rufus Wainwright's songwriting to match his voice, quality-wise. The Art Teacher is something of a banger, as is Going to a Town; but overall his songs drone and lull the listener. And I *want* to like him! I mean it! He's folk music royalty, but ultimately he's only as good as the songs he's singing, and these are...songs, for sure. It feels most likely this album and Want One were placed on this list for being complimentary works; I'd bet if you were a fan in 2004 this diptych appeared to be Wainwright planting a flag and establishing himself as an artist. Neither work stands on its own, nor do they form a cohesive whole.

One or two decent songs, the guy has a weird voice, but this isn't really that great.

I just can't with this guy's voice, especially when he holds those long notes, which is almost all of the time. I get that people love him. Cool. Not me.

The musicianship is there, but Rufus just keeps wailing and wailing and wailing on every track, and it dragged on forever. When the wailing switched to French, I had to throw in the towel. 😫😫

It's OK, but no more than that. He has this slightly miserable but wants to be a west end show vibe about him. The songs are fairly unremarkable though. I listened to it a few times and it was passable background music.

Neo-baroque nepo-folk

Nicht meine Richtung

I found this very boring.

There were a couple songs I liked, but this album as a whole was tiring to sit through.

Far too pretentious and bombastic.

What if Thom Yorke went the singer / songwriter route instead?? This got worse for me the second time through. Just not sure what he’s going for here.

The first song makes me think of a choir of monks, or perhaps background music in a fancy restaurant. This is followed up by poppy rock without any edge. Next the pace slows down again, with something that comes across as really boring. The lyrics are imaginative and painting a visual, but to what end? I don't want to listen to it long enough to figure out what he's going on about. Little Sister breaks out the violins which is a nice change, but there's no percussion, guitar, ... I don't know what's going on. This sounds like it belongs in the middle of a stage musical, but not as a standpoint song or anything. Wtf. Now this guy is saying he was just a girl when he loved his art teacher. What is going on? Is this a concept album? If so, what is the concept? This is like the musical equivalent of looking at a painting that is nothing but a blob of paint with scribbles and wondering what the fuck the artist was smoking, while a bunch of pretentious snobs rave about the artist's brilliance. Next we get a waltz... This album is all over the place. As someone looking for Rock albums, I'm completely lost and don't know what to make of this. Ok, now we get Gay Messiah. This is ok, but not great, but I applaud the lyrics. The remainder of the album just didn't do anything. Old Whores Diet made me do a double take at the name of the song, but it again did nothing for me. It was weird when it went into some kind of samba, but I just can't finish this out

I had the first half of this two days ago. I compared it with an overly rich dessert. No way I want this as well.

Few interesting tracks on this one, most are repetitive and instrumentally bland

This could have been a 1 for the last couple torturous tracks. The album answers the question "what would it be like if Radiohead had far less musical talent?"

I really thought I would have liked this more but it really is not for me. Sounded like a bunch of show tunes and his voice comes across as affected. And the opening track just isn’t it

This is right up somebody's alley. It's not mine. I don't doubt the talent Rufus Wainwright has, but his vocal style doesn't hit my Q-zone in a similar way to Thom Yorke. It took me a few songs to begin to understand most of what he's saying, and by that point I had already gotten off on the wrong foot here. I'm sure the lyrics are deep and meaningful and all that, or at least he makes them sound that way, but it comes off a little whine-y to me. He dips into a bit of a broadway vibe a few times in this album, and maybe in that context I would like it more. Highlight: The Art Teacher Lowlight: Agnus Dei Surprise Hit: Hometown Waltz

The kind of music that could depress one beyond recognition. The voice is actually grating, my god some I have no idea who listens to this or how they even get record deals. 3/10.

I thought this album had a lot of interesting sounds on it, it felt almost like I was watching a performance while I was listening to it.. But I couldn't help but get the feeling this Rufus Wainwright might be a bit pretencious or full of himself lol. I still enjoyed this album as a whole, I loved the intro track 'Agnus Dei' and its probably my favorite track on this thing. I did feel that the later tracks on the album struggled a bit more than the opening half, but overall I enjoyed this piece as a whole. Overall: 2.0/5

Wasn’t that interesting to me

fart smelly but not that bad

Borrrrrrrrring.

interesting start...did not like this. a couple songs in the middle were okay, but overall it was boring. got to the last song and i had to stop. did not finish.

Starts interestingly but I don't love the intro. Peach tree is giving me early 2000s Thom York vibes. is this baroque pop? I don't think I like baroque pop. I want to like this but I'm never coming back to listen to this album again. Repeats: peach tree, this love affair Skips: agnus dei, little sister

Not horrible, but not very interesting either.

I imagine this is what Radiohead sounds like to people who don't like Radiohead

uskomaton alku.. valtava soundi.. hämärä temaattinen.. pistää kertalaitumella mielialan, valmiiksi albumia varten... ja tokassa biisissä lähtee 100bpm peruskomppi ja hypätään hyppynarua, mitä vittua? ja nielase se sylki vai mikä siinä on ku kuulostaa että suu vaahtoaa, kuohuaa saatana vesikauhuinen koira konsanaan . ainakin itselleni opetettiin käytöstavat ei lauleta vittu ruoka suussa agnus dei

I struggled a bit with this. On the face, it is pleasant enough. But it just doesn’t work for me. Many of the songs drag, and there’s no memorable moments. The sound is sparse and open, which works, but the songs drag. The vocal style leaves me cold, often sounding like the Violent Femmes singer, but heavily sedated and almost most mumbling at times. Which is a problem for a vocal driven album. It doesn’t suck, might even be ok for background music of a slow afternoon. I don’t hate it, but it drones on to the point I don’t like it. My weighted (by time) average of the individual songs is 1.9/5, sounds about right. round up to 2/5

Being a fan of his version of Hallelujah I thought I might like some of his other stuff but it wasn't great.

Ugh. Man, didn't expect two albums from this guy to be on the list, let alone within two weeks of each other. I like this one ever so slightly more than the previous, mostly due to the closing track which is pretty cool. But still, posh twat he is. Realized here how much he sounds like Thom Yorke, and that's not exactly a compliment. The music supporting his whining is frankly not as interesting as Radiohead's stuff. Maybe giving the previous a 1.5 was a little harsh; his biggest crime is boring me. But yeah, even though this one just barely escapes 1-1.5 star territory, it's still not at all for me. Favorite tracks: Old Whore's Diet, Agnus Dei. Album art: Really do love that he made the album a sequel, and the art is a sequel too. Even if I don't like the music, I always respect when artists commit to some theme or aesthetic for a few album covers. Very cool to see. 2/5

A bit uneven, some moments of greatness, others where the vocals are grating to my ears.

Small doses. Here's your two, Rufus.

I liked "The One You Love" but for the most part this is not my thing. Boring and pretentious.

Listened Before? N Mehhhhhhhhhhhh. Another band trying to sound like Radiohead. Or is it Coldplay? Droning and boring. I think I'll mostly pass on this one. I really WANTED to give it a chance but it just kept going and going and going with the droning, weepy sound. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: The Art Teacher

Not sure about this one. I really feel like I would need to listen a number of time to truly get a feel with it. Incredible voice though. Some of the arrangements were really good. Maybe should be rated higher but not sure.

Started off ok but ended but up a bit samey. Jingle-jangley songs melding into nowhere.

I was quite optimistic about this LP, as it got off to a better start than it's predecessor, Want One. The first song promised a more eclectic album. The second song promised a more up-tempo, less dreary album, but once it settled in, the album returned to the same lackluster songs, with Rufus' strained voice left, front and center.

This album is wonderful, but unfortunately I just can’t get past his whiny lame voice. If this was an instrumental album I would have given it two more stars. He said he wants 2 so here you go

Didn't find much joy with this one

Some of the music is pretty, but I’m not a fan of his voice.

I didn’t care for this one

I do not know much about any of the Wainwrights other than that they are all related. Though I have always expected I'd probably be in to Loudon and not really in to any of the others. This was not what I was expecting at all, a lot more operatic and lushly arranged than I was expecting. It's a lot and it's certainly not for me. He sounds a lot like Thom Yorke to me, and that is kind of a hard feeling for me to shake. It's obviously good, but just really far away from the stuff I like. I can't see myself ever listening to this again.

Radiohead for people who don't want to be challenged.

Sounds like music you listen to if Thom Yorke is not depressing enough

music for people who are in to music but are too safe to listen to anything interesting.

Fun fact: 3 of the songs on this album are about the misuse of the word "gaylord" in modern society.

There are just too many different ideas here. Lyrically, it’s a lot. I don’t think I have the mental fortitude today to grapple with this one and go to those philosophical places that it’s urging me to. I don’t know, something about it is just inaccessible to me, there’s no joy here.

I only wanted one, but we got two. Rufus Wainwright bores me too much to be on the list twice.

Thom Yorke-like singing with a pretentious art rock style. It didn't do anything for me and felt dull.

His voice Sounds like a poor imitation of radiohead. Other than that a very forgetable album but not horrible.

I've never actually listened to his original music, only really heard his covers. Kinda enjoyed some tracks, while I was physically appalled by others. 1.5/5

Never really grabbed me. Kept thinking the next song will be great but they all ended up being just okay.

Church music

Af en toe een nummer is wel goed, maar een heel album van zijn gejank is me toch iets te veel merk ik.

Nogal aan de saaie kant

Awful, drawn out baroque.

day 26. meh. fine chill music at the end of the day but nothing stood out to me, good or bad. faves - The Art Teacher, The One You Love 2.5/5 rounded down to 2

I notice that when there's a "recent" artist that the 1001 editor wants included in the book, they tend to put the most recent album in and replace whatever was in the previous edition. This is an example of that - "Want One" was in the 1001 and the editor replaced it with "Want Two." I think that was a mistake. I definitely prefer Want One. I gave Want One a 4 and my only criticism was that it started to drag towards the end. Unfortunately, it feels like Rufus leaned into the dragging aspect of Want One and made a whole album of mellow songs that don't really go anywhere (with only a couple of exceptions). It starts off promising: Agnus Dei is interesting (although I don't like the scratching sound in the beginning) and The One You Love is a good poppy track. But then it becomes an absolute slog starting with Peach Trees. Then you have the lyrics of Gay Messiah..."No I won't be the one, baptized in cum"...um, just, wow, no thanks. Waiting for a Dream is the first track that got me interested again. I really like the piano line (although it reminds me of something else I can't place right now), but even that song eventually drags, and it ends so abruptly that I think something's wrong with my phone. The album picks up slightly on Crumb by Crumb and the latter half of Old Whore's Diet, but at this point it's far too late. After enjoying Want One, Want Two is a disappointing 2. Wrong choice, 1001 editor.

Poorly executed Radiohead.

I really like OK Computer by Radiohead, particularly Exit Music (for a Film). To me this album is like having that one song taken and expanded from a few minutes to an entire hour. After the pretty turgid first track, it was good but not great to my ears. Sort of mumbly and samey in parts, with some tracks standing out to some degree here and there.

I’m not sure what I expected from this album, as I’d heard the artists name lots, but didn’t know what type of music it would be. I found it to be very meditative and relaxing, but not something I would choose to put on and listen to. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Best Song: I did like the first song-it’s pretty theatrical.

The downside of staying curious and trying new things and listening to new music is that you'll sometimes run into things that have been done better elsewhere. The other day I ordered a beer I wasn't familiar with and was utterly disappointed. It had an aftertaste that lingered too long and a flavor you were sick of after the first sip. But it still reminded me enough of better beers that I would've enjoyed more. Want Two gave me that same feeling. Sure, I could've loved it given my taste in similar artists. But I didn't. All I could think was how hard he is trying to be innovative and different, only to miss and leave me wanting something else.

The worst wainwright. Goes on but goes nowhere. The Laurence Fox of music. Couldn't do much, so did what his family did.

He has a very particular vocal. Quite whiny and totally recognisable so most of the songs sound the same. Really not to my taste so a harsh 2*

Not great. Verged on giving it a 1 but a little unfair. Just a low two...

Sorry Rufus, I loved Poses but never listened to this one back then. Maybe I'll come back to and feel differently.

It’s not bad. But it’s dull and boring.

did not like the vocals at all, the music is alright

It was kinda middle of the road for me until he sang about being baptized by c*m and an old horse dying for 10+ minutes

A bit weird

Singer-songwriter music has seldomly sounded so vapid and completely without purpose. It's still not abrasively painful to listen to as the albums I rate 1 star. But still, this is some of the worst singer-songwriter music I've had to listen to.

No good

I was not into this album. Not because it is terrible. It just was not my jam.

Muzikaal allemaal leuk hoor, maar....o nee hè....Niet weer zo'n zeik-stem.... Ik kan hier slecht naar luisteren. Gelukkig af en toe een flinke muzikale uitstap, die er uitspringt. Die variatie verdient een extra ster. Kom ik op max. twee sterren.

Dit is van die muziek die Dolf Jansen bij de top2000 a gogo komt aanprijzen als iets wat voor hem absoluut op nummer 1 hoort te staan. En dan met wat aanstellerige verhalen erbij uit de grote stad hoe ongelooflijk muzikaal en geniaal dit wel niet is. Matthijs van Nieuwkerk die heel aandachtig knikt en er een ernstig gezicht bij trekt. Typische muziek voor theaterpubliek. Het moet dus heel rustig en kalmerend zijn, en zo begint het ook wel enigszins, maar na een tijdje word ik hier juist heel agressief van. Het kabbelt en jengelt ook maar voort. Echt moeite om dit af te luisteren. Omdat er toch nog 1 of 2 aardige nummers tussen zitten, geef ik het voor de moeite nog 2 sterren. Onwijs agressief van!

Agnus Dei sounded great, then The One You Love was OK but not exactly catchy, then Peach Trees and I started to think: these aren't so much 'songs' - it's just a series of vocal exercises. Great voice (sounds a lot like his Dad at times) I suppose, but I don't care for the material and couldn't bear to listen to it all.

Ballady pop with classical moments. Sometimes has Radiohead type vibes. Not to my taste.

Sounds like yom Yorke. Pretty boring.

Okay