Advertisement

Album reviews Music

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Want One (DreamWorks/Universal) Rating: NNN

Rating: NNN


Rufus, honey, the martyr complex is getting a bit tired. As much as I love the soaring, deliriously extravagant Henry Mancini-meets-Freddie Mercury cabaret chamber pop, with its over-the-top string and horn arrangements and fey homo lyrics, I miss the tongue-in-cheek irony that gave Poses its charming edge. Sure, the middle section of Want One (the first volume of a planned two-part series) is up there with Wainwright’s best work, from the stripped-down piano ballad Pretty Things through the theatrical swirl of 14th Street to the brassy epic Harvester Of Hearts. But the rest teeters on the edge of self-indulgence. Maybe it’s due to the absence of producer Pierre Marchand, the man who keeps Sarah McLachlan in check.

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.