The first time I listened to Rufus Wainwright’s debut album, I was not a fan. A few listens later, I can identify a few reasons.
Though I often have a high tolerance for unique voices, Wainwright’s is not only nontraditional, it’s also highly affected. Sure, he can sing – he has a bit of a range – but his affect is over-the-top; it’s the kind of thing that has to be cultivated. People just don’t sing like this naturally. (I mean, he might, but it sure sounds like he made a conscious choice at some point in his life to adopt this laconic but expressive voice.)
The other thing is his knack of melody is good but not incredible. There’s the hit you know, but the other songs on the first listen or so don’t really grab you. The melodies are there, but they’re less immediate than a lot of other people who write in this style. (But it could also be that his sense of melody is actually pretty good, but it’s his voice that obscured the melodies from me initially.)
But after I accepted his voice for what it is, I’m happy to say this is a good set of songs, even if they are overly dramatic, with a fairly unique songwriting voice and arrangements that stand out for how they stand out from his contemporaries. As someone else on RYM pointed out, it’s nice to hear someone who is influenced by influences outside of the usual singer-songwriter fodder.
I still can’t say I love his voice and his songs are not the kind that I am going to find myself coming back to over and over again. But I respect this, it’s certainly unique.
7/10
All songs written by Wainwright.
- “Foolish Love” – 5:46
- “Danny Boy” – 6:12
- “April Fools” – 5:00
- “In My Arms” – 4:08
- “Millbrook” – 2:11
- “Baby” – 5:13
- “Beauty Mark” – 2:14
- “Barcelona” – 6:53
- “Matinee Idol” – 3:08
- “Damned Ladies” – 4:07
- “Sally Ann” – 5:01
- “Imaginary Love” – 3:28
- Jon Brion – chamberlin (1), accordion (1), marimba (1,9), vibes (1,10), bass (2,9,12), baritone guitar (2–3,11), optigan (2), S-6 (2–3), acoustic guitar (3,12), electric guitar (3), background vocals (3,12), percussion (3,8), timpani (7), crotales (7), celeste (7,10), temple blocks (7), assorted bells (7), tuned toms (8), mandolin (9), drums (9), tack piano (10)
- Randy Brion – horn arrangement (2,11), conductor (2,11)
- Yves Desrosiers – guitar (4), slide bass (4)
- Marty Grebb – alto saxophone (9)
- Glen Hollman – upright (1,7,12), mandolin bass (10)
- Jim Keltner – drums (1–3,7,11–12)
- Pierre Marchand – bass (4), keyboards (4)
- Van Dyke Parks – string arrangement (1,5–6), conductor (1,5–6)
- Ash Sood – drums (4), percussion (4)
- Benmont Tench – piano (3,11), Hammond organ (11)
- Martha Wainwright – background vocals (3–4,11)
- Rufus Wainwright – vocals (1–12), background vocals (3), piano (1–2,5–7,10,12), chamberlin (1,8–9), tack piano (1–2,9), acoustic guitar (3,8,11), castanets (8), half-speed piano (1), S-6 (10), humming (10)