| Rufus Wainwright�s Want Two is the companion album to his critically acclaimed 2003 album Want One. The 12 track album presents a different side to the �Want� sessions and is further enhanced by a bonus DVD of a live Rufus show at San Francisco�s legendary venue the Fillmore Auditorium recorded earlier this year. �Want One was a personal album,� Wainwright explains, �and it dealt with my triumphs in personal battles, Want Two is far more broader and doesn�t dwell on one subject.� The artwork for the albums help signify the two albums differences. In Want One, Wainwright is dressed as a knight complete with armor to signify these battles while Want Two has Wainwright dressed as a woman. �Want Two is a far more feminine record. It explores the darker more mysterious side of nature.� He adds, �Want Two is about the world we live in. I feel every songwriter should attempt to represent the era in which he or she lives, and we�re in an era where the world is entering puberty which of course means that it is overdramatic and awkward. It was funny to see after I was able to get my life in order what an utter mess the world is in.� Like Want One, the album was produced by Marius deVries and showcases Wainwright�s love of opera and classical music which he synthesizes with different types of pop music, �I�m an octopus using my many arms to grab at a wide variety of styles.� The album begins with �Agnus Dei� Wainwright says of it �this has been kicking around my head for years. The music was originally for violin. But my madam voice came in and wrested it away. It is a distinctly Middle Eastern piece which begins with the sound of a combalom, a Hungarian instrument made of wood and strings and is played with mallets. I�ve always been a fan of Masses and Requiems. I wrote it around at the beginning of the Iraq war. Agnus Dei means Lamb of God in Latin, and it�s sentiment of forgiveness of our worldly sins, give us a peace couldn�t be more perfect in the world today. I think we need some divine intervention.� He pauses and adds, �I think we�ll get it.� �The One You Love� was written about �coming to terms with your own sexual escapades. I thought of myself as unattractive and not virile, But at the same time I also know that self deprecation is attractive to people, you can suck them with your insecurity.� �Peach Trees� � �This is escapist song similar in theme to �Barcelona� from my first album. Yet both songs are about very real places. It�s the surreality of reality. Musically there�s definitely a Martin Denny-type lounge feel to this song.� �Little Sister� � This is a very old song.� Originally it was recorded for Wainwright�s eponymous debut album. The song has been newly re-recorded for Want Two is a completely newly recorded version, although the Van Dyke Parks original arrangement is intact here. In the song Wainwright says, �I�m Mozart and I�m mean and have an upper hand with my sister who I tell she�s going to need more than just her musicality to get by. I know everyone is going to think the song is about Martha (his sister who often accompanies him on record and live shows), but I have three sisters, and it�s beyond just sisters it�s really about all women entertainers. Lenny Waronker ( the former Dreamworks President) suggested the song be put on the back burner and not go on the first album, and think it was wise that I did. I have more perspective to sing it. Ultimately, it�s an optimistic song, as I say sing, round one has been played, it is history, over.� The Art Teacher � �It�s a song about a guy I met at the gym who of course was straight. He�d tell me stories about his female students who were ravenous for him. So I put myself in their shoes to write the song. I played it for him and it went totally over his head!� Hometown Waltz � The song also features Rufus� mother Kate McGarrigle, his sister Martha, aunt Anna McGarrigle, and his cousin Liiiiily Lanken. He says of the song �It�s another honest observation. Despite the lyrics to this song, I adore Montreal, and since Bush won the election I intend to spend a lot more time up there! But I regress every time I go back. I�m haunted by old visions of my romantic and melancholy. This song is similar to �Dinner at Eight� from Want One in terms of tone.� This Love Affair � �Without a doubt the most perfect example of a Rufus Wainwright song. All the elements are there: It�s emotional yet structured. Melancholy yet tough, it�s also very personal and universal at the same time.� Gay Messiah � �Interestingly enough this started off as a party song. What Passion of the Christ is to Christians this song is to the gay world. It�s definitely a protest song, and I want people to hear it so I wrote it so that musically, it would be rather simple and accessible.� Memphis Skyline � This song is about Jeff Buckley. �I hated him when I first came to New York he was playing Sine, and they wouldn�t book me. Years later, after my first album came out I met him. I was struck by both his darkness and frailty. When I covered Leonard Cohen�s �Hallelujah� (for the Shrek soundtrack) I hadn�t heard his version of it. I finally did hear it after he had died, and I had this out of body of experience. I felt the loss of his voice and there�s still a tremendous sadness that we�ll never be able to sing together.� Waiting For A Dream � �Well we�re still waiting,� says Wainwright with a wry laugh. �I can say the only silver lining I can find in the election is that my line about the ogre in the Oval Office is still valid. The world has become so brutal and non-sensical you can�t help be excited about bed time.� Crumb By Crumb -- I wrote about a guy I didn�t know very well, and he was dating a friend of mine. I decided he was going to be Mr. Wainwright. The song is a good example of writing a song about stranger and attaching certain qualities to them. At one point I sang it to him, and had forgotten it was about him until midway through the song. I don�t think he ever knew.� Old Whore�s Diet � �This song was from my rather decadent period. I�d been up for days and found myself eating some rather old Chinese food from a hotel refrigerator. I thought to myself that this is the ultimate old whore�s diet.� Amazon.com review by [email protected] Rufus Wainwright makes music for intelligent human beings. That most of his work fails to chart impressively is testament to this fact. The most beautiful thing about 'Want Two' is in how it treats the listener - with absolute respect. Never since 'Want One' have I come across an album that manages to do this. And in this age where people who've been around five years doing Pepsi commercials release 'Greatest Hits' albums, its that much more refreshing that music like this can exist. Just listen to it, its a towering achievement, and I'm going to say it will be remembered as one of the best albums made this decade. The great thing about 'Want Two' is the cohesive factor. It never falters and does not ever seem disjointed. I can appreciate Rufus' interest in the concept of the androgyne, and it comes across pretty well here. His voice has gotten better - a sort of raspiness has crept in that was not evident on his first recording. One also appreciates the production values on this disc. Every instrument and every vocal track seems to stand as a masterwork by itself - playing it on headphones, I was amazed. Its unlike anything I've ever heard before, and thats why this gets my strongest recommendation. In this season of vile, puerile, noxious garbage being shoved down our throats by heartless corporate establishments, music like this is a reason to believe yet again that REAL music is very much out there. Simply fabulous. This is something you won't regret buying, and its one of those albums that you'll want to play again and again. Someone said that music like this is 'poppera' - a combination of current pop sensibilities layered with a lush Victorian feel. Its very much like that, but also beyond that. To me, its like the wisdom of Noam Chomsky and Bertrand Russell set to the poetry of Sylvia Plath, set to the music of Dvorak and Rachmaninoff. Now, THATS something that I would buy. And I did. I'm listening to this every chance I get. Five Stars. Music cannot get better. |
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| Rufus Wainwright "Want Two" A Review by the Artist with descriptions and inspirations behind the tracks, followed by an Amazon.com exclusive by [email protected] |