« From Holidazzle to the mall, the skinny on Cities celebrations | Main | Cause: ‘The Grudge.’ Effect: sleeplessness »
December 07, 2004
‘Want Two’ makes this critic want more
Some people know exactly what they want in life.
For my friend Brendan, that was Rufus Wainwright’s new album, Want Two. Its release date was marked on his calendar for weeks.
A few weeks ago, Brendan finally got to go buy the album, and I was able to listen. We sat down on his disgusting (but comfortable) couch, straining to hear each lyric as it was revealed for the first time.
I was stunned, yet somewhat entranced, as the first track began to play.
I don’t know any Latin, but I do know that the title of the first song, “Agnus Dei,” translates to “Latin Prayer for Peace.”
The beginning is tense and sounds like someone scratching fingernails down violin strings.
Brendan had anticipation written all over his face. Curious, I took the CD case from him and began to explore it as we listened.
The cover looks like Michael JacksonąmeetsąVictorian era, with Wainwright decked out in Sleeping Beauty attire.
As I leafed through the accompanying booklet, I found a moving photograph of “Sleeping Beauty” Wainwright passed out on the forest floor.
I have to admit he’s a strange guy. But perhaps that’s half his charm. The booklet also includes all the lyrics for Want Two, and if you get tired of reading along with Wainwright’s dramatic, drawn-out lines, you can surely indulge in the bonus DVD, which features both the new and the old from Wainwright.
Titled Live at the Fillmore, it reveals Wainwright in concert, with occasional bits of footage tied in that serve as evidence to his pre-performance outings in San Francisco.
The DVD is a quality complement to the album.
It certainly surpassed my expectations of what someone might throw in for free just to make it a two-disc set.
But enough about the case. Let’s not forget that the music is still the most important piece.
Several things make Want Two a success.
First, it’s easy to listen to, and the songs are a perfect accompaniment to either doing homework or simply chilling out.
They flow perfectly from one to the next č exceptional, considering the variety of musical styles Wainwright presents on the record.
Some tracks are operatic, and some are whimsical, while others border on folk-like melodies.
Wainwright is a skillful pianist, and his deeply poetic lyrics conjure a variety of thought-provoking ideas, whether on serious offerings or on more tongue-in-cheek compositions, such as “Gay Messiah” and “Old Whore’s Diet.”
He even manages to slip in his political beliefs in “Waiting for a Dream”: “There’s a fire in the priory/And an ogre in the Oval Office.”
Nearly all the songs on Want Two were recorded at the same time as those on Want One (Wainwright’s third album, released last year).
When combined, they create a cohesive two-disc set. Wainwright’s musical background and powerful, soothing voice shine through in every song.
I know that for a long time to come, when I hit the couch in Brendan’s room, it will be Want Two that’s piping out of the little CD player in the corner.
Posted by msveum at December 7, 2004 01:04 PM