Gay but worth it :) (Poses - Rufus Wainwright)

Member Name: phill@leeds

Product:	Poses - Rufus Wainwright
Date:	31/07/02 (253 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Spectacular, Intriguing

Disadvantages: .

Rufus Wainwright is not a popular guy; I mean, have you ever heard of him? But then is popularity a measure of how many people like you, or is it how much people like you? If it is the second type then Rufus is certainly an admired fella. Here he has produced an aching beautiful, ultra camp journey through music, incorporating Counting Crows’ piano splendor, Jeff Buckley soaring vocals and waltzing cadenced prose.

The album begins and ends with the superb ‘Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk’ an intriguing song of his own fragility. In typical Wainwright style, the lyrics rise and fall with the orchestra like a boat on the ocean. Rufus leads, with the piano, banjo, cello, drums and viola driving the song forward in a warm wave of sound. Similar to a West end love song; this is gorgeous and blissful throughout.

‘Greek Song’ appears to be stolen from George Harrison, with Slide Guitar and the Mandolin giving the track a wonderful Eastern atmosphere. Here we can also experience Wainwright’s powerful voice, bursting through the octaves with perfection.

‘Poses’, the title track, is a 5minute, camptastic but downbeat, indulgence in his hallmark style. Another gorgeous, sumptuous song.

‘Shadows’ begins in much more of a rock/indie groove that gives way to Wainwright’s paranoiac but sanguine verse. The refrain, “I could be a great star” is repeated to encourage himself out of his own shadows.

‘California’ is an exuberant country rock song, with Rufus adopting an amusing drawl in parts. In the song, he chooses to miss out on California’s “mad traditions” and crazed, unique world by sleeping in, but probably charms its listeners to visit!

‘The tower of learning’ is an odd love song, that has parts of Little Mermaid (listen for the hummm humm humming!) and begins with The Beatles’ ‘Golden Slumbe
rs’ chords I’m sure. The song describes how our protagonist sees the world’s beauty and wisdom in the eyes of a young lady, and wishes to seek out this “copious prize”. An innovative, fascinating track.

‘Grey Gardens’ uses clever refrain and Wainwright’s frequent weighty cadence. A short song about rediscovering a better life, dragging oneself into more interesting greenery.

‘Rebel Prince’ is a simple toe-tapping ballet and extremely gay song. Rufus switches from English to French like Fran Healey in ‘The last laugh of the laughter’ to good effect. A pleasing and easy to listen too song that perhaps carries on a little too long.

‘The consort’ I cannot review because my cd is too scratched to play it!

‘One man guy’ is another country song, this time a slow yarn where Rufus is joined in chorus. One man guy sounds quite biblical and so develops a kind of spiritually soothing. Another interesting style, markedly different to most others found on ‘Poses’.

‘Evil Angel’ starts sinisterly, creeping up on you with harrowing violins and Rufus accentuating words to scary effect. It only gets worse from the middle, when the song evolves into a grandiose, blood-curdling, satanic verse.

‘In a graveyard’ is a brief, simple song with Rufus singing unhurriedly to his piano. This is both tender and regal.

‘Poses’ is a fabulous, feminine, playful, charming record. A great album, but only for those who appreciate that listening to it won’t turn/make you queer.

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