Rufus Wainwright - Release the Stars

Excellent yet not what I'd expected

it was not love at first sight with "Release the Stars" for me. Even though I loved "Slideshow" I was expecting another "Want One", to be honest. Like another buyer wrote, it is not easy to overcome one's masterpiece and, in my humble opinion, he reached his with Want One. Don't take me wrong: the man is a genious. He's currently writing an Opera and he is definitely going towards attaining music perfection. Every song of his is a masterpiece on its own. "Release The Stars" is excellent but after giving it dozens of listens, I think it falls short against Rufus' previous works.
Beautiful Child or Poses moved me to tears the first time I heard them, their musicality is unbelievable.
So, if you are just getting into his work, wondering which album to buy first, you should not start from here. Please go to Poses [Bonus Track] or Want One first.
June 29, 2008

3-1/2 stars -- Up in the air

Although I've known about Rufus Wainwright for a number of years, I never got around to listening to any of his albums. I got my hands on his latest album Release the Stars, and it's above-average, but...

I'll just say that there are two songs that I can do without. One is "Slideshow", and the other is "Between My Legs" -- no, it's not about sex, but it's still quite bizarre ("I shed a tear between my legs?" WTF?). Actually, another song that's a little questionable is "Leaving for Paris No.2" because although it flows well, Rufus sings the words in such a way that I had no idea what he was saying, and I had the lyrics right in front of me.

Everything else is okay. Since I'm not as big a fan of Rufus as most of these other reviewers seem to be, I can't give five stars to Release the Stars. It should satisfy lovers of contemporary music, but there's really nothing here to run and tell a friend about. B.I.F.

Anthony Rupert June 22, 2008

Very Pretty, and Not Dull

The thing I appreciate most about this CD is the writing. Musically, I mean. There are a few kind of ordinary songs, but most of them are very carefully constructed. So much music today is built on some four-chord cycle that drones on for three and a half minutes with minor variations in texture and a melody consisting of three or four pitches for the verse, three for the chorus. Not Rufus, at least not on most songs here.

Some people are complaining about the orchestration, but I liked it. It's rare to have a pop (or alternative, o whatever the genre-parsers want to call this) album these days with all live musicians, including the strings, and it was refreshing. I like my share of electro-pop and so on, just this was a nice switch and the strings were well arranged and tastefully deployed. Sometimes they're big and overwhelming, but it always suits the song's purpose.

This is my first RW record, and from what I read here, it may not be his best. I'm looking forward to hearing more of his compositions. May 6, 2008

A classical guide to Rufus

"What is this music?" I asked when hearing it at a friends house How tawdry I felt when I had to find the disc in the "alternative" section. But where does he belong? He is a brilliant performer and a superb (if somewhat idiosyncratic) vocalist but what excites me the most is his ability as a composer. These are not just pop songs. Why not? His emotional depth (through music), melody, harmonic adventures and sophisticatedaccompaniment are those of a classical composer. Not just a one trick pony either. I like to think that Rufus was channelling some of these fellows on this album....


"Do I disappoint you": A swirling, decadent Szymanowskian splurge, complete with hints of Eastern mysticism and erotic dissonance.

Going to a town: One of those perfect Mozart concerto middle movements where time stands still. When was the last time you heard a sequence of fourths used with such elegance and poignancy?

Tiergarten: It's not just the German title. The sprightly, slightly odd accompaniment creates the perfect depiction of a garden stroll, while the vocal melody lets us know that deeper stuff is going on..........Pure Schubert Lied.

Nobody's off the hook: Oh so Brahms. A folk like melody based on thirds which grows and surges to an exquisite climax, although the sense of longing is never satisfied, just a wistful acceptance. If that is not enough for you, it is accompanied by a piano quintet......Hello!!

Between my Legs: What a corker. While the opening somehow reminds me of Fleetwood Mac, the song soon takes on the characteristics and irresistible energy of a Verdi cabeletta ("when the rocket ships explode..."). The coda section suddenly switches over to a Richard Strauss extended climax (as we all know, the longer the better).

Rules and Regulations: This one is a bit hard. I am very tempted to say a Britten/Auden cabaret song, but am I just being too much persuaded by the boys' school eroticism of the film clip? Mind you there is the witty text and rhymes and the badly played recorder like we hear in Britten's Noye's Fludde.....

Not ready to Love: Ravel. Not the busy whirly Ravel but the minimalisty piano concerto second movement Ravel.

Slide Show: This one is hard. There are elements of Schumann- the delicacy of the melody and the emotion, the soaring phrases (which are also a little bit Leonora from Il Trovatre don't you think?) and the melancholy play out. But what about the crazy Bruckner brass burst?

Tulsa: A mad Piazzolla/Mahler mix.

Leaving for Paris: Very Satie. Doesn't go anywhere, but if you are in the mood it's a nice journey anywhere. Actually, I enjoy it far more than Satie but you get my drift.

San souci: It's not really very classical is it? However is there not a hint of Zanzibar from Poulenc's Les Mamelles des Tiresias?

Release the Stars: I would be certainly stretching the point with this one, but 11 out of 12 isn't bad.

The single quality I love about this man's music is his ability to achieve moving emotional catharsis through harmonic resolution. Who else has done this in living memoryso consistently? Buy it, love him and get excited about his upcoming opera.
April 22, 2008

Oh, Rufus

I love you. And I've listened to this cd COUNTLESS times and sung along until I can't talk. Love, love, love it! April 6, 2008

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