CD Review: Rufus Wainwright - Out Of The Game

Written by Craig Podmore Wednesday, 30 May 2012 15:12

Artist: Rufus Wainwright
Title: Out Of The Game
Genre: Pop / Alternative
Release Date: 20th April 2012
Label: Universal

Album Review

Rufus Wainwright, a sophisticated songwriter of his very own self-stylised “Pop Opera” or “Pop Baroque” has come around to a point in his musical career (his 7th album) where he has decided to make a more simplified “Pop” album. It’s a vast turn around since his last album, ‘All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu’ where he sang many of Shakespeare’s sonnets accompanied only with melancholic keys of a solemn piano. ‘Out Of The Game’ is his first ‘danceable’ record and here he infuses his vision with the one and only Mark Ronson appearing as producer. It sounds like a promising mix along with Wainwright’s decision to change his direction - it indeed feels as though it has potential. Although, unfortunately I find that Wainwright had over-simplified himself with ‘Out Of The Game’. A songwriter who has in the past, written opera sets along with an interesting taste in classical music, really has stepped back a little too far. Ronson doesn’t feel as though he has pushed any limits towards the overall sound and feel of the album. Perhaps Ronson was just a name for Wainwright to push his album a little more into the limelight; a poster child for his “Pop” and mainstream move. The ultimate point, personally, whether Wainwright has actually gained his ‘pop’ sound is debatable. This is what misconstrues the whole idealism of this particular release.

Inspiring moments in this record are few and far between, however, Wainwright still invokes great elements in certain songs with his immense palette of sounds such as Gospel, Soul and Country. The song ‘Jericho’ and ‘Montauk’ are the strongest songs on the album, both lyrically and in sound. Although, there is a tangible emotion that has lead the record to be "different" in terms of direction relating to the singer’s mother’s death and the birth of his daughter. You can hear this most notably in the songs such as ‘Respectable Drive’ and ‘Candles’. Rufus has a great handful of musicians on this album too with the helping hand of ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner on guitar, Martha Wainwright giving strength in the backing vocals, Sean Lennon and Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt tend to the musical composition. With all that in mind, the album isn’t incredible nor does it quite cut the credibility of his last 6 records, although most dedicated Rufus fans will enjoy.


Tracklist

01. Out Of The Game
02. Jericho
03. Rashida
04. Barbara
05. Welcome To The Ball
06. Montauk
07. Bitter Tears
08. Respectable Drive
09. Perfect Man
10. Sometimes You Need
11. Song of You
12. Candles


Line-up

Rufus Wainwright – Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Martha Wainwright – Backing Vocals
Nels Cline – Electric Guitar
Anthony Rossomondo – Guitar
Nick Movshon – Drums, Percussion
Nick Zinner – Electric Guitar


Websites

http://www.rufuswainwright.com/


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 6
Sound: 5
Total: 5.5 / 10


Buy the album here!