Album Review: Rufus Wainwright - Unfollow The Rules

The world could do with more Rufus Wainwright. A contradiction of the grand, the silly and the overblown, but then with moments of quiet and clarity – this album, like his best, offers so much.

Singles Trouble In Paradise and Damsel In Distress deliver his rich harmony-based pop (with some fabulous film clips to accompany), with the former showing that too much drag is barely enough. The rest of the album offers richness that rewards re-listens – including the beautifully dishevelled Early Morning Madness (think Old Whore’s Diet from way back in his Want days), six and bit minutes of wonder in title track, a trip in This One’s For The Ladies (THAT LUNGE!) and beautiful, and now hauntingly poignant lyrics like “between sex and death and trying to keep the kitchen clean, remember wild roses bloom best in ruins” from the love song Peaceful Afternoon. Having said that, this really is a collection of love songs in many ways, peppered with swears, mild indiscretions and brutal honesty. Existing fans will enjoy cherry picking what parts of Wainwright’s career so far this collection harks back to (hint – it’s bits of everything), while newbies who discovered him in lockdown will be in for a real treat.