Track Listing

1. Agnus Dei
2. The One You Love
3. Peach Trees
4. Little Sister
5. The Art Teacher
6. Hometown Waltz
7. This Love Affair
8. Gay Messiah
9. Memphis Skyline
10. Waiting For A Dream
11. Crumb by Crumb
12. Old Whore's Diet
13. Coeur De Parisienne - Reprise d'Arletty - Live
14. Quand Vous Mourez de Nos Amours - Live

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2789 in Music
• Released on: 2005-03-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 60 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A wild card songwriter with a familial pedigree and an ever-expanding cult retinue, the raffish but assiduous Rufus Wainwright--outré, gay and sage--is not one to shy away from invigorating his songs with a lurid theatrical honesty. Want Two perhaps reflects Wainwright's revised priorities since stepping back from the recreational medication precipice. Opening number "Agnus Die"--a medieval Catholic liturgy given an eastern flavour and performed with Hungarian instruments--seeks spiritual laundering and clemency but this virtue is offset by the implied vice and self-loathing of grand finale "Old Whore's Diet", a brilliantly irrational sprawl of skewed genius taking in Latin-American grooves and a doomy operatic Radiohead-esque requiem. Between these polar extremes lies Wainwright's eye for improbable observational finesse. Few others could express the first lovestruck flush of teenage infatuation with such deliberate inarticulacy ("Art Teacher") or envisage the coming of a "Gay Messiah" dripping in testicular fluid. He's evidently an attention-craving naughty boy with a love of Serge Gainsbourg, Elvis Costello and harpsichords but on Want Two Rufus Wainwright makes sex, drugs, politics--and yes, belated redemption--sound positively velvety. --Kevin Maidment

Album Review
Picking up where Want One left off, Rufus Wainwright's Want Two is a deeply introspective, sometimes kinky and often personally critical set of mini-operettas that ruminate on his various relationships, drug abuse, and image in the media. Metaphorically liturgical and often classical in sound, Want Two touches on such inner-related themes as love, loneliness, sin and sacrifice. It's more focused than Want One and as such packs more of wallop both musically and emotionally. Musically, Wainwright has never seemed more in command of his muse. References to Nilsson, Brian Wilson and Randy Newman are a matter of course, but Wainwright's growth as a pop craftsman with his own unique lyrical voice--both conceptually and literally--makes such comparisons unnecessary. To these ends, lush string orchestras, cheery choirs and piping horn sections decorate the impeccably scored album and perfectly complement Wainwright's swooning vocals. Taken as a whole, Want One and Want Two work well together as a sprawling and ambitious double album that is camp, serious and utterly compelling. --Matt Collar, All Music Guide

CD Description
'Want Two' is the follow up to the 2003 release 'Want One' and completes Wainwright's original idea of recording a double album. A combination of mini-operettas, chamber pop, and classical work, the album's lyrical content draws on Wainwright's experience of relationships, drug abuse, and lifestyle.

Customer Reviews

Shh - Ear Addiction
The first time I heard Rufus - I thought - OK, well that was interesting, a bit overblown, a bit rich, but worth listening to again. The second time, I was entranced, the third and I was addicted - I bought every record, saw him live, became devoted to his music, was affected by his music in a way that perhaps only Pink Floyd has ever managed before.

Rufus writes complicated emotional music with many layers and drawing on his own intense personal experiences. It takes time and effort on the part of the listener to engage. He draws on a very wide range of influences and styles and makes each his own. He makes no compromises

Be warned, he will steal your soul.

A follow up to a work of genius!!
'Want Two' is the amazing follow-up to 'Want One'. It is a darker CD than 'Want One' & upon first listening to it, it didn't seem as 'catchy' or 'radio friendly' (although not as in the mainstream pop sense) as it's predecessor. However, after playing it constantly, I absolutely love it! Each track is so beautiful in its own way & again, so lyrically profound, musically rich & textured, boasting Rufus' genius & perception of the world. His operetta/chamber/classical style playing/arranging are truly hypnotic; married with Wainwright's voice, this is a truly stunning work which sets it apart from any of today's singer/songwriters. Prepare to be amazed.

Glorious
If you want an introduction to Rufus Wainwright, try 'Poses' or the majestic 'Want One'. Approach 'Want Two' as a fan and you will get the most out of it.

It is a decidedly darker offering than 'Want One': the lavish orchestration and fantastic zest for life has been traded for less immediate gems that creep in on you quietly and then hammer around your head for weeks afterwards. 'Gay Messiah', 'The Art Teacher' and 'Waiting For A Dream' are examples of this man's unique songwriting ability - his lyrics are sharp, intelligent and affecting. 'Memphis Skyline' never fails to touch me and once you've seen him perform 'Agnus Dei' live: you will be both haunted and mesmerised by his presence and his voice.

I heartily recommend this album to anyone who prefers their music to be unique, thoughtful and intelligent.