Open Hearted

Poor, young Rufus Wainwright; look how he broods. You'd think the weight of the world was on his shoulders. If he was an actor you'd think he was trying very, very hard to impress some hot-shot film producer to employ him in a massive epic - even though his darkened brow makes him look more like Joey from Friends than James Dean. But, as always, it's far simpler - it's just his heart on his sleeve again. What giant heartbreak he seems to have endured in his short lifetime... if you believe him when he spouts his inner feelings and I'm not sure I can all the time.

He's coming out to Australia next year to perform in the Leonard Cohen thing "Come So Far For Beauty" (which he did in 2003) with his mum and aunt and sister and Beth Orton and the Handsome Family duo and, ofcourse, Nick Cave. So that should be a roaringly funny night - jokes aplenty I'll be betting. I don't really like Cohen that much but this lot should all be able to make the songs come alive for me, if nothing else. And the bassy duets with Rufus and Nick will, no doubt, make the Opera House shudder.

I suppose he'll also do some other touring to show off his new album "Want Two". It's had some rather negative reviews around the place but I can't quite see why. Sure it has a similar sound and intent to "Want One" but that's really to be expected, isn't it? In fact, "2" lightens the operatic touches that made "1" such a chore for me... and the tunes seem to be of higher quality: at least they stick in my mind more. As with all his albums, I get sick of the crooning very quickly but I'm sure I'll return to this one more often than it's previous namesake.

Look, I just listened to it again and it really is the best thing he's done. Very lovely indeed. Maybe I've gotta be in the mood:

A fairly upbeat song for a change - drums high in the mix. He needs more like this...
mp3: The One You Love

A slightly weirder arrangement but still that trademark vocal swoop carries it through...
mp3: Waiting For a Dream