Poses: "Life is a game and true love is a trophy..."
Written: Dec 10 '03
Product Rating:
Pros: Amazing lyrics, songs, arrangements, and overall feel...
Cons: .
The Bottom Line: Sick of all the sound-alike pop and rock that pervades MTV? Look no further than Rufus Wainwright for a glimpse of what music should be.
lambchops's Full Review: Poses by Rufus Wainwright
The son of folk singers, Rufus Wainwright made a splash with his richly evocative self-titled debut in 1998. A neatly entertaining blend of chamber, cabaret, tin-pan, and pop the music instantly marked Wainwright as a unique young talent.
But as with all new artists there was a major question as to whether he would be able to maintain the consistently high quality of his debut or whether he too would fall prey to the evil sophomore slump. Lo and behold, Wainwright did no such thing. Instead he returned for round two with another set of outstandingly adventurous and poignant pop songs. From start to finish 2001’s Poses is a triumphant tour de force that will prove appealing to both fans of indie pop and (gasp!) adult contemporary. Poses is ageless and wonderful—a rare piece of perfection floating in a painfully disagreeable sea of mediocrity.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Pierre Marchand had more than a little to do with this work. Marchand, best known for his extensive work with Sarah McLachlan, works well with Wainwright’s well trodden ethereal, magical, almost theatrical territory. With that said, please don’t jump to the conclusion that Poses treads on the same water as his intimate debut. It does not. Rather, Wainwright takes advantage of his extra notoriety and multiple contributors and turns out an album that is rich in production values and musical couth. This is a timeless, genre-less and ultimately fascinating (not to mention appealing) album steeped in honesty and emotion.
Beginning with the opening notes of Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk, Poses sweeps me away the smoky, spotlighted stage that fully warmed my heart on Wainwright’s eponymous debut. Beginning with a soft chunk-chunking keyboard, Wainwright’s beautiful voice soon enters the picture. These songs are so very strong because they completely lack boundaries and cannot be easily categorized. This is the kind of album I could give to my not-in-the-least-bit-cultured mother who would in turn get a great deal out of Wainwright’s songs.
Continuing on, the album is consistently glorious and wonderful. A few tracks strike me as particularly poignant, but I can’t help but listen to the all of Poses every time I pop it into the stereo. It’s like a masterfully suspenseful film…you continue watching (or in this case listening) just to experience what happens next. Poses is quite simply incredible. On one level, Wainwright’s songs are starkly emotional but on another he is unafraid to inject a cello or piano. It all works so well, and Poses is probably the best of the bunch. The melody builds upon itself to a nearly frenzied crescendo. But not an uncontrollable frenzy, rather one that tickles every nerve in the listener’s soul. And the words…they too are outstanding:
The green autumnal parks conducting
All the city streets a wondrous chorus singing
All these poses oh how can you blame me
Life is a game and true love is a trophy
As Poses progresses, it is difficult to not find a great deal of merit in Wainwright’s vision. He is a distinctively timeless entity in music. California is a sweet, jangly pop treasure. Grey Gardens pairs an organ with French horn, light percussion, and guitar for a clean and melodic not to mention appealing end result. Although I think one of the most telling songs is One Man Guy, a cover of the elder Wainwright’s folk track. The song is a throwback to the acoustic brilliance of Rufus’ debut album as it features just an acoustic guitar and his smooth voice. Younger sister Martha joins her brother on the track for depth. It’s a soulful, emotional piece that absolutely proves beyond any doubt that Wainwright has the talent and drive to do anything he wishes.
Poses is the product of a slightly more refined, slightly older Wainwright. Yet, his youthful sparkle and woeful emotion still shine through on every single song. Rufus Wainwright once again managed to put together an album for the ages and masses. Since the release of Poses, Wainwright returned (in 2003) with Want One. Reviews have been mostly positive…not that this should come as a shock.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk *
02. Greek Song
03. Poses *
04. Shadows
05. California *
06. The Tower of Learning
07. Grey Gardens
08. Rebel Prince
09. The Consort
10. One Man Guy *
11. Evil Angel
12. In a Graveyard
13. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (reprise)
* songs I particularly like
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