Tiger Man (Earliest Recordings 1950-1957) - Rufus Thomas

Advantages: A requiem for the jilted generation
Disadvantages: Not as brilliant as previous offering 'Want One'

...! His mother, aunt and sister sing backing vocals on some of these tracks. I imagine the scene. “I have a great song about anal sex mum and I want you and Aunt Anna to sing backing vocals….and there is this track Little Sister and don’t read the words because they probably explain why Martha turned out like she did.” I exaggerate but you get the gilt-framed picture? Want Two is a well-crafted, interesting and more romantic record, the feminine to the previous album’s masculine, but one still gets the feeling some of the tracks are cast-offs from the Want One sessions and quality control was taking a breather. But then Jeff Buckley tribute Memphis Skyline (the two both covered Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, Wainwright’s gracing the Shrek soundtrack) comes along and you are eating out of the man... Read review

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Advantages: A fun album, jolly tunes, uplifting music
Disadvantages: Not much to complain about, some slower tracks perhaps

...Rufus Wainwright's first Album, self titled "Rufus Wainwright" will bring you much delight! The song's will give you a great feeling, and you'll just have to sing along! The album has a beautiful opening with "Foolish Love" which starts very simply with Rufus singing and playing the piano. This beautiful song then becomes suddenly much more jazzy, and your foot will begin to tap, guaranteed! A typical Rufus album, with many fantastic songs! Most are brilliant, and others just being in the "good" category! A brilliant debut album from the artist who plays with orchestra's on this album, as he does on his others. The album contains many good tracks, some of my favourites being "Foolish Love", "Danny Boy" which isn't a cover of the famous classic, but a totally different song,"April Fools", "Beauty Mark", and the wonderful... Read review

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Advantages: Wonderful songwriting from one of the best around
Disadvantages: Not as good as some previous work due to a couple of weaker songs

...sexuality, and truely shows his gay pride: "Ave, ave, history is on my side, so complain, have no shame, and remember that your brother is a boy!" 5)The Art Teacher What I'd say was the best song on the album! Once you listen, you'll also be extremely surprised to find out that this song was recorded live at Le Metropolis in Montreal as Rufus Wainwright never misses a note! It really does sound perfect, and you wouldn't know that it was live if there wasn't all of the cheering at the end of the song! A very clever song all about the art teacher that Rufus has a crush on at school! Again a song about his sexuality, which uses very clever lyrics to make an amazing song! "He asked us what our favourite work of art was, but never could I tell him it was him" Also a nice use of horns makes this song sound truely wonderful! 6)Hometown Waltz... Read review

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