|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epicurus.com - Release the Stars
|
List Price: $13.98
Our Price: $12.99
Your Save: $ 0.99 ( 7% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0602517301610
Label: Geffen Records
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Geffen Records
Release Date: 2007-05-15
Studio: Geffen Records
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
UK pressing of the 2007 album from 'the crown prince of singer-songwriters', Rufus Wainwright, featuring one bonus track: 'Do I Disappoint You?'. Release The Stars is a masterclass in songwriting and production. The album is written and produced by Rufus himself, with Neil Tennant as executive producer. Long time collaborator, Marius de Vries, has also sprinkled magic dust over the tracks in the mix. Universal. 2007.
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Release the Stars
Comment: I like Rufus Wainwright. His ambition is something to admire, certainly, and his musical skills are imposing, to say the least. The orchestrations throughout this album are very well done, and I like how it sounds. But I can't say the same for the songs themselves. The muscles and the flesh are impressive, but the skeletons are beyond lacking.
There is a brilliant four-song EP in here. Opener "Do I Disappoint You?," follow up "Going to a Town," mid-album "rocker" (It's Rufus, the song only rocks so much) "Between My Legs," and the closing title track, are astounding pieces of work, worth hearing. But the rest of the songs are disappointing. They're all limp. The melodies are accomplished, but the way Rufus slurs through each and every one, and that they are all sung at that same, languid pace, keeps them from being involving. But those four songs are beyond belief.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Truly Spectacular Music
Comment: I have been a fan of Rufus Wainwright since his self-titled first release in 1998. There is a richness and a depth to the music on "Release the Stars" that is quite rare in popular music today. There are songs that are deeply profound, like "Going To A Town" and others that are lighthearted and amusing, like "Tulsa." There are several layers to each song, and one is not only captivated by the intricacies of the musical arrangements, but by the mysteries contained within the lyrics. Listening to this CD is like a journey through an amusement park with each song being a new and different ride. "Sanssouci" transports the listener not only to an exotic place and time but to a mindset as well. "Between My Legs," despite its evocative title, is musically adventurous and lyrically complex and poetic. Every time I listen to this CD, I come away with a different song running through my head.
With each CD that Rufus released I remember thinking, "It will be hard for him to top this one," yet he always does. Rufus Wainwright is an extraordinarily talented performer, songwriter, and producer. "Release The Stars" is proof of that. It will be hard for him (or anyone) to top this one.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent yet not what I'd expected
Comment: it was not love at first sight with "Release the Stars" for me. Even though I loved "Slideshow" I was expecting another "Want One", to be honest. Like another buyer wrote, it is not easy to overcome one's masterpiece and, in my humble opinion, he reached his with Want One. Don't take me wrong: the man is a genious. He's currently writing an Opera and he is definitely going towards attaining music perfection. Every song of his is a masterpiece on its own. "Release The Stars" is excellent but after giving it dozens of listens, I think it falls short against Rufus' previous works.
Beautiful Child or Poses moved me to tears the first time I heard them, their musicality is unbelievable.
So, if you are just getting into his work, wondering which album to buy first, you should not start from here. Please go to Poses [Bonus Track] or Want One first.
Customer Rating:
Summary: 3-1/2 stars -- Up in the air
Comment: Although I've known about Rufus Wainwright for a number of years, I never got around to listening to any of his albums. I got my hands on his latest album Release the Stars, and it's above-average, but...
I'll just say that there are two songs that I can do without. One is "Slideshow", and the other is "Between My Legs" -- no, it's not about sex, but it's still quite bizarre ("I shed a tear between my legs?" WTF?). Actually, another song that's a little questionable is "Leaving for Paris No.2" because although it flows well, Rufus sings the words in such a way that I had no idea what he was saying, and I had the lyrics right in front of me.
Everything else is okay. Since I'm not as big a fan of Rufus as most of these other reviewers seem to be, I can't give five stars to Release the Stars. It should satisfy lovers of contemporary music, but there's really nothing here to run and tell a friend about. B.I.F.
Anthony Rupert
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Pretty, and Not Dull
Comment: The thing I appreciate most about this CD is the writing. Musically, I mean. There are a few kind of ordinary songs, but most of them are very carefully constructed. So much music today is built on some four-chord cycle that drones on for three and a half minutes with minor variations in texture and a melody consisting of three or four pitches for the verse, three for the chorus. Not Rufus, at least not on most songs here.
Some people are complaining about the orchestration, but I liked it. It's rare to have a pop (or alternative, o whatever the genre-parsers want to call this) album these days with all live musicians, including the strings, and it was refreshing. I like my share of electro-pop and so on, just this was a nice switch and the strings were well arranged and tastefully deployed. Sometimes they're big and overwhelming, but it always suits the song's purpose.
This is my first RW record, and from what I read here, it may not be his best. I'm looking forward to hearing more of his compositions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
