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Jul 10, 2020‘Unfollow The Rules’ feels like a gentle stroll through the various stages of Rufus’s career; far from creating the impression of Rufus covering his own back catalogue, the effect is like a timely reminder of everything that’s wonderful about Wainwright.
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Jul 9, 2020Unfollow The Rules – the album title was inspired by a phrase used by Wainwright’s daughter – is worth the wait, and across the 12 songs here, we experience some of the finest moments of his career to date.
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UncutJul 7, 2020A spectacular return to the tower of song and the game he plays best. Brimming with memorable melodies, swooning arrangements and smart lyrics dreamily sung. [Aug 2020, p.39]
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Oct 29, 2020Wainwright has returned with a generous and positive record that suggests a more mature, philosophical perspective, thankfully without losing his impish sense of humour and taste for lavish arrangements.
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Aug 13, 2020Unfollow the Rules is what critics might call "classic Wainwright". Possibly feeling that his return to the 21st century had to be a good one, he enlisted the venerable Mitchell Froom to produce the record, which has resulted in a lush and detailed sounding album, which both protagonists should be proud of.
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Jul 16, 2020A straight-ahead album of gorgeous, elaborate, amusing and affecting songs.
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Jul 13, 2020Unfollow the Rules marks a welcome return to the opulent orchestration of Wainwright’s early albums.
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Jul 10, 2020Wainwright's growth as a composer/arranger and his experiences in the classical realm are apparent here. Though, to his credit as a tunesmith, his words and melodies remain center stage.
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Jul 9, 2020This is one of Wainwright’s finest albums.
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Jul 8, 2020Working with producer Mitchell Froom, Wainwright has crafted 12 melodic artistic pop tunes that are some of the finest of his career.
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Jul 8, 2020The vocals on Unfollow the Rules are unmistakably Wainwright's — remarkably indistinguishable from his younger voice. With the strong drumbeat on the opening track, "Trouble in Paradise," it also becomes apparent that this album possesses some spark: if it represents coming home at dusk, then it is not without fireworks.
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MojoJul 7, 2020It is a relief to see Wainwright honouring his formidable songwriting talents with songs as luscious as those on Poses or Want One. [Jun 2020, p.94]
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Q MagazineJul 7, 2020For all the finely crafted, impeccably produced numbers there are enough stripped-back torch song moments to remind us of the simple power of Wainwright's talent. [Aug 2020, p.113]
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Jul 10, 2020The album’s sound is sleek and full of grand, sweeping climaxes that occasionally oversell the songwriting. But if Unfollow the Rules is sometimes in want of a unifying idea or theme, Wainwright’s dreamy voice provides a throughline.
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Jul 7, 2020As with Wainwright’s best works, it’s musical theater without the theater (remember, he once interpolated the theme from Phantom of the Opera on Release the Stars’ “Between My Legs”) and it comes with all of the good and bad that comes with stage drama.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 11 out of 13
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Mixed: 1 out of 13
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Negative: 1 out of 13
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Jul 15, 2020
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Jul 10, 2020Such an amazing album. Devils and angels is my favorite from Unfollow the rules. The whole album is a piece of art. Is at the same level than Poses