For Unfollow the Rules Rufus Wainwright returned to Los Angeles, where his debut album was also made. Leaving (his musical adaptations of Shakespeare sonnets from 2016) aside for a moment, there is an eight-year gap between this album and (2012). This time, he lets go of the bombast for the most part, in collaboration with producer Mitchell Froom. The arrangements are modest, but rich in sound.
The theatrical edge that is so characteristic of Wainwright is unmistakably reflected in the climax of the title track, for example. They work a lot with guitar, strings and piano and you hear that when this album was written, Wainwright had returned to Laurel Canyon. In the ballads, Wainwright can clearly show the range of his voice. It is amazing how Wainwright, just like on Out of the Game, but in a completely different way, manages to put so much grandeur and drama into his music. (JvQ)more
