Throughout his career Rufus Wainwright’s music has been nothing short of theatrical. The New York-Born Singer-Songwriter isn’t content with just a generic sound to his work. No, Wainwright is telling stories that appear to be larger than life and to make the listener feel the emotions that spill from his heart; he cakes each note with swelling operatic sounds. His fifth album, Release the Stars, is no exception.
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Rufus Wainwright
|  Entertainment
 Art
"Release the Stars"
(Geffen)
Released May 15, 2007
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Recorded in Berlin with Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, Wainwright is more content in his personal life than ever before. After falling in love and restraining from his self-destructive ways, Wainwright is more focused on creating a sound that is more ambitious and in your face than anything that is being created by today’s pop standards.
The album’s opening track “Do I Disappoint You” is lyrically one of the best songs he’s ever written, which either can be attributed to a lover or to the fundamental religious folks who view homosexuality as a ghastly sin.
Other standout tracks include the emotional centerpiece “Going to a Town,” a song that clearly states his dissatisfaction with America and his newfound desire to leave it behind. The title track “Release the Stars” with its witty and irreverent look at Hollywood sounds like Judy Garland backed by a big Jazz band. And, “Between My Legs” is a wickedly funny take on longing for the one you love.
There’s no one in pop music today that is equal to Rufus Wainwright in terms of creating a template of sounds that ooze of brilliance. With that in mind, it may take a listen or two since Wainwright’s music can be an acquired taste. The son of Singer-Songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and Singer Kate McGarrigle meshes sounds that are relics to the past rather than steer towards the future. But unlike Wilco’s latest album which seemed to be a love letter to the sweet sounds of 70’s California rock, Wainwright knows how to manipulate old school music to fit into his own vision.
At times the music on Release the Sounds can be a bit bombastic and overwhelming to listeners, however, since the mainstream has and will continue to ignore Wainwright’s music, he will continue to raise the bar by recording music that is both pulsating and sublime. It’s as if being ignored by conventional music fans feeds his creativity even further.
On the surface, Release the Stars appears to come from the heart of a man finally at peace with himself after many years of hardships. But as a whole, the record is about achieving those victories at the price of pain, heartbreak, and adversity. Rufus Wainwright started his fifth album by posing this question, “Do I Disappoint You?” After listening to this latest release I reply to that question with a simple, no.
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