Albums to watch

Out of the Game

Rufus Wainwright

Out of the Game

The Canadian singer-songwriter brings producer Mark Ronson on board for his 7th album and focuses on 70s pop and soul

ADM rating[?]

7.2

Label
Polydor
UK Release date
23/04/2012
US Release date
01/05/2012
  1. 9.0 |   Paste Magazine

    Whirling string sections and a chorus of women exhale grief behind the brash songwriter who knows no shade of blue that eludes him
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  2. 8.5 |   BBC

    It’s very special indeed
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  3. 8.3 |   A.V. Club

    Working with power producer Mark Ronson — who knows how to handle strong vocalists from his time shaping Amy Winehouse — Wainwright varies his approach from track to track
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  4. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Ronson and Wainwright have dressed these songs to kill, not just to impress. Print edition only

  5. 8.0 |   Clash

    A surprisingly effective 21st century take on the Seventies singer-songwriter album
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  6. 8.0 |   State

    What Mark Ronson seems to have reignited in Wainwright is his pop sensibilities
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  7. 8.0 |   PopMatters

    It’s his best since 2003’s ornate Want One
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  8. 8.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    Out of the Game turns out to be one of those ironic titles in the end. Wainwright’s not out of it; he’s the chess master
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  9. 8.0 |   Uncut

    Rufus reins in his extravagant tendencies for a subtly shaded, seductive album. Print edition only

  10. 8.0 |   Q

    Rufus's star moment appears to have finally arrived. Print edition only

  11. 8.0 |   The Scotsman

    He has recruited producer Mark Ronson for the job, who brings along The Dap-Kings to lend some classy horn action here and there but mainly eschews the maximalist approach of his own albums
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  12. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    That delicate balance between producer and artist, the battle for dominance - here all that dissolves away into the sheer singularity of great music
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  13. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    The tracks where he and Ronson contribute equally can be stunning. Rashida, for one, is a gem
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  14. 8.0 |   Evening Standard

    Fun, fearless and — this time — focused
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  15. 8.0 |   Daily Telegraph

    It’s not pop music but Wainwright’s gifts are so copious, perhaps he should stop trying to fit in and simply revel in his uniqueness
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  16. 7.0 |   FasterLouder

    A pop album by Rufus Wainwright is still a shed load better than a so-called epic masterpiece by many other contemporary singer/songwriters who’d struggle to grasp the idea of the game
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  17. 7.0 |   Rave Magazine

    An album with a nice flow that demonstrates Wainwright’s ability to cleverly experiment with a broad range of sounds
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  18. 7.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    The no-whistles-and-bells approach suits Rufus Wainwright pretty well
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  19. 7.0 |   Rolling Stone

    His formal mastery is so complete it's hilarious, like Albert Pujols playing stickball. But thanks in part to retro-modern producer Mark Ronson, it never feels too arch
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  20. 6.8 |   Pitchfork

    Anyone with a mildly frayed birth certificate and a passing history with FM radio will get the touchpoints; Steely Dan, 10cc, Wings, ELO
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  21. 6.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    A record that leaves no seam un-burst in its insatiable quest for mainstream adoration and success
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  22. 6.0 |   The Independent

    Wainwright believes this to be "the most pop album" he's ever made, and he's probably right, so long as you're thinking 1970s pop
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  23. 6.0 |   The Skinny

    A quintessential Rufus album, with luscious orchestration and charismatic vocals
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  24. 6.0 |   The Observer

    The results are undeniably classy
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  25. 6.0 |   hhv.de mag

    Mostly R&B-derived pop with a keen ear for what supports a melody
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  26. 6.0 |   The Arts Desk

    Rather than toning the theatrics down any for a more mainstream audience Ronson’s work instead accentuates and encourages them
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  27. 6.0 |   Scotland on Sunday

    With guest appearances from Nels Clime of Wilco and Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner, it is all a bit tame, if not lame, quality pop music
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  28. 6.0 |   The Fly

    It’s audaciously hit and miss, inevitably
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  29. 5.0 |   No Ripcord

    The gulf in quality between his earliest work and his newest is clear. Nothing on Out of the Game makes my heart swell up or my hair stand on end
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Rufus Wainwright: Out of the Game

  • Download full album for just £8.49
  • 1. Out Of The Game £0.99
  • 2. Jericho £0.99
  • 3. Rashida £0.99
  • 4. Barbara £0.99
  • 5. Welcome To The Ball £0.99
  • 6. Montauk £0.99
  • 7. Bitter Tears £0.99
  • 8. Respectable Dive £0.99
  • 9. Perfect Man £0.99
  • 10. Sometimes You Need £0.99
  • 11. Song Of You £0.99
  • 12. Candles £0.99
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