Buy this album if you 'want two'

The poetically melancholy Rufus Wainwright is among the smartest singer-songwriters working today, incredibly articulate and with an uncanny knack for bringing words together for lovely, unexpected verse. \nWant Two, his follow-up to 2003's nt One, is another knot in the string of his accomplishments. It's a fusion of opera and pop, of crooning ballads and wryly written introspection. Wainwright is respectful of his listeners on Want Two, an album best described as a symphony closer to classical than alternative. It's a positive testament to the fact his songs have almost zero radio play (they don't fit the easy conventions of radio since nearly every song has more layers than a plate of club sandwiches.)\nStill, it's not hard to see where someone could say Wainwright has strayed from his beaten path with this album. I'll certainly say it: with the exceptions of candid, Wainwrightian songs such as the catchy "One You Love," "Memphis Skyline" or "Gay Messiah," on the whole, this album is unlike his previous endeavors, both in style and in quality. Luckily it falls closer to success than sore thumb, despite not being as sharp or as fully enjoyable as his other recordings.\nWant Two, which includes a concert DVD recorded at the Filmore in San Francisco, is nevertheless a necessary buy, if only because you're going to need more than one listen to appreciate the dynamic of this album. It demands your full attention.