Out of it

Since 1998, Rufus Wainwright has upheld the standards for rock ’n’ roll piano enthusiasts, middle-aged cat-mom divorcees and emotionally broken gay men everywhere. In Baroque pop, Wainwright is truly unmatched.

His career as a musician is not only monumental in the realm of male vocalists, but his varied demographic follows him cultishly thanks to his expert songwriting and, more importantly, his heart that just won’t quit.

In a lot of ways, “Out of the Game” shows off these characteristic traits. Breaching the operatic sound he’s so accustomed to and dipping into piano pop we hear more on the radio, Wainwright holds true to his roots. But he didn’t follow through on the change of pace that was needed.

Songs like “Montauk” and “Sometimes You Need” send us to the dreamy, faraway feeling he has transported us to in the past. But after the blow of his first and title track “Out Of The Game,” the record loses its awe factor very quickly. Nevertheless, “Rashida” includes the best falsetto solo I’ve heard since Freddie Mercury.

It’s impossible not to love him, but in the age of electronica and chart-topping pop, perhaps Wainwright’s dated performance leaves him a bit out of the game.

By Francisco Tirado