Release the Stars

Listening to Rufus Wainwright can make you feel, err, slightly uncomfortable. At times his music is reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner. Sure the food's great (except for Aunt Alice's yams), but the emotional itchiness you have to endure during the family outing makes it almost not worth it. Wainwright's fifth effort, Release the Stars, serves up some tasty tunes, but the heart-wrenching drama he pours all over everything really musses it up. Wainwright's voice is almost dreamy at times, but when you combine that with some of the complex orchestrations, you can't help but think you're listening to the pop version of Swan Lake. While "Going to a Town" and "Between My Legs" offer a much-needed break from the dinner table, you can't escape Uncle Wainwright forever… There's still plenty of messy dessert to suffer through.