Continuing my look at 2004, first by counting down my own top ten albums of that year.

#4 – Rufus Wainwright – Want Two

Rufus Wainwright’s fourth album was the second part of a project introduced a year earlier with, appropriately, Want One. The first part is an all-timer for me, not just my favorite Wainwright album but possibly cracking my top ten albums by anybody.

Want Two can’t help but pale a bit in comparison, but only a bit. It’s a lush, yearning collection that takes even more chances than its predecessor.

This album is heavier on piano ballads and lighter on alt-pop, which is good or bad depending on my mood. Want Two is a record to wallow in, letting its minor keys and string arrangements wash over you. It features a few of Wainwright’s most impressive songs, and a couple I usually skip.

More than anything, it serves as a rich reminder of a time when I was all in on my Wainwright fandom, immersing myself in every new release, in awe of his talent. I love that honeymoon period with any artist, and those albums always maintain a special place in my heart.