I hate like hell that I can't give this one a 4. But, to me, a 4 is a strong recommendation that you should by no means fail to add the album in question to your collection. As much as I love this guy, and no matter how much praise I heaped on his last album Poses (number 2 or 3 on my best-of list for 2001) Want One never quite gels. At some point during a good song it has to hit pay dirt--a catchy chorus to sing along to. This album finds the gay son of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle meandering about in too much of a stream of consciousness mode, that has it's share of charm, but compared to the big pay-offs on Poses it's a tad disappointing.

Rufus makes a brand of grandiose, wistful, theatrically composed music that is truly like no one else that I can think of--reminiscent on some of Van Dyke Parks rich arrangements, but still, Rufus is really in a league of his own. And despite some remarkable exceptions toward the middle of the record "Go or Go Ahead," "Natasha," "My Phone's on Vibrate For You," I think it suffers from a bit too much self-indulgence. (Sometimes you feel like you're reading the diary of a Savant). Then again, it's pretty damn good. Screw it, I'm giving it a 4. But that's our little secret.