Audio CD review:
Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall [2 CD]

Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall [2 CD]

Band: Rufus Wainwright Title: Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall [2 CD] Rating: Release Date: 04 December, 2007 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Overture: The Trolley Song/Over The Rainbow/The Man That Got Away 2: When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) 3: Medley: Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love 4: Do It Again 5: You Go To My Head 6: Alone Together 7: Who Cares? (As Long As You Care For Me) 8: Puttin' On The Ritz 9: How Long Has This Been Going On 10: Just You, Just Me 11: The Man That Got Away 12: San Francisco 13: That's Entertainment 14: I Can't Give You Anything But Love 15: Come Rain Or Come Shine 16: You're Nearer 17: A Foggy Day 18: If Love Were All 19: Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart 20: Stormy Weather (Starring Martha Wainwright) 21: Medley: You Made Me Love You/For Me And My Gal/The Trolley Song 22: Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody 23: Over The Rainbow (featuring Kate McGarrigle) 24: Swanee 25: After You've Gone (featuring Lorna Luft) 26: Chicago

Customer Reviews Only Rufus!! Only Rufus would attempt something like this. This CD is a riot. He re-creates Judy Garlands acclaimed Carnegie Hall Concert right down to the mistakes and comments she makes- accept for the story about what a hairdresser tried to do to her hair. If you are a Rufus Wainwright fan, there is a pretty good chance you like Judy Garland. This is a fun CD I reccomend it. Rufus Rules I saw the concert at Carnegie Hall last Summer and it brought everything back. The Rufus does Judy concert CD is amazing. He is a brilliant performer. I gave this CD to at least 5 friends for Christmas. One of my friends gave it to 15 friends. Sheer genius!. WHOA! WHOA!! CALM DOWN! I did not expect to "love" it, so I asked for it as a Christmas present, and I was actually quite thrilled when I heard it! I am now a Rufus Wainwright convert. I had never purchased a Rufus Wainwright album, and was never particularly captured by a song of his that I heard. But, my goodness! I expected people to spit poison about this, but these reviews are a litt-le over the top, no? Even for something Judy related. . . First of all, there is nothing more ridiculous than armchair critics picking apart the particulars of a performer's vocal talent, ESPECIALLY when we're comparing Mr. Wainwright to Judy Garland. Judy sang loudly. Judy had a glowing talent to be able to hit a note dead-center as she carried the end of a song all the way up an octave. She alstho lithped and had difficulties with her letter S's (which became DILLEMAS for daughter, Liza. . . ), and while fans of Judy love her vibrato and timbre, that trait is an artifact of the time-period in which she worked. (I've SEEN people my age CRINGE at the sound of Judy Garland's voice). We can't expect a MAN four or five show-biz generations later to sound like that, nor should he. Those of us who adore Judy should know she's one of a kind, anyway. So, Rufus has a pop-rock accent and he's singing classical pop -- big deal! (What time and effort we took detailing his pronunciation of E's!). Have you heard some of the screaming cats that release classical pop and standard albums these days? I thought he sounded just great. I was surprised to find his voice this charming and NATURAL. This is not in any way a campy sendup or drag-show of Judy Garland, which made it that much more personal and touching for me. He wasn't attempting to immitate Judy, he was singing a famous playlist of hers in tribute. To be quite honest, the only jarring part of the whole album was, unfortunately, Lorna, who seemed to have a Palace Theatre flashback and forgot she was holding a microphone. YIKES. . . So, let's not be bitter and vicious. We ALL would have loved to have been up there, but we weren't and Rufus was, and he did a great job. And, by all means, stop into any New York City kareoke bar, any night of the week if you want to see full-tilt impersonations of Judy Garland -- on tone, playing to the balcony, correct E's and all. . You can see a complete list of all Rufus Wainwright discography, or go back to the Rufus Wainwright tabs