Rufus Wainwright

I've been listening to a lot of Rufus Wainwright lately. I first heard him as an opener for Ben Folds some years back. This past August I caught a show he headlined at Ravinia. Leading up to that show and ever since, I've probably taken in a couple hours of his music a day. I like his sound enough that I can throw it on as background music at work, but much of his lyrics are so well written they beg for a closer listening. He uses a variety of instruments to create a really refined sound. His smooth voice also has the strength to really belt it out.

To listen to a wide array of songs, check out these selections from hypem which aggregrates mp3s from all over the internet. In the live versions where he's chatting up the crowd, you'll get a good idea of just how quirky and flamboyant he is.

Some of my favorites:
Beautiful Child
Going To A Town
Grey Gardens
Natasha
Release the Stars