Critique of Folkocracy, by Rufus Wainwright | princely folk

As he approaches fifty, Rufus Wainwright reconnects with the music that nurtured his childhood: folk. With the awareness of being born into a musically privileged environment and guests found on VIP lists.

The folk, Rufus Wainwright fell into it when he was little. Both of his parents, Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III, were icons of the genre in the 1970s, so he spent some of his childhood summers being nurtured by them while his parents performed at festivals. Hence this idea that he comes from a folk aristocracy — the “folkocracy” of the title, therefore — and his desire to pay homage to this popular music of which he has a very broad vision since he also takes up (and beautifully) a song by Schubert (Nacht Und Träume).

Folk, in the minds of many people, calls a fetish instrument: the guitar. There are, of course, Folkocracy, once again directed by Mitchell Froom, a long-time collaborator of the Montreal singer and songwriter. It could hardly be otherwise when we cover a Neil Young classic like Harvest, which he sings here elegantly in a trio with Andrew Bird and Chris Stills, another musical aristocrat, his parents being Stephen Stills and Véronique Sanson. Throughout the album, the musical accompaniment is quite sparing, sometimes making room for banjo, accordion and sometimes piano.

Christ Stills also sings on Twelve-Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon) by The Mamas & The Papas, which also features Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles and Sheryl Crow. Throughout the disc, we also hear Brandi Carlisle, David Byrne and Chaka Khan. The idea of ​​folk aristocracy is also reflected in the choice of repertoire, which notably includes a song by Peggy Seeger (half-sister of Pete Seeger) and Van Dyke Parks (Black Gold) with…Van Dyke Parks. Rufus also slips in a particularly touching version of one of his, Going to a Town.

Hearing Rufus sing these songs brings to mind some of his oldest songs, but especially the tone of the meetings of the McGarrigle clan around classics, including the album The McGarrigle Hour (1988) testifies. There is in Folkocracy restraint (yes, yes, Rufus is sometimes capable of it) and above all a strong desire to do justice to the essence of the chosen pieces. The disc ends on a high note with Wild Mountain Thymewhich brings together his musical family: his sister Martha, his aunt Anna, his cousin Lily, his half-sister Lucy and Chaim Tannenbaum, a longtime friend of the clan.

folklore

Folkocracy

Rufus Wainwright

BMG

8/10