Rufus Wainwright Announces New Album 'Unfollow The Rules', Shares Damsel In Distress
Friday, 28 February 2020
Written by Jon Stickler
Rufus Wainwright has announced his ninth studio album.
With ’Unfollow The Rules’ set to arrive on April 24 via BMG, the release will mark the singer-songwriter’s first pop album since the Mark Ronson-produced ’Out of the Game’ in 2012. The news comes alongside the release of a new single, Damsel In Distress, a jaunty, acoustic-led track inspired by Joni Mitchell. He said:
"Damsel In Distress is an homage to Joni Mitchell in some ways. Particularly the structure. My husband and I now live in Laurel Canyon. I wasn’t that familiar with Joni’s music but Jörn became obsessed and took me on a journey into her music. We ended up hanging out with her and I get now why she’s one of the greats. So it’s part Laurel Canyon, part a song about a personal relationship that I’m trying to come to terms with, but mostly my Mitchell virginity being broken."
The new songcomes with a hand-drawn animated music video by Wainwright and Josh Shaffner. Take a look below, alongside the record’s tracklist and artwork.
Wainwright will celebrate the album’s release with two intimate shows at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on April 27 ahead of a full UK tour — to be announced shortly. He also appears at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Bandstand on August 1.
’Unfollow The Rules’ tracklist:
1. Trouble in Paradise
2. Damsel In Distress
3. Unfollow The Rules
4. You Ain’t Big
5. Romantical Man
6. Peaceful Afternoon
7. Only The People That Love
8. This One’s For The Ladies (That Lunge)
9. My Little You
10. Early Morning Madness
11. Hatred
12. Alone Time
UPDATE 02/04: Wainwright has pushed back the release of his album to July 10. The warehouse that was housing the physical copies of the record has been closed down to the coronavirus.
"You know that I am an old school guy and for me the physical product is extremely important," he said. "I am incredibly proud of this album and the way I want you to experience it ideally is listening to it from front to back in the comfort of your living room, reading the lyrics, and looking at the booklet that I carefully designed.”
The singer-songwriter's April London shows will also no longer go ahead due to the ongoing pandemic. His summer dates in the UK and Europe, though, appear still to be set to take place.
Rufus Wainwright Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Wed June 24 2020 - BATH Forum
Sun June 28 2020 - LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru
Sat August 01 2020 - GLASGOW Kelvingrove Bandstand
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