Rufus Wainwright's "Greek Song" (Live at the Knitting Factory)

You're thinking, "Ah ha!" Yes, of course I would write about a Rufus Wainwright track at some point. He is, hands down, my favorite songwriter, and possibly, performer.

So, live recordings aren't always the cat's meow. There's feedback at times, and often times its just not mixed well at all. Especially at the Knitting Factory... where the sound just bounces weird in the big room. (We're talking KF LA here.) I know this is probably straight from the board, but I'm sure the room affects even this recording. For instance, I feel the backing vocals (sounds like his mother Kate and sister Martha) are too high in the mix. The original, or at least the version on the record is airy and light, and this live version seems hurried and Rufus sounds like he's trying to yell out the words. The orchestration stays pretty true to the album's song, but the differences are vast. Oh live recordings, you pale in comparison to the controlled environment of a studio. Being as Rufus is my fave - I don't mind hearing this live version of a romantic ode to a beautiful boy, but when I do - it just makes me hunger for the version on Poses.