If Out of the Game sounds old-fashioned, Wainwright's words feel like postcards from now.
This ability to maneuver through complex emotions is one of Wainwright's strengths and makes "Out of the Game" an essential recording.
The tracks where he and Ronson contribute equally can be stunning. Rashida, for one, is a gem, in which Ronson's Dap-Kings horn section finds perfect, sleazy symmetry with Wainwright's louche vocal.
It's his best since 2003's ornate Want One.
Rufus reins in his extravagant tendencies for a subtly shaded, seductive album that radiates warmth and contentment. [May 2012, p.84]
Thanks in part to retro-modern producer Mark Ronson, it never feels too arch.
When Wainwright falters, it's for familiar reasons, usually some combination of overindulging and oversharing.
His most ridiculous and worst album to date.
