7/10

Ever since he first emerged, Rufus Wainwright has stood as one of the more compelling names on the modern folk scene. With a sound that looks to the past equally as to the future, he has created a beautifully refined direction that has served him extremely well the last twenty-five years. And after a few years of breaking away from his more formative roots to explore a string of passion projects, he now looks to pay homage to those that first awakened him to his sound on ‘Folkocracy’, a traditional folk album brimming with surprises.

While the record certainly looks to pack itself with plenty of names, they are not what you would expect from a release honing a sentiment folk aesthetic. John Legend, Nicole Scherzinger, David Byrne, Anohni and Chaka Khan are just a few that grace this new full-length, giving it a varied if a little incohesive flow. But despite the star-studded list of guests, ‘Folkocracy’ is, at its heart, a love letter to Wainwright’s earliest years. Capturing some wonderfully bright and wondrous ideals that perfectly fit into his rousing repertoire to date, he is returning with a wonderfully enchanting collection here.

Although some of the additional voices may not fit the mould as well as others, ‘Folkocracy’ still maintains plenty of that effervescent Rufus Wainwright appeal. With beautifully alluring textures and a nostalgic edge to its production, there is certainly something for everyone here.