Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets

Rufus Wainwright has popular-song chops and an ambitious streak (see his opera), so it makes sense that he’d want to set Shakespeare’s sonnets to music. On <i>Take All My Loves</i>, he even provides multiple interpretations of individual pieces. "Sonnet 43" is first arranged for spoken vocals and flinty electronics before it’s presented with orchestral sweep and operatic singing. “Unperfect Actor (Sonnet 23)” tilts into adult-contemporary rock, while other tracks have a progressive folk feel. Throughout, Wainright’s sonic diversity complements the range of literary devices that reside in the Bard's source material.