Loundon Wainwright III drops a bombshell! After 26 studio albums, the singer, author and composer is back on stage for an hour-long performance focused on the relationship between father and son. Half musician, half actor, the man swings back and forth between traditional folk and anecdotal speeches in Surviving Twin. It’s a slightly dark one-man show bordering on a family reckoning. Wainwright shows his teeth from the very first title, Surviving Twin. Accompanied by his guitar, he explores the rivalry of a son towards his father, the sense of superiority, constant competition, and the primitive nature of this bond. Forthwith, he moves on to a poetic prose: Life With − And Without – Father, which gives a more intellectual vibe to the piece overall. Wainwright isn’t exactly on his own in this project, as it includes a subtle, posthumous collaboration with his father, in which he displays his talent as a writer. Halfway between fiction and reality, this album is an intimate work and yet its meaning speaks to everyone. Rather straightforward, only a few notes on the guitar and banjo are enough to carry this touching confession. © Clara Bismuth/Qobuz