"There's a fire in the priory, and an ogre in the Oval Office". Critical reception Reception of the EP was mixed. Making the case that EPs are "outlets for rejected or leftover material too out-there to fit onto an album", David Browne of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Waiting for a Want is just that, a "series of pop-opera reveries more rococo than Wainwright's norm". Browne complimented "Waiting for a Dream" and "Gay Messiah". Paste'''s Bud Scoppa claimed that the four-track collection lacked the "psychologically potent songs and gorgeous arrangements" that appeared on Want One, insisting that sociocultural commentary is not Wainwright's "sweet spot". Expanding on this, Scoppa asserted that the politically driven songs "Gay Messiah" and "Waiting for a Dream" are earnest, but not worth listening to multiple times. Scoppa did, however, praise "The Art Teacher" and "This Love Affair". In his review for Salon.com, Thomas Bartlett called "Gay Messiah" boring and criticized the "clumsy, literal-minded" lyrics in "The Art Teacher". Bartlett complimented "This Love Affair" and "Waiting for a Dream", comparing the latter's downtempo electronic pop style to the "better" songs on Wainwright's second album, Poses''. Track listing All songs written by Wainwright. "The Art Teacher" – 3:58 "Gay Messiah" – 3:14 "This Love Affair" – 3:15 "Waiting for a Dream" – 4:16 Personnel Rufus Wainwright – vocals (1–4), piano (1,3–4), additional vocals (2), acoustic guitar (2), orchestral arrangements (3–4) Christopher Cardona – violin (3–4) Cenovia Cummins – violin (3–4) Marius de Vries – programming (2,4), orchestral arrangements (3–4), keyboards (4) Danielle Farina – viola (3–4) Alison Gordon – viola (3–4) Isobel Griffiths – horn contractor (4) Eric Hammelman – viola (3–4) Jeff Hill – bass (2,4) Matt Johnson – drums (2) Julia Kent – cello (3–4) Vivienne Kim – violin (3–4) Julianne Klopotic – violin (3–4) Alexandra Knoll – oboe (3) Kathryn Lockwood – viola (3–4) Maxim Moston – violin (3–4), concertmaster (3–4), orchestral arrangements (3–4) Jenni Muldaur – additional vocals (2) Fiona Murray – violin (3–4) Van Dyke Parks – orchestral arrangements (3–4) Carlo Pellettieri – cello (3–4) Troy Rinker Jr. – bass (3–4) Suzzy Roche – additional vocals (2) David Sapadin – clarinet (3) Jane Scarpantoni – cello (3–4) Daniel Shelly – bassoon (3) Antoine Silverman – violin (3–4) Alexis Smith – programming (2,4) Teddy Thompson – additional vocals (2) Martha Wainwright – additional vocals (2) Joan Wasser – violin (3–4) Anja Wood – cello (3–4)