Smokey-voiced chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux's third CD is a lovely collection of after-hours ruminations and should confirm her rise to fame. Credit producer Larry Klein for doing a bang-up job with the album's sound: the elegant, pared-down arrangements are all brushed drums, acoustic guitars, and cool organ licks. But of course it's Peyroux's voice that brings it all home--preferably one where the shades are drawn, embers are smoldering in the fireplace, and the white wine is kept dry. Two-thirds of the songs are well-chosen covers, including a duet with k.d. lang on Joni Mitchell's "River"; a relaxed version of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'," from Midnight Cowboy; a delicately lilting samba take on Leonard Cohen and Anjani Thomas's title track; Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise," performed in the original French; and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," from Modern Times. The four originals, all coauthored by Peyroux, easily keep up with such august company, especially "I'm All Right"--written with Klein and Walter Becker, it captures the easy sophistication of Becker's regular band, Steely Dan. Fans of Norah Jones (whose collaborator Jesse Harris cowrote three of the songs) should gobble up this album, but Peyroux is no mere imitator: She's her own, very real thing. Madeleine Peyroux doesn’t simply interpret songs, she possesses them and vice versa. Half the Perfect World is the much-anticipated follow-up to Peyroux’s breakthrough album, Careless Love, which drew critical raves from around the world and sold more than a million copies. This time around, Peyroux focuses primarily on songs written by artists from her lifetime, including Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Fred Neil. The album also features an unforgettable duet with k.d. lang on the Joni Mitchell classic "River" and four original songs co-written by Peyroux, including the single "I’m All Right" which she penned with producer Larry Klein and Steely Dan’s Walter Becker. Half the Perfect World is a sublime showcase for Peyroux’s eloquent, understated delivery and timeless one-of-a-kind voice.
01- I'm All Right 02- The Summer Wind 03- Blue Alert 04- Everybody's Talkin' 05- River 06- A Little Bit 07- Once in a While 08- (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night 09- Half The Perfect World 10- La Javanaise 11- California Rain 12- Smile
As a teenager, Madeleine Peyroux moved with her mother from New York to Paris and fell in love with music. She joined a street-performing band and sang in bars, before releasing a debut album at the age of 22, Dreamland (1996). It was hugely successful but Peyroux was not one for seeking the spotlight: after a brief spell touring jazz festivals, she sought to maintain a private life in France, continuing to busk and perform in small bars and cafés. In 2003 she recorded a seven-song EP, Got You On My Mind, with boyfriend and multi-instrumentalist William Galison, which he released as a full album the following year with four additional tracks. Careless Love (2004), Peyroux's second solo studio album, sold over a million copies worldwide.
01- Dance Me to the End of Love 02- Don't Wait Too Long 03- Don't Cry Baby 04- You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go 05- Between the Bars 06- No More 07- Lonesome Road 08- J'ai Deux Amours 09- Weary Blues 10- I'll Look Around 11- Careless Love 12- This is Heaven to Me
Long before there was Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux stumbled off the streets of Paris into the hearts, minds, and souls of music afficianados worldwide with Dreamland. I owe it to a surprisingly "musically taste-inclined" office mate of mine for turning me on to Peyroux. You will find yourself doing a double take on Peyroux's album pictures since her voice is way beyond her age. It is the sound of aged hard earned wisdom and smokey resonance. Peyroux was a 22-year old when she made this album. "La Vie en Rose," is a wonderful take on Edith Piaf and all that is lacking is the scratchy sound of a needle passing over ridges of vinyl. Peyroux is infinitely listenable. Her music is of the mood sweeping timeless. You wonder if she has her own voice or if the whole act isn't a send-up of Holliday imitation, but as you explore the liner notes there are some beautiful Peyroux penned acoustic blues numbers that will turn you into a believer. Even if it does sound too much like Billie Holliday...that's not a bad thing. You will find yourself not caring and just caught up in the music. Dreamland is the first album by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Madeleine Peyroux; it was released in 1996.
01- Walkin' After Midnight 02- Hey Sweet Man 03- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 04- [Getting Some] Fun Out Of Life 05- La Vie En Rose 06- Always A Use 07- A Prayer 08- Muddy Water 09- Was I? 10- Dreamland 11- Reckless Blues 12- Lovesick Blues
