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Music : Half the Perfect World
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Rating: 
- 'HALF' Is Right On the Money...
In 2004 Madeleine Peyroux released "Careless Love," a moody, slow-burning jazz/blues record that managed to sell well despite remaining under the radar. Every moment of it breathed passion, class and the ultimate in musicianship, and critics recognized the eerie similarity of her vocals to those Lady Day. It is thus all the more disappointing that her highly anticipated follow-up, "Half the Perfect World," is so aptly titled.
What made "Careless Love" so brilliant was its eclectic song selection, understated charisma and warm, intricate atmosphere, and "Half the Perfect World" lacks all of these qualities. Rather than follow suit, it instead sounds like a product made with a specific audience in mind.
Forgettable moments slant toward the original material, including a trio of songs Peyroux co-wrote with Jesse Harris, heralded for his Grammy-winning work with Norah Jones. It's difficult to fathom how two accomplished musicians could strike such a bland key. The worst offender of the originals, however, is the ghastly "It's All Right," a non-Harris selection. Overflowing with embarrassing lyrics and sonic clichés, how it lived to see a day outside recording studio walls is beyond wonderment.
Elsewhere, her choice of covers doesn't work. Whereas previous choices from the likes of Bob Dylan and Elliot Smith were staggering, Tom Waits' "(Looking For) the Heart of Saturday Night" does not suit her at all. Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," a gorgeous classic, is also unengaging, while her reading of "The Summer Wind" breezes away with a sweet yet pedestrian air.
"Blue Alert" and the title track, both by Leonard Cohen and jazz musician Anjani Thomas, work slightly better. The lilting, samba-infused "Half the Perfect World" has a delightfully classy saxophone solo, while the former finds Peyroux in a sultry state despite awkward rhymes. Indeed, if she were to suddenly blurt, "her name is Gert/oh, blue alert" it would not sound out of place. Both tracks originate from Thomas' latest LP.
Still, her enchanting take on Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'," is a saving grace. Her vocals stir with yearning and resolute melancholy, transforming the song into her own kind of lullaby. It is the only track worthy of her last album, and cannot afford to be missed
Unfortunately, "Half the Perfect World" is a disappointment. It is no easy task to follow up a classic without stumbling a bit, but this album is average at best - and Peyroux has set the bar too high to put out anything average. Those who have not heard "Careless Love" should investigate it, but this project, save for "Everybody's Talkin'" should be reserved only for the most ardent of fans.
Rating:
- Genuine talent with an old fashioned charm
Madeleine Peyroux comes across as an artist older than her years.
Even though she is only in her early 30's, her music and voice sound like they belong to the previous generation.
The fact that Peyroux's voice absolutely reeked of her Billie Holiday influences somewhat tarnished that breakthrough album "Careless Love".
For her new album, "Half The Perfect World", she showcases the emotional core of songs by other singers and songwriters she's admired, and also displays her talents as a writer on four songs she co-wrote, keeping a distinctly romantic edge.
The CD is slightly less heavy on the Holiday-isms but more intriguing in the song selection.
For Peyroux tackles the love songs she loves, treating them to timelessly jazzy readings.
Given the makeover are Johnny Mercer's "The Summer Wind", Leonard Cohen's "Blue Alert", Joni Mitchell's "River", Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'", Tom Waits's "(Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night", Serge Gainsburg's "La Javanaise" and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile".
The album conjures in the mind imagery of smoky bars, music lifted from the screen of an American feelgood movie. Drums are always light brushes, barely touching the skins, guitars light and fruity, clearly a double bass rather than an electric.
No cutting edges are approached, no taboos challenged, but it is a pleasant amble through familiar territory.
Rating:
- Too bad Madeleine.
I loved '' careless love`` and saw Madeleine live here in Rio de Janeiro in a reasonably good show.I am quite disappointed with this album however because I had great expectations.Let's face it folks, however smoky and billiesque her voice is she is never going to have the power and the range of the original.She needs to be really close miked and well recorded to get that voice to sound right.This is obvious from seeing her live.
So what were those marketing executives thinking by promoting a cd full of soft and slow ballad covers that are obviously going to turn a huge spotlight on her vocal delivery? Those songs need an Ella,a Sarah Vaughn,or even a Shirley Horn -to name some giants- to have a chance of pulling it off with their huge range, timing and phrasing.
To compound the problem , the recording engineers/producers did not do a great job on her voice or the rest of the band for that matter.Everything is much too soft and distant (unlike careless love).If you want an atmospheric but still powerful sound you must produce something like the last Shirley Horn cds.
Last but not least the rest of the good band are not allowed to play anything remotely interesting but are relegated to very minimalist backing chores.
I think there is a misconception with the record excecs that M.P. has the qualities to make her a modern pop-jazz diva ala Diana Krall.She has to find her real voice and the correct material to match.Good luck.
Rating:
- another gem
Madeleine Peyroux has a sensuous voice with hints of Billie Holliday. The sirens who lured sailors from the wine dark seas may have sounded like this. She takes old standards like The Summer Wind and familiar pop tunes and makes makes them sound like they were written just for her. This collection is more mellow and relaxed than Carefree Love. I could listen to it every day. I would, however, like to see her next effort edgier, like an intimate concert in which she can respond to the audience.
Rating:
- Half asleep, more like
Terrible, awful, without exception the dullest album I have heard in a long time. I hadn't heard of this woman, but was recommended to listen to her because I like Diana Krall. Personally I fail to see any connection between the two. This is appalling stuff, not a single song raises itself out of the mire of dire musicianship and lack-lustre moaning. Its one for the bin.
- 'HALF' Is Right On the Money...In 2004 Madeleine Peyroux released "Careless Love," a moody, slow-burning jazz/blues record that managed to sell well despite remaining under the radar. Every moment of it breathed passion, class and the ultimate in musicianship, and critics recognized the eerie similarity of her vocals to those Lady Day. It is thus all the more disappointing that her highly anticipated follow-up, "Half the Perfect World," is so aptly titled.
What made "Careless Love" so brilliant was its eclectic song selection, understated charisma and warm, intricate atmosphere, and "Half the Perfect World" lacks all of these qualities. Rather than follow suit, it instead sounds like a product made with a specific audience in mind.
Forgettable moments slant toward the original material, including a trio of songs Peyroux co-wrote with Jesse Harris, heralded for his Grammy-winning work with Norah Jones. It's difficult to fathom how two accomplished musicians could strike such a bland key. The worst offender of the originals, however, is the ghastly "It's All Right," a non-Harris selection. Overflowing with embarrassing lyrics and sonic clichés, how it lived to see a day outside recording studio walls is beyond wonderment.
Elsewhere, her choice of covers doesn't work. Whereas previous choices from the likes of Bob Dylan and Elliot Smith were staggering, Tom Waits' "(Looking For) the Heart of Saturday Night" does not suit her at all. Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," a gorgeous classic, is also unengaging, while her reading of "The Summer Wind" breezes away with a sweet yet pedestrian air.
"Blue Alert" and the title track, both by Leonard Cohen and jazz musician Anjani Thomas, work slightly better. The lilting, samba-infused "Half the Perfect World" has a delightfully classy saxophone solo, while the former finds Peyroux in a sultry state despite awkward rhymes. Indeed, if she were to suddenly blurt, "her name is Gert/oh, blue alert" it would not sound out of place. Both tracks originate from Thomas' latest LP.
Still, her enchanting take on Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'," is a saving grace. Her vocals stir with yearning and resolute melancholy, transforming the song into her own kind of lullaby. It is the only track worthy of her last album, and cannot afford to be missed
Unfortunately, "Half the Perfect World" is a disappointment. It is no easy task to follow up a classic without stumbling a bit, but this album is average at best - and Peyroux has set the bar too high to put out anything average. Those who have not heard "Careless Love" should investigate it, but this project, save for "Everybody's Talkin'" should be reserved only for the most ardent of fans.
Rating:
- Genuine talent with an old fashioned charmMadeleine Peyroux comes across as an artist older than her years.
Even though she is only in her early 30's, her music and voice sound like they belong to the previous generation.
The fact that Peyroux's voice absolutely reeked of her Billie Holiday influences somewhat tarnished that breakthrough album "Careless Love".
For her new album, "Half The Perfect World", she showcases the emotional core of songs by other singers and songwriters she's admired, and also displays her talents as a writer on four songs she co-wrote, keeping a distinctly romantic edge.
The CD is slightly less heavy on the Holiday-isms but more intriguing in the song selection.
For Peyroux tackles the love songs she loves, treating them to timelessly jazzy readings.
Given the makeover are Johnny Mercer's "The Summer Wind", Leonard Cohen's "Blue Alert", Joni Mitchell's "River", Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'", Tom Waits's "(Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night", Serge Gainsburg's "La Javanaise" and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile".
The album conjures in the mind imagery of smoky bars, music lifted from the screen of an American feelgood movie. Drums are always light brushes, barely touching the skins, guitars light and fruity, clearly a double bass rather than an electric.
No cutting edges are approached, no taboos challenged, but it is a pleasant amble through familiar territory.
Rating:
- Too bad Madeleine.I loved '' careless love`` and saw Madeleine live here in Rio de Janeiro in a reasonably good show.I am quite disappointed with this album however because I had great expectations.Let's face it folks, however smoky and billiesque her voice is she is never going to have the power and the range of the original.She needs to be really close miked and well recorded to get that voice to sound right.This is obvious from seeing her live.
So what were those marketing executives thinking by promoting a cd full of soft and slow ballad covers that are obviously going to turn a huge spotlight on her vocal delivery? Those songs need an Ella,a Sarah Vaughn,or even a Shirley Horn -to name some giants- to have a chance of pulling it off with their huge range, timing and phrasing.
To compound the problem , the recording engineers/producers did not do a great job on her voice or the rest of the band for that matter.Everything is much too soft and distant (unlike careless love).If you want an atmospheric but still powerful sound you must produce something like the last Shirley Horn cds.
Last but not least the rest of the good band are not allowed to play anything remotely interesting but are relegated to very minimalist backing chores.
I think there is a misconception with the record excecs that M.P. has the qualities to make her a modern pop-jazz diva ala Diana Krall.She has to find her real voice and the correct material to match.Good luck.
Rating:
- another gemMadeleine Peyroux has a sensuous voice with hints of Billie Holliday. The sirens who lured sailors from the wine dark seas may have sounded like this. She takes old standards like The Summer Wind and familiar pop tunes and makes makes them sound like they were written just for her. This collection is more mellow and relaxed than Carefree Love. I could listen to it every day. I would, however, like to see her next effort edgier, like an intimate concert in which she can respond to the audience.
Rating:
- Half asleep, more likeTerrible, awful, without exception the dullest album I have heard in a long time. I hadn't heard of this woman, but was recommended to listen to her because I like Diana Krall. Personally I fail to see any connection between the two. This is appalling stuff, not a single song raises itself out of the mire of dire musicianship and lack-lustre moaning. Its one for the bin.