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80 of 89 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The 21st century ultimate, sensitive busking songstress.Introspective and intense.., March 15, 2009
Madeleine's musical training came on the streets of Paris, where she started as a busker, then after a street-corner audition she got a gig singing with the Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz band, performing songs by artists such as Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Fats Waller.
Her previous albums Careless Love and Half the Perfect World sold over a million copies, earning critical-acclaim for her Jazz-Blues interpretations of works by artists such as Leonard Cohen and Edith Piath.
When she went "missing" in Britain while promoting her breakthrough album "Careless Love", her record company couldn't wait to tell the media.
How better to differentiate Maddie from the rest of the jazz-lite crew than by painting her as a wayward chanteuse? She hadn't disappeared, of course. She'd simply become bored with the promo-circus and gone back to New York. And who could blame her?
But Madeleine didn't need a vanishing act to raise her above her rivals. Her smoke-and-honey vocals, Billie Holiday phrasing, and breezily bohemian way with classy material had assured her fanbase.
They won't be disappointed by her new release, "Bare Bones", produced by Joni Mitchell's ex, Larry Klein.
She has built a career on interpreting the works of other people.
Her sensitive, exquisite voice, reminiscent of the great jazz singers of our yesterdays has added her signature 'postmodernist coolness' (LA Times) and fresh brushstrokes to the work of artists including Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Hank Williams and Serge Gainsbourg.
"Bare Bones" is her 4th solo album and her third with Rounder Records.
It's her most personal, intimate and almost confessional album: she had a hand in writing all the 11 tracks, including collaborations with producer Larry Klein, Walter Becker, Julian Coryell, Joe Henry, David Batteau and Sean Wayland : her intimate readings of original and contemporary love songs evoke emotions laid bare.
It's a daring high-wire act for the 34-year-old singer who for the first time is working without the safety net of covering songs associated with her favourite musical acts, mostly from the past.
With "Bare Bones", Maddie has crafted her best album yet, an artistic breakthrough that finds her sublime voice wrapped around a collection of soulful, silky late-night songs that she helped craft from their inception, marking her evolution as a songwriter. One song, "I Must Be Saved", was written entirely by Peyroux.
While the surface of the songs she sings has an easy-listening quality, there are chasms of emotional turmoil lurking beneath.
She says the album builds from wariness, to loss, to acceptance, and finally to hope.
"I'm really happy that I got to write", she adds, "It feels like a new segment, and it's great work. I'm surrounded by beautiful sounds, really honest musicians, really honest playing".
In fact, the musicianship is excellent: a small group of top notch artists underscore perfectly the languid and bluesy singing of the unusual diva: organist Larry Goldings, pianist Jim Beard, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, plus producer Klein on bass, his new wife, Brazilian Luciana Souza - who, by the way, is a guest on all Larry Klein produced albums - on bckgr vocals, Dean Parks on guitar, and Carla Kihlstedt on violin.
"It's an exhilarating mixture of fear and self-confidence, in a way...And, obviously, because I am a very new writer, I'm kind of discovering myself by watching audiences' takes on this stuff".
She will always be a busker. Her bohemian upbringing ensures it. Her eschewing of the trappings of celebrity proves it.
And maybe this time around as well, sometimes soon she will vanish just to resurface some days later in another corner of her world.
"Peyroux's soul and melting voice stands out, ways out, from the pack". - TimeOut
Maddie, who said she spent time in a domestic violence shelter as a child, is donating $1 from every ticket sold on her current tour to local charities affiliated with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
My favourite tracks: "Instead", "River of Tears", "You Can't Do Me", "Love and Treachery" and "Something Grand", which she wrote "in support of the new era with Barack Obama".
Oceana
Update.
The album debuts at # 1 of Billboard Top Jazz Album.
Issue date: 2009-03-28
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23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Peyroux Cuts to the Marrow With 'Bones', March 15, 2009
Madeleine Peyroux has an exquisite, almost other-worldly gift for intense, profoundly beautiful phrasing, and she is a talented musician as well. But can she also pen the tunes? "Bare Bones" answers affirmatively with its 11 pleasureful song selections.
With 2006's "Half the Perfect World" Peyroux seemed a bit self-conscious and under pressure; some of the cover choices did not allow her honeyed voice room to shine, and her three originals were enjoyable but forgettable - one could sense her pressure to produce a follow-up that would repeat the success of 2004's "Careless Love," a classic if ever there was one. (By the way, the best recording from the "Half the Perfect World" sessions is a tune that did not make the disc - Peyroux's exquisite, achingly beautiful cover of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" was only available in select markets and as a bonus track from selected retailers. However, the tune can be purchased on the 2007 compilation album "Give Us Your Poor," available on Amazon.com, and can be purchased a la carte digitally. It is well worth the effort.)
Things feel differently this time around, however - Peyroux has truly found her voice as a songwriter, and the results are wonderful. Partly eschewing the brooding melancholy of her past works, she strikes a different overall key with "Bare Bones" in that she finds optimism and even levity in her psychological exploration of life's tapestry, and she need not resort to simplicities or cliches to convey her rich, nuanced observations. The album's title comes into play not only sonically but thematically - Peyroux cuts to the marrow of her own existence and by extension that of her listeners, articulating through song thoughts and feelings that words alone cannot often express, acknowledging life's pain and hardships but still finding reason to smile and bask in its glow. The songs are immediately revelations of her distinct creative voice, affirmations of her sheer vocal grace and, importantly, comfortable and familiar.
"Our Lady of Pigalle" may be the album's most inspired moment with its gorgeous melody conveyed by rich, buoyant acoustic guitar. Peyroux sings with utmost grace and soothing aura. Her wistful, slow-burning approach to singing is an immediate invitation to listeners to slow down and breathe deeply, perhaps with a glass of wine in hand. While nearly all the tracks save for the ultra funky "You Can't Do Me" (its offbeat, endearingly oddball lyrics betray Peyroux's writing partner as Walter Becker of Steeley Dan) retain this calming, late night atmosphere, Peyroux's gift for melody rings clear - these songs, while in the same sonic palette, remain distinct from one another and with charms all their own.
Another moving, instantly memorable selection is "Damn the Circumstances" with its simple, resonating hook: ("Damn the circumstances/Life is hard enough").
The upbeat opener "Instead," meanwhile, is a sweet, thoughtful ode to optimism that retains an edge of levity without being hackneyed or trite.
("Instead of feeling bad/Be glad you got somewhere to go/Instead of feeling sad/Be happy you're not all alone/Instead of feeling low/Get high on everything you love.")
Other exemplary tracks include the poetic, devoted "I Must Be Saved" (lovingly dedicated to folk legend Odetta in the liner notes), the contemplative, autobiographical title track and the stark, low-key closer "Somethin' Grand," which Peyroux dubs her "Obama song."
("There's somethin' grand coming/Cool strumming through my empty city/'Till the new day breaks and weary eyes are clear/Dreams of sleep take troubles far away from me/All is forgiven").
Peyroux is an exemplary artist of this era regardless of musical persuasion. If we could rest assured that all singers would have her clarity of conviction, sheer range of expression and dedication to the craft we would know great joy. She was already a pleasure to the ears, but "Bare Bones" boldly stakes new artistic ground and wins, all the while retaining the essence of what made her previous releases significant. It immediately reaffirms and recontextualizes her career, at once evidencing Peyroux not only as a talent to reckon with but one yet to receive her critical and commercial due. Could this be her time?
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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
sweet and sultry vocals--with Madeleine on her way into the world of songwriting (four and one-half stars), March 10, 2009
Madeleine Peyroux's brand new CD entitled "Bare Bones" displays her evolution as an artist. For the first time Madeleine doesn't just sing on an album; she also wrote a lot of the material for this CD. Some will say that a singer who wants to write their own songs takes a mighty big risk, but actually Madeleine succeeds rather well at both singing and songwriting. Sure, Madeleine could have pushed the boundaries a bit more; but she is becoming an even better artist who can now write their own songs. Although Madeleine got help writing these songs from people including Walter Becker and Joe Henry, she did write "I Must Be Saved" independently. She even plays the acoustic guitar on this album! I'm impressed; Madeleine can do just about anything she wants to do. She completely throws herself into each ballad on this album; and you can tell it's true with just one listen. The quality of the sound is excellent and that artwork is very nicely done.
The album starts with Madeleine singing "Instead;" she delivers this with panache and she never sounded better! "Instead" is not just a strong start for the album; it's a highlight of the album as well. That music fits in perfectly with Madeleine's vocals and it never steals the show away from her--great! "Instead" just couldn't have been written any better. "Bare Bones," the title track for this album, has a fantastic musical arrangement; and Madeleine sings this faultlessly. I really like "Bare Bones;" and listen also for "River of Tears." "River of Tears" has a laid-back flavor to it even though those lyrics are not exactly the happiest, to be sure. Madeleine wears her heart on her sleeve when she sings "River of Tears" and it all holds its own very well.
"You Can't Do Me" has some very interesting key modulations and Madeleine performs this without a superfluous note. "You Can't Do Me" features Madeleine squarely in the spotlight and that's definitely all right by me! Madeleine sings of a woman who won't be hurt by the same man twice. "Love And Treachery" sports a very pretty melody matched up with some set of lyrics; and "Our Lady Of Pigalle" is about a woman of the night working in the Pigalle section of Paris. The guitar work in "Our Lady Of Pigalle" enhances the natural beauty of this ballad and I could never tire of hearing Madeleine Peyroux sing "Our Lady Of Pigalle." What an awesome singer Madeleine truly is!
"To Love You All Over Again" has an incredible laid-back melody that charms me with its beauty; and Madeleine's ability to deliver this so well makes this yet another major highlight of this CD. Madeleine's excellent diction bolsters her performance all the more and I really like "To Love You All Over Again." Songs like this one really showcase Madeleine's exceptional gift to perform and write alongside the very best of them.
"I Must Be Saved" has some great percussion and Madeleine sings this with all her heart and soul; the music fits in perfectly with her singing, too. The CD even ends strong with Madeleine Peyroux performing "Somethin' Grand." "Somethin' Grand" impresses me and the percussion and guitar are used to great advantage. The keyboard work is very strong and Madeleine leaves you wanting ELEVEN SONGS MORE!
Madeleine Peyroux obviously scores a goal with her brand new release entitled Bare Bones; and she's well on her way to become an even greater force to be reckoned with. We're very lucky that she chose to share her talents with us. This CD is a "must-have" for Madeleine's fans; and people just getting to know her talents may want this album as a starter CD. In addition, people who like beautiful songs influenced by jazzy arrangements may well want this album, too.
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