CD Charts
Welcome to The CD Charts, here you will find all the latest and top selling Music cds available to buy online. You can search and locate the best selling Music cd's and have them delivered to the door. We have a large selection of Music all with reviews.
Back to Home Page > Go back a page
Music : Half The Perfect World
See Larger Image |
Half The Perfect World by: Madeleine Peyroux |
|
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0602517032798 Label: Universal Classics Manufacturer: Universal Classics Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Universal Classics Release Date: October 30, 2006 Running Time: 49 minutes Studio: Universal Classics Sales Rank: 1479 Disc 1:
Related Items:      see moreBrowse for similar items by category: Editorial Review: Amazon.co.uk Review: Southern-born, Paris-honed Billie Holiday sound-a-like Madeleine Peyroux has been charming audiences with her sophisticated renditions of jazz/blues standards and torch songs for a decade now. Half The Perfect World differs from previous albums Dreamland and Careless Love in that Peyroux covers songwriters from recent times, rather than those of yesteryear. Not only that, but she has also included more of her own compositions -- four in total -- penned with long-time collaborator/producer Larry Klein. It's her own "It's All Right" (which also has writing credits from Steely Dan's Walter Becker) that gets the album off to an infectious and insouciant start. Backed by musicians Sam Yahel (Norah Jones, Bill Frisell), David Piltch (Holly Cole), Jay Bellerose and drummer Scott Amendola, amongst others, Peyroux then proceeds to take us through a smoky, emotive world of romance, eroticism and heartbreak populated by re-interpretations of classics like Joni Mitchell's "River" (a duet with k.d. lang), Tom Waits' "The Heart Of Saturday Night", Leonard Cohen's "Blue Alert" -- even Charlie Chaplin's "Smile". A string-laden version of Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise" provides the anticipated French touch, while the remainder of Peyroux's own songs, in particular the heartfelt "California Rain" and the poignant "Once in a While", stand up surprisingly well next to the rest of the material.--Paul Sullivan Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Like good coffee ruined with too much milk.The first few tracks are the heart and soul of this album. "I'm All Right" the first, is probably the best. "Summer Wind" is a sweet ballad - rock steady beat with gentle softly swooping vocals - very nice. "Blue Alert" - this is a good number that bops along nicely but Peyroux's vocals lack the edge and attack that would have made it something special. Still - it grows on you. "Everybodys Talkin" is just an incredibly dull rendition of a clasic song. Truly dreadful. There isn't much to say about the rest of the album only two other tracks are worthy of note: "Little Bit" co-written by Peyroux is a pretty good number - I hope to hear more of her own material on future albums. "The Heart of Saturday ... Read More: Rating: - Another GemAnother slice of heaven. A phenomenal voice tied in with incredible production makes this an excellent buy that would enhance any collection. Rating:  - Much more than half perfect to my ears"Half the Perfect World" is the third, extremely tasteful album by Madeleine Peyroux and is yet another gem. Musically, it features a wider range of material and, vocally, it sounds more light-hearted, less world-weary than a lot of her previous work. Progress is shown as she co-wrote four original songs. Of course, like in the past, she also provides very individual, creative, sweetly nuanced arrangements to some cover songs (ranging from Johnny Mercer and Charlie Chaplin to Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits.) Larry Klein (Mitchell's former husband) again produces whilst many of the musicians already played on her previous "Careless Love". Dean Parks (guitar), jazz keyboardist Sam Yahel, and bassist ... Read More: Rating:  - Deeply DisappointingThis album is dull. Deeply, deeply dull. I love Peyroux's first two albums but after listening to this one several times in a desperate attempt to find something of merit I've taken it down to the charity shop. It's hard to pin down but there is a lifeless sameness to most of the tracks. The only reason this got a second star is the first track, "I'm All Right" - which wouldn't have been out of place on Careless Love - a single thirty-something woman's statement of another failed relationship featuring the clever line break "It should be easy to leave/but I have to conceive/that wherever you are you're driving my car". Unfortunately, after the opening track it is all downhill. The cover of Tom Waits' "Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night" is ... Read More: Rating: - More than just the musicIt's easy to dismiss this as less musical than Careless Love, and certainly it has fewer songs with catchy hooks, with the exception of a couple of tracks. In this context it is equally if not more interesting than Careless Love. This is far less popular jazz, and more a vocal painting by someone who has a wonderfully unique vocal style. Others compare her to the obvious Billie Holiday, and even Bessie Smith; but she has a style which when you take the time to listen is her own, and she certainly stands on her own in this respect. The similarity with Norah Jones has also been made by some reviewers, but their style is vastly different. If you think from previous output that they are similar in style, then don't waste your money buying ... Read More: |
|