MADELEINE PEYROUX - Anthem
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The first track off the album "On My Own" is also the single – she’s a jazz singer with a distinctive smoky smooth voice that sounds as though it would be right at home in a speak easy - lovely warm timbre. A performer and an interpreter with a penchant for covering Leonard Cohen, as evidenced by the title of this new release – only the brave!! I think she does a very creditable “Dance Me to the End of Love” (if it MUST be done in a jazzy mood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch6h278GEpA – MH may disagree) - I’m not quite as convinced by her “Anthem”. However, having said that …
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”
Back to Anthem – there's a bluesy thing happening here in places I found, which is fun – at times an odd, almost musical hall vibe as well, and I was amused to note that Dean Parks plays pedal steel for her (and other guitars) – he’s a name I’ve been noticing and hearing all over the place of late. Another of those largely unknown session players without whom a few records would sound completely different, but that’s its own story. There’s also quite a bit of Hammond and Wurlitzer and a very oriental sounding woodwind on "Anthem" (not quite sure what it is). She’s very well supported in her choice of co-conspirators here - her singing is effortless and aside from two tracks, penned by herself as part of a team – she takes a wry look at life and reality, and I can’t remember her stuff being so loose and devil-may-care. She's come a long way from busking the streets of Paris, that's for sure. I liked this – good, quality listening – will probably pick up the CD at some point.
The first track off the album "On My Own" is also the single – she’s a jazz singer with a distinctive smoky smooth voice that sounds as though it would be right at home in a speak easy - lovely warm timbre. A performer and an interpreter with a penchant for covering Leonard Cohen, as evidenced by the title of this new release – only the brave!! I think she does a very creditable “Dance Me to the End of Love” (if it MUST be done in a jazzy mood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch6h278GEpA – MH may disagree) - I’m not quite as convinced by her “Anthem”. However, having said that …
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”
Back to Anthem – there's a bluesy thing happening here in places I found, which is fun – at times an odd, almost musical hall vibe as well, and I was amused to note that Dean Parks plays pedal steel for her (and other guitars) – he’s a name I’ve been noticing and hearing all over the place of late. Another of those largely unknown session players without whom a few records would sound completely different, but that’s its own story. There’s also quite a bit of Hammond and Wurlitzer and a very oriental sounding woodwind on "Anthem" (not quite sure what it is). She’s very well supported in her choice of co-conspirators here - her singing is effortless and aside from two tracks, penned by herself as part of a team – she takes a wry look at life and reality, and I can’t remember her stuff being so loose and devil-may-care. She's come a long way from busking the streets of Paris, that's for sure. I liked this – good, quality listening – will probably pick up the CD at some point.
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
