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Track Listings
| 1. I'm All Right |
| 2. The Summer Wind |
| 3. Blue Alert |
| 4. Everybody's Talking |
| 5. River (with K.D. Lang) |
| 6. All I Need Is A Little Bit |
| 7. Once In A While |
| 8. (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night |
| 9. Half The Perfect World |
| 10. La Javanaise |
| 11. California Rain |
| 12. Smile |
Product Description
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
Product Description
titolo-half the perfect worldartista-madeleine peyroux etichetta-emarcyn. dischi1data1 settembre 2006supportocd audiogenerepop e rock internazionalejazz-brani----1.i'm all rightascolta2.the summer windascolta3.blue alertascolta4.everybody's talkin'ascolta
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
"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 David Piltch are brilliant and solid pros. Interesting aural colours are added: Greg Leisz' steel guitar, a string quartet and k.d. lang's guest vocals.
The opener "I'm All Right" is a lost love song co-written by Peyroux, Walter Becker (from Steely Dan) and Larry Klein. The tempo swings gently. The three other originals feature the contribution of Jesse Harris (in place of Becker) ; Harris is well known for his collaboration with Norah Jones.
Johnny Mercer "The Summer Wind" follows ; very far from the usual ballad treatment, it is nothing short of a reinvention of this classic.
Two Leonard Cohen songs are covered : Blue Alert - very laid back - and "Half the Perfect World" - where Peyroux sounds both fragile and assured.
Fred Neil's masterful, folkish "Everybody's Talking" (a 1969 # 6 US pop hit for Harry Nilsson), receives a very memorable vocal performance whilst giving place for instrumental solos.
Tom Waits' "(Looking for) the Heart of Saturday Nigh" is masterfully adorned by Greg Leisz' country leaning steel.
"A Little Bit", one of the best original, has some kind of a "soul" arrangement.
Given the singer association with France, it's not surprising that she sings the excellent Serge Gainsbourg's song "La Javanaise" featuring an elegant sounding string section. Joni Mitchell's sad "River" sees k.d. lang alternating stanzas with Peyroux ; both singers prove supremely compatible on this song.
The CD concludes with the unexpected cover of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" featuring Dean Parks on ukulele. Nicely done, but maybe nothing special either.
Sonically, this CD is well recorded, often capturing the intimate sound well, especially on Peyroux' vocal.
Madeleine Peyroux is one of the best artists of the young generation expressing itself in the "chanteuse" genre, and she clearly grows from strength to strength with each new recording.
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 David Piltch are brilliant and solid pros. Interesting aural colours are added: Greg Leisz' steel guitar, a string quartet and k.d. lang's guest vocals.
The opener "I'm All Right" is a lost love song co-written by Peyroux, Walter Becker (from Steely Dan) and Larry Klein. The tempo swings gently. The three other originals feature the contribution of Jesse Harris (in place of Becker) ; Harris is well known for his collaboration with Norah Jones.
Johnny Mercer "The Summer Wind" follows ; very far from the usual ballad treatment, it is nothing short of a reinvention of this classic.
Two Leonard Cohen songs are covered : Blue Alert - very laid back - and "Half the Perfect World" - where Peyroux sounds both fragile and assured.
Fred Neil's masterful, folkish "Everybody's Talking" (a 1969 # 6 US pop hit for Harry Nilsson), receives a very memorable vocal performance whilst giving place for instrumental solos.
Tom Waits' "(Looking for) the Heart of Saturday Nigh" is masterfully adorned by Greg Leisz' country leaning steel.
"A Little Bit", one of the best original, has some kind of a "soul" arrangement.
Given the singer association with France, it's not surprising that she sings the excellent Serge Gainsbourg's song "La Javanaise" featuring an elegant sounding string section. Joni Mitchell's sad "River" sees k.d. lang alternating stanzas with Peyroux ; both singers prove supremely compatible on this song.
The CD concludes with the unexpected cover of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" featuring Dean Parks on ukulele. Nicely done, but maybe nothing special either.
Sonically, this CD is well recorded, often capturing the intimate sound well, especially on Peyroux' vocal.
Madeleine Peyroux is one of the best artists of the young generation expressing itself in the "chanteuse" genre, and she clearly grows from strength to strength with each new recording.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a good album but her earlier 2 were exceptional. They were sparse and let the music out but this one is more conventional, easy listening and over-produced for my taste.
I like it but this will never be one of my favourites - nothing as original as her interpretions on the first two albums and far too many instruments.
I like it but this will never be one of my favourites - nothing as original as her interpretions on the first two albums and far too many instruments.
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Madeleine Peyroux gained international recognition with her album Careless Love and it was an album that prompted me to buy all her previous work. Coming out with a third album under pressure of such success must be incredibly hard. As much as I really love her style and the mood her music puts you in, I have to say the third album is like the third series of The Office: you want it, but you just know you're going to be disappointed. This lady is passionate about her music and I wonder how much passion has been lost through the pressure of producing more music.
In short, it's a lovely album but just doesn't have the magic of Careless Love for me. That's why I've given it a 4.
In short, it's a lovely album but just doesn't have the magic of Careless Love for me. That's why I've given it a 4.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Very impressive album
I learned about Madeleine Peyroux in a rather circuitous route by searching using a "similar style to...." criteria. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Aremess
Sad, but fantastic
Sad melodies, good versions, a good company for those days having a cup of tea when it is raining heavily outside. Good memories of London. I like it so much, highly recommendable.
Published 10 months ago by booklover
Recently Discovered Joy
Probably not the world's greatest singer but a ver enjoyable listen. Great to see in person as I did a year or so ago in Melbourne.
Published 12 months ago by golferjohn
great sound
THis CD is a great production with catchy but calming melodies, a unique voice and great musicians. Worth buying it!
Published 13 months ago by att
Half The Perfect World, Madeleine Peyroux - All perfect record
After an eight year wait between her first and second albums (Dreamland and Careless Love), chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux only made us wait a further two years for this, her third... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Victor
Moving and melancholy
We bought this CD on the back of hearing one track on Jamie Cullum's Radio 2 show. It's a beautiful album, perfect for winding down to and the end of a hard day.
Published 18 months ago by Golightly
Madelaine Peyroux
A superb album which delivers excellent vocals. A worthy addition to your music collection to relax and enjoy.
Published 20 months ago by Margaret
perfect
love this cd i have careless love & bare bones but i rate this one as her best ever. its beautiful & melodic i have it on in my workshop whilst i make jewellery its seems to help... Read more
Published on 17 May 2009 by denise tingey
Beautifully crafted
Peyroux sounds uncannily like Billie Holiday when she sings - something I'm sure she isn't deliberately setting out to do - but the similarities wander in throughout this lovely... Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2008 by Jl Adcock
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. Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2007 by AfterTheEvent
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