|
|
Tarfumes.com - Half the Perfect World
|
List Price: $17.98
Our Price: $13.99
Your Save: $ 3.99 ( 22% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Rounder / UMGD
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0011661325227
Label: Rounder / UMGD
Manufacturer: Rounder / UMGD
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Rounder / UMGD
Release Date: 2006-09-12
Studio: Rounder / UMGD
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
Madeleine Peyroux doesn’t simply interpret songs, she possesses them…and vice versa. Half the Perfect World is the much-anticipated follow-up to Peyroux’s breakthrough album, Careless Love, which drew critical raves from around the world and sold more than a million copies. This time around, Peyroux focuses primarily on songs written by artists from her lifetime, including Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Fred Neil. The album also features an unforgettable duet with k.d. lang on the Joni Mitchell classic "River" and four original songs co-written by Peyroux, including the single "I’m All Right" which she penned with producer Larry Klein and Steely Dan’s Walter Becker. Half the Perfect World is a sublime showcase for Peyroux’s eloquent, understated delivery and timeless one-of-a-kind voice.
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: Better late than not at all...
Comment: i guess i am the last person on this planet to hear of Madeleine Peyroux, matter of fact it was last week. i just went over the top with excitement and ordered Half the Perfect World and Careless Love immediately.
opinions, someone once said, are like "a. holes" (if you know what i'm referring to) and everybody has at least one and so here we are trying to make a statement about Madeleine Peyroux's talent. say whatever you will and think whatever you like and on the bottom line it really doesn't matter one bit because what is is and what is not is not. Madeleine is not Billy Holiday, though she sounds like her on some recordings and so what if she does? this woman is a bona fide original artist of the first rank and her songs are distinct and reflect an artistry above mediocre, fake run of the mill modern day copy cats who hide behind time honored musical standards for lack of genuine talent. Madeleine's songs are unlike the copy formats and her renditions are arranged and played in a unique style, a blend of many different musical elements from different artist, traditions and eras. her uniqueness is obvious in that she is able to blend these elements into a new and distinct style all her own, unlike anybody else. the songs are arranged with a ensemble that perfectly complement her singing and playing style and the flavor of the song itself. the simplicity of it all highlights the " what is needed, what is best no more or no less" this avoids the tendency to clutter up the recording with fake appendages and electronic guizmo insertions to cover up for the lack of real talent. no, Madeleine is real, fresh, new and unspoiled by the greed for fortune and fake fame.
lets just sit back and enjoy this sweet talent and accept it on its own merit without trying to remake it in our own critical image which, as i said already, does not matter one iota. those who criticize are themselves unknown by name and no doubt lacking in any measure of talent and fame; therefore, why don't all of you who have something negative to say,just shut the f. up!!!
reggio/chicago
Customer Rating:
Summary: Michelle Peyroux Half The Perfect World
Comment: This cd is delightfully lyrical with songs I enjoy even while reading. Not too intrusive, the music lingers, however, in one's memory. I have played it frequently, sometimes listening to the lyrics and other times, reading.. I heard Ms. Peyroux while shopping in a local health food store. Asked the sales person who the singer was and then I ordered it from Amazon. End of story. Anna Seidler....
Customer Rating:
Summary: Dissapointing after her others
Comment: I really like Peyroux's first two albums - she has a lovely voice - but this one left me cold. The first track is very good, and the title track isn't bad - almost everything else is dull and lifeless. Some of the covers are frankly awful. If you are coming to this artist for the first time I strong advise you to try Careless Love or Dreamland dreamland first. This one seems to have been airbrushed to smooth out anything interesting.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Over-rated
Comment: I'm unimpressed. I had originally heard the title track and thought the entire CD would be as good. It's not. I wasn't at all impressed with some of the other classic re-workings.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not Billie and KD is the best part of the Album
Comment: First of all I was given this disc as a Christmas gift, and had no idea who Madeleine Peyroux was. Still, I am into Jazz quite a bit, check my other reviews to be sure.
The jazz I enjoy is usually a bit more experimental, or historically significant. So, how to grade the CD when her music is perhaps, an "acquired" taste? First of all, I was intrigued by the fact that this album is produced by former Joni Mitchell husband and producer, Larry Klein. How is the production quality to the CD? Not very good. Many instances the gain on the bass parts or on drums in some of the songs pegs the meters and causes an un-wanted distortion. Her voice is suitably recorded with little processing, though, and that's a good thing.
So, what about Madeleine's voice? She obviously uses a lot of the Billie Holiday techniques, especially some shorter sustain, and lots of bends. When she does this she does sound very much like Billie Holiday, but never just like Billie. Billie had a purer sound, and her pitch was better by far. Madeleine is more pitchy, sometimes sounding like she lacks vocal control. I understand some jazz singers simply sound like this, and that's fine, but other singers exhibit much more control.
Someone mentioned that she is more pure jazz than Nora Jones. Perhaps she is, the songs are more standards than Nora sings, but Nora Jones has an incredible control and vocal depth that Madeleine completely lacks. Madeleine sounds like she simply doesn't practice her craft enough. This recording sounds very much like a polished demo rather than a finished product. Nora has control of her pitch. She is always in tune. Madeleine has some problems keeping it in tune.
Which brings me to the duet, the Joni Mitchell tune River, which is beautiful. But KD Lang outshines Madeleine. It is incredible the difference, KD has so smooth of a voice, and--even though KD tries to keep it down, realizing this is a Peyroux album rather than a KD Lang album--KD still sounds so good I'm wanting to go out and hear HER latest release instead of plowing through this sleepyhead recording.
I must admit though, overall, I didn't fall asleep and I can understand why someone would enjoy the Holiday-isms on this album. It is nice to hear Holiday singing and Peyroux does a nice tribute to Billy in her stylings.
Madeleine Peyroux should be able to up her game by getting better production, and maybe getting some more original writing. Nicely packaged, though. Pretty music, but not really fantastic. 2 stars.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
