Product Description

Debut album from American-born singer songwriter Madeleine Peyroux. This release features a collection of covers, including Bessie Smith's 'Reckless Blues' and three songs which Peyroux penned herself. With her soulful voice it is easy to see why early comparisons with Billie Holiday have been made. The cover of Edith Piaf's 'La Vie En Rose' is also included.

Track Listing

1. Walkin' After Midnight
2. Hey Sweet Man
3. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
4. Getting Some Fun Out Of Life
5. La Vie En Rose
6. Always A Use
7. Prayer
8. Muddy Water
9. Was I
10. Dreamland
11. Reckless Blues
12. Lovesick Blues

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1365 in Music
• Released on: 2005-04-04
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Amazing debut album from Madeleine Peyroux
I have all three of Madeleine Peyroux's albums now having recently purchased this beauty. All through the album, you can tell the quality and the feeling in her vocal performance. I find it difficult to believe now that it took 8 years before Madeleine Peyroux became a household name with her second album "Careless Love" and not this one. Never mind. This is still a wonderful album.

This album is a launching pad for Madeleine Peyroux to launch from. Her singing style is very similar to that of Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith, the jazz and blues divas of their time. It hits off with "Walking After Midnight" and finishes off with a blues-fuelled "Lovesick Blues". The tracks inbetween are also of distinction including "Dreamland", the title track, a delicious blues-jazz fusion, "La Vie En Rose", a beautiful tribute to the Little Sparrow, Edith Piath and "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter".

What Madeleine Peyroux does so well on this amazing album is breathe new life into these old and well known songs (she does this on her other albums too but she did it here first). Fusing jazz in with the blues is a neat idea and it works extremely well and her voice is refreshing to hear and she sings the songs to perfection. A joy from start to finish.

Strange choice first track
Sometimes classic songs should be left well alone. While Madeleine Peyroux's rendition of Walkin' After Midnight, is a perfectly well executed rendition of the Patsy Cline hit, my feeling is that it is too much Patsy Cline's, to be comfortably covered by another vocalist. Apart from which it's out of place on this album. As it happens I prefer this version of La Vie En Rose to the original performed by Edith Piaf.

Aprt from the strange choice of opening track this is an enjoyable (if somewhat mawkish) selection of songs which are almost flawlessly performed.
There's a lot to like. If you are a fan of Madeleine Peyroux you won't want to miss it.

An outstanding debut album
This is unquestionably the best debut album I have ever heard, and I have been collecting records for over forty years. Yes, Madeleine's voice is reminiscent of Billie Holiday, and it is apparent that she has been listening to Bessie Smith and the great blues divas, but she has a shining talent of her own. Listen to her version of Edith Piaf's 'La Vie en Rose' - others have tended to copy 'the Little Sparrow', but Madeleine gives it new life.

I have her second album, and it is not quite as good as her first, but that is no condemnation. I look forward to her third!