Bare Bones

Madeleine Peyroux, a talented and independent singer

The American singer of French origin Madeleine Peyroux started singing at the age of fifteen when she first heard street musicians in Paris and soon joined one of suchlike bands. Her vocals and manner of performance are often compared to those of Billie Holliday and today the singer has a rather big fan base both in Europe and across the Atlantic. Madeleine has released several solo albums most of which consist of cover versions of famous songs and also participated in a number of joined projects. This unusual singer calling her parents hippies touches upon deep philosophic questions in her jazz songs. In many respects this is also connected with her quite ascetic way of life and that she has been among street artists since her adolescence. Of course without her talent and independence Madeleine would hardly be able to perform such wonderful music. This year Peyroux releases her fourth album Bare Bones that has become a great continuation of her career and for the first time offers songs she has written herself.

Bare Bones is good for a tranquil contemplation of life

Jazz performed by Madeleine Peyroux is remarkable for its deep thoughtfulness and the choice of songs has been always good for a tranquil contemplation of life. On the new album Bare Bones the singer is also an author so we can now be make sure that her inner world has been always the main guide in her creative work. Everything on the new record reminds of the last century’s 30’s because classic jazz as it should be sounds on it. The album opens with a wonderful romantic song Instead with a nice light melody and the title composition is refined with splendid guitars and high notes in Madeleine’s vocals. A slow track Damn The Circumstances pleases with a faultless instrumental background while River Of Tears is defined for the most interesting lyrics filled with the deepest feelings. The song Love And Treachery is going to be close to anyone who has ever survived the sour experience of betrayal whereas Homeless Happiness is an autobiographic opus from which it is clear how Madeleine treats life and what she thinks of material values and the notion of home. I Must Be Saved entirely written by the singer is a beautiful guitar ballad full of sincere confessions and built upon unusual metaphors and devices of oxymoron and the album closer Somethin' Grand conquers with a most beautiful orchestra arrangement perfectly harmonizing with Madeleine’s vocals.

Jazz as an art

No doubt the 11 tracks of Bare Bones will become a great present at the beginning of spring for all Madeleine Peyroux’s fans. For those who is absolutely not acquainted with her creative work this record will be just perfect to add this original artist to the number of their favorite performers. Her music is good for that it can be listened to both when you are alone or in a company of friends as in any surroundings it will serve the best music accompaniment for a nice evening of rest. Producers Larry Klein, Walter Becker and Joe Henry have done everything so that the instruments underline and shade Peyroux’s vocals in the best way so each song on the record is an example of the arrangement-vocals harmony. And deeply thoughtful texts telling of love, betrayal, ties between people, life and death will definitely find a response in every listener’s heart. Jazz as an art – this is how the music on Bare Bones can be characterized and listening to the album you are sure to agree that this is by no means an exaggeration.