- The album is full of sublime moments.
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- * Sung by a woman from a man's point of view, "Blue Alert" (written by Leonard Cohen and Anjani Thomas) is psychologically complex and erotically charged. This intertwining of genders "adds a depth to the song that wouldn't be there otherwise," Madeleine says.
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- * The blending of Madeleine's and k.d. lang's distinctive voices on "River" puts an entirely new spin on the Joni Mitchell classic.
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- * And Madeleine's vocal on Chaplin's "Smile" is reflected by Till Bronner's muted trumpet, forming the musical equivalent of a shadow thrown by a streetlamp.
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- * Highlighting two of the album's songs, the Serge Gainsbourg standard "La Javanaise" and the original composition "Once in a While," are poignant string quartet arrangements courtesy of Mark Orton."
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- APPEARING ON THE ALBUM:
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- Madeleine Peyroux - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
- Dean Parks - Guitars
- David Piltch - Bass
- Jay Bellerose - Drummer
- Scott Amendola - Drums
- Sam Yahel - Keyboards
- Gary Foster - Saxophonist
- Greg Leisz - Pedal Steel
- Till Bronner - Trumpet
- Larry Goldings - Celeste
- "Madeleine Peyroux confidently walks the line where jazz, country and blues collide—her understated vocals and Billie Holiday-esque phrasing are what pull the disparate elements of her performance together into an engaging pastiche."
- By Heather Clisby for The Santa Barbara Independent
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- "Jazzy, smooth, and a little blue: when listening to Madeleine Peyroux, one cannot help but think of Billie Holiday’s effortless brilliance. With songs by Johnny Mercer, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and even Charlie Chaplin, Peyroux’s new album takes a leisurely stroll down a tree-lined boulevard with a glass of champagne."
- By Suzanne Lorge for All About Jazz
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- ""(LOOKING FOR) THE HEART of Saturday Night" is the Tom Waits tune most often recorded by other singers, but no one has ever sung it as Madeleine Peyroux does on her new album, "Half the Perfect World.""
- By Geoffrey Himes for The Washington Post
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- "Madeleine Peyroux's New CD: A Unison of Joy"
- By Pamela Espeland for Jazz Police
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- ""Half The Perfect World" symbolizes a singer whose reflective lyrics speak to a listener's spirit."
- By Sari N. Kent for Celebritycafe.com
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- "Madeleine Peyroux's near-'Perfect' style"
- By Kelly Jane Torrance for The Washington Times
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- "Smokey-voiced chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux's third CD is a lovely collection ..."
- by Elisabeth Vincentelli for Amazon.com
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- "Madeleine Peyroux is back"
- Amazon.com UK
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- "6 Jazz Singers Worth A Listen"
- From TIME magazine (8/28/2006)
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- "Madeleine Peyroux's Nearly-As-Luminous New Album"
- Daniel Mohr, Sun Prairie, WI, USA
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- "Half The Perfect World - Madeleine Peyroux doesn't simply interpret songs, she possesses them..."
- From MusicRemedy.com (6/14/2006)
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