Standing On The Rooftop

New York-born, Paris-raised, Madeline Peyroux has carved out a niche for herself over the past decade as a kind of indie-jazz Norah Jones (or an edgier Diana Krall). Her 2005 breakthrough Careless Love included covers of artists such as Elliot Smith, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, interspersed with familiar jazz standards. Throughout, her distinctive fragile voice channeled the spirits of Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Julie London and others.

Here, she sings both originals and collaborations, over a sparser, leaner backdrop, with much more of an Americana feel than on previous outings. Recorded in New York with musicians including Marc Ribot and Allen Toussaint, it relocates her back in the US musically as well as geographically. There are a handful of covers, including a surprisingly idiosyncratic take on ‘Martha My Dear’, Paul McCartney’s gentle ballad (written for his sheepdog) as heard on the Beatles’ White Album. Elsewhere, a version of Dylan’s Nashville Skyline standout ‘I Threw It All Away’ is exquisitely performed with the band firing on all cylinders.
Not as successful is her languid reading of the Robert Johnson blues standard ‘Love In Vain’, which sounds about as far away from The Rolling Stones’ Let It Bleed version as to make it almost unrecognisable.

Of the originals, highlights include ‘The Kind You Can’t Afford’ (co-written with former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman). It’s a terrific, Staple Singers-style funky gospel blues number. Almost as good is Marc Ribot’s sultry ‘The Things I’ve Seen Today’. Meanwhile, the brooding, downbeat title track finds Peyroux more in a Marianne Faithful cabaret mode. Other highlights include the playfully sensual ‘The Party Ought To Be Coming Soon’ and the poignant ballad, ‘Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love’.

A perfect late-night record, if ever there was one.