Madeleine Peyroux

There has definitely been a reemergence of the chanteuse over the past few years. The female singer with the sultry and seductive style of a nightclub or cabaret sound seems to find it's way back again and again. Made famous by great names like Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday & even today's Norah Jones. There is something soothing yet exciting about this jazzy, sexy style that appeals to the masses. Madeleine Peyroux's interesting, French upbringing coupled with her knack for covering diverse material from W.C. Handy to Bob Dylan gives her sound a unique blend of past and present. She covers the famous "J'ai Deux Amours" sung by Josephine Baker to Allied troops during World War II. Her somewhat husky voice begs the comparison to Billie, but she still maintains a style that is all her own. Her songs seem to have found just the right balance between trial and triumph. I have yet to get my hands on her newest album--Bare Bones, released March 10th, but I am in love with her sophomore album--Careless Love. My favorite tracks are: Dance Me to the End of Love, a ballad that encompasses everlasting love, Don't Wait too Long, an upbeat number about taking chances on love; Between the Bars, a story of self loathing and personal limbo; This is Heaven to Me, a positive anthem about being thankful for what you have. There are so many great songs on this album- Transport yourself to a Parisian cafe by taking a listen to Madeleine Peyroux.