Reviewed: 2018-09-16
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review:
If You Like: Karrin Allyson, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell
Track Review (favorites denoted by *): Though vocalist Madeleine Peyroux’s name stands alone above the title, Anthem is a supreme example of ensemble work. Its core contributors exercise equal influence and demonstrate equal finesse, abetted by stellar guests. The shared ingeniousness extends to the playlist, all originals save the Leonard Cohen title track and an adaptation of the Paul Éluard poem “Liberté,
**1/ On My Own (4:06) – drums start> midtempo bouncy song> slow fade
***2/ Down On Me (5:00) – drums start > uptempo strutting song> slow fade
*3/ Party Tyme (4:37) – Rhodes starts soft> slow song> harmonica solo> slow song swings to midtempo> quick stop
4/ Anthem (5:25) – vocal starts> slow song> organ solo> slow song> slow fade
5/ All My Heroes (3:59) – organ starts> slow song> fade
*6/ On A Sunday Afternoon (4:17) – drums start> bouncy midtempo song> quick fade
**7/ The Brand New Deal (4:57) – drums/organ starts> midtempo song with chorus> sax solo> midtempo song> slow fade
*8/ Lullaby (5:22) – synth shimmers> slow song builds in volume & intensity> quick fade
*9/ Honey Party (4:01) – drums/guitar start> midtempo song with French café vibe & male chorus> instrumental jam> fade
*10/ The Ghosts Of Tomorrow (4:14) -organ starts> slow sultry song> trumpet solo> slow song> slow fade
11/ We Might As Well Dance (3:17) – slide guitar starts> slow song with chorus> fade
12/ Liberte (4:32) – piano starts> slow song, partially sung in French> slow fade