Beginning life as a tribute to Ray Charles' classic 1962 album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, this sixth solo album from singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux subsequently evolved to encompass songs by Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen and more. Produced once again by the legendary Larry Klein, The Blue Room returns to the same sound world of Peyroux's breakthrough album, Careless Love – an über-catchy mix of jazz, country and blues – the new element here being the addition of Vince Mendoza's apposite string arrangements on over half the tracks. Indeed, the instantly recognisable, gently chugging settings of the little-known Buddy Holly song ‘Changing All Those Changes’ (the first single from the album) and Don Gibson's ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You' sound as if they might have been recorded for the earlier date. Klein's unerring sense of space and Peyroux's less-is-more aesthetic seem absolutely made for each other, and on songs such as Warren Zevon's ‘Desperados Under The Eaves’ and Cohen's much covered ‘Bird On The Wire’ their signature sound – elegiac insight meets beguiling simplicity – is quietly touching.