“It’s meant to be blurred and unclear. I took the colours of the American flag and placed them in a way that didn’t represent any particular flag – or any political policy – that I could find. I wanted to evoke a question: where do you stand? I’m questioning what we believe in and what we think democracy means and how we intend to continue to create it.”
—Madeleine Peyroux on making an album cover that does not feature her on the cover and political themes on these songs.[1]
Anthem is a 2018 studio album by American vocal jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux. It has received positive reviews by critics.
Reception
Editors at AllMusic rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Matt Collar writing that "Anthem finds the former busker turned chanteuse collaborating with a team of highly regard musicians, arrangers, and songwriters" to make songs that "seem to speak to Peyroux's particularly Zen view of the world".[2] Writing for The Arts Desk, Mark Kidel rated Anthem 4 out of 5 stars, telling readers that "if you happen to be feeling blue, this will music will speak to you, truly, deeply".[3] In Glide Magazine, Jim Hynes called this album "a stunning example of collaboration producing an uncategorizable, enduring work of art".[4]
Track listing
All songs written by David Baerwald, Larry Klein, Brian Macleod, Madeleine Peyroux, and Patrick Warren, except where noted.