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So what has Peyroux found whilst wandering in the wilderness? Certainly a matured musicianship enabling her to hold a hypnotically flexible line, but she has lost the previously useful edge to the voice.

A laid-back Hot Club bounce introduces a great version of Leonard Cohen's 'Dance Me to the End of Love'. I admit I prefer a woman singing intellectual pillow talk to me but Peyroux seems to sing inside your head, delivering all the poetry that Cohen doesn't. All that's missing is a cloud of Gauloise smoke.

If Cohen is trounced, Dylan remains untouchable. The irony and urgency of his 'You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go' are lost, the interpretation seemingly ignorant of 'Verlaine or Rimbeau'. The voice here has strong elements of Joni Mitchell, and interestingly the rather contained production is by Larry Klein, her one-time producer and husband. Has he prettied Peyroux's voice as well? As role-models go, I prefer Holiday.

The sotto voce style leaves classics 'Weary Blues' and the title track itself undercooked, but on her own composition 'Don't Wait Too Long', Peyroux weaves a subtle spell. The gently waltzing 'Between the Bars', by the tragic Oscar nominee Elliott Smith, also has sensitivity.

A slinky Hammond organ haunts 'Don't Cry Baby', but otherwise the playing tends to a Nashville perfection, the band being most comfortable when underpinned by Peyroux's elastic strumming.

Jazz purists may bemoan the album's lack of risk but they will admire Peyroux's delicacy, albeit derivative. For a direct comparison with Holiday there is 'No More', 'I'll Look Around' and, peppered with occasionally split and saccharine bell notes, the short but very sweet epilogue 'This is Heaven to Me'.

Non purists -- just put your feet up and let this soft melismatic voice unwind your mind.