Stripped back arrangements and live recording allow Peyroux’s voice to rise above the guitar and bass for a very personal album.

Secular Hymns features the electric guitar of Jon Herington with bassist Barak Mori alongside Peyroux’s gorgeous voice and acoustic guitar. Recorded in a church with a fabulous acoustic, the collection of songs tells a personal story. There’s everything from ballad to tango and blues to a traditional spiritual. There’s reggae on More Time and gospel on both Shout Sister Shout and Hard Times Come Again No More.

The story behind the recording of the album is fascinating, but it's the music which tells the best tale. Peyroux plays acoustic guitar and adds a guilele from time to time, which sits alongside Herrington’s electric guitar and Barak’s string bass. The arrangements are, of course, sparse, but a few backing vocals are used to great effect.

The title Secular Hymns implies a spirituality and the acoustics of the live recording makes the songs resonate both musically and lyrically. Got You on My Mind and If The Sea Was Whiskey by blues master Willie Dixon are handled lightly, while Tango Till They’re Sore and Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky are both infectious. Those four tracks alone show a range of musical influences and inspirations.

This is a simply lovely album which bears repeated playing. Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky stands out as a classic recording that will stand the test of time but finishing the album with the traditional Trampin is inspired – a lovely guitar intro joined by Peyroux’s clear vocal singing “I’m trampin, trampin tryin’ to make heaven my home.” A lovely song, utterly appropriate for an album recorded in a church.