It’s never too late for Norah Jones
Photo courtesy of Blue Note Records
The songstress shows us her rough side
by LAUREN FULBRIGHT
Since the release of her 2001 debut album, Norah Jones has become a fixture in the jazz scene. Her pop-infused melodies led her first album, “Come Away With Me,” to achieve multi-platinum success and eight Grammy Awards. Her follow-up album, “Feels Like Home,” also won several Grammys, including record of the year.
In her new album, “Not Too Late,” Jones retains the simple melodies and distinctive voice that have made her so famous, but the songs themselves are not as smoothly polished as the music on her previous albums. Instead, more of Jones’ raw talent is allowed to shine through.
Unlike her previous albums, Jones wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on “Not Too Late.” In the past, she has written only a few of the songs on each of her albums.
She has proven herself to be a gifted songwriter, an artist confident in her craft and comfortable in her own skin. The writing is tight and precise, and yet it never feels forced. There is never an unnecessary word, no part of the album that does not hang together as a whole.
In songs like “Wish I Could,” simple lyrics tell complex stories. The jazz-infused “Sinkin’ Soon,” is reminiscent of Billie Holiday, while the more ballad-like “Thinking About You”is more faithful to Jones’ usual style.
Her songs also reflect a growing political and social consciousness. On “Wish I Could,” she describes her love for a man who is away at war, and the deeply political “My Dear Country,” describes the atmosphere of fear that surrounds Election Day. On “My Dear Country,” Jones criticizes the media when she writes, “The news men know what they know but they know even less than what they say.”
SEE NORA IN CONCERT:
- April 23, 2007, DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St., N.W., Washington. Tickets available at: Ticketmaster.com
While songs like “Until the End,” and “Thinking About You,” touch on the subject of love and make this an appropriate album for Valentine’s Day, the beautifully written break-up song “Wake Me Up,” in which Jones writes, “Wake me up when it’s done, when he’s gone away and taken everything,” steals the show.
While some fans may miss the smooth melodies previously shown on songs like “Come Away With Me,” and “Sunrise,” on the whole, “Not Too Late” will delight new and old fans alike.
Download:
“Thinking About You”
“My Dear Country”
“Wake Me Up”
