3/5: Norah Jones treads familiar territory with her latest release, Not Too Late. This time, however, she's singing her own songs and giving listeners a few surprises.
A friend once told me that he was driving the first time he heard Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why.” When her unmistakable voice came through his car radio, he was so awestruck that he had to pull over.
Jones voice often seems to have this effect on people. While some naysayers have dismissed her sound as “background music,” anyone who sits and actually listens to her vocal work cannot help but be mesmerized. The timbre of her sound is instantly recognizable.
For her latest work, Not Too Late, Jones decided that it was time to write and sing her own words. Previously, her biggest hits had been penned for her by collaborators and members of her band.
The effect, perhaps, is not immediately noticeable. The songs on this record fit snugly into her overall repertoire. They are smooth, sassy and a little safe. If anything, this collection of tunes tends to be more topical, upbeat, and heartfelt.
They also show Jones moving a few degrees away from her piano. For example, the record’s opening track, “Wish I Could,” is a sweet, guitar-driven lullaby. The choice is a signal that a new side of the songstress will be reveal, whether this attempt at diversity is successful or not.
The biggest difference is felt in tracks like “Sinkin’ Soon” and “Be My Somebody.” Distinctly up-tempo, these tracks stand out as small, but noticeable peaks of experimentation for Jones. The former opens with an ominous banjo vamp and maintains a dark, Mississippi Delta feel throughout, complete with talking trumpet solo.
The song, filled with strange, somewhat disjoined images of oyster shells and impending doom, are perhaps a not-so-subtle reference to New Orleans and the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina.
More explicitly, “My Dear Country” shows Jones revealing her political chops. Although a few disgruntled Amazon.com reviewers have criticized the singer for this artistic choice, in actuality, it is one of the album’s stronger cuts. It is a mournful, appropriately theatric lament for the current ambiguity she feels towards national politics.
Unfortunately, the album’s main fault is that it is simply too familiar. There is nothing that says an artist has to branch out and push his or her musical limits. With Jones, however, her talent is so immense that one cannot help but hope that she will expand her repertoire into new and unexpected arenas.
For a career jazz singer, such as a Billie Holiday or Ella Fitzgerald, there was always less of a demand for variety because they typically used their voices as an additional instrument in a genre where this is far more accepted.
Jones, while she might claim a similar role for herself, has achieved too much mainstream success. Inevitably, critics and the public’s short attention span will demand that she seeks new styles and sounds in her music.
And yet, Not Too Late still contains several true gems. Jones appears determined to continue to make her music on her terms. Perhaps critics should think less about what this means, and just sing along.
Highlights:
- Sinkin' Soon
- Not My Friend
- Rosie's Lullaby
