Norah Jones

Norah Jones’s decision to make a jazz album has been claimed by several reviewers to be the album her fans have been waiting for. I don’t know if I was waiting for a jazz album but I was hoping that she would take a break from her country music collaborations. Her work here is mature, smoky, lovely, and moving.

TRACK SONG TITLE RATING

01 Burn 4
02 Tragedy 5
03 Flipside 5
04 It's a Wonderful Time for Love 4
05 And Then There Was You 4
06 Don't Be Denied 5
07 Day Breaks 5
08 Peace 3
09 Once I Had a show more Laugh 4
10 Sleeping Wild 4
11 Carry On 4
12 Fleurette Africaine (African Flower) 3 show less

It has two classic NJ songs: "Thinking About Your", and "Not Too Late." a beautiful opening song "Wish I Could", and a scalding complaint about this country's current state, "Sinkin' Soon", which alas remains current and powerful. I do wish she would sing the latter faster; I don't usually think that about her songs. The rest of the album made little impression on me.

Excellent album. Great duet. Her duet with Willie Nelson of "Baby Its Cold Outside" has already become my favorite cover of that song. (I do try very hard not to visualize it.) She also holds her own with Ray Charles and Dolly Parton and M. Ward. She raps. I especially like her going country. She should do a country album (or does the Little Willies album count?)

Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Norah Jones have done a tribute to the Everly Brothers' great album, "Songs Are Daddy Taught" us. They excel when the songs are tearjerkers, being both moving and exquisite. At other times, as with "Kentucky," they can become stately and remote. On the though, I thought it was worth listening to.