The queen of Starbucks Entertainment is back with her third album, and it’s a safe one. Like Come Away With Me and Feels Like Home (we liked both), the record has a couple that will grab you — but the rest is meant to be set on repeat while you have civilized company over for fancy cocktails and forced laughter. It’s also great for bedtime. A new batch of tunes is exciting for any true fan, of course, so people that think she’s perfect just the way she is: this one’s for you. Meanwhile, we know that, for every Norah-fanatic, there’s one in the closet (someone had to buy all those records), and we suspect that a few of you are itching to come out and say “See!” when she makes good on that alternate persona she teased last year. Sorry kids; not this time. She obviously wants to explore, but she’s chained to the coffee shop that feeds her. Starbucks Entertainment President Ken Lombard told Rolling Stone, “We couldn’t be more excited for Norah’s newest release … Our customers love Norah. We’ve got high expectations.” He’ll be happy with Not Too Late.
The record starts off sleepy and dials up the yawn from there. “Wish I Could” is what we expect from Norah; smoky, gentle voice over calm chords, joined by a sweet harmony and mild, added instrumentals (here, violin). Bold move with track two, the Iraqi war contemplating “Sinkin’ Soon,” giving us a little slow ragtime (the closest she’s coming to Tom Waits on this one) and an M. Ward vocal. And who doesn’t love trombone and guitjo, and who’s opposed to an M. Ward cameo? Not us. So far, okay.
But from there it’s back to the mild, tasteful, lite country stuff with “The Sun Doesn’t Like You,” and the record’s style stays in that world, with Norah’s jazz roots grounding it throughout. “Until The End” is Norah with a little Wurlitzer, a few piano dabbles, and self-revealing lyrics; “Wake Me Up” is slow and tuneful country-tinged lap steel guitar pop, and both are for fans of Come Away With Me that need that sound with new lyrics to sing. The only thing that could make Norah more cute is, like, a whistling solo. She does that in “Living Room”? Right. By comparison to the rest, first single “Thinking About You” is a barn burner. Don’t get us wrong, she understands subtlety and instrumental dynamics, but when it’s as understated as ever … why do it again?
The songs were written over the past two years, with bassist (and boyfriend) Lee Alexander taking a writing credit on half of the 14 songs, and while she’s surrounded herself with great players (like Kronos Quartet cellist Jeff Ziegler and the awesome Andy Levy, always spot-on with his solos), it’s more of the same. Do you need that? Maybe. Cute as country, bland as milquetoast. Expect it to sell 2 million copies. We’re waiting for an El Mad Mo record. Next stop: Hollywood.
Not Too Late is out 1/30 on Blue Note.
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Anyone else like the video for “Thinking About You”? Kinda cute.
if jazz musicians are just making it up… why do they do it again?
what a stupid post.
she’s not a jazz musician.
She IS dull, however.
I haven’t heard the new one, but frankly I don’t care to. I like it when people grow, and I’m dying for Norah to do that. I liked the first record. The second record was unimpressive, and the first song from this one confirms what I feared. She’s always going to bore, but you just know she can do more.
The Little Willies opened up for Ryan Adams at Town Hall last month, and they completely blew me away. I like Norah much better as a country/blues singer than this lite soccer mom fluff. No matter what, though, she sexy as hell.
The Dolly duet on the last album was fun. I like her country-ish stuff.
i agree with scott’s last comment.
these little icons for the different categories are throwing me. i keep thinking they’re album art.
What’s with all the dissing of Norah Jones? I’d rather have her in all the soccer mom’s minivans than crap like Diana Krall.
There may or may not be 2 mp3s from NTL avail via my link.
maybe so….maybe not.
Norah is hot as hell, one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my 15 years in the music biz, and sings like an angel too.
I see the music-nazis are out in force to declare Norah Jones hideously uncool. How utterly tired and pointless. The woman has a gorgeous voice and writes rather lovely melodic songs. Why on earth does she have to be cool or turn into something she’s not, just to please the indie-kids? Appreciate her for what she is. A sublime vocalist and fine artist.
No Diana Krall dissing here. And the arrangements of the standards on her last record are more inventive than anything Norah’s people have ever done. Norah will make a more exciting record I’m sure. I don’t know when though.
I haven’t heard much Norah Jones after hearing her music was pretty dull, but I’ll give her a chance later tonight.
PS Where’s the Myth Takes, Some Loud Thunder, and National Anthem of Nowhere watercoolers?
LMAO, nevermind; apparently I don’t check this blog enough.
My bad.
i actually really love this record. its not intended to be rockin’. its not intended to be groundbreaking. its intended to be nice mellow chill music and its wonderful for that.
i work at a starbucks and we’ll also be stocking the shins and lily allen cd’s on the 30th.
we’ve had the crane wife in there for about a month.
Well said annie onymous! Nobody bitched to Billie Holliday or Ella Fitzgerald for making the same type of album every time. That’s simply what they do!
How could you do anything but love NJ? If I could, I would marry her based just on her sublime voice. She is the most amazing vocalist I have heard in years. We finally get some class and talent in the vocal industry and you have to go and bash it. Sure as heck is better than any Green Day or Taking Back Sunday songs I’ve heard lately…
How could you do anything but love NJ? She is the most amazing vocalist I have heard in years. We finally get some class and talent in the vocal industry and you have to go and bash it. Sure as heck is better than any Green Day or Taking Back Sunday songs I’ve heard lately…