I'm behind with my alerts, I will catch up, please bear with me, Heather :o)
I'm behind with my alerts, I will catch up, please bear with me, Heather :o)
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If you have read my review of Norah Jones first album (Come Away With Me), then you will know that it was only recently I discovered what I have been missing out on.
“Come Away With Me” was a tremendous debut album winning her several Grammy awards, no to mention selling millions of copies, an outstanding start any performer would be delighted with. So it goes without saying that her second album would have to be something simply magical to keep the fan base from being disappointed.
Norah Jones released her second album “Feels Like Home” less than 2 years after “Come Away With Me”, for those of you who know nothing of her, her rich sultry style can only be described as somewhere between Jazz and Country with a slight injection of pop.
“Come Away With Me” was a much more relaxed album, a true chill out sound with a tinge of sadness but “Feels Like Home” has a very different sound, it’s more upbeat with the introduction of more instruments and faster tempo’s, almost like she has grown since recording “Come Away With Me”, no longer is she hiding in the security of her sultry velvety tone, she is emerging with higher pitched notes and more harmonies, she’s obviously grown somewhat emotionally since her last album. And it’s noticeable on this album she has had some help putting it together, with the addition of other vocalists including Dolly Parton and Jesse Harris as
well as the help of session backup singers, quite a different story from “Come Away With Me” where all the vocals were her own.
Track Listing:
Sunrise – written by Lee Alexander and Norah Jones
This sound is true Norah Jones style, a funky yet haunting track about lovers getting through each day together, lots of bass gives this song a very soulful jazzy feel, simple piano and acoustic guitar in the background makes this a nice chill out addition to the album. 9/10
What Am I To You – written by Norah Jones
This track has a country feel to it, a sadness that just won’t lift, you can feel her getting right into your soul with her sultry tones, a song about a lover telling lies. A very sexy feeling track indeed, soft guitar and piano carries Norah’s voice perfectly. This is my favourite from this album. 10/10
Those sweet words written by Lee Alexander and Richard Julian
A nice bluesy feeling track with a very simple beat but Norah raises her voice an octave or two and it really suits her accompanied by a nice melody from the piano. 7/10
Carnival Town written by Norah Jones and Lee Alexander
A subtle little song about a woman under the spell of a man, a simple acoustic guitar accompanies Norah’s sweet lilting voice, the addition of the strings and the cello give it a rather sad feeling, not one of the strongest tracks on the album, a bit of a filler I’m afraid. 5/10
In the morning written by Adam Levy
The introduction to this track reminds me somewhat of a Neil Diamond track, raring to go somewhere, only it’s not Neil’s voice but Norah’s sweet voice that tells the story of a relationship that’s went wrong and a friend tries to help set her free of her constant thoughts about a love lost. Quite a fast upbeat track that takes you by surprise somewhat, electric piano and resonator guitar add to the funky feeling. It took me a few times listening to this before it actually grew on me. 7/10
Be here to love me written by Townes Van Zandt
Quite a depressing country feeling track, I’m afraid it’s another filler for me. 3/10
Creepin’ In written by Lee Alexander
Sang with the help of Dolly Parton, you would not be mistaken for thinking it was Dolly’s song rather than Norah’s, although the harmonies are superb and both ladies work well together, although the fast country style strumming on the guitar is maybe a bit too much country for my liking, but it kind of grows on you after a while. 6/10
Toes written by Lee Alexander and Norah Jones
Another sultry sexy track with the harmonising complemented by the addition of the guitar and piano. Norah’s voice stands well above the music in this track. A guitar riff in the middle put me off this track though, it felt out of place somewhat. Another filler I’m afraid. 5/10.
Humble Me written by Kevin Breit
Very similar track to that of Toes, I think the producers have made a bit of a boob here putting these tracks together on the album, although a more acoustic feel to this track, it makes you feel very similar to that of Toes. Maybe if I had heard it further away from Toes, my opinion may have been very different. 5/10
Above Ground written by Andrew Borger and Daru Oda
Norah comes back with a bang here, her voice is got it’s honey feel back, a nice little beat to this track leaves you tapping your toes but as the song draws to a close, I am rather disappointed as it doesn’t seem to fit properly, it’s almost like someone has brought two very different songs and tried to put them together, another mistake. 4/10.
The Long Way Home written by Kathleen Brennan and Tom Waits
I am really starting to think Norah has spent far too long around a country influence; this is clearly a country track and wouldn’t go amiss on a Greatest Country Hits album. Too many sweet baby’s and darling’s in the track for my liking. Another miss for me I’m afraid. 4/10.
The Prettiest Thing written by Norah Jones, Lee Alexander and Richard Julian
A slow sexy end of the night little track, a bit more like the old Norah, nice accompaniment from the piano and percussion complementing her voice beautifully. A real winner for me. 10/10
Don’t Miss You At All written by Norah Jones
I have heard the music somewhere before, perhaps from a film, I just can’t put my finger on it but Norah has written the lyrics to accompany Duke Ellington’s music, a simple yet sad acoustic feeling track with nice piano intro’s allow you to be mesmerised by the magic touch of Norah herself. A great ending to the album. 9/10
For me this album was nowhere near the standard of “Come Away With Me” and I was left somewhat disappointed by it considering it was mostly the same people she worked with on the first album, I don’t really know what I expected but certainly not a country influenced album. However, there is a few good tracks on the album but there is also a few bad tracks, I am not sure whether I would recommend it or not, if you like female country singers like Dottie West, then this is probably for you, but if I am going to listen to country music then I do prefer something with a little more heart.
Available to buy from WH Smith, HMV, play.com and will set you back around £9.99.
Thanks for reading, take care, Heather :o)
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A great review, well done. A lot of interesting information. -=- Hoethir -=-
l-m-n-o-p 30.06.2005 12:04
Silverion, maybe you should have written your own review with all that? I completely agree, there are some great tracks (I think Humble Me is brilliant), but there are so many dull songs and too much country, so I was very disappointed. Brilliant review!
Silverion 29.04.2004 17:33
Part 2. Sorry bout that i acidentally pressed the enter key.
As i was saying. In the morning is about coffee. If you read the lyrics you would see this. Toes is about a girl who wants to go into a river but she is at first too scared to go in. Humble me is about a woman who misses her boyfriend and the father of her kid. Above ground is about being nervous about meeting someone. What am i to you is perhaps the only big actual love song on the album. Its about this woman who is asking her boyfriend what she means to him. Sunrise you did actually get right. The prettiest thing is about all the pretty things in the world. Live and living and how things turn out in the end. I could go on and on explaining to you how you have misread the whole album but i wont. Infact reading this makes me think i am going to have to make another review to shoe people what the album is about. Take a bit of time. Rewright this review when you know that of what you speack. You must have listened to the album a few times and think you know it all. In truth this is a bad review and you should do it again.
With Feels Like Home, the follow-up to her eight times Grammy winning debut, Come Away ... more
With Me, easy listening's 24 year-old poster girl Norah Jones has a staggering weight of expectation to live up to. However, anyone expecting to be wowed from the s...
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Apr 6th, 2004
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