Feels Like Home - Norah Jones > Reviews > Not quite a home run

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money

Advantages:	A mellow collection with some excellent songs
Disadvantages:	Some tracks fall short of the high standards she set herself

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Norah Jones is someone who I really didn’t think would be my cup of tea, but when my wife raved on so much about her debut album, I relented and gave it a listen, and was immediately transfixed by her voice and the songs that she sang. From that day, her album became a firm favourite in my CD player, alongside Alkaline Trio and The Foo Fighters! At least I can profess to have a varied musical taste!

Her debut album won countless awards, and for me as a music lover, I think it is always so hard to follow up an album like that, and many have fallen at the wayside trying, so the question on many people’s lips was “Could Norah Jones buck the trend of one album wonders which seem to be ten a penny at the moment?” I hoped she could, and was pleased to see the release of this album was not greeted with the hype that it could have been, but I wish people would stop referring to her music as jazz, because it really does not give the true picture of her music, and whilst there are jazz influences, there are also soul and sometimes pop and even country influences as well. It is this diversity which makes me enjoy her music so much.

‘Sunrise’ was chosen as the track to greet the listener, and for me it was a sensible choice, as it is very similar to the music from her first album, so immediately the listener is in their comfort zone. My wife appreciates the emotion of the songs more than I do, but I can still sit back and enjoy the songs for what they are, which is lyrically and musically very pure and consistently enjoyable. This track is heavy on the guitars and piano, but it is the vocals which draw the listener in, as Jones’ warm, almost velvety tones tell the story of two lovers who hate to be parted once they see the sunrise. A very nice track. 8/10.

‘What Am I To You’ slinks across the speakers, and Jones’ vocals sound almost effortless on the opening of this track. It is an honest and open song, where she tells her partner what they mean to her, and then ask them to do the same, as she doubts whether his feelings match hers. It was in the middle of this track that I realized she was easily living up to the massive expectations placed upon her, because she stayed true to what she loved doing, even if it was not following the popular commercial route. It may have been a gamble, but it was certainly one that has paid off. An excellent track. 9/10.

For me, ‘Those Sweet Words’ is about finding out how someone feels about you, but not quite believing it. It is a dreamy song musically, and one which will always chill you out rather than getting any blood pumping. It is a nice enough song, but there is just something missing that I can’t put my finger on. The more I listen to it, the more I am inclined to think it lacks emotion, but I know many who disagree with me. 5/10

‘Carnival Town’ is the slowest track on the album, and sounds very much like it belongs on a film soundtrack, accompanying a scene of much pondering! It is a strange subject choice, and basically says that although you may laugh and have fun at the carnival, you will still be a lonely saddo when you get home!! There is an underlying humour to this song, but is it just me who sees that! 6/10

‘In The Morning’ is one of my favourite tracks on the album. There are many different takes on this song, as the lyrics can be construed to mean many things. She sings about an addiction, which could be to a person, or a substance such as caffeine! The vocals are quite gravelly at times on this track, and I love that quality to her voice, and when she rocks it a little, it works for me everytime! 9/10

‘Be Here To Love Me’ is a cover version, but I am afraid I know very little about the original, so I can tell you no more than that. It sounds more country than the other tracks that have been included on this album, and always gives me the mental picture of her sitting at some barn dance on a stack of hay while singing this to the dancegoers. Not being a lover of country music, I like this toned down version very much. 8/10

‘Creepin In’ is a song you would refuse to listen to if I analysed the subject matter too much as it is about a holey shoe! When I tell you that this is a duet with country queen Dolly Parton, you will not be surprised to hear that this is an uptempo, banjo playing, thigh slapping, foot stomping good old country song. I hate it!!! It is repetitive and just to twee to be enjoyable. 3/10

Back to a more soulful tone with ‘Toes’. It is a nice song, which would be perfect on a hot summer day, but it is cold and grey outside, and dipping my toes in the local river is the last thing on my mind at the moment, and even Norah’s voice can’t persuade me otherwise. 7/10

‘Humble Me’ is the standout track on the album for me. It is about a woman (maybe Norah) whose last relationship broke down, and secretly she is ashamed to think how badly she treat her ex. She finds herself in a situation where he is the only person who can help her, and she has to eat a huge chunk of humble pie and face up to the person she has been, and how much she misses what they had, and how he used to make her feel. It is a slow, country influenced ballad, but it is the lyrics and their delivery which makes this winner for me. 10/10

No matter how many times I listen to ‘Above Ground’ I just cannot make up my mind whether or not I like it. It is a sultry, jazz heavy song, which just feels that it needs that final push to deliver what it hints at. 5/10

The opening bars of ‘The Long Way Home’ are like something you’d see on an old cowboy film, and does not get the song off to the best of starts, but when this lolloping beat continues through the song, it overpowers the vocals, and makes for a disastrous song. It is a cover version, and in my opinion, one that she would have been better off leaving well alone. 0/10

‘The Prettiest Thing’ is a strong track, and brings back the soulful, mellow Norah Jones which has been missing from the last few tracks. This song has the arrangement which always works best. Strong piano playing, and easy vocals singing a clear lyrics which allow you to form a hundred mental pictures throughout the song. 9/10

The final track is ‘Don’t Miss You At All’ has Norah singing over Duke Ellington’s ‘Melancholia’, and I only know that from reading a magazine article about the album. Jones’s has made slight changes to the lyrics to make them more her style, but as an ending to the album it is just lacklustre for me I am afraid to say, and leaves me feeling a little flat.

I always try to put the disappointment of the last track to the back of my mind when I think about the album. So did she meet expectations? For me, she did not, but it is still a very likeable and enjoyable album, and maybe it is not as great as I wanted it to be because I had set my standards too high based on her debut. I would still say give it a try, as it is a nice collection of songs to feel mellow with.