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In spite of all the air time it’s gotten, I didn’t hear much of this CD before I bought it. I hadn’t been listening to the radio much recently. I actually only bought it because I remembered a friend with musical tastes had recommended Norah Jones a few months before.
And so I had the joy of popping in this CD and hearing the songs fresh, back to back. And, although I’m not always a jazz fan, I truly enjoyed Norah’s folky, slightly countryish, jazz sound. This music was lovely and smooth, almost lilting in parts. The well-paced music was just fast enough to be engaging and just slow enough to relax me. It made me want to dance quietly across the room (and since I was alone, I did).
I tend to like fuller voices, but Norah’s voice is very smooth and pleasing—it’s one of those voices that remind you of Ella Fitzgerald or someone similar from the early twentieth century, but very freshly rendered. It somehow manages to be simultaneously timeless and modern and very appealing.
That said, although I enjoy this CD very much, it isn’t the kind that I can listen to indefinitely. It is, however, a nice addition to my collection, and I’m glad that it won a few Grammys—it does such a good job at bridging many musical styles successfully.
One word on the lyrics before I go. This isn’t the kind of album where you have an easy time paying attention to the lyrics. They’re fairly simple, anyway, and they suit the music so well that it’s hard for me to listen carefully to them. The flow of the music is the main focus, at least for me. Trying to pay close attention to too many of the lyrics can disturb my dancing across the room…
