Review:

on 2011-06-03 CharlesMartel Said:

Norah Jones is an attractive young woman with a nice, easy on the ear voice. Her piano playing is okay without being spectacular or particularly evocative. She is also the daughter of Ravi Shankar, although what relevance that has is not clear. This album is easy on the ear if you don't have to think about it and you can easily leave it on while you do something which requires concentration as it will not intrude into your consciousness and disrupt you. I have just provided you with the classic definition of wallpaper music. And that is precisely what this is. Deliberately unobtrusive and self-effacing to the point of being non-existent, if this album were a person at a party, when it leaves the room you would think someone had just entered it.

And that basically concludes the positives about this album. Hyped up to the eyeballs at the Grammys, this album won everything because it managed to offend the fewest voters compared with all the other contenders, which is now surely the only criteria left for picking up a recognised music award. The songs range from slow through s-l-o-w to s-----l-----o-----w. Above all it lacks courage, the courage to go out and make a statement instead of just accepting that the background is the best place for you. A wallflower isn't supposed to be a wallflower because she likes being lonely. So why would Norah Jones like being self-effacing?

Some may compare Norah Jones with Vanessa Carlton, a singer songwriter who also plays the piano. The difference is illuminating, if not particularly apt but because I am familiar with both, it is worth examining a bit further. Jones has the better quality voice, but Carlton sings with some degree of passion. The latter's songs are also more pointed and less concerned with trying to combine with the effects of chardonnay and a summer's day and send you to sleep. Finally, Carlton knows how to shift tempo in songs to provide effect. Jones sticks to one tempo, one effect.

I'm sorry, I may be missing the point, but I just do not know what all the fuss is about. This album is not awful. I don't hate it. It just doesn't do anything for me. I cannot see the point of it unless providing something to mask the slightly secretive conversations of people in hotel bars is the sort of music you aim to provide. I feel like I am committing heresy or something because so many people love this. Sorry everyone - 'I'll get my coat now'.
Rating: 3/10