Norah Jones - COME AWAY WITH ME

[pryan]

When this disc first came out, I was very hesitant and figured this was just another attempt to duplicate Diana Krall's success. I got the e-mails from BN, and listened to some of the clips; nice voice, I thought, but nothing that really made me get up out of my chair or anything. Of course, as everyone knows, this album became quite popular, and won several awards. I admit, I still haven't picked this up, but plan to in the near future, just to hear it for myself, to see what all the fuss is about.

Along with your vote, please honestly comment on the album itself, its relative merits or lack thereof.

Edited June 12, 2003 by pryan

[Noj]

Burned a copy off my mom months ago, listened to it maybe twice. It isn't bad, isn't great.

[Late]

I got this for my mother, my grandmother, and three aunts when it first came out. They all love it. I hear it sometimes when I visit my parents' place, but it never tempts me enough to want to own it. I also heard "Come Away With Me" at Staples yesterday, so, as it's practically in the air we breathe, I'm afforded the luxury of not having to purchase it again. I think it's a nice enough album, and one that seems unprententious as well. It's certainly, to me, one of the more musical efforts in the easy listening genre. I hope Ms. Jones can handle the wild exposure that's been heaped on her. What is she, 24 now?

[Jim Alfredson]

I keep throwing around the idea of buying this for my wife because she'll probably like it. But then I ask myself, "Why would I want to torture myself?" Like Late said, you hear "Come Away With Me" everywhere. That's enough for me.

Maybe some day if I see it in the used bin somewhere for $5 I might seriously think about the possibility of maybe reaching for it.

[jazzbo]

I actually now have two copies of this, because I bought an import Japanese copy that has a bonus cd with some other material on it.

I like it. I dig her mellowness, the sound of her voice, and the way she plays piano. I don't consider it jazz. I actually like the television appearances and the dvd a hair better because her working band is a very nice one and I like the way they've grown the tunes and the arrangements they have. I think she's someone who will record more good music. I'm glad to have pop music to listen to. I don't get out much to places with piped in music, and I don't listen to the radio, so I don't get sick of the big song being heard over and over. . . .

And if my wife isn't reading I'll mention she's a stone fox!

Edited June 12, 2003 by jazzbo

[John Tapscott]

What I've heard of it is fine, though pretty lightweight. I am not going to buy it. Norah's future is pretty secure with all of her fans and no doubt a big contract looming. That's great. No problem. So she doesn't need me, or any hard core jazz fan, to buy her CD. We're always wailing about how underappreciated most jazz artists are, so why not spend the money instead on a CD by some excellent but relatively unknown jazz musician who probably sells about 2-3,000 of each CD he or she makes. That's what I'm going to do.

[catesta]

I never plan on buying it.

The reason is along the lines of what John Tapscott said.

Her music is fine, but it's not for me.

Edited June 12, 2003 by catesta

[Big Al]

I bought this for my daughter for Christmas; she likes it enough, but doesn’t listen to it as much as she used to. She still likes “Don’t Know Why” when it comes on the radio, but I can’t remember the last time she went out of her way to listen to it.

Truth be told, I liked this at first. The sound was soothing, her voice gentle. I even enjoyed her piano-playing. Then she won the Grammy, the BN Board became the Norah Jones BN Bored, and it’s been non-stop Norah ever since. Now, every time I hear “Don’t Know Why” on the radio, my reaction is the same as that to any overplayed song: resigned revulsion. (And what’s with the line about feeling as “empty as a drum?” A drum?!?!? Okaaaaaaaay. Did she fail Remedial Poetry or something? )

[jazzbo]

Al, a fifty five gallon drum is pretty empty when it's empty! I actually think this is a good analogy even if it is a snare or tom or bass drum. . . this song is sort of a hangover song and a head beating like a drum is something I can remember as a symptom. . . .

By the way, neither lyrics or melody of that tune are by Norah.

Edited June 12, 2003 by jazzbo

[AfricaBrass]

When her album first came out, I was going to pick it up. I had heard her on Charlie Hunter's album and thought she had a nice voice, and I wanted to support Blue Note. The album also was priced at $7.99 for a while, so I figured I would give it a shot.

I just never got around to it.

Now, I don't have anything against her, but I have no desire to pick it up. There are so many other albums I'd rather spend my money on. I hate what happened at Blue Note after the success of this record, and I'm pretty much done with them, except for Conns and stuff from Osby, Moran and Harris. My days of buying almost everything they put out are over.

[Alexander]

I own it, but I didn't pay for it. My copy is a promo that was sent to the Music Department Manager (I was the assistant at the time) at B&N. I got it because the Manager already had a copy. I do like it, but I can't say that I ever play it. It's nice to think, when I do spin it, that it cost me nothing at all... B)

[A Lark Ascending]

I own it.

I paid for it with my own money.

I like it.

I play it.

I enjoy it.

Like lots of other nice records.

I hope she has the strength of will, the long term talent and the ability to follow her own muse (regardless of the obvious pressures she'll be under) to develop what she has started.

Her voice alone is distinctive enough to keep me interested.

Edited June 12, 2003 by Bev Stapleton

[tonym]

I have bought 2 copies of this album; one for my wife and i to enjoy and another for my dad on his birthday last year. I had read her review in Jazzwise along with a live review from PizzaExpress -- sounded good, she looked very good.

Must admit when i heard it i was waiting for the jazz 'element'. However, i do like it and still listen to it -- much as i listen to pop music on cd.

I don't have an issue with her so-called over exposure as i don't watch MTV, VH1 or listen to radio (apart from Late Junction, JRR and Jazz On 3 -- all BBC Radio 3).

My dad was over the moon; he hardly watches any TV, and listens to local radio at work in a noisy garage. He had though tuned in to Jools Holland and caught her appearance there. So he was chuffed when he was given this. He probably thinks she is cute aswell but would never risk antagonising my mother!

[Ed S]

I bought a copy for my wife as soon as it came out. Like someone above, I heard her sing on Songs From The Analog Playground. I knew she'd love it but truth be told, I'd have bought it for myself if I did not think she would have liked it. On first listen, I liked it. Soothing, mellow, certainly not groundbreaking but an enjoyable listen.

Eventually, my wife took it to work and by that time I was so sick of hearing her songs every minute everywhere, I did not mind not having it at home. Now that the frenzy seems to have died down, I've listened a couple of times and really enjoy it.

I hope she can pull off a successful follow-up. I'll buy her next release.

[dsgtrane]

I picked it up for my wife. It's not bad but found that every song sounded the same to me. As my wife agrees with this assessment, I doubt I'll be hearing it around the house too often.

[Green Dolphin]

Said pretty much the same on the BNBB(remember that?)Couw's sewn it up on this thread for me-it's a nice record!That's about it-various women in my life love it-I think it pales after the first 7 tracks-more of a "new" country record than something that belongs on Blue Note,but we've had that story haven't we?I hope(like,refreshingly,others have here)that she can build on it and I'd like to hear where she goes from here...but she ain't no Joni(contd. in my private universe where Ms. Mitchell sits on her throne alongside Miles...and if he tried slapping her about...)

Edited June 12, 2003 by Green Dolphin

[chris olivarez]

I bought it.I don't regret it though I don't listen to it much because I have to be in the right mood for a ballads cd.IMO there's really nothing wrong with it musically and I don't listen to ac radio enough to be totally sick of it. She did an interview recently for the Associated Press where she admitted that for at least awhile she got tired of doing those songs but perhaps not to ruffle any feathers she also said she is looking forward to doing those songs as she is hits the summer concert tour circuit.

Norah also addressed the somnobulent nature of the first cd promising that the next one would be more uptempo and funky. BTW she turned in a good version of the blues song "Ruler Of My Heart" on the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's "Medicated Magic" cd.

At any rate more power to her I'll continue to follow her career and I hope everything works out for her.

[Big Al]

Al, a fifty five gallon drum is pretty empty when it's empty! I actually think this is a good analogy even if it is a snare or tom or bass drum. . . this song is sort of a hangover song and a head beating like a drum is something I can remember as a symptom. . . .

Ahhhhh, NOW I get it! I was just thinking that there are other empty objects that might inspire a feeling of "emptiness" than an empty drum, but then again I'm having trouble coming up with anything; so I guess it's as good an analogy as any.

I was in a hurry when I posted my last post, and forgot to mention that while I don't make it a point to listen to it by myself, I find I enjoy it when I listen to it with my daughter (like when we're driving around, f'rinstance). There are a few songs on the album that remind me of my daughter, especially the second track, "Seven Years." Right up to about the title track, it's actually quite enjoyable (and I really dig her version of "Cold Cold Heart"), but then I lose interest.

Still, anything that bridges the generation gap can't be all bad. And I'll take Norah Jones over Creed, Staind, Default, and all the other "I'm-so-poetic-and-deep-yet-I-can't-get-laid-so-it-must-be-my-dad's-fault-that-I-can't-be-as-famous-as-Nirvana" sludge rock that I'm usually subjected to.

[Aggie87]

If I look at this album with my jazz hat on, then I see it like alot of others in this thread do. It's nice, just nice. Most of the songs sound very similar to one another. Nice, pleasant cocktail party music, but not much to challenge my ears.

But without that hat on, I compare the album to it's real competition, the rest of contemporary pop music. Then I start thinking that this is a fantastic album, and a debut no less. I like Norah's voice, and think she's got a ton of potential. The album is fairly mature for someone her age, and doesn't have that generic Britney/Christina/Pink/Timberlake/next teen pop star sound.

It's not jazz, but if it helps elevate the quality of pop music just a little, then that's not a bad thing.

[chris]

I bought this CD a while back. My daughter likes to listen to it once in a while, and I enjoy it occasionally. It's pop, not Jazz, and I have many guilty little pleasures I listen to once in a while when a peculiar mood strikes me...

[JohnJ]

I bought it and like it. More importantly my wife and friends all seem to really enjoy it and thus it gets played whenever we have company. That makes it the most listened to CD of the past year.

[vibes]

I bought this one a while back, because I felt like having something mellow, and I thought my wife would enjoy having it. It's not jazz, and that's OK - not everything in my world is or has to be jazz. Anyway, I don't think I've ever listened to the whole CD, start to finish. I've just skipped around a bit. I don't see myself ever listening to it a ton, but it's nice to have around.

[EKE BBB]

Maybe some day I will buy.....I´m not among NJ bashers!

Edited June 13, 2003 by EKE BBB

[James]

It took me quite a while to even hear a selection from "Come Away With Me."

During a fairly routine in-office surgical procedure the doc & his nurse had a "smooth" station on. A female voice matching the descriptions I had heard of Norah came on, sparking a conversation about jazz between the doctor and the nurse in which my doctor made some statements about jazz that just *begged* for a response. Since he was cutting and clipping in a *most* sensitive area of my anatomy I kept my mouth shut!!

The voice was in fact that of Norah ---- and I had a hard time telling if my impression of her performance was being affected by the mild anesthesia I was on. Subsequent listens left me with the impression of the majority here - very good by pop standards, o.k. by jazz standards.

BTW - how does a person remove the "jazz hat" while evaluating a musical performance?

[Clunky]

my wife bought it for herself only 3 days into my BN boycott. It's not bad quite enjoyable really and certainly not torture compared to loads of pop stuff.

I have since abandone my BN boycott in theory, but haven't picked up any stuff on BN as I am no longer aware of their release schedule.