Feels Like Home

However, anyone expecting to be wowed from the start stands to be disappointed. At face value it's Come Away with Me MkII, albeit a more countrified version without the instantly dreamy and delightful melodies of "Don't Know Why" and "Come Away with Me". Over the long haul though, it's a quietly brilliant leap forward that not only lives up to expectation, but far exceeds it.

With "Sunrise", "Those Sweet Words" and "Carnival Town" Jones ushers in more gentle sauntering and jazz-sweet reflection, but this time the understated dirt-track atmospheres don't just conjure pretty twilight moods; they convey a beauty and a powerful emotional cache that lingers. Likewise, "The Prettiest Thing" murmurs with tender sadness while the low-slung swagger of "In the Morning" broods with so much lip-curling passion it's almost seedy. However, the proof of just how far Jones has come lies in "Don't Miss You At All". A humbling end-of-the-affair lullaby built around the two-in-the-morning piano of Duke Ellington's instrumental "Melancholia", it's as moving as it is brave. --Dan Gennoe

"Come Away With Me" was a hard act to follow but Norah has scored some extra points from me on this album. In my view, the tracks are different from "Come Away With Me". They are more kind of bluesy/folky/Cagean/ballady genres all rolled into the one album. I must confess though, it has taken me a few playings to become firmly attached to the tracks and appreciate them fully. Now, I can't stop listening.

All of the tracks are excellent but I do have my favourites which I rate as follows:

1. What Am I To You - wonderfully bluesy - 10/10
2. Those Sweets Words - beautifully sung ballad - 9/10
3. Be Here To Love Me - fabulously emotional - 10/10
4. Creepin' In - duet with Dolly Parton - Cagean feel - 10/10
5. Humble Me - great rendition by Norah - touching - 10/10
6. Above Ground - very powerful ballad - love it - 10/10
7. The Long Way Home - this one is made for Norah - 10/10
8. The Prettiest Thing - Norah's soft style, wonderful - 10/10

The other musical participants in the album are also to be congratulated. At first I thought to myself, Norah and Dolly in a duet - strange brew indeed. They carry "Creepin' In" off to perfection.

This is an excellent album. My hope for Norah is that she goes from strength to strength but does not get caught up in the pop music scene. As long as she continues to produce the kind of music that she likes, she will become stronger and stronger. I have been a big fan for quite some time.

Of the current crop of female vocalists, I think Norah the best by a mile. However, she is still some way behind my firm No.1 favourite, Eva Cassidy. No-one comes close to Eva. Her sad passing has left the world a little less richer for her musical contribution.

Music lover
Jenny


Great mix of jazzy bluesy songs   December 22, 2004
Phil Granger (London United Kingdom)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

With an extraordinary debut and such as an exceptional album such as Come Away with Me, Norah Jones had a lot live up to. Whilst Feels Like home perhaps resembles her 1st album she nonetheless demonstrates that she is capable of maintaining her class at producing a beautiful mix of jazzy bluesy ballads that are ideal for background music on a lazy laid-back dinner with friends. With this album she proves that she is an established performer who embellishes her music with a band that complements her style and broaden her sound.

Indeed it takes playing the CD a few times to start appreciating the subtleties that have gone into these songs and realise that it is a different album than the 1st one. In any case, why should her style be different, and once we have resolved that into our head we are better able to accept - and enjoy - the reason why it may sound a bit like the Come Way with Me. You get Norah Jones and no one else and that is good enough for me because her style and delivery are sweet and wonderful to hear. I didn't buy this CD to hear someone else, I bought it to hear her songs she way she performs them best, as as if she was live in my living room.


This CD is amazing! Other GREAT Norah CDs I just found too!   February 23, 2004
Amy (Philadelphia, PA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

I just got the new Norah Jones album, “Feels Like Home” and I have to say I really like it. I wasn’t always a huge fan of hers at first but I heard the album was really good and worth the buy. I agree; I enjoyed it a lot. It’s very relaxing and definitely a good CD to just throw on at work or while driving home and unwinding. My favorite track off the album is “Those Sweet Words.” I liked the way the vocals and piano were in synch…..it reminded me a lot of “Don’t Know Why,” which I always liked hearing on the radio. A friend also lent me their copy of 2 other CDs that Norah was on (I had never even known they existed). I listened and LOVED those tracks as well. If anyone is interested, the other CDs are “New York City” and “Chance and Circumstance” (they are actually listed on Amazon if you search for "Norah." My 2 favorites from those other CDs are “New York City” and “Heart of Mine.” The jazz and blues style they had is amazing and I think I'm going to order a copy of them for my own CD collection as well.


Wonderful   February 24, 2004
M. Nicholas (Solihull, West Midlands. UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

...amongst other words. This is an excellent offering from Norah. Refreshingly different from her last but it gets many more stars in my book because of it. The Handsome Band and special gusts such as Dolly Parton make this one of the best albums in my collection. It has to be listened to in it correct environment - its not the kind of thing to have on when you are thundering down the M1 at 96mph but it should be the first thing you put on when you get in.

Can’t wait for the next one.


Ignore the negative reviews... read below   February 14, 2004
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

To those of you who considering buying this album, please do not be put off by some of the bad reviews. Why some of those reviewers bought the album in the first place, I dont know. I can promise you this is a stunning, beautiful album. It may not be as instantly accessible as her debut, but after the first few listens you will realise that this album actually has much more to offer than the first.
The album does sound more country, but the lyrics seem more heart rendering and poignant because of that. However the jazz element has not been neglected, and it still has that Norah edge that made you buy the first album. However I cant help feeling that this album cant be truly appreciated without listening to her debut beforehand.
In summary, pour a few glasses of wine and cosey up with the loved one for a great hour of music, sure to set the mood.