Quick Reaction to Norah Jones's The Fall

The expectations game can't be ignored when discussing Norah Jones's new CD The Fall since the album has been billed as her sort of gentle coming-out as a "rock" artist" (Jones has been playing guitar in concert for a little while now) and it has become cliche to dismiss Jones's previous work as reassuring Starbucksy fodder for mass consumption. For the record, I think Jones's second album Feels Like Home is her best since it features her singing with Dolly Parton and covering Tom Waits
and Townes Van Zandt.

But to business. I wish Jones's pleasantly affirmative voice had a bit more bite to it, because I think if it did The Fall would have a greater chance of being seen as an artistic reboot. Lead track "Chasing Pirates" bounces along on a cushion of keyboards and though the lyrics are at least nominally about worries caused by an absent lover ("And I don't know how to slow it down/My mind's racing from chasing pirates") the song never gets above the level of catchiness because Jones doesn't really sound all that worried. Ryan Adams cowrote "Light As A Feather," a rumbling tale of a relationship that deserves to be put out of its misery, and I could easily imagine Adams and Jones swapping vocals but alas there are no cameos here. Will Sheff of Okkervil River helps out with the writing on "Stuck," which could have been the soundtrack to Jones's lovelorn city dweller in My Blueberry Nights. "Too Damn Slow," another ostensibly angry song that needs a jump start, appears to be addressed to an ex but ambles along so indifferently it hardly matters. Closing track "Man of the Hour," performed on solo piano is a too late cry for fidelity - or maybe a song about getting a dog - written after the fact; could Jones write more lyrics as funny as these? (But I can't choose between a vegan/and a pothead/So I chose you") The Fall contains some welcome shots of musical energy and it's a good sign that Jones is working with new collaborators; if she overcomes her tendencies toward prettiness and cuts loose on guitar then her next album won't be anywhere near coffee shop material.