GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Norah Jones' newest album "Not Too Late" (released on January 30th, 2007 by Blue Note Records) has definitely been released none too soon, just short of 3 years after the release of her last album, "Feels Like Home." Her music has always held a special place in my music collection due to her smoky voice and comforting sound, so of course I had to hear the newest release. For the most part, she doesn't disappoint.

This newest album is, as her previous were, perfect for winding down at home after a long day or popping in the car CD player on a cloudy day. She's put a lot more of herself into this album too, as she either wrote or collaborated on all of the songs and recorded the majority in her home studio. This shines through in both the quality of the music and the personal immediacy of the subject matter. Songs like the New Orleans piano club-style "Sinkin' Soon" allow her to show off more of both herself and her finesse with music than ever before. She even gets sociopolitical on us with "My Dear Country," relating her feelings on being an American in a day in age where many don't understand why our government is doing what it's doing.

The only drawback to this latest album in my mind is the lack of any of the smoky, jazz club style ballads I enjoyed so much in her previous albums, such as "Don't Know Why." I always enjoyed these songs the most. But overall "Not Too Late" doesn't deviate from her previous style too much to become displeasing. Her down home jazz-influenced musical styling and personal involvement in her music make Norah Jones' "Not Too Late" a great CD for those cloudy days on the road or quiet nights at home.