Norah Jones: Feels Like Home (Deluxe Edition CD & DVD)

Elly Roberts reviews

Norah Jones:
Feels Like Home (Deluxe Edition CD & DVD)Distributed by
Blue Note / Parlophone (EMI)

• Released: September 2004
• Rating: 8/10
• Cat. No: 7243 8 7192 0 9
• DVD Subtitles: English, Dutch, French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish
• DVD sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Running time: CD – 56minutes 26 seconds / DVD – 36 minutes

Track listing:

CD:

1. Sunrise
2. What Am I to You?
3. Those Sweet Words
4. Carnival Town
5. In the Morning
6. Be Here to Love Me
7. Creepin’ In
8. Toes
9. Humble Me
10. Above Ground
11. The Long Way Home
12. The Prettiest Thing
13. Don’t Miss You At All
14. Sleepless Nights
15. Moon Song
16. I Turned Your Picture To The Wall

DVD:

1. In The Morning (live)
2. She (live)
3. Long Way Home (Iive)
4. Creepin’ In (live)
5. Sunrise (music video)
6. What Am I To You? (music video)
7. Norah interview

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Re-issue of her second album released in February this year,with three bonus tracks. This time there’s an accompanying DVD.

The American songbird’s writing is a sensual hybrid of Country and Jazz.Citing Willie Nelson and Ray Charles as her principle influences, she’sproduced a remarkable and engaging sound. Funnily enough, I had a promo copyof the debut CD, Come Away With Me, well before it became a huge hit.I didn’t ever think it would be such a sensation. Just goes to show how offthe mark music reviewers can be !

It took some time to generate serious interest. Feels Like Homehad no such problems – with a greater expanse of music – helped along by bandcollaborations. At times you’d think Ben Mink and KD Lang had given some inpute.g. Carnival Town.

Comparisons rapidly disappear when you get to the guts of this fantasticcollection. The plaintive vocals barely reach fever pitch, except maybe onAdam Levy’s In The Morning. She’s also put to the test as she magnificentlyduets with the Queen of Country – Dolly Parton on Sneaking In, writtenby band-mate Lee Alexander.

The marked difference between this and its predecessor is the feeling of a morecollective cohesiveness as the musicians have clearly gelled together on theirstage performances (which can be found on the four songs on the DVD). Thismassive progression has transferred to the studio, and it shows. The ‘live‘quality is wonderfully replicated as they’ve honed their ‘band‘ skills.By her own admission she’s not the most dynamic of pianists, though she’scompetent enough to facilitate her musical needs.

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Vocally, there’s a hint of Billie Holiday, without the screechy edge. Thethree bonus tracks are wonderful, particularly the country – fuelled Sleepless Nights.

The DVD provides an opportunity to see her live with her five-piece HandsomeBand. Four tracks filmed in the intimate surroundings of the Teatro NuevoAlcala Madrid in March this year, it proves she’s got what it takes whenfronting her fans. It’s a shame there isn’t more of the show, but is morethan compensated for by the inclusion of her breathtaking rendition of GramParsons’ She. There are also two music videos for Sunrise andWhat Am I To You?, followed by a 17 minute interview in London.

She defines her influences, Don Williams, Johnny Cash, Bill Evans, DinahWashington, Otis Redding, her sound which has evolved, and the way her lifehas changed over the past couple of years. She’s very candid about herlimitations and her strengths. A very interesting insight indeed.

Excellent double-disc package. Quality, credible music from start to finish.

And check outNorah Jones.com

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