As the cold days of winter drag on, Norah Jones' new album offers warm, mellow and heartfelt music that is sure to help take your mind off the cold. On her second studio album, "Feels Like Home," Norah Jones and The Handsome Band attempt to build on the success of "Come Away With Me" with a wide variety of special guests, covers and musical elements.
As a whole, this album is notably more of a team effort than "Come Away With Me." As the photographs chosen for the back of the album boldly suggest, this album is not Jones as much as it is Jones with The Handsome Band. The Handsome Band features guitarists Adam Levy and Kevin Breit, bassist Lee Alexander, and drummer Andrew Borger. The Band plays an eclectic array of instruments including banjolin, pump organ, cello, viola, accordion, resonator guitar, and Wurlitzer electric piano. Together this adds a one-of-a-kind sound that brings as much to the album as the vocals and piano of Jones.
A special element of "Feels Like Home" is the special guests featured on the album. The most distinguished of these guests is country music sensation Dolly Parton, who performs on the zippy back-porch number "Creepin' In." Parton's unique vocals give the track a country flair, and "Creepin' In" is only one of several songs where Jones' jazz style strays ever so close to country.
These new elements are melded together tastefully through the entire album. On the southern funky rhythm-driven track "In the Morning," writer and guitarist Adam Levy features jazzy lyrics coupled with a unique Wurlitzer solo played by Jones. On the simple yet imaginative "Carnival Town" Jones uses a carnival metaphor to describe the cycles of life. Featuring a string arrangement and elegant piano solo, "Carnival Town" is a testament to the versatility of this album.
"Feels Like Home" may not have the widespread popularity that "Come Away with Me" enjoyed. It will not sell eight million copies or capture five Grammys. However, this album is musically and lyrically finer and illustrates the development of Jones and The Handsome Band. "Feels Like Home" has the integrity and reliability to build a fan base, the replay value to stay fresh, and the musical ability to warm your body, mind and heart.
jheany@unews.com
