The past couple of years have been ones of change for Norah Jones.  She
dissolved her band, worked on her guitar playing, cut her hair, split
up with her boyfriend and moved back from Manhattan to Brooklyn.  So
with all that going on in her life, its no wonder that her new album,
The Fall, finds Norah's music in transition as well.

With The Handsome Band no longer backing up Norah, this record features
an entirely different musical team.  Jacquire King, the producer this
time out, has produced Tom Waits, The Kings of Leon and Modest Mouse. 
The musicians include including drummers Joey Waronker and James
Gadson, keyboardist James Poyser, and guitarists and Brooklynites Marc
Ribot and Smokey Hormel.

What Jones, King and company have done is to edge away from the sound
of Norah's previous albums toward one which is more guitar based,  has
electronic elements and is mixed to be edgier.  But when all is said
and done, the record is still recognizable as a Norah Jones record.

The first track to be released from The Fall is Chasing Pirates, a very
infectiously poppy sounding song with an electric piano hook.  It will
probably equally at home on WLTW, WPLJ and WFUV, even though it clearly
different from Norah's previous work.  Fans of that previous work will
like I Wouldn't Need You, December and Back to Manhattan.  Other
standout tracks include Young Blood, Stuck, Tell Yer Mama and Man of
the Hour.  The subject of that last song appears on the cover of The
Fall along with Norah.

But the song to which I keep returning is Back to Manhattan.  It
chronicles what seems to be an affair. It is melancholy and honest, and
for that it ends up being the emotional heart of  The Fall.

Not everyone who has followed Norah to this point will be willing to
see Norah move out of her comfort zone.  But those who do will be
rewarded with hearing some good music and seeing an artist grow before
their eyes.

The Fall will be released on November 17th.  NPR is currently streaming
the whole album here. 

 
–Eliot Wagner