Norah Jones

On her debut album, Come Away with Me, Norah Jones' mellifluous voice and softly swaying, piano-driven melodies earned her the praise of critics, industry insiders and music fans alike. While creatively and artistically honored for its refreshing simplicity, the album's peaceful yet sultry vibe and lyrics of longing and desire made it equally at home on an awards show stage and in the bedroom, accompanying not just sleep, but all the romantic activity that preceded it. But where Come Away With Me was all about the initial attraction, on her follow-up Feels Like Home, Jones has settled into her environment, and the album is all about the ups and downs of love.

More of a relationship album, Feels Like Home still seems at home in the bedroom stereo, with the same beautiful vocals and jazzy piano bar melodies. However, the album is decidedly more up-tempo and features more of a bluegrass influence than her previous effort. Mostly taking the form of twangy guitar licks, this country vibe is also present on more narrative tracks like the bluesy "What Am I to You?" and the traveling anthem "The Long Way Home." Yet despite distinctly different cuts like "Carnival Town" and "Creepin' In" featuring Dolly Parton, the majority of the album features the same jazzy, staccato melody offset by lilting piano riffs and the occasional strums of an electric guitar, also present on Jones' debut. The sheer redundancy of the rhythm, however, soon settles into monotony and occasionally sounds forced, particularly against Jones' tendency towards more concise, sing-along choruses.

Yet there are moments of sublime beauty when the singer's natural talent and lyrical brilliance transcend the tracks themselves. On the album's first single, "Sunrise," Jones sings along to the music and when she describes falling in love again over the tumbling, jazzy melody of "In the Morning." Overall, the album's sparse instrumentation allows her to showcase lyrical gems like "funny how my favorite shirt smells more like you than me" off "Morning" and highlights the lingering desire still present on "Be Here to Love Me" while Jones' singing covers up less original lines. Nonetheless, what Feels Like Home lacks in originality it makes up for in sheer sonic appeal, conveying a feeling of comfort that radiates from its lyrics outward, making the listener glad to be home.

Grade: A-