Norah Jones is arguably one of the most popular contemporary jazz-influenced musicians, a title that she reflects with ease on her most recent album, The Fall (Blue Note, 17 November 2009).  Jacquire King, who has also worked with the likes of Kings of Leon and Modest Mouse, produced the album, which features musical collaboration with artists such as Ryan Adams.  The Fall debuted at an impressive number three on the Billboard 200 and sold 180,000 copies within a week of its release.  If you’re still wondering why, aside from these technicalities, this album may very well deserve a chance in your musical library, read on.

With an overall jazz tone, The Fall is an incredibly mellow, soulful album that opens with the first single, “Chasing Pirates,” and continues through to the second song, “Even Though,” both soft, simple tracks devoid of much vocal enthusiasm.  Both numbers, however, contain firm beats and rhythmic selections.

As the album progresses, the slightly mysterious sound of “Light as a Feather,” the song on which Ryan Adams collaborated, showcases Jones’s vocal range much better than the previous songs, and then follows “Young Blood,” a track that finally pulls away from the beginning of the album with a more upbeat, acoustic guitar-driven feel.  Further on in the album, the fifth track, “I Wouldn’t Need You” reverts to similarities of the first few tracks, while “Waiting” emits a nature of longing, such as the title suggests.  The following track, “It’s Gonna Be” takes a surprising turn from its predecessor with strength and excitement, featuring an impressive rhythm section, sharp guitars, and a much wider vocal range.

The next two tracks, “You’ve Ruined Me” and “Back to Manhattan” are both simple, piano-laced tunes packed with emotion and slight, but definite, hints of melancholy, but their successor, “Stuck,” improves the mood by adding power to the slew of songs.

The album’s last three tracks vary widely, with “December” being somewhat monotonous and unmemorable.  “Tell Yer Mama,” though, ties in an interesting rhythm that is different from the rest of the album, and even highlights some folksy twangs.  Finally, the last song, “Man of the Hour” functions incredibly well as an album closer, with a cute, quirky feel and fun lyrics.

Overall, The Fall is an album definitely worth looking into, especially if you’re looking to expand your musical library beyond those same-old sounds of pop-punk.  So sit back, perhaps grab some tea, and soak in the modern jazzy tunes from Norah Jones.

Winning tracks:  “Young Blood,” “It’s Gonna Be,” “Stuck,” and “Man Of the Hour.” Songs from The Fall can be streamed on www.norahjones.com or www.myspace.com/norahjones.

Review by Kaitlin Higgins