Jonesin' for Norah?

Not Too Late, the third release from Norah Jones, which hit shelves Tuesday, is everything one would expect from the sweet-singing Jones. The album is once again centered on Jones' beautiful voice. The combination of jazz, blues, country and pop overtones in her voice provide for an incredible sound that these tracks put on showcase. The album has a more mature, full sound than Jones' two previous albums, 2004's Feels Like Home and 2002's Come Away With Me. \nAlthough it takes strides musically, there are not as many catchy, radio-accessible tunes on Not Too Late. The single, "Thinking About You," is without a doubt the most pop-based song on the album, but it lacks a hook that will get stuck in people's heads the rest of the day after hearing it. The album is full of tunes that are mostly sad -- stories about pain, relationships, love and love lost. All the songs tell stories about characters, or possibly Jones herself, that fit into the theme of the album's title, that it's not too late and that there is some hint of hope. Jones also focuses one song on politics. In "My Dear Country," she talks about what Election Day means in America today, but also leaves a positive feeling for our country and freedom of speech when she says, "I love the things that you've given me/ And most of all that I am free/ To have a song that I can sing/ On election day." One highlight of Not Too Late is the album's second track, "Sinkin' Soon." The music is fun and swinging, and it is one of Jones' best vocal performances on the album. The music and Jones' voice paint such a colorful picture, you can almost see her singing in a saloon in the Wild West. Through the use of metaphor, she describes a relationship that is on the way out. The album's title track, "Not Too Late" is perfectly placed as the album's closing song. It does a great job of summing of the theme of the album and provides a message of hope. \nThe album features many of the same artists who have provided music for all of Jones' albums. Daru Oda is also back providing beautiful harmonies throughout the album. Producer Lee Alexander is credited with co-writing many of the tracks with Jones and should be credited with bringing out Jones' voice on a whole new level with this album. The songs are much more put together and sound less like a jazz singer and her piano. \nThere is not a bad song on the album, but Not Too Late fails to amaze. A third album is supposed to knock the socks off the audience, but this CD fails to do that. It is what we would expect from Jones, nice songs to listen to, but does not make the next step. The album is worth giving a listen, and any Jones fan will certainly enjoy Not Too Late.