Grammy-award-winner Norah Jones has again proven that she is not just a talented singer and pianist but also a promising songwriter. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs on her third album Not Too Late.
The album was produced by Jones' longtime songwriting partner and bassist Lee Alexander in their home studio. It is a collection of 13 songs, blending soul, folk, and country with jazz and pop overtone.
The songs are darker and more personal than her previous work. Yet her soft, intimate vocals sweeten the bitterness, giving you a ray of hope at the end of darkness.
Some of the songs have political messages. In opener Wish I Could, Jones whispers about a love triangle in wartime, and in My Dear Country, she reveals her thoughts on the presidential election in a light-jazzy vibe.
Sinkin' Soon, the most outstanding track, is a weird but light-hearted song featuring muted trumpet, trombone and mandolin. It's about a ship sinking and people facing imminent death, but the lyrics are delivered in a take-it-easy, drunken tone.
The second half of the album (Wake Me Up, Be My Somebody and Not Too Late) features her signature vibes: laidback, sensual and soothing.