159: Come Away With Me, by Norah Jones

Norah Jones (USA)
Come Away With Me (2002)
14 tracks, 45 minutes
Spotify ∙ iTunes

When I was researching to write the post on Jolie Holland’s Escondida back in March, I came across this review on Pitchfork. It was comparing Holland’s album to this one by Norah Jones, but in doing so, was incredibly harsh on Jones’ work: ‘No matter how boring or stupidly inconsequential Jones' records may be, she has proven herself one of the most unexpected new forces in pop […] Jones' quips tend to fall embarrassingly flat, each verse impossibly lifeless and smooth.’ Ouch. What did Norah Jones do to you, friend?

So you can see why I feel the need to get a bit defensive here. I just can’t work out how that reviewer and I were listening to the same album. I was absolutely in love with Norah Jones’ voice when her debut album, Come Away With Me, first came out, as many people were. It’s incredibly soft, velvety and smokey; it caresses the ears romantically. And on Come Away With Me, it’s in gentle surroundings of mellow jazz, echoes of country music (performed with a twinkle of the eye) and whispers of blues and American folk. There’s even something a little darker in there sometimes, such as the elegant tango of ‘I’ve Got to See You Again’. Really, there’s no getting away from the fact that this is perfect – and, now, stereotypical – dinner party music. It really struck a chord too: the album reached number one across the world, sold millions upon millions of units and won armfuls of Grammys including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year (no, I don’t know the difference either) and Best New Artist. Not bad for an album generally within the realm of jazz.

Maybe the popular success of this album was the problem, the reason it is sneered upon by some. More than being a pleasant and unchallenging listen, it was that the wrong sort of people liked it. Once your record becomes accepted by the bourgeoisie, you’ve lost any claim to cool. Well, bollocks to it. Yes, the bourgeoisie are toxic and their tastes often offensive and they shall be eaten in good time, but that doesn’t mean that they are totally immune to good music. Every now and then, they will hit upon a good thing and tarnish it with their attention (see also: Buena Vista Social Club, Ladysmith Black Mambazo). But don’t take it out on the artist. It’s not their fault.

Besides, let people enjoy what they want. Or, at the very least, let me enjoy what I want. And that includes Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have dinner party guests to entertain.