by Marshall Gibson

Created on: April 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

Miss Jones is making a not-so-subtle shift away from jazz pop into darker territory.
This album is divided into two halves. One half is the radio-friendly contemporary material we all expect from the top-selling female musician of the Twenty-First Century. These predictable tracks are "The Sun Doesn't Like You", "Thinking About You", "Wake Me Up", "Be My Somebody", and "Rosie's Lullaby". However, the other half of "Not Too Late" does not reflect the adorable coffeehouse pianist we all love; she dove into brooding self-produced experimentalist minimalist baroque folk. She's taking after depressed singer/songwriters such as Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Joni Mitchell. I shall dub this genre Adult Emo: mature and mellow enough to keep the teeny-boppers uninterested but dark enough to induce nostalgia. These three-minute masterpieces are "Wish I Could", "Sinkin' Soon", "Until the End", "Not My Friend", "Broken", "My Dear Country", "Little Room", and the title track.

Every review of "Not Too Late" absolutely must mention Norah's protest song, "My Dear Country". Yes, it's a cute but audacious piano-driven political statement (written years before the rest of the album was produced). So let's dive into this album's hidden gem: "Not My Friend". The darkest number on the record is a quaint two-chord structure with a simple picking pattern synchronized between acoustic guitar and marimbas? Norah noodles about on her piano, tossing in eerie minor progressions. Her voice is as smooth as ever, but filled with lament as she resonates over victimization and malice. She carries a smug "yes, I was hurt, but I'll live another day" tone. But what's that buzzing in the background throughout the song? Put on the headphones and crank up the volume. Could that be feedback? I can't believe my ears, feedback on a Norah Jones album! This is profound.

Is she flaunting her power? In a "60 Minutes" interview, Norah confessed she has lived every musician's dream, and she no longer stresses over album sales or attempting to recreate "Come Away With Me". I eagerly anticipate her next album or collaboration to see how far she continues to challenge her fan base.

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