Norah Jones announces new album "Pick Me Up Off the Floor" (05/08/2020) shares Jeff Tweedy collab

My Amazon pre-order says June 12.

 

Sorry for the overstatement of her participation on the record. Cool record too.

 

The picture does not suit her demeanor. Looks cheap and she is a class act.

 

The cover image is awkward looking, yes. I didn't really like it either, but the album title is "Pick Me Up Off The Floor", so a normal picture with her not looking out of sorts wouldn't really fit, I imagine.

 

Pre-ordered. I'm not sure at this point it would have come that much faster if it hadn't been delayed. The new Strokes LP arrived pretty quickly but all my other recent Amazon music orders aren't scheduled to get here until May.

 

I'm sorry you feel that way. Truly. At least Norah is nicely dressed (I actually really love her '70s inspired outfit there) unlike Diana Krall on that horrid Glad Rag Doll album cover all the guys love to salivate over.

About the music:
Norah had this to say about the latest track 'How I Weep': "My friend got me into poetry this year. Her poetry, then she gave me poetry books. That plus reading Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein to my kids every night got me into a word maze and I wrote this poem. I liked it but doubted I would ever release a book of poems and started thinking how to turn it into a song. I edited it down quite a bit and sat with it and a very different kind of song emerged. I immediately thought of this string duo I saw to do an arrangement and I loved how it turned out as if they played the main role of the subject, or the “loss.”"

I find this very interesting. I do find the lyrics of the song to be quite unique and unusual for Norah. Lines like "And the stars stare down with sad clown faces" or "Weep for the loss and it creeps down my chin" struck me right on first listen.

 

I like the new album cover, and I think Norah looks terrific.

 

Yea whats with that, what audience do they think their going to attract ?

 

I'm sorry but--in my own opinion--I'm just not seeing what is so cheap about this photograph. She's sitting on the floor, fully clothed. She looks like she is pushing herself back up, reflecting the album title.

 

It might suit some but it just doesn't seem like her.

 

I think between the outfit, hairstyle, decor, typeset and black and white it looks deliberately vintage. Like a '70s record. I think it suits her fine.

But I'm here for the music because Norah is a wonderful talent.

 

Vintage agreed, the hair style looks like it's been dead for a 100 years.

 

Do we know who is Mastering this album yet?

 

Looks like there is a 30 minute limit on edits? I had something written up about how I think I'd found the answer myself - Greg Calbi from Stirling Sound?

Long story short since I'm not going to rewrite everything I had - I really liked I'm Alive. I like How I Weep, too, but it sounds maybe a little more heavily post-processed? I dunno. I still liked it, it just sounded like the piano didn't sound as natural to me, but maybe I'm off base.

 

How Norah is seen by people is so wide. Fan or not people seem to see her in many ways. When I heard her I dug her voice right away. That’s still it for me. She has a great personal musical perspective. Sometimes I dig sometimes not. I get the satirical people put on her. Her slow thing. And the yuppie type fans. Coldplay crowd. For a while her and Willie and Lucinda were on every tribute or charity record. She went different places her Little Willies stuff I dig the rest it’s alright. I like her journey. It’s funny how people seem to see her as too classy for the cover of this one. I think it fits her perfect and is cool. Hopin for something a little different and lowdown.

To me she is the best singer of my lifetime. What a voice. And her slow Ray Charles pace I love even more. She ain’t empty. And she ain’t the Jazz or classical crowd. She’s kind of a cherry picker like Emmylou and Linda. Great taste. But she goes places they didn’t. Love her. But my image is the opposite it seems after reading how people here see her and previous attempts and saterical stuff I’ve seen through the years of many. I dig her any way she comes. And I’d love to hear her sing the phone book with Slayer behind her. Really a la Lou Reeds hated record. She has a Voice of the ages.

 

Another song from the coming album is out today.



Pretty, but very sparse.

 

New interview with Paste Magazine:

Norah Jones: Finding Comfort in Melancholic Music—and Old Disney Movies

 

It's weird that she's polarizing to some. I'm a casual fan, but I don't get it.

Since she first hit nationally with "Don't Know Why," she's suffered from Dave Matthews Syndrome, though not to the extent Dave has. People project what they don't like about her fanbase onto her. I remember an article about her in The NY Times when she only had the first album out that basically criticized her for her smooth sound, and for having fans older than she was. You know, that whole "music has to be edgy" myth that was already done to death back in 2003.

Some guys I've played jazz gigs with actually call her "Borah," but they're dudes well into their 60s now who have the same attitude towards Diana Krall.

 

Her first album is the only one I have not clicked with.

 

I think her album cover is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! I love her hairstyle! Sorry to say the two songs just don't grab me. Maybe there's something more soulful on the album.

 

My vinyl is scheduled to arrive tomorrow!

 

Mine arrived today. I got it on vinyl. Terrific pressing. I think it’s her best album for a fair while. I enjoyed it thoroughly .

 

I listened to the album this morning and will listen again later. First impressions are that it is really great. Norah was already involved in one great album this year (Sister by Puss N Boots, recommended if you haven't checked it out) and this is another. It reminded me on first listen of Day Breaks which is a very good thing as I think that is her best album. Pick Me Up Off the Floor is similarly beautifully recorded and arranged. I love how you can always hear every instrument clearly and that Norah's excellent piano playing is really able to shine. I've always thought that she was just immensely talented as a musician. Some of the albums in the middle of her career lacked a little bit in inspiration (in my opinion) but her work since Day Breaks in 2016 has been superb. This is music for grown ups.

I'll follow up with thoughts on individual tracks perhaps. Very good album.

Also: 'Tryin' to Keep It Together' is not on the album. At least not the Spotify version.

 

It's not on the TIDAL version either, it's a standalone single.

 

EU or US pressing? Would you call this an audiophile cut/pressing - also cut at Sterling? Thanks