Track Listing

1. Chasing Pirates
2. Even Though
3. Light As A Feather
4. Young Blood
5. I Wouldn't Need You
6. Waiting
7. It's Gonna Be
8. You've Ruined Me
9. Back To Manhattan
10. Stuck
11. December
12. Tell Yer Mama
13. Man Of The Hour

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67 in Music
• Released on: 2009-11-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .12 pounds

CD Description
Brooklyn-born jazz pop pianist Norah Jones betrays an 1980s MOR influence on this, her fourth studio album--her first since 2007's Not Too Late. The Fall features songwriting collaborations between the Grammy Award winner and alt country luminaries such as Ryan Adams and Will Sheff. Produced by Jacquire King, the album's sessions also featured musicians who have worked with such high profile artists as R.E.M., Johnny Cash and Tom Waits.

Customer Reviews

RADICAL CHANGE OF STYLE!!!
Though she seems to have been the victim of her own sucess, Norah has ploughed on her own sweet way with side ventures such as The Little Willies and Puss'N'Boots. Now she has radically changed the languid jazz tinged style that brought her the huge album sales of her first three Blue Note albums. The Fall is a revelation. Her trade mark piano playing is hardly heard and when it does make an appearance its actually a distraction. The songs are all about the disintergration of a love affair. A lot of the tracks are very raw and emotional."December" is heart rendering "Chasing Pirates" is quite striking and "You've Ruined Me" tells it as it is. The last track "Man Of The Hour" is a paen to her dog (the St. Bernard on the cover)but though playful still carries a sad undertone. She now appears to be writing from the strengh of her own experiences and the result is fabulous. It would be fantastic if The Fall was as popular with the music buying public as Come Away With Me but this is a long way from that albums "smooth jazz" feel. Great production and superb musicianship. A great album.

Almost out with the piano and in with the guitar - and it works!
I've listened to this album 3 times now and this will be a classic. Not a bum track on it. The melodies and the voice remain the same, sans piano and track 10 is outstanding. Even if you can't imagine Norah without her piano (OK, there's still some), give this a chance - the sound is fantastic. Buy this and you won't be disappointed.

Definitely NOT 'Mule Variations'...
Norah apparently chose Tom Waits and Kings of Leon producer Jacquire King to produce this record because she is such a fan of Tom's `Mule Variations' CD. Unfortunately `The Fall' doesn't sound like `Mule Variations', rather it retains the smoothness of Norah's previous record `Not too late' - without any of the rawness or quirkiness of Mr. Waits. Although much has been made of her break with her former partner and bass player Lee Alexander and the Handsome Band in truth the overall sound here isn't that different from her previous records, perhaps a little less jazzy with less piano. Mark Ribot on guitar is very restrained, with none of the edge and weirdness I usually associate with him.

We do get off to a great start with "Chasing Pirates" (with its nice electric piano) closely followed by "Light as a feather" (co-written by Ryan Adams), which sounds like an out-take from `Feels like home' and then the provocative "I wouldn't need you. However, as the record progresses some of the songs' openings like "Waiting", "It's gonna be" and "Stuck" suggest something different, something earthier but as soon as Norah's voice comes in she seems to calm everything down and smooth everything out.

I think that Norah does need a change of sound but for me this record isn't it and I certainly don't see this as the radical change that others have commented on. This is a very professional, mature record but for me just a little too restrained and too bland. Her various side projects have shown that Norah can do very different material and therefore I'm afraid that I feel this is a missed opportunity to achieve a radically different sound.