Come Away With Me

This is a deep rich lush performance and the recording captures all the vibrant elements, not just the vocals at the expense of other instruments. The warmth of Norah Jones voice clearly shines through but the recording is measured and balanced, yet somehow sound s just too perfect.The recording captures the measured paced performance of the artists in detail. It is clear why this recording is regarded as a “demo” recording for any collection and Hi-Fi. Yet I cannot feel uncomfortable about elements of this recording. It is almost too perfect , rich warm detailed and leaves me feeling that it is slightly unnatural and part of me wonders if elements of this recording have been auto tuned? It’s almost like over processed food, just too good to be true. . I played this recording either side of a 1950’s Miles Davies recording which is free from most modern artifice and I’m just unsure how natural this recording is?I have not set out to write reviews of the music content as “beauty is in the ears of the listener”. These reviews are about the quality (or not) of the recorded sound. To read about how the reviews are done please see my profile.• Clarity – Excellent, open, transparent and very detailed• Channel separation – very good, clear left and right• Channel balance – an excellent static mix. Instruments and performers can be clearly located and placed on the stage• Sound Stage – reasonably wide but better depth and height especially when vocals, piano and double bass• Distortion – non audible• Compression – there is a lot of detail and huge dynamic range, no frequency limitation is audible. The instruments and vocals soar however there is something about this recording that makes me uneasy, especially regarding the vocals, they seem almost unreal in their richness• Atmosphere – intimate, close, club like a sultry bar• Bass – low frequencies – clear and very well defined, the kick drum is clearly audible. The bass guitar has a well defined tone and it is good to hear the strings. This is not a bass rich recording but what there is is well measured, warm and detailed.• Treble – high frequencies – the guitars have good tone and detail. The cymbals are a tad variable sometimes it is possible to hear them being struck on other occasions they a re “soft” in the mix. The decay on the piano is both realistic and charming, creating a real feeling of intimacy, very much like a cabaret performance• Vocals – excellent intimate warm, breathy very “cabaret”. The recording has excellent range and dynamics. Unusually other instruments are not sacrificed to capture the vocal performanceAs a general rule of thumb recordings from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s are nearly always better on the original vinyl. Remasters often fail to please as it’s just not possible to make a silk purse from a sows ear, i.e. the original recording lacks the necessary detail to be processed digitally and show an audible improvement. Indeed such processing can make the sound worse.Modern recordings which have been processed digitally from start to finish can be as good as vinyl. CD’s are often unfairly criticised for being poor quality. This is not the case, it is the original recording or the process which is to blame. Modern “remasters” can both enhance and degrade a recording. The statement GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out) is the limiting factor. Ignore this at your cost.

I heard this playing as background music in a pub/restaurant and just had to find out who it was and get it! An utterly brilliant album.

One of my favourite albums.

Order now fulfilled. Great quality. Great cd.

When Norah Jones released Come Away With Me in 2002, the music world was saturated with over produced pop, angsty rock, and increasingly digitised R&B. Her debut album was a quiet, graceful counterpoint to the noise, an intimate blend of jazz, country, soul, and folk influences that invited listeners to slow down and breathe.Jones’ voice is the centerpiece here: soft, smoky, and effortlessly expressive. She doesn’t belt or show off. Instead, she delivers each line with a warmth and sincerity that feels almost conversational. The title track, Come Away With Me, is a perfect example, romantic, restrained, and deeply soothing. Likewise, Don’t Know Why, which became the breakout hit, showcases her ability to blend melancholy with melodic beauty without veering into melodrama.The production, helmed by Arif Mardin and Norah herself, is subtle and organic. The instrumentation, acoustic guitar, brushed drums, upright bass, and piano feels timeless and tasteful, never flashy. Songs like Shoot the Moon and Feelin’ the Same Way reflect a gentle melancholy, while covers like Hank Williams’ Cold Cold Heart nod to her deep rooted respect for classic American music.That said, Come Away With Me is not an album of big dramatic arcs or technical fireworks. It’s more of a cohesive mood than a collection of standout singles. For some listeners, the consistent slow tempo and hushed dynamics may blur tracks together on casual listens. It rewards attention and a certain headspace late at night, a quiet Sunday morning, or moments when subtlety is welcome.But that's also the magic of it. Norah Jones didn’t arrive with a bang; she arrived with grace. And in doing so, she reminded the world that emotional resonance doesn’t require volume. It requires honesty, atmosphere, and a strong sense of self, all of which she had from the very beginning.

If you're into smooth, relaxing, romantic music than this album has it all. Delicate voice, good lyrics, relaxed atmosphere throughout the record.While some people might not like the music I still think any audiophile/music lover should have this just for the amazing well recorded voice. If you have a Sacd player and a hi-fi system than you're in for a treat!The voice is so life-real in the living room that it gives you the creeps sometimes!No big bass / big drums present in this album which makes for a very listenable experience...I went through the whole album 3 times in one evening!My hat off to the recording engineers at Blue Note Records!Just as a side note: there's a background noise (like "shhhhhhhhh") on some tracks which were added on post production to mimic the "analog sound" , but for me it doesn't work at all mainly because the album feels jazzy modern&fresh.So if you hear it it's not your gear :)

There will always be some fans of any genre that isn't pop who will instantly hate something for its popularity and desperately try and shout about how this isn't rock/metal/jazz etc.Forget the genre. Forget the popularity and forget the adverts on telly and just listen.This album has stolen my heart, thrown it on top of its piano and sauntered off into a lazy sunset. It is superb. Probably one of the best albums I have heard in a LONG time (and I work with music).Norah's voice, which is a beautiful sound on the ear, takes you through a fantastic series of songs each as beautiful as the last. The power in her voice is distinct and obvious, but she does not belt out the sounds needlessly, with only a hint at what she can do. She takes us gently, and its unutterably beautiful.Just buy the album. Outstanding