NORAH JONES — Visions (2024) Two Version (Blue Note – 00602458671445) + (Blue Note – UCCQ-9666 Japan Bonus Track) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless & FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Norah Jones named her eighth proper studio set Visions because many of the musical ideas occurred to her in the middle of the night, right when her consciousness was hazy: they weren't fully realized so much as an apparition. That sense of dreaminess carries through to the finished product but not in ways that are commonly associated with such a description. Far from being an album constructed for twilight hours -- a dimly lit excursion into mood music -- Visions is clear and light, its textures vividly articulated and its rhythms mellow and fluid. It's music that feels alive, inhaling and exhaling with a gentle insistence; it's never rushed, never clipped. Despite the record's inherent relaxation, Visions never quite proceeds in a linear path. Chalk this up to Jones' choice of collaborator. Working again with Leon Michels, a veteran of the seminal retro-soul outfit Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings who previously produced Norah's 2021 seasonal set I Dream of Christmas, Jones embraces the possibilities of psychedelic-tinged soul without succumbing to its trappings. Visions pulsates softly and sweetly, like a lava lamp slowly shifting colors in the background. The hues aren't hyper-saturated; they're pleasing pastels radiating warmth. The emphasis on atmosphere isn't unusual for a Norah Jones album -- after all, she has worked with hip-hop collage artist Danger Mouse -- but Visions feels bright and open. It glides between modulated soul jams, languid ballads, and hopeful pop tunes, each enlivened by flair that's felt more than heard: horns start to sigh in the background, Jones' voice gets an off-kilter filter, guitars take an elliptical journey to a resolving chord. The results aren't startling so much as they're fresh, avoiding musical and lyrical clichés. Witness "That's Life," a closing number that offers its inspirational advice not only with a knowing shrug but a song that rushes into a chorus and backs away on its bridge; the sentiment is familiar, but the execution isn't. It's a fitting farewell on a record that offers boundless imagination underneath its cool surface. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist  :
1    All This Time 3:15
Written By, Drums, Bass, Guitar, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
2    Staring At The Wall 4:31
Written By, Drums, Bass, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
3    Paradise 3:25
Written By, Drums, Bass, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Guitar – Norah Jones
4    Queen Of The Sea 4:46
Drums, Bass, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
5    Visions 2:42
Engineer – Leon Michels
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Vocals, Guitar – Norah Jones
6    Running 3:28
Written By, Drums, Tambourine, Baritone Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Bass – Norah Jones
7    I Just Wanna Dance 3:07
Written By, Bass, Tambourine, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Drums – Homer Steinweiss
Written By, Vocals, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Electric Piano], Electric Guitar – Norah Jones
8    I'm Awake 4:18
Bass – Jesse Murphy
Drums – Brian Blade
Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
9    Swept Up In The Night 3:34
Drums – Brian Blade
Electric Bass – Jesse Murphy
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Tambourine, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Omnichord – Norah Jones
10    On My Way 3:52
Drum Programming, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By – Pete Remm
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Organ, Keyboards, Bass – Norah Jones
11    Alone With My Thoughts 4:14
Bass [Upright Bass] – Jesse Murphy
Drums – Brian Blade
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Organ, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
12    That's Life 4:22
Written By, Drums, Bass – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
— JAPAN BONUS TRACK —
13    Can You Believe 3:56
Written By, Drums, Bass – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones