- Not Too Late
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Not Too Late Studio album by Norah Jones Released January 30, 2007 Recorded 2005–2006 at
New York City, New York
The Coop
Brooklyn RecordingGenre Jazz, pop, blues Length 45:22 Label Blue Note, EMI Producer Lee Alexander Norah Jones chronology Feels like Home
(2004)Not Too Late
(2007)The Fall
(2009)Alternative cover Deluxe edition coverSingles from Not Too Late - "Thinking About You"
Released: December 5, 2006 - "Not Too Late"
Released: 2007 - "Sinkin' Soon"
Released: March 26, 2007 - "Until the End"
Released: May 21, 2007
Not Too Late is the third studio album by jazz and pop musician Norah Jones, released in January 2007. It was produced by Lee Alexander, the songwriter and bassist featured on Jones's previous albums, Come Away with Me and Feels like Home. The album reached number one in the United States and the United Kingdom. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it Jones' third consecutive number-one album. It was the tenth best-selling album of 2007, according to IFPI.[1]
Contents
Background and recording
Jones wrote most of the songs on the album when she was on tour during 2004 and 2005; for example, "Until the End" was written in the South Pacific, "Rosie's Lullaby" in Australia, and "The Sun Doesn't Like You" in Brazil.[2] Jones wrote "Thinking About You" in 1999 with Ilhan Ersahin, her then-bandmate in Wax Poetic, but she thought it was too much of a pop song for her to record and rejected a version she recorded for Feels like Home.[3] Jones had an acoustic guitar with her on the tour and wrote more songs with it than she previously had: "The guitar is simple and a lot easier to carry than a piano", she said.
After the tour concluded, Jones began recording the album with Alexander, who "tweak[ed]" the lyrics of the songs and "pulled [them] into better shape", according to Jones.[2] Not Too Late was mostly recorded at Jones's home studio and is the first album Jones recorded without producer Arif Mardin, who died in the summer of 2006. Jones described the sessions as "fun, relaxed and easy" and without a deadline; executives at Blue Note Records reportedly did not know they were recording an album. Many of the sessions were "spur of the moment", with friends of Jones and musicians they recommended being asked to play.[2] The album features guest appearances by organist Larry Goldings, singer-songwriter M. Ward, and Kronos Quartet cellist Jeff Ziegler. Jones said the songs on the album are "not so cut-and-dried" compared to her earlier material and have "a twist to them". In contrast to her previous albums, the piano, organ and Wurlitzer are not as prominent as the guitar: "the piano is always loud in the mix, but I've never been into it being the main rhythm instrument unless we're playing something funky. I've always liked the guitar as the rhythmic instrument", Jones explained.[2]
Reception
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [4]
Entertainment Weekly (B-)[5] The Guardian [6]
Los Angeles Times [7]
The Observer [8]
PopMatters (7/10)[9] Rolling Stone [10]
Stylus (B-)[11] Village Voice (mixed)[12] Reviews of the album have generally been favorable.[13] By January 29, 2007, it had become the most pre-ordered album of all time on Amazon.com, Jones' second album after Feels like Home to reach the merchant's all-time top ten pre-order list.[14]
The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 405,000.[15] According to Nielsen SoundScan, it was the eighteenth highest selling album of 2007 in the U.S., with 1.50 million copies sold.[16] In the United Kingdom, it entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, becoming the 800th number-one album in the history of the chart;[17] it sold 60,500 copies in its first week.[18] It debuted at number five in Japan, opening with sales of 36,400 copies;[19] in Canada, the album entered at number one with opening week sales of 36,000.[20] In Australia, it entered the ARIA Albums Chart at number two and was certified gold with shipments of 35,000 copies.[21] The album reached number one in seventeen countries, including Germany and France. (For more information, see Charts.) According to a press release from EMI, Not Too Late is certified gold or platinum in twenty-one countries as of February 2007.[22] In February, the IFPI awarded the album a platinum certification for shipping one million copies in Europe.[23]
The first single from the album was "Thinking About You", which was released in the U.S. in early December 2006 and was one of the first songs by a major artist to be available for paid digital download in mp3 format.[24] "Not Too Late" was released as a radio single in Taiwan in early 2007.[25] For the week beginning January 23, the entire album was streamed on VH1.com's "Hear Music First" program.[26] Jones recorded an hour-long performance for UK BBC radio and television that was aired in late January,[27] and she performed via simulcast on the feature Live@BT: Norah Jones for Canada's Citytv in early February.[28][29] The third single from the album was "Sinkin' Soon", released in March.[30]
Jones was scheduled to embark on a twenty-two date concert tour of North America, beginning on April 13 and ending on May 12. One of the dates was to take place at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, on April 28.[31] On February 16, 2008, Not Too Late re-entered the Greek International Albums Chart at number fourteen and climbed to number thirteen the next week.[32] On August 18, the album returned to the top ten on the French Albums Chart and reached number seven.[33]
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Wish I Could" Norah Jones, Lee Alexander 4:17 2. "Sinkin' Soon" Jones, Alexander 4:37 3. "The Sun Doesn't Like You" Jones, Alexander 2:59 4. "Until the End" Jones, Alexander 3:55 5. "Not My Friend" Jones 2:54 6. "Thinking About You" Jones, Ilhan Ersahin 3:20 7. "Broken" Jones, Alexander 3:20 8. "My Dear Country" Jones 3:24 9. "Wake Me Up" Jones, Alexander 2:46 10. "Be My Somebody" Jones 3:36 11. "Little Room" Jones 2:43 12. "Rosie's Lullaby" Jones, Daru Oda 3:56 13. "Not Too Late" Jones, Alexander 3:31 - Bonus track
- "2 Men" (Jones, Alexander) (Japan bonus track) – 2:30
Deluxe version (CD and DVD)
- "Thinking About You" – music video
- "Sinkin' Soon" – music video
- "Until the End" – music video
- "Thinking About You" – Making of....
- "Sinkin' Soon" – Making of....
- "Until the End" – live performance filmed in Burbank, CA, in November 2006
- "Sinkin' Soon" – live performance filmed in Burbank, CA, in November 2006
- "12 minutes interview" – with Norah Jones
Charts
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at #1, selling 405,000 copies in its first week in the United States. The album spent 34 weeks on the U.S. chart.
Chart Provider(s) Peak
positionCertification Sales/
shipmentsBillboard 200 (U.S.)[34] Billboard 1 2× platinum[35] 2,000,000[16] Brazil ABPD[36] ABPD — Gold 50,000 Euro Album Chart[37] IFPI 1 Platinum[23] Argentinian Album Chart[38] CAPIF 1 Australian Album Chart[21] ARIA 2 Platinum 70,000[39] Austrian Album Chart[40] Media Control Europe 1 2× platinum[41] 40,000[39] Belgium Album Chart (Flanders)[42] IFPI/Ultratop 1 Gold[42] Belgium Album Chart (Wallonia)[43] 1 Canadian Album Chart[44] Nielsen SoundScan 1 2× platinum[45] 200,000[39] Czech Album Chart[46] IFPI 3 Danish Album Chart[47] IFPI/Nielsen Music Control 1 Gold[47] 20,000[39] Estonian Album Chart[48] Pedrobeat 2 Gold[48] 5,000[39] Finnish Albums Chart[49] GLF 1 12,000[50] French Albums Chart[51] SNEP/IFOP 1 240,000[52] German Albums Chart[53] Media Control 1 Platinum[54] 200,000[39] Greek International Albums Chart[55] IFPI 2 Greek Albums Chart[56] IFPI 5 Hungarian Top 40 Album Chart[57] Mahasz 1 Gold[57] 5,000[39] Irish Album Chart[58] IRMA 2 Gold[59] 7,500[39] Italian Album Chart[60] FIMI/Nielsen SoundScan 5 Platinum 80,000 Japanese Albums Chart[61] Oricon/RIAJ 5 Gold[62] 190,000[63] Korean Album Chart[64] MIAK 1 12,000[64] Mexican Albums Chart[65] AMPROFON 16 Netherlands Albums Chart[66] NVPI/MegaCharts 1 New Zealand Albums Chart[67] RIANZ 1 7,500[39] Norwegian Albums Chart[68] VG Nett 1 Polish Album Chart[69] ZPAV 1 Platinum[69] 20,000[39] Portuguese Album Chart[70] AFP/Nielsen 5 Gold[70] 10,000[39] Spanish Album Chart[71] PROMUSICAE/Media Control 3 Gold[72] 40,000[73] Swiss Album Chart[74] Media Control Europe 1 2× platinum[75] 60,000[39] Swedish Album Chart[76] GLF 1 Gold[77] 30,000[39] Taiwanese International Album Chart[25] ICRT 3 UK Albums Chart[78] BPI/The Official UK Charts Company 1 Year-end
End of year chart (2007) Position German Albums Chart[79] 5 Personnel
- Vocals: Norah Jones
- Backing vocals: Norah Jones, Daru Oda, M. Ward, Richard Julian, Adam Levy
- Whistle: Daru Oda
- Piano: Norah Jones
- Chamberlain keyboards: Paul Bryan
- Acoustic guitars: Jesse Harris, Norah Jones
- Electric guitar: Adam Levy, Norah Jones, Tony Scherr, Robbie McIntosh
- Backwards electric guitars: Adam Levy
- Pizzicato cello: Julia Kent
- Bowed cello: Jeffery Ziegler
- Guitjo: Jesse Harris
- Mandolin: Kevin Breit
- Trombone: J. Walker Hawkes
- Bass: Lee Alexander
- Bowed basses: Lee Alexander
- Drums: Andy Borger, Tony Mason
- Slit drum: Andy Borger
- Pots & Pans: Andy Borger
- Wurlitzer: Norah Jones
- Hammond B-3 organ: Larry Goldings, Devin Greenwood
- Marimba: Andy Borger
- Cymbals: Andy Borger
- Trumpet: Chuck Mackinnon
- Tenor sax: Rob Suddith, Bill McHenry
- Mellotron: Norah Jones
- Cellos: Julia Kent
- Pizzicato: Lee Alexander
- Tuba: Jose Davilla
- Lap steel: Lee Alexander
Notes
- ^ IFPI - 50 Top Selling Albums 2007
- ^ a b c d Widran, Jonathan. "Norah Jones Talks About Co-Writing All The Songs For Her Upcoming New Album, Not Too Late". SongwriterUniverse Magazine. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
- ^ "Norah Jones - Not Too Late / Thinking Of You". ilikemusic.com. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Entertainment Weekly review
- ^ The Guardian review
- ^ Los Angeles Times review
- ^ The Observer review
- ^ PopMatters review
- ^ Rolling Stone review
- ^ Stylus review
- ^ Village Voice review
- ^ "Not Too Late by Norah Jones". Metacritic. Retrieved January 31, 2007.
- ^ "Norah Jones' "Not Too Late" Becomes Most Pre-Ordered Album of All Time on Amazon.com". Business Wire. January 29, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2007.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Better 'Late' Than Never: Jones Debuts At No. 1". Billboard. February 7, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
- ^ a b Barnes, Ken. "Rap was the biggest loser in sales in 2007". USA Today. January 3, 2008.
- ^ "Jones scores UK's 800th top album". BBC News. February 4, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ Music Week. February 10, 2007.
- ^ "Album - Weekly ranking". Oricon. February 5, 2007.
- ^ Williams, John. "Norah Jones blasts to No. 1". JAM! Showbiz. February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 8, 2007.
- ^ a b "Top 50 Albums Chart". ARIA. February 5, 2007.
- ^ "Norah Jones' "Not Too Late" debuts at #1 in the world's key markets". EMI. February 7, 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- ^ a b European Certifications
- ^ Smith, Ethan and Wingfield, Nick. "In a Turnabout, Record Industry Releases MP3s". The Wall Street Journal. December 6, 2006, pg. B1. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ a b "International Album Chart". ICRT. February 10 – February 16, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2007.
- ^ "VH1 Digital Grooves Into 2007 With New Installments of Its 'Box Set' and 'Live@Vh1.Com' Series". PR Newswire. January 11, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ Perrone, Pierre. "Norah Jones, LSO, St Luke's, London". The Independent. January 15, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ "A CHUM Television Exclusive Performance "Live@BT: Norah Jones"". Canada NewsWire. January 23, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ Reaney, James. "A-Channel has Jones simulcast". The London Free Press. January 31, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ "Norah Jones - Sinkin' Soon in March". CD Times. March 23, 2007. Retrieved March 31, 2007.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Norah Jones Plots Out Spring Tour". Billboard. February 1, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^ Greek International Albums Chart. Retrievied February 16, 2008.
- ^ French Albums Chart. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- ^ Norah Jones chart history, U.S. album charts
- ^ Billboard. April 7, 2007.
- ^ ABPD | Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Disco
- ^ European Album Chart
- ^ Argentinian Album Chart
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Certification award levels
- ^ Austrian Album Chart
- ^ Austrian certification
- ^ a b Belgium Album Chart
- ^ Belgium Album Chart
- ^ Canadian Album Chart
- ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification - Audio Certifications". CRIA. January 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2007.
- ^ Czech Album Chart
- ^ a b Danish Album Chart
- ^ a b Estonian Album Chart
- ^ Finnish Albums Chart
- ^ Finnish sales
- ^ French Album Chart
- ^ French sales
- ^ Germany Albums Chart
- ^ German Certification
- ^ Greek International Album Chart
- ^ Greek Albums Chart
- ^ a b Hungarian Top 40 Album Chart
- ^ Irish Album Chart
- ^ http://irishcharts.ie/awards/gold07.htm
- ^ Italian Album Chart
- ^ Japanese Album Chart
- ^ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2007年1月" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2007-02-10. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200701.html. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
- ^ Japanese sales
- ^ a b Korean Album Chart
- ^ March 2007
- ^ Netherlands Album Chart
- ^ New Zealand Album Chart
- ^ Norwegian Album Chart
- ^ a b Polish Album Chart
- ^ a b Portuguese Album Chart
- ^ Spanish Album Chart
- ^ [1]
- ^ [www.promusicae.org Spain certification]
- ^ Swiss Album Chart
- ^ Swiss Certification Week 12 2007
- ^ Swedish Album Chart
- ^ hitlistan - week 7, 2007
- ^ UK Album Chart
- ^ http://www.mtv.de/charts/Album_Jahrescharts_2007
External links
Preceded by
Late Night Special by Pretty Ricky
Infinity on High by Fall Out BoyU.S. Billboard 200 number-one album
February 11, 2007 – February 17, 2007
February 25, 2007 – March 10, 2007Succeeded by
Infinity on High by Fall Out Boy
Daughtry by DaughtryPreceded by
Hats Off to the Buskers by The ViewUK number one album
February 4, 2007 – February 10, 2007Succeeded by
Life in Cartoon Motion by MikaNorah Jones Studio albums Compilation album ...FeaturingOther albums Singles "Don't Know Why" · "Feelin' the Same Way" · "Come Away with Me" · "Turn Me On" · "Here We Go Again" · "Sunrise" · "What Am I to You?" · "Those Sweet Words" · "Thinking About You" · "Not Too Late" · "Sinkin' Soon" · "Until the End" · "Chasing Pirates" · "Young Blood" · "It's Gonna Be"Related articles Discography · Tour · Awards · The Little Willies · Ravi Shankar · Anoushka Shankar · My Blueberry NightsCategories:- 2007 albums
- Norah Jones albums
- Albums certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan
- Blue Note Records albums
- English-language albums
- "Thinking About You"
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