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Title: Norah who? A welcome effort shows a great talent...
Review: Having had the opportunity to hear Ms. Bode live, I eagerly awaited her first release. Alas, though having some bright moments, overall it left an impression of sounding forced and a bit too "earnest". This release is a huge leap forward, and should be a "BUY NOW WITH ONE CLICK!" to anyone who's found Norah Jones or more "mainstream jazz" singers worth listening to- Bode's voice is clearly more technically capable than Jones, and is thankfully missing the by-the-numbers feel one finds in so much of Diana Krall's work. While I'm a big Cassandra Wilson fan, Bode's work is certainly more accessible, without being too saccharine (barring perhaps her lost love lament "St. Louis Song"). I can't give it 5 stars, because this is no "Graceland"-- though her wonderful interpretation of Simon's classic alone makes the disc worth buying. From the band to the production values- used to best effect, but not overdone- the work all comes together.
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