The Fall (Norah Jones album) explained

The Fall
Type:	studio
Artist:	Norah Jones
Cover:	The Fall by Norah Jones.png
Recorded:	2008–2009
Studio:	The Coop, New York City Magic Shop, New York City Sunset Sound, Hollywood, California House of David, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre:	Rock^[1]
Length:	45:49
Label:	Blue Note
Producer:	Jacquire King
Prev Title:	Not Too Late
Prev Year:	2007
Next Title:	... Featuring Norah Jones
Next Year:	2010

The Fall is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Norah Jones, released on November 11, 2009, by Blue Note Records. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 180,000 copies in its first week. As of August 2012, the album had sold over three million copies worldwide.^[2]

Background and production

Before the album's release, Jones' website stated that she had taken a new direction, with new collaborators and producer Jacquire King. King hired songwriters Ryan Adams and Will Sheff, in addition to drummers Joey Waronker, James Gadson and Marco Giovino, keyboardist James Poyser, and guitarists Marc Ribot, Smokey Hormel, Lyle Workman, and Peter Atanasoff and bassists Frank Howard Swart and Dave Wilder. The album cover was taken by photographer Autumn de Wilde.^[3]

Singles and promotion

• The first single, "Chasing Pirates", was released on October 13, 2009.
• "Young Blood" was released as the second single in North America, Europe (minus the UK), and Japan. The music video was made available at iTunes on 30 March 2010. The song has reached No. 33 on the Japan Hot 100.^[4]
• "Stuck" was released as the second single on March 5, 2010, in the UK (digital download only).^[5]
• "It's Gonna Be" was released as the third single in North America in April 2010.^{[6] [7]} It charted on the Billboard Triple A Chart and peaked on the airplay chart at No. 11 in April 2010. Jones performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.^[8]

To promote the release of the album Jones appeared on:

• Dancing with the Stars – October 20, 2009
• Later with Jools Holland – November 3, 2009
• Late Show with David Letterman – November 11, 2009
• Good Morning America – November 16, 2009
• The Colbert Report – November 18, 2009
• The View – November 23, 2009
• France Inter live in Paris – December 7, 2009
• The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien – December 15, 2009
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! – December 16, 2009
• A Prairie Home Companion – December 19, 2009
• Chelsea Lately – December 21, 2009
• 13 heures February 10, 2010
• Skavlan February 12, 2010
• Q TV April 2010
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show – April 23, 2010
• Good Morning America – June 11, 2010 (with Sarah McLachlan)^[9]
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show – June 25, 2010
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – August 31, 2010
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – September 10, 2010
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – October 26, 2010

Reception

The Fall received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 73 out of 100, which indicates "generally favorable reviews" based on 22 reviews.

Billboard gave the album a score of 83 out of 100 and stated that "Jones ditches the gentle piano-playing of her previous work and rises to a new level of creative boldness."^[10] The New York Times gave it a favorable review and called it "the sonic and emotional expansion [Jones'] music needed, and it's tied to some of her most unguarded songs."^[11] Uncut gave it four stars out of five and said that "The emotional imprint... moves beyond the pining, wistful tones that are [Jones'] trademark in favor of Sex And The City scenarios bursting with heartbreak, regret and emotional devastation."^[12] Q also gave it four stars out of five and praised the album for its "copper-bottomed classics". musicOMH likewise gave it four stars out of five and said, "Less predictable was her now clear desire to take risks and step off the all-too-well-forged path of safe, agreeable background music. Instead, on The Fall Norah Jones chooses to defy categorization."^[13] Hot Press gave it a score of four out of five with the header: "Easy listening princess goes indie-goth."^[14] The Boston Globe gave it a favorable review and stated that Jones "seems liberated from the expectations of what her music is supposed to sound like, and the album is flush with fresh production ideas and a varied sonic palette."^[15]

Filter gave the album a score of 78% and stated that "unlike Not Too Late, Jones’ latest decision to ditch her keys for strings is a poor one. In a way, she has indeed found a different beat to groove to, and if anyone can play in a piano bar without a piano, it would certainly be Norah Jones."^[16] Paste gave it a score of 7.6 out of 10 and stated that "Jones is clearly comfortable with where she’s arrived, and is ready to throw open the doors for a party."^[17] Spin gave it a score of seven out of ten and said that the album "has been billed as Norah Jones' rock album. In fact, it's something even more surprising: a hot-blooded soul record from the queen of the even keel."^[18]

Other reviews are average or mixed: The Austin Chronicle gave the album three stars out of five and said it "offers many new sides to Jones while remaining comfortably close to the jazz diva many adore."^[19] Yahoo! Music UK gave it six stars out of ten and stated that "If the hardcore fanbase feel a blanch coming on, this isn't all wilful eclecticism gone mad. [Jacquire] King's work is The Fall's unifying factor that keeps it cohesive."^[20] Mojo gave it three stars out of five and said that "The wrong kind of sonic adventure undermines about half the songs." The Guardian also gave it three stars out of five and stated that "Jones's cashmere voice sounds more polite than ever, creating an overriding impression of a nice girl keeping dirty company."^[21] Under the Radar gave it five stars out of ten and called it "intelligent, tasteful, and well-executed music. But it ain't rock 'n' roll, not even a little, and damn Jones for trying to pretend that it is."

Personnel

• • • • Norah Jones – vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, tack piano, glockenspiel John Kirby – synthesizer, tack piano, piano, Casio James Poyser – Wurlitzer electric piano, organ Matt Stanfield – programming, synthesizer
  • Zac Rae – synthesizer, Rhodes electric piano, vibraphone, marimba, organ, Marxophone, clavinet Sam Cohen – electric guitar
• Smokey Hormel – electric guitar
• Peter Atanasoff – electric guitar
• Sasha Dobson – acoustic guitar
• Lyle Workman – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Marc Ribot – electric guitar, banjo
  • Jon Graboff – pedal steel guitar Frank Howard Swart – bass
• Dave Wilder – bass
• Gus Seyffert – bass
• Catherine Popper – bass
• Tony Scherr – bass
• Marco Giovino – drums
• Robert Di Pietro – drums
• Pete McNeal – drums
• Joey Waronker – drums
• James Gadson – drums
• Will Sayles – percussion
• Mike Martin – backing vocals

On Live at The Living Room

• Norah Jones – vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, electric guitar
• Sasha Dobson – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Smokey Hormel – electric guitar
• Gus Seyffert – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Greg Wieczorek – drums

Production

• Jacquire King – producer, recording, mixing
• Brad Bivens – additional recording
• Brian Thorn, Morgan Stratton – recording assistants
• Tom Schick – additional production, additional engineer, mixing
• Jon Stinson – mixing assistant
• Stephen Clemmer, Jimi Zhivago – recording engineer
• Steven Ha – live sound mix
• David Schoenwetter, Chris Allen – mixing assistants
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Autumn de Wilde – photography
• Gordon H. Jee – creative director
• Frank Harkins – art direction, design

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for The Fall

Chart (2009–2010)	Peak position
Australian Jazz & Blues Albums (ARIA)^[22]	1
European Albums (Billboard)^[23]	3
Greek International Albums (IFPI)^[24]	5
Irish Albums (IRMA)^[25]	20
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[26]	6
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)^[27]	67
Swedish Jazz Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[28]	1

Year-end charts

2009 year-end chart performance for The Fall

Chart (2009)	Position
Australian Jazz & Blues Albums (ARIA)^[29]	4
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[30]	61
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[31]	59
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[32]	37
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[33]	64
French Albums (SNEP)^[34]	42
Polish Albums (ZPAV)^[35]	66
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[36]	60
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[37]	43

2010 year-end chart performance for The Fall

Chart (2010)	Position
Australian Jazz & Blues Albums (ARIA)^[38]	6
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[39]	66
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[40]	36
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[41]	19
Canadian Albums (Billboard)^[42]	21
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[43]	81
European Albums (Billboard)^[44]	29
French Albums (SNEP)^[45]	107
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[46]	44
US Billboard 200^[47]	28
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[48]	2

Release history

Release history for The Fall

Region	Date	Format	Label
Japan	November 11, 2009		EMI	^[51]
Germany	November 13, 2009			^[52]
Netherlands				^[53]
United Kingdom	November 16, 2009			^[54]
France				^[55]
United States	November 17, 2009		Blue Note	^[56]
Brazil	November 30, 2009		EMI	^[57]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Waring . Charles . ‘The Fall’: How Norah Jones Rose To New Artistic Heights . uDiscover Music . November 17, 2023 . June 14, 2024.
2. News: Norah Jones reveals new album 'Little Broken Hearts' artwork, tracklist . Robert. Copsey. Digital Spy. 2012-02-23. 2012-08-23.
3. http://www.norahjones.com/pub/091609/ New CD: The Fall
4. Web site: Norah Jones | Biography, Music & News. Billboard.com. November 17, 2024.
5. Web site: Praxis Media . Radio1 Rodos Greece . Radio1.gr . 2010-12-14.
6. Web site: Norah Jones It's Gonna Be US Promo CD single (CD5 / 5") (498967). Eil.com. November 17, 2024.
7. Web site: Watch Norah Jones' Performance of 'It's Gonna Be' - On Ellen's Music Page - The Ellen DeGeneres Show . Ellen.warnerbros.com. 2010-12-14.
8. Web site: Ellen's Music - Norah Jones &#124 . Ellen.warnerbros.com . 2010-03-25 . 2010-12-14.
9. Web site: Sarah McLachlan Official Site. Sarahmclachlan.com. November 17, 2024.
10. Graff . Gary . Norah Jones, 'The Fall' . . 2009-11-20 . 2013-11-13.
11. Pareles, Jon (2009-11-15). "New CDs (Norah Jones: 'The Fall')". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
12. Spencer . Neil . Norah Jones - The Fall . . 2010 . 2013-11-13.
13. Web site: Helfand . Ryan . Norah Jones - The Fall . . 2009-11-16 . 2013-11-13.
14. Murphy . Peter . The Fall . . 2009-12-01 . 2013-11-13.
15. News: Reed . James . Jones takes a fresh, cool turn . . 2009-11-17 . 2013-11-13.
16. Lieu . Lynn . Norah Jones: The Fall - BLUE NOTE . . 2010-01-26 . 2013-11-13.
17. Davis . Reid . Norah Jones: The Fall :: Music :: Reviews . . 2009-11-17 . 2013-11-13.
18. Wood . Mikael . Norah Jones, 'The Fall' (Blue Note) . . 2009-11-16 . 2013-11-13.
19. News: Caligiuri . Jim . Norah Jones: The Fall (Blue Note) . . 2009-11-27 . 2013-11-13.
20. Web site: Draper . Jason . Norah Jones - The Fall . . 2009-11-16 . 2013-11-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091125002349/http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/091117/33/2220x.html . 2009-11-25 . dead.
21. News: Costa . Maddy . Norah Jones: The Fall . . 2009-11-12 . 2013-11-13.
22. ARIA Jazz & Blues Albums – Week Commencing 23rd November 2009 . https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20091207223038/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20091205-0000/issue1030.pdf . dead . 2009-12-07 . . 1030 . November 23, 2009 . 23 . January 31, 2020 . National Library of Australia.
23. Sexton . Paul . Robbie Williams' Second Week Atop Euro Chart . Billboard . November 27, 2009 . January 31, 2020.
24. Web site: Greekcharts.com – Norah Jones – The Fall . Hung Medien . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121024181954/http://greekcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Norah+Jones&titel=The+Fall&cat=a . October 24, 2012.
25. Web site: Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 19 November 2009 . . August 8, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170905140050/http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2009&year=2009&week=47 . dead . September 5, 2017.
26. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/287861/products/music/851425/1/ . ja:ザ・フォール（デラックス・エディション） ノラ・ジョーンズ . The Fall (Deluxe Edition) – Norah Jones . ja . . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100626042918/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/287861/products/music/851425/1/ . June 26, 2010.
27. Web site: Mexicancharts.com – Norah Jones – The Fall . Hung Medien . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121020002842/http://mexicancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Norah+Jones&titel=The+Fall&cat=a . October 20, 2012.
28. Web site: Veckolista Jazz, vecka 48, 2009 . sv . . May 7, 2020.
29. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Jazz & Blues Albums 2009 . Australian Recording Industry Association . January 31, 2020.
30. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2009 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . January 31, 2020.
31. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2009 – Albums . fr . Ultratop . January 31, 2020.
32. Web site: Album 2009 Top-100 . Hitlisten.NU . da . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100926182233/http://hitlisterne.dk/yearlist.asp . September 26, 2010.
33. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2009 . nl . . January 31, 2020.
34. Web site: Classement Albums – année 2009 . fr . . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130921185658/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2009&type=2 . September 21, 2013.
35. Web site: Top 100 – annual chart: 2009 . . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111002222206/http://zpav.pl/rankingi/listy/top100/roczna.php?lang=2&idlisty=3 . October 2, 2011.
36. Web site: Årslista Album – År 2009 . sv . . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200054/http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/netdata/ghl002.mbr/lista?liid=83&dfom=20090001 . March 4, 2016.
37. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2009 . hitparade.ch . de . December 17, 2021.
38. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Jazz & Blues Albums 2010 . Australian Recording Industry Association . January 31, 2020.
39. Web site: Jahreshitparade Alben 2010 . austriancharts.at . de . January 31, 2020.
40. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2010 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . January 31, 2020.
41. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2010 – Albums . fr . Ultratop . January 31, 2020.
42. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2010 . Billboard . January 31, 2020.
43. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2010 . nl . Dutch Charts . January 31, 2020.
44. Web site: Year End Charts – European Top 100 Albums . Billboard.biz . 2010 . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121003062606/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2010/european-100-albums . October 3, 2012.
45. Web site: Classement Albums – année 2010 . fr . . January 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005184435/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2010&type=2 . October 5, 2013.
46. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2010 . hitparade.ch . de . December 17, 2021.
47. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2010 . Billboard . January 31, 2020.
48. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2010 . Billboard . January 31, 2020.
49. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Jazz & Blues Albums 2011 . Australian Recording Industry Association . January 31, 2020.
50. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Jazz & Blues Albums 2012 . Australian Recording Industry Association . January 31, 2020.
51. Web site: Amazon.co.jp： ザ・フォール: ノラ・ジョーンズ: 音楽 . Amazon.co.jp . 2009-10-07 . 2009-10-18.
52. Web site: The Fall (inkl. MP3-Bonus-Track): Norah Jones: Amazon.de: Musik . Amazon.de . 2009-10-18.
53. Web site: bol.com: The Fall, Norah Jones: Muziek . Bol.com . 2009-11-03.
54. Web site: The Fall: Norah Jones: Amazon.co.uk: Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2009-10-18.
55. Web site: The Fall: Norah Jones: Amazon.fr: Musique . Amazon.fr . 2009-10-18.
56. Web site: The Fall: Norah Jones: Music . Amazon.com . 2009-10-18.
57. Web site: The Fall - Norah Jones: Brazil . https://archive.today/20130101000646/http://www.livrariacultura.com.br/scripts/musica/resenha/resenha.asp?nitem=11031133&sid=01511376411106531747011281&k5=16FCED87&uid= . dead . 2013-01-01 . Livrariacultura.com.br . 2009-11-17 .