CD Review

Diana Krall’s voice is sexy in the most appetizing way. A smooth delivery so graced upon polished piano chops, you don’t even have to view her physical charm to be absorbed by this jazzy diva. Upon her recent high profile marriage to the brash pop rocker, Elvis Costell, the husband/wife team has penned six of the twelve songs on Krall’s eighth album – The Girl In The Other Room. The record, already making a surprising dent on the top 40 charts, does Norah Jones with some elbow rubbing within the jazz artist /pop realm. However, chopping away her Gershin/Bacharach lamented glory of yesteryear, Krall alienates a majority of the standards for her own originals. Perhaps taking a cue from Costello, Krall has never recorded her own music on prior releases. By mixing these six brave originals with six familiar covers, Girl In The Other Room stands to be a daring leap for an already established artist.

Included in the contemporary mix is a sultry version of a rather cranky Tom Waits tune, "Temptation," allowing Krall’s top-notch band to shine – particularly Anthony Wilson’s guitar licks and Christian McBride’s bass. Moe Allison’s "Stop This World" sparks with a swingy rhythm, while "Almost Blue," one of Costello’s originals, is full of romantic cinematic luster. "Love Me Like A Man," adapted originally by Bonnie Raitt, showcases Krall’s ability to get friendly with the blues. Piano-playing aside, Krall continues to work smooth magic, never going overboard to outshine her vocals and the surreal mood her music sets. Sometimes just adding delicate balance, as in "I’m Pulling Through" where her voice pulls the weight, or when she lets her fingers do the talking within a tasty improv lead in a cover of Joni Mitchell’s "Black Crow."

Aside from the covers, Krall certainly does prove herself as a songwriter, most notably in the standout "Narrow Daylight." Instead of relishing the excuse for love lush lyrics with Costello, the duo focus on more universal poetic themes of uncertainty and open confessionals. Fortunately for the listener, there’s just the right mix of the known and unknown to make Girl In The Other Room quite poignant.