I thought her first two albums were superb, and the second of the two--My One and Only Thrill--one of the best albums I've ever heard. I can't think of a singer, male or female, whose song writing and singing reach such a high level. And then there was her live performance in Portland a couple of years back: easily one of the best concerts I've been to in 35 years of concert going.
But I'm with Madfloyd on this one: there's just nothing memorable--to me at least--about this album, with one exception: "My Heart Won't Have It Any Other Way."
It seems to be that the tradition of the American songbook is something she has fully absorbed, and when she writes in that style, things happen. But The Absence is Michael Jordan playing baseball.