Album review: Little Broken Hearts by Norah Jones

By Hunter Moore

Little Broken Hearts by Norah Jones

Blue Note/EMI Records

Release date: 1 May 2012

It is almost inconceivable that a decade has passed since New York singer-songwriter Norah Jones made her gigantic mark on the pop, adult contemporary, and neo-jazz communities with her 2002 debut Come Away with Me. Jones ended up sweeping the 45^th Grammy Awards in 2003, winning Best New Artist and Album of the Year among others. In the ten years that have passed, however, she has become a different artist with a different path to take. 

Following three other solo studio albums, a seemingly harsh break-up, and a side project known as the Little Willies, Jones is back with a vengeance on her fifth long-player, entitled Little Broken Hearts. Collaborator, multi-instrumentalist and fellow eclectic Danger Mouse, aka Brian Burton (Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells, Beck), is in tow here, producing the heck out of Jones’ alt-pop crooners. Like he did on the last few Black Keys records, Burton turns down the rawness and dials up the fireworks: He throws in fuzzed-out basslines, bouncy keyboards, and unexpected instrumentals (is that a harpsichord on “Travelin’ On”?). He also does not shy away from vocal effects and alterations. Really they’re all over the album, popping up here and there in attempts to keep the listener’s attention. Unfortunately they’re somewhat in vain: Only a few of the effects are interesting, and some of them quickly grow tiresome. That’s a pretty good representation of the entire set, actually. Some are fascinating, catchy, and memorable. Others are exhausting or boring. 

Jones sounds best when she is accompanied by little more than simply her lovely voice (and maybe a piano and some arranged strings). Tracks like “Good Morning,” “4 Broken Hearts,” and “Travelin’ On” work well because of our heroine’s lilting vocal delivery and the unassuming beauty of the songs. In fact, most of the songs on the LP build nicely to subtle but swelling crescendos, basking in Burton’s production and Jones’ harmonies. 

Some other stand-out moments include “Say Goodbye,” which features bubbly syncopation and a schmaltzy groove, and the title track, which is reminiscent of a frustrated version of “Chasing Pirates” from the songstress’ last album, The Fall. “She’s 22” has a cool gravity to the music and lyrics, and the lead single, “Happy Pills,” sounds like if Burton produced Regina Spektor’s “Fidelity.

Overall, Little Broken Hearts is pretty strikingly different from anything Jones has released thus far, but it features an interesting style and some good variety. Hopefully she and Danger Mouse can perfect it by the time her sixth record rolls around. After all, there will always be a place for Ms. Norah Jones.