JOIN USWhen Norah Jones’s debut album Come Away With Me was released in India in 2002, she made news primarily as the daughter of Sitar maestro Ravishankar. But very soon, her talent outshadowed her pedigree.
Since then, Jones’s lilting, slow-burning tunes made sound waves. Her last was The Fall in 2009. Little Broken Hearts, her fifth studio album, is still very easy on the ear but improves significantly on The Fall. However, anyone still stuck on Don’t Know Why is a few steps back in Jones’s experimentation as an artiste. She’s no longer anchored to the piano. This album steps out into a range that includes fuzzy guitars, string sections, and tinkling pop synthesisers.
The album opens with Good morning, which is not so much about a lark of a morning but as the words reveal — Good morning/ my thoughts on leaving are back on the table and I thought you should know. Happy pills, despite its title is a break-up song (Trying to pick up the pace/ Trying to make it so I never see your face again).
Just when you think that the songs sound a little low-key and downbeat, you have the upbeat, peppy Out on the road. This one is for your car stereo.
In She’s 22, Jones, who is only in her early 30s, has to confront her lover about the adoring fan who makes her man feel special. Miriam is an absolute stunner of a song addressed to a female who has cheated with her boyfriend -— in Jones’s own house. It’s chilling when Jones sings in a sweet voice dripping with quiet menace.
There is no high pitch voice or screaming in the style of the divas. Jones plays the piano, but often muted and subtle. The voice is smoky but gorgeous. These are songs you get to listen to in a trendy cafe, not a noisy pub.