I simply love Norah Jones. I think she has the capabilities to evoke universes into the listeners' mind. She never bothers me, simply because she always changes. That's why, today, I decided to do a quick review on the enchantress last studio album: Little Broken Hearts.
12 tracks of...jazz?? NO!! 12 tracks of I'd rather say indie alternative pop. A tough revolution if we consider that exactly 10 years ago this young lady came up with a "little" jazz masterpiece: Come Away with Me, more than 25milion copies sold worldwide.
Cannot explain why, but with this step change NJ seems more than ever (even more than CAWM) to use the most correct melodies to link music with the exact feelings contained in each track. Convincing with this new shape.
Here's the tracklist:
1. "Good Morning" 3:17
2. "Say Goodbye" 3:27
3. "Little Broken Hearts" 3:12
4. "She's 22" 3:10
5. "Take it Back" 4:06
6. "After the Fall" 3:42
7. "4 Broken Hearts" 2:59
8. "Travelin' On" 3:06
9. "Out on the Road" 3:28
10. "Happy Pills" 3:34
11. "Miriam" 4:25
12. "All a Dream" 6:30
In LBH, the old little Norah varies such a multitude of sounds, with unexpected surprises. Beyond "Good Morning" sad acoustic violins and synth atmospheres, tracks like "Say Goodbye", "Little Broken Hearts", "Happy Pills" (leading single of the album) and "Out on the Road" lead to more rhytmic and slightly happier (because of pills) moods. I say slightly happier because in "Miriam", in good company with back guitars and synth, Norah imagines to kill her love rival. BLOOD atmosphere ladies and gentlemen! Not bad for a jazzy girl turned into an indie Femme Fatale. Apparently Miriam is (or was?) 22. In "She's 22", in fact Jones ask herself how her lover could be happy with such a young lady. Truth is that I hardly remember such sad almost country-style guitar riff in the background. Folk sonorities also contained in "Out on the Road"."Take it Back" is one of the few tracks in this album with still piano notes, clear clue that the good old jazz stereotype has almost definetely faded completely. Mystical and I'd say slightly trip-hop sonorities characterize "After the Fall" and "All a dream"...Norah please, he's gone! Convince yourself! Maybe by jumping on your car and "Travelin'On"... sad-relaxing track, perfect to get asleep, somehow.
The new Norah still convince me, I must admit. I would have add just some more drums here and there, but I appreciate her effort. Destructing such a big and strong wall, like the image of jazz-melancholic sad girl, is not that easy.
