At first glance, Little Broken Hearts, the fifth studio release from Norah Jones, might seem like a carbon copy of Adele’s chart-topping 2011 album 21: a post-break-up piece propelled by a unique, stirring voice. Both are at their best when their vocals are on the forefront, complemented by simple piano arrangements or guitar strums, yet Jones lacks Adele’s moxie, ignoring stripped down sound in favor of a safer, full-bodied one.
Not 10 years ago, Jones was dominating the music scene with her easy listening, gentle jazz debut, 2002’s diamond-certified Come Away with Me. The album sold over 20 million copies and nabbed the singer-songwriter five Grammys, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist (not unlike a certain British import).
Now, on Little Broken Hearts, Jones seeks to differentiate herself from her “coffeehouse” roots. Continuing in the fashion of 2009’s The Fall, producer Brian Burton (better known as Danger Mouse) works to help Jones establish a new sound for herself, complete with fuzzy guitars, haunting vocals and the occasional injection of strings. Here, we see Jones abandon the smooth style that propelled her to stardom in favor of a more diversified sonic palate.
The album grapples with the pain of a broken heart; on the dreamy opening track “Good Morning,” it seems almost as if reality has yet to sink in. The tone of the album shifts from song to song, but is never more evident than on the morbidly haunting “Miriam,” where the singer’s lilting voice conceals the menace the lyrics carry, such as when she sings, “I’m gonna smile when I take your life.”
Album standouts include “Say Goodbye,” a synth confection enhanced by the funky twangs of a guitar ;”She’s 22,” an understated heartbreaker where the singer questions her ex’s newfound love and the upbeat; “Happy Pills,” where Jones lightly trills, “How does it feel to be the one shut out?”
Jones should be given credit for branching out of her comfort zone; every song grapples with previously unexplored emotional depth while playing around with new arrangements. However, the vocal range she displayed so long ago in Come Away With Me is subdued in favor of a more muted, stylized sound. Indeed, it almost feels as if she has been stripped of the raw power and soul in favor of a wistful breathiness and something bordering on cutesy.
A decade later, Jones has made the effort to make sure her sound has matured, and matured it has. Yet, perhaps she could learn a thing or two from Adele; for every track on 21, fun background arrangements are balanced out by simple guitar or piano accompaniments on the next track. The same things should apply to Jones. The strongest songs are those that lay aside the production value and showcase the most valuable instrument the singer has to offer: her voice.
