Norah Jones

Little Broken HeartsEMI ***

The clue is in the title: Norah Jones's fifth album isn't about lollipops and sunshine. Running the lyrical gauntlet of heartbreak, from dejection (Good Morning) to self- preserving defiance (Happy Pills), Little Broken Hearts could be any other post-breakup album if not for the addition of Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton on production. Burton forces the jazz-oriented Jones into previously uncharted waters on songs such as Say Goodbye, a funky standout that draws parallels with his own Broken Bells project, as well as the ticklish improv of After the Fall and She's 22's moody shimmer. Yet there's still a niggling feeling that the envelope has only been tentatively pushed, and with more risks taken this could have been a brilliant collaboration. Instead, it sounds like a temporary diversion for Jones that's generally likeable, but not completely convincing. norahjones.com

Download tracks: Say Goodbye, Happy Pills