Norah Jones Set To Release New Danger Mouse-Produced Album May 1st

Photo Credit: Frank W. Ockenfels

I think it’s safe to say that Little Broken Hearts might be my most anticipated Norah Jones album of her entire career and I really have to thank musician, producer, 1/2 of Gnarls Barkley AND 1/2 of  Broken Bells  – Danger Mouse – for that. I’ve been a fan of Norah Jones since she released her highly acclaimed, Grammy-winning 2002 debut Come Away With Me, but there’s something about a Danger Mouse collaboration that just gets me all sorts of giddy. Throw on Norah Jones‘ trademark bluesy vocal and you’ve really got something to talk about.  Jones is set to release her 12-song fifth studio album via Blue Note/EMI on May 1st, with plans to back the release with an extensive international tour.  Check out this snippet from the official press release:

“Little Broken Hearts is the fascinating next step in the artistic evolution of one of the music world’s most consistently intriguing singer-songwriters. Jones first emerged on the world stage 10 years ago this month with the February 2002 release of Come Away With Me, her self-described “moody little record” that introduced a singular new voice and grew into a global phenomenon, sweeping the 2003 Grammy Awards and signaling a paradigm shift away from the prevailing synthetic pop music of the time. Come Away With Me has just become the #10 best-selling album of the Soundscan era. The album has sold 25 million copies worldwide.”

 Lead single, “Happy Pills” is a nice little teaser from the album, which was entirely written by Jones & Danger Mouse (AKA Brian Burton).  The mid-tempo little ditty is guaranteed to put pep in your step, as long as you don’t listen to the dark, depressing lyrics.  During the first week of the song’s release, “Happy Pills” was the #1 Most Added song at AAA Radio, garnering praise from Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, BlackBook, The Huffington Post and other prestigious press outlets.  While the duo wasn’t sure if “Happy Pills” was a good fit with the rest of the record, Jones and Burton were too into the song to leave it in the scrap heap.

“We didn’t know if it fit on the record. But I couldn’t stop singing it, and neither could Brian. Eventually we decided it was too much fun, it had to be there.”

Interesting. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that the two of them weren’t sure about it’s place on the album. To be honest, that makes me a tad bit nervous.  I love EVERY BIT of this song and so desperately want the rest of the album to have the same sort of vibe, but it’s sounding like perhaps that’s not the case.  It’s always risky to release a single that sounds nothing like the rest of the album but I’m inclined to trust Jones and Burton, who at this point, have proven to me and the rest of the world that they know what they’re doing.

Photo Credit: Frank W. Ockenfels

After dazzling audiences with a stunning performance at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas, Jones seems ready to introduce Little Broken Hearts to a wider audience.  The new material earned rave reviews from press in attendance at Jones’ SXSW performance, including The Associated Press, who called her songs “stylish yet deeply emotional.”  USA Today wrote about the new tunes, calling them “sometimes sweet, sometimes spooky,” and “atmospheric.”  Starting in May, Jones will kick off a massive international tour, playing a variety of festivals, amphitheaters and theaters including the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Central Park SummerStage in New York City and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.  Check out a list of tour dates below and watch the lyric video for “Happy Pills” above and download it on U.S. iTunes HERE.

1. Good Morning
2. Say Goodbye
3. Little Broken Hearts
4. She’s 22
5. Take It Back
6. After The Fall
7. 4 Broken Hearts
8. Travelin’ On
9. Out On The Road
10. Happy Pills
11. Miriam
12. All A Dream