Norah Jones: 'The Fall'

From Bob Dylan's Blood On The Tracks to Pink's Funhouse, there comes a time in every artist's career when they finally do the break-up record. Another well-worn turn is the hook-up with a gritty producer to roughen up the edges and find something new under the skin of an already established artist (think Rick Rubin with Johnny Cash, or Leonard Cohen's misfiring album with Phil Spector). On The Fall, Norah Jones kills two birds with one stone. After her split from boyfriend and bassist Lee Alexander a couple of years ago, the multi-platinum chanteuse has recorded her latest set with Kings Of Leon/Tom Waits producer Jacquire King.

The change in soundman is quickly apparent. For her fourth album, Jones has taken a small but significant stride away from the piano-led contemporary jazz for which she is known towards something rather more rocky. The album's best track, the brooding 'Light As A Feather', was even co-written with alt-country darling Ryan Adams. It's a song that evokes both the melancholy of the Cowboy Junkies and the rawness of PJ Harvey, successfully coaxing every last drop of emotion out of Jones's voice.

Other highlights include the stripped-back Beer Hall twang of closer 'Man Of The Hour' and the blues-rock romp of 'It's Gonna Be', whose rolling drums and laidback bass lend the air of an exceedingly polite Exile On Main Street. The Fall also features a smattering of ear-pricking lyrical turns. The physicality of 'I Wouldn't Need You' ("If I touched myself the way you touched me / If if I could hold myself the way you held me, then I wouldn't need you") is topped only by the naked emotion that opens 'You've Ruined Me' ("You've ruined me now, but I liked it / But I'm ruined now / Do you have a plan, because I'm in your hands").

However, despite the broadening of Jones's musical palette - which is especially admirable given her vast commercial success - there's still a spark lacking in too many of these tracks. Vocally, her understated tones are a soothing counterpoint to the histrionics of Duffy, Amy Winehouse et al. King's production is also pretty flawless - laidback and slick without sounding overly-polished - and the aforementioned lyrics capably tackle the classic themes of love, life and loss. However, what The Fall lacks is the handful of killer melodies that could rocket Jones's songs from the pleasant to the truly remarkable. She's certainly getting there though.