Album: Norah Jones, Little Broken Hearts (EMI)

An album devoted to the examination of the bits left when hearts get broken.

American music's sweetest heart ought to be good at this. Her strength as a singer comes not from the power of her voice but the detail of her phrasing; and the detail revealed in Danger Mouse's production is extensive. This is haiku-pop: small, rigid, defined by form. Which would be fine if the songs were compelling. But they're not really. It's exquisite, of course, but dull.