"Happy Pills" Norah Jones

After a couple of years away from the public eye, Norah Jones returns with the mellow ballad "Happy Pills," the lead single from her upcoming fifth studio album, ...Little Broken Hearts. Surprised to be reminded of the "Don't Know Why" singer's existence? You can hardly be blamed for failing to notice her absence; Jones' profile has dropped considerably since a decade ago, when she stormed the music scene with a debut that won five Grammy Awards and went on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide. Yet it seems that time has made only Jones a richer, more rewarding artist. On subsequent records, she has allowed her indie spirit to explore, veering away from pleasant waiting-room jazz and into a quirkier, rootsier territory that has produced some gorgeously affecting results. "Pills," with its subdued drum and bass composition and its quiet heartbreak, is a lovely addition to that oeuvre. A-