Norah Jones is one of those artists for whom I rush to the record store when they release a new album.  This list of artists who I do this for is very small.  Next Tuesday, Nov. 17, she releases her forth album “The Fall”.

I’ve been an admirer of her work ever since her first huge release, “Come Away With Me”, which sold millions of copies and garnered Grammys for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and a whole slew of others.  I’ve often thought that she won all of these deservingly but also prematurely.  Honestly, I think her work has only gotten better.  Her second album had more of a country/jazz sort of sound, and her third album (my favorite so far) was very dark and contained songs that were mostly penned by her.  She has shown steady and consistent artistic growth over the years–taking risks with her musical approach and style.

This new set of songs may be her boldest collection yet.  In fact, early reports have shared that she mostly plays guitar on it and has enlisted producers and co-songwriters she’s never worked with before.

The lead single for the album offers strong indication that this album steps much further from where she started.  It is a song called “Chasing Pirates”.  While it contains her trademark tinges of sadness, it is a light and infectious little tune–the kind you can listen to while at a picnic or strolling through the park.

Her voice is in top form and the keyboard work, which is some kind of organ that I can’t identify, gives the song a very fresh sound.

This week’s Video of the Week is the new video for this lead single.  I think it’s actually the best video she’s ever done.  With a soft, neutral palette, she moves from reality to a whimsical dream world seamlessly, and she looks gorgeous all the while.

Here it is, folks.  Chasing Pirates .  .  .  .

I know what I’ll be doing next Tuesday.

-gordo