We think of remixes as skewing songs, sending them in different directions — typically toward the dance floor. “She’s 22” — a track off Norah Jones’s forthcoming album “Little Broken Hearts” that has already been remixed, for a Record Store Day release, by ace indie producer and TV on the Radio guy Dave Sitek — is a little skewed to begin with. Going on the title alone, you might think it was a groupie anthem by a hair metal band, or maybe a tender portrait of a young woman finding her way in the world. But Jones makes it a first-person heartbreaker — the 22-year-old in question has captured the fascination of the narrator’s lover.
And instead of recreating the song, Sitek — who does subtract the acoustic guitar in favor of a vibrant (though gentle) beat — shores it up, making it sexier, more confident, more of a challenge to the man, all while preserving its shivery center. White noise ripples across the top; it sounds like goosebumps feel. You could also look at it another way: The man answering the question that Jones poses — “Does she make you happy?” The remix sounds all the better when you realize that he’s not entirely sure.
The Remix
The Original