Norah Jones’ new album, “Featuring,” is a great album, in concept that is.

On paper, the idea is genius: take a vocalist whose music romances the soul, and pair her with legendary artists who changed the music game.  Some of the include Herbie Hancock, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Matthew Ward, etc.

But instead of each song becoming two distinct sounds that melt together in harmony, each track sounds like two separate works that were just sort of spliced and strung together.

The album turns into the concept that has most mothers wanting to throw in the dish towel. As kids we knew we liked spaghetti and ice cream, and it made sense that the two would taste great together. However, we are not children, our taste buds have matured and we demand something a little more refined.

And despite her lack of chemistry, Norah Jones is still ice cream. Her voice is just as sweet and melty. She still satisfies the sweet tooth that most musicians can’t. But her sound is one that just can’t combine with the likes of Willie Nelson in “Baby its Cold Outside.” Nelson’s feeble, dusty trail voice falls by the way side next to Jones’.

However, female country legend Dolly Parton leads Jones in a way that most other artists can’t.  It is one of the few tracks that feel as though the two played off each other vocally.

Unfortunately, most others (with Outkast, The Little Willies, and even Matthew Ward) begin to sound like nothing more than noise. The album feels to forced, and while it is great that Jones is trying new fields of music, it may be in her best interest to remain in the jazz realm.