Though it was her first single, and she later had higher-charting hits, “Don’t Know Why” remains Norah Jones’ signature song. It wasn’t actually written by Jones, but rather by her guitarist Jessie Harris, who had actually recorded it three years earlier. However, it’s Jones’ version that the world knows. Even though it didn’t chart that high, it felt fairly ubiquitous when it came out (and, of course, there was Starbucks, where Jones’s debut Come Away with Me was on sale seemingly forever). It conjures up a certain aesthetic, for sure.
Canadian shoegazers, by way of Brooklyn, Smush have decided they want nothing to do with that aesthetic. Instead, they almost go full My Bloody Valentine on their new cover. There are layers of guitars, some of which ring out in a very Loveless way. There are little stuttery effects at the end of the chorus and sometimes almost staccato drums which also hint at an MBV comparison.
Lead singer and bassist Emily King’s voice is so frail and faint that the mix sometimes threatens to drown her out. It’s a classic shoegaze/dream pop style and mix in that way. It’s otherwise recognizable, the vocal melody is fairly close though the tempo is sped up a little. But the full commitment to a classic shoegaze arrangement renders it fully distinct.
Take a listen below:
