Diana Krall brings the past into the present

Jazz purists have sputtered a bit about Mark Seliger's glamorous cover shots on singer/songwriter/pi​anist Diana Krall's upcoming album "Glad Rag Doll." They're missing three key details:

1). As an album of covers of romantic/sensual ballads that date back decades, the glamorous shots perfectly fit the concept of what Krall is trying to capture.

2). The woman has always been gorgeous and one could argue that this supposed lack of "purism" has held her back in some circles. Give her a break and get over yourselves.

3). Oops. It's not really a jazz album, even if it has jazz echoes throughout it, particularly in songs like “Just Like a Butterfly That’s Caught In the Rain." As producer T Bone Burnett says ""Diana is a great rock and roll piano player." And it shows.

"There are only two kinds of music. There's war music and there's sex music. This is sex music. It's not war music," Burnett added. That may be overly simplifying things, but the record sounds intriguing. Krall picked childhood favorites, ranging from Doc Pomus' "Lonely Avenue" to the obscure title cut from 1928.

Does it work? You be the judge. Even though the album isn't out until Oct. 2, you can preview one song, the 1957 R&B chestnut "I'm a Little Mixed Up," in its entirety exclusively here at MSN Music. Burnett's production and choice of session musicians (including the astounding drummer Jay Bellerose and guitarist extraordinaire Marc Ribot) and Krall's offhand vocal gives the song a light, cheeky feel - quite a fun contrast to Burnett's sometimes-somber sound. Click here to listen.

Pre-order 'Glad Rag Doll'