Alanis Morissette | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette became one of the most unlikely stars of the 1990s on the strength of her third album, Jagged Little Pill. A former child actress turned dance-pop diva, Morissette transformed herself into a confessional alternative singer/songwriter in the vein of Liz Phair and Tori Amos. However, she bolstered that formula with enough pop sensibility, slight hip-hop flourishes, and marketing savvy to become a superstar. Jagged Little Pill, released in 1995, spun off six highly successful singles and earned Morissette several Grammy Awards the following year, including Album of the Year. And she continued to release well-received albums, from the multi-platinum Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie to the self-produced Under Rug Swept. Morissette was born in Ottawa, Canada, and began playing piano and writing songs during her childhood years. She also joined the cast of You Cant Do That on Television, a childrens television program. Using money that she earned on the show, Morissette recorded an independent single, "Fate Stay with Me," which was released when she was only ten years old. She then concentrated on a musical career after leaving the shows cast, signing a music publishing contract when she was 14. The publishing contract led to a record deal with MCA Canada, and Morissette moved to Toronto before releasing her debut album, Alanis, in 1991. Alanis was a collection of pop-oriented dance numbers and ballads that found success in Canada, selling over 100,000 copies and earning the singer a Juno Award for Most Promising Female Artist. However, no other country paid much attention to the record. In 1992, Morissette released Now Is the Time, an album that closely resembled her debut. Like its predecessor, it was a success in Canada, even if its sales did not match those of Alanis. Following the release of Now Is the Time, Morissette relocated to Los Angeles, where she met veteran producer Glen Ballard in early 1994. Ballard had previously written Michael Jacksons hit single "Man in the Mirror," produced Wilson Phillips hit debut album, and worked with actor/musician David Hasselhoff. The two decided to work together, and despite their shared experience with mainstream pop, they opted instead to pursue an edgier, alternative rock-oriented direction. The result was Jagged Little Pill, which was released in 1995 on Madonnas label, Maverick Records. On the strength of the angst-ridden single "You Oughta Know," Jagged Little Pill gained attention upon its release in the summer of 1995. The song soon received heavy airplay from alternative radio outlets and MTV, sending the album into the Top Ten and helping it achieve multi-platinum status. Jagged Little Pills subsequent singles -- "Hand in My Pocket," "All I Really Want," "You Learn," and "Ironic" -- kept the album in the Top Ten for an astounding 69 weeks, and Morissette was nominated for six Grammys in early 1996. She won several of those awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. While she never managed to replicate the success of Jagged Little Pill, Morissette continued to release well-received albums into the 21st century. Her much-anticipated follow-up, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, was released in the autumn of 1998, setting a record for the highest first-week sales by a female artist. An Unplugged set appeared a year later and featured a cover of the Polices "King of Pain," while 2002s Under Rug Swept saw Morissette writing and producing without the help of collaborators. So-Called Chaos followed in 2004. A year later, she took Jagged Little Pill on the road as an acoustic tour. Those tour dates led to the release of Jagged Little Pill Acoustic, an album originally (and tellingly) sold exclusively through Starbucks outlets. Morissette and her fans had grown up, and Collection -- an 18-track retrospective of her work -- followed in November 2005. But Morissette wasnt done, returning in 2008 with the brooding Flavors of Entanglement, which dealt with the emotional fallout from the dissolution of her engagement with actor Ryan Reynolds. In 2010, Morissette gave birth to her first child, Ever Imre, with rapper Mario “MC Souleye” Treadway, resulting in 2012s spry and hopeful Havoc and Bright Lights, which focused on spirituality, marriage, and motherhood; it debuted at five on the Billboard Top 200. Over the next few years, Morissette played some acoustic shows, acted, and launched a self-help podcast. Also in 2015, she celebrated the 20th anniversary of Jagged Little Pill through the release of a four-CD Collectors Edition reissue of the album. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 17 Title: Alanis Released: 1991 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Feel Your Love (03:49) 2 Too Hot (04:00) 3 Plastic (03:45) 4 Walk Away (04:51) 5 On My Own (04:08) 6 Superman (04:32) 7 Jealous (03:54) 8 Human Touch (03:22) 9 Oh Yeah! (03:59) 10 Party Boy (04:20) |
 | Album: 2 of 17 Title: Now Is the Time Released: 1992 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Real World (04:57) 2 An Emotion Away (04:14) 3 Rain (03:52) 4 The Time of Your Life (04:45) 5 No Apologies (05:02) 6 Can’t Deny (03:55) 7 When We Meet Again (04:10) 8 Give What You Got (04:56) 9 (Change Is) Never a Waste of Time (04:40) 10 Big Bad Love (04:14) |
 | Album: 3 of 17 Title: Jagged Little Pill Released: 1995-06-09 Tracks: 13 Duration: 57:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All I Really Want (04:44) 2 You Oughta Know (04:09) 3 Perfect (03:08) 4 Hand in My Pocket (03:39) 5 Right Through You (02:55) 6 Forgiven (04:59) 7 You Learn (03:59) 8 Head Over Feet (04:25) 9 Mary Jane (04:40) 10 Ironic (03:48) 11 Not the Doctor (03:47) 12 Wake Up (04:53) 13 You Oughta Know (Jimmy the Saint Blend) / Your House (08:10) |
| Jagged Little Pill : Allmusic album Review : Its remarkable that Alanis Morissettes Jagged Little Pill struck a sympathetic chord with millions of listeners, because its so doggedly, determinedly insular. This, after all, plays like an emotional purging, prompted by a bitter relationship -- and, according to all the lyrical hints, thats likely a record executive who took advantage of a young Alanis. She never disguises her outright rage and disgust, whether its the vengeful wrath of "You Oughta Know" or asking him "you scan the credits for your name and wonder why its not there." This is such insider information that its hard to believe that millions of listeners not just bought it, but embraced it, turning Alanis Morisette into a mid-90s phenomenon. Perhaps it was the individuality that made it appealing, since its specificity lent it genuineness -- and, even if this is clearly an attempt to embrace the "women in rock" movement in alterna-rock, Morissettes intentions are genuine. Often, it seems like Glen Ballards pop inclinations fight against Alanis exorcisms, as her bitter diary entries are given a pop gloss that gives them entry to the pop charts. Whats all the more remarkable is that Alanis isnt a particularly good singer, stretching the limits of pitch and credibility with her octave-skipping caterwauling. At its core, this is the work of an ambitious but sophomoric 19-year-old, once burned by love, but still willing to open her heart a second time. All of this adds up to a record thats surprisingly effective, an utterly fascinating exploration of a young womans psyche. As slick as the music is, the lyrics are unvarnished and Morissette unflinchingly explores emotions so common, most people would be ashamed to articulate them. This doesnt make Jagged Little Pill great, but it does make it a fascinating record, a phenomenon thats intensely personal. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 17 Title: Jagged Little Pill, Live Released: 1997-09-08 Tracks: 3 Duration: 15:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Oughta Know (04:52) 2 Perfect (03:23) 3 Wake Up (07:15) |
 | Album: 5 of 17 Title: Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie Released: 1998-11-02 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Front Row (04:12) 2 Baba (04:29) 3 Thank U (04:18) 4 Are You Still Mad (04:03) 5 Sympathetic Character (05:10) 6 That I Would Be Good (04:17) 7 The Couch (05:23) 8 Can’t Not (04:35) 9 UR (03:30) 10 I Was Hoping (03:50) 11 One (04:39) 12 Would Not Come (04:04) 13 Unsent (04:09) 14 So Pure (02:50) 15 Joining You (04:23) 16 Heart of the House (03:45) 17 Your Congratulations (03:55) 18 Uninvited (demo) (03:04) |
| Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie : Allmusic album Review : While its not a repudiation of her blockbuster, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is a clear step forward, teeming with ambition and filled with new musical ideas and different sonic textures. Alanis Morissettes voice still sears, but she has more control over her singing, rarely reaching the piercing heights that occasionally made Jagged Little Pill jarring. Also, she has clearly spent some time crafting her lyrics; not only do they never sound like straight diary entries, she no longer is trying to fit too many syllables into a phrase. These two differences are subtle -- the brooding, Eastern-styled music that dominates Supposed is not. There are numerous extensions of the vague hip-hop and pop fusions that made "Hand in Pocket" and "All I Really Want" huge hits ("Front Row," "UR," "Thank U," "So Pure"), but much of the album is devoted to moody ballads and mid-tempo pop, where the textured production functions as a backdrop for Morissettes cryptically introspective lyrics. Far from being alienating, this approach works surprisingly well -- not only do the pop tunes sound catchier, but the ballads, with their winding melodies and dark colors, sound strong and brave. If anything, the record is more coherent album than its predecessor, and even if it isnt as accessible or as compulsively listenable, its a richer record. That said, it wont win any new fans -- for all of her success, Morissette is a weird acquired taste, due to her idiosyncratic vocals and doggedly convoluted confessionals -- but it certainly confirms that she doesnt quite sound like anyone else, either. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 17 Title: MTV Unplugged Released: 1999-11-22 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Learn (04:21) 2 Joining You (05:09) 3 No Pressure Over Cappuccino (04:41) 4 That I Would Be Good (04:11) 5 Head Over Feet (04:22) 6 Princes Familiar (04:37) 7 I Was Hoping (04:53) 8 Ironic (04:13) 9 These R the Thoughts (03:25) 10 King of Pain (04:05) 11 You Oughta Know (05:01) 12 Uninvited (04:36) |
| MTV Unplugged : Allmusic album Review : Often, artists embrace MTV Unplugged as an opportunity to stroll through their back catalog. Not Alanis Morissette. Instead of concentrating on the familiar (only four songs from Jagged Little Pill are here, and neither of its sequels hits, "Thank U" and "So Pure," are performed), Morissette uses Unplugged as a way to reintroduce Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie to an audience that largely ignored it the first time around. Its easy to see why Morissette is so intent on selling these songs. Although their meaning may be elusive at times, theyre extremely personal songs, which benefit from the stripped-down arrangements and intimate surroundings. Even so, the songs require close, careful listening before they truly catch hold, and even then, theyre often easier to admire than love. By closing the performance with the non-LP soundtrack contribution "Uninvited," Morissette unwittingly highlights the reason why Supposed failed to gain a large audience. Like much of that album, "Uninvited is also heavy on mood and cryptic lyrics, but the song is blessed with an indelible melody and haunting atmosphere. Compared with that song, the Supposed tunes, plus the three previously unreleased songs (including "No Pressure Over Cappucinio and "Princess Familiar"), are all intriguing but never as compelling, largely because they demand that the listener meet them on their own terms. Here, theyre a bit more accessible, but it makes MTV Unplugged just slightly less elusive than Supposed itself. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 17 Title: Under Rug Swept Released: 2001 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:00:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 21 Things I Want in a Lover (03:28) 2 Narcissus (03:38) 3 Hands Clean (04:31) 4 Flinch (06:03) 5 So Unsexy (05:08) 6 Precious Illusions (04:11) 7 That Particular Time (04:21) 8 A Man (04:33) 9 You Owe Me Nothing in Return (05:02) 10 Surrendering (04:35) 11 Utopia (05:03) 12 Sister Blister (04:37) 13 Sorry 2 Myself (05:45) |
| Under Rug Swept : Allmusic album Review : Although it wasnt immediately apparent, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie found Alanis Morissette floundering in her success, albeit ever so slightly. Like most arty collegiate types, she reacted to massive success with an instinct to experiment, and since she had sold so many records, she and producer/collaborator Glen Ballard were given free range to do pretty much whatever they wanted, resulting in a muted, fitfully intriguing album that had the feel of a sophomore slump even if it was her fourth record (but who counts those first two records as part of her discography, anyway?). It was pretty good, it sold pretty well, but nobody liked it all that much, so it was time for a cool change on her next record, Under Rug Swept (funny how the three years separating Jagged Little Pill and Supposed seemed longer than the three between Supposed and this). The biggest move Alanis made was ditching Ballard, which has the unexpected result of bringing back the sound of Jagged Little Pill, a lush, dense layering of loops, guitars, keyboards, and vocals that makes her songs seem catchier than they are. But thats not all -- shes returned to the impassioned, awkwardly written, syllable-heavy confessional verse that marked Jagged Little Pill. Not only that, shes returned to the very relationship that inspired her breakthrough hit "You Oughta Know," most clearly on the albums lead single, "Hands Clean," this time written from the perspective of the older man who laid prey to the young Canadian star. This would all seem calculated, an attempt to regain her chart status, if Morissette wasnt so unabashedly earnest, seemingly unembarrassed by her confessions. And perhaps she shouldnt be, since her lyrics are so elaborately overwritten its hard to discern whats going on in her songs. Repeated listens may reveal that her tortured verse derives from something very personal indeed (perhaps its something so personal, she chooses to hide it by ignoring the rules of syntax and logic, but given her interviews, her unwieldy words are likely just a personal artistic statement), but its never clear what the songs are about, unless she makes it clear in the title ("21 Things I Want in a Lover," "Narcissus," to name but two). It was easier to call this trait charming on the diary confessions of Jagged, but by this point, the elaborate phrasing and rush of consonants is becoming a bit of a distraction, but the saving grace of Under Rug Swept is that it sounds good. The music flows, the production doesnt overplay its hand, its pleasingly melodic, tempering the extremities of Jagged Little Pill while retaining the character, and as such, its easy to groove on the sound without listening to the words. A downside is that the songs, apart from the first three, dont stand out as individual songs, but they do cohere as a whole better than Supposed, and thats no small accomplishment. Alanis is still held back by her own idiosyncrasies -- her determination to be different, to write every word she could possibly ever want to say in as difficult a way as possible -- but thats also her defining characteristic. Its better heard on Jagged, but if you want more of that, take this: its what Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie should have been. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 17 Title: Feast on Scraps Released: 2002-12-10 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Fear of Bliss (04:39) 2 Bent for You (04:42) 3 Sorry to Myself (05:45) 4 Sister Blister (04:12) 5 Offer (04:06) 6 Unprodigal Daughter (04:14) 7 Simple Together (04:48) 8 Purgatorying (04:29) 9 Hands Clean (acoustic) (04:10) |
 | Album: 9 of 17 Title: So‐Called Chaos Released: 2004-04-21 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Eight Easy Steps (02:52) 2 Out Is Through (03:52) 3 Excuses (03:32) 4 Doth I Protest Too Much (04:03) 5 Knees of My Bees (03:41) 6 So‐Called Chaos (05:03) 7 Not All Me (03:58) 8 This Grudge (05:07) 9 Spineless (04:15) 10 Everything (04:34) |
| So‐Called Chaos : Allmusic album Review : Alanis Morissette has often written about affairs of the heart, but shes rarely written from the perspective of being in love, and shes certainly never recorded an album where she seems so in love and at peace as she has with her fourth album, So-Called Chaos. She doesnt hide her romance with Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, perhaps best known as the title role of National Lampoons Van Wilder, thanking him in the liner notes and alluding to their relationship throughout this romance-heavy record. There are still strands of bitterness, cynicism, and jealously, yet they feel like unfinished business that shes slowly putting to rest. Nowhere is this more true than on "This Grudge," which for all intents and purposes looks like the final chapter in the tale of "The Relationship," the one that fueled "You Oughta Know," since she acknowledges that shes held "this grudge" for "14 years, 30 minutes, 15 seconds" and through "11 songs" and "four full journals" (and, given Alanis penchant for confession and single-minded obsession, chances are shes not exaggerating). Shes not just leaving this relationship behind, shes maturing, and theres a calm directness to much of her writing that leads her to both open-hearted love songs and, occasionally, a sly sense of humor (as on the sardonic opener, "Eight Easy Steps"). Morissette still has a tendency to overwrite and then deliver these tangled tenses in exceedingly odd phrasing -- the chorus to "Knees of My Bees" doesnt sound much like "tremble and buckle," it sounds for all the world like "jambalaya, Bucko!" -- but thats simply par for the course with Alanis. Whats unexpected, though, is the confidence of her music, which recaptures some of the vigor of Jagged Little Pill, as its brighter, denser, catchier than either of its immediate predecessors, and boasts her most assured singing yet. Even with all this, its not heavy on immediate singles -- the first, "Everything," takes awhile to have its hook settle in -- but as an overall record, its her most satisfying since her blockbuster breakthrough. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 17 Title: iTunes Originals Released: 2004-06-15 Tracks: 21 Duration: 54:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Introduction (01:43) 2 Thoughts about "You Oughta Know" (00:52) 3 You Oughta Know (04:09) 4 The motivation behind writing "Everything" (02:37) 5 Everything (04:34) 6 How the inspiration behind "Everything" is similar to "Head Over Feet" (00:46) 7 Head Over Feet (04:20) 8 The most ironic thing about "Ironic" (00:51) 9 Ironic (03:55) 10 How to ruin your life in "Eight Easy Steps" (00:37) 11 Eight Easy Steps (02:52) 12 "Thank U" is a prayer (00:54) 13 Thank U (04:36) 14 Finding "Excuses" (00:45) 15 Excuses (03:56) 16 The therapy behind "Hands Clean" (00:55) 17 Hands Clean (04:44) 18 The most gratifying moments for me (00:48) 19 Utopia (05:00) 20 Why the album is called "So-Called Chaos" (01:15) 21 Out Is Through (03:52) |
 | Album: 11 of 17 Title: Jagged Little Pill Acoustic Released: 2005-06-13 Tracks: 12 Duration: 58:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All I Really Want (05:24) 2 You Oughta Know (04:58) 3 Perfect (03:26) 4 Hand in My Pocket (04:32) 5 Right Through You (03:40) 6 Forgiven (04:43) 7 You Learn (04:10) 8 Head Over Feet (04:17) 9 Mary Jane (05:08) 10 Ironic (03:57) 11 Not the Doctor (04:26) 12 Wake Up / Your House (09:56) |
| Jagged Little Pill Acoustic : Allmusic album Review : Theres an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm from 2002 where Alanis Morissette is performing at a benefit concert thats eventually held at Larry Davids home, where she sings a stripped-down acoustic arrangement of "You Oughta Know" with guitarist David Levita for an audience of wealthy Hollywood liberals. This may not have been the genesis of her 2005 album Jagged Little Pill Acoustic -- initially for sale only in Starbucks stores, but released to mass retail in late July -- but that performance not only offers a clue to the sound of this acoustic-based reinterpretation of her blockbuster breakthrough, but also to its target audience. Unlike the 1995 original, this is not a dense, glossy pop album that slyly co-opts and repackages ideas from the musical fringe for a mass audience, nor is this akin to her 1999 acoustic album Alanis Unplugged, where Morissette was still sorting out exactly which direction to take in the aftermath of her phenomenal success. Jagged Little Pill Acoustic is the sound of an artist who is comfortable and settled, fondly reminiscing about her crazy past for an audience that is also comfortable and settled. This is sepia-toned music (which is appropriate, since the cover itself is a sepia-toned replication of the originals artwork), with all of the excesses and eccentricities of youth either romanticized or dismissed with a soft chuckle. Alanis marvels at how crazy she was back then, as she and her audience both congratulate themselves on surviving ten years while reflecting on how much theyve personally grown in that decade. All of this is captured in the lone lyrical change: "Ironic" now concludes with Alanis meeting the man of her dreams and meeting not his beautiful wife, but his beautiful husband (shes no longer pronouncing "figures" as "figgers," either). This doesnt change the song or its intent, but it does signal that Morissette has a slightly different perspective, one that is self-congratulatory, more tolerant, and more self-consciously urbane. And that pretty much summarizes the music here, too: its deliberately mature and certainly more tasteful than the original Jagged Little Pill, the kind of music that would sound good playing in, well, the background of a coffee shop. While there are acoustic guitars at the foundation of each of the 12 tracks here (plus the unlisted 13th bonus track), this isnt strictly acoustic, at least by most standards: with original JLP producer Glen Ballard, who never met a production he couldnt overdub a few more times than necessary, on board as well, its not surprising that Acoustic winds up being a subdued adult alternative pop album filled with strings, keyboards, and production instead of a stark acoustic record. Since Ballard is a pro and since Alanis has lived with these songs long enough to find different, yet comfortable, ways to rephrase these familiar melodies, its a pleasant enough listen, but its hard to see the point of the album. That is, unless it is really for the kind of crowd she serenaded in that episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm -- a very satisfied, very comfortable audience that prefers to see the past only through rose-colored glasses that present their history in terms that are more acceptable to who they are now than who they were back then. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 17 Title: The Collection Released: 2005-11-11 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:15:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thank U (04:18) 2 Head Over Feet (04:25) 3 Eight Easy Steps (02:52) 4 Everything (04:34) 5 Crazy (03:39) 6 Ironic (03:48) 7 Princes Familiar (MTV Unplugged) (04:34) 8 You Learn (03:59) 9 Simple Together (04:48) 10 You Oughta Know (04:09) 11 That I Would Be Good (04:17) 12 Sister Blister (04:12) 13 Hands Clean (04:31) 14 Movement 1: Mercy (03:44) 15 Still (06:17) 16 Uninvited (04:36) 17 Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love) (03:23) 18 Hand in My Pocket (03:39) |
| The Collection : Allmusic album Review : Alanis Morissette had hits after her 1995 blockbuster Jagged Little Pill -- she also hits before it, but those Canadian teen pop hits have been effectively written out of her official biography to no great loss -- but after that albums nearly three-year reign on the charts in the second half of the 90s, she never dominated radio, MTV, and popular consciousness again. She was always a presence, and each of her records received a flurry of attention upon its initial release, with both 1998s Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and 2002s Under Rug Swept both debuting at number one on the Billboard charts, but once it became clear to her millions of fans that she was pursuing a weirder, introspective direction in the wake of Jagged Little Pill, they started to slowly drift away and Alanis status faded with it. She still made good music (even if the albums themselves could be uneven), but she stopped having genuine pop hits. Of course, she kind of stopped making pop music, as the sober nature of her first hits album, 2005s The Collection, proves. This generous 18-track collection has the great majority of her charting singles and its understandably heavy on Jagged Little Pill songs; there are five here, including "Hand in My Pocket," "Ironic," and "You Oughta Know," but not the radio hit "All I Really Want." Most of the remaining big hits are here, including the non-LP "Uninvited" from the City of Angels soundtrack, "Thank U" (here retitled "Thank You"), and "Hands Clean," but there are several charting singles from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie that were overlooked ("Joining You," "Unsent," and, most regrettably, "So Pure," the liveliest song on the LP), which suggests that Alanis now also sees that album as an awkward growing period between the angst-ridden adolescent of JPL and her self-consciously mature work of the 2000s. In their place are a hodgepodge of non-LP rarities, largely soundtrack contributions, including "Still" from Dogma and a very bad version of Cole Porters "Lets Do It (Lets Fall in Love)" from De-Lovely; theres also "Sister Blister" from her overlooked 2002 rarities CD/DVD Feast on Scraps, plus a new cover of Seals "Crazy" thats startlingly close to the original. All these relative rarities dilute The Collection, making it seem something less than either the hits or the best of Alanis Morissette; it doesnt help that theyre clustered together in the second part of the compilation, slowing the momentum of the hit-heavy first half quite a bit. Also, the overall tenor of these songs, whether theyre hits or rarities, is just a shade too self-serious; the songs crawl along under the weight of the heavy, atmospheric keyboard and guitars, which may give Alanis plenty of space to run wild lyrically but never quite amount to being as catchy or immediate as any of Jagged Little Pill. As a result, The Collection isnt nearly as a satisfying listen as it should have been, even if it functions reasonably well as a sampler of Alanis biggest and best post-JPL work. It may have more than its fair share of dull patches, but it does have most of the big songs, which should be enough for many fans who have liked various Alanis songs theyve heard on the radio since Jagged Little Pill but never bothered following her after the muddled Supposed Former. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 17 Title: Flavors of Entanglement Released: 2008-05-21 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:10:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Citizen of the Planet (04:22) 2 Underneath (04:07) 3 Straitjacket (03:08) 4 Versions of Violence (03:36) 5 Not as We (04:45) 6 In Praise of the Vulnerable Man (04:07) 7 Moratorium (05:34) 8 Torch (04:49) 9 Giggling Again for No Reason (03:48) 10 Tapes (04:26) 11 Incomplete (03:30) 1 Orchid (04:21) 2 The Guy Who Leaves (04:12) 3 Madness (06:21) 4 Limbo No More (05:21) 5 On the Tequila (03:42) |
| Flavors of Entanglement : Allmusic album Review : The running joke goes like this: as soon as Alanis Morissette suffered a heartbreak like she did prior to Jagged Little Pill, she would once again write lyrics as vitriolic as confessional as that 1995 breakthrough. As any tabloid follower knows -- and really, in the new millennium we all follow the tabloids whether we like it or not -- Alanis split from fiancé Ryan Reynolds after the release of 2004s So-Called Chaos, an album that floated joyously on her newfound love, so its no great stretch to see its 2008 follow-up, Flavors of Entanglement, as its opposite, a classic breakup record. And it is, filled with songs of heartbreak, anger, and regret, along with a healthy dose of self affirmation -- or at least it seems that way, as Alanis words are harder than ever to parse, a mangled web of garbled syntax, overheated metaphors, and mystifying verbal contortions all requiring too much effort to decode. In that sense, its a lot like Jagged Little Pill, but musically this is far closer to the muddled mystic worldbeat of Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, thanks in large part to her collaboration with Guy Sigsworth, best known for his productions with Björk and Madonna. Given his résumé, it should come as no great surprise that Sigsworth gives Flavors of Entanglement some adventurous textures and drum loops, even electronically altered voices on occasion, but this is no dance record; its a claustrophobic, cluttered adult pop album underpinned by a hazy new age sensibility, best heard (if not best articulated) on "Citizen of the Planet," a thick swirling dirge which serves as an appropriate opening salvo for this dense murk, where the music is almost as impenetrable as the lyrics. Coming after the streamlined Under Rug Swept and light So-Called Chaos, this return to insularity is a bit startling yet its welcome, both for those who find a personal connection within Alanis accidentally cryptic confessions and those who like to listen to her ramblings with their mouths agape, as this overspills with emotional and musical dissonance, the kind that made her phenomenal success on Jagged Little Pill improbable and her slow descent into high-end liberal lifestyle music after Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie quite understandable. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 17 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2012-03-26 Tracks: 62 Duration: 4:26:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 All I Really Want (04:44) 2 You Oughta Know (04:09) 3 Perfect (03:08) 4 Hand in My Pocket (03:39) 5 Right Through You (02:55) 6 Forgiven (04:59) 7 You Learn (03:59) 8 Head Over Feet (04:25) 9 Mary Jane (04:40) 10 Ironic (03:48) 11 Not the Doctor (03:47) 12 Wake Up (04:53) 13 You Oughta Know (Jimmy the Saint Blend) / Your House (08:10) 1 Front Row (04:12) 2 Baba (04:29) 3 Thank U (04:18) 4 Are You Still Mad (04:03) 5 Sympathetic Character (05:10) 6 That I Would Be Good (04:17) 7 The Couch (05:23) 8 Can’t Not (04:35) 9 UR (03:30) 10 I Was Hoping (03:50) 11 One (04:39) 12 Would Not Come (04:04) 13 Unsent (04:09) 14 So Pure (02:50) 15 Joining You (04:23) 16 Heart of the House (03:45) 17 Your Congratulations (03:55) 1 21 Things I Want in a Lover (03:28) 2 Narcissus (03:38) 3 Hands Clean (04:31) 4 Flinch (06:03) 5 So Unsexy (05:08) 6 Precious Illusions (04:11) 7 That Particular Time (04:21) 8 A Man (04:33) 9 You Owe Me Nothing in Return (04:57) 10 Surrendering (04:35) 11 Utopia (05:00) 1 Eight Easy Steps (02:52) 2 Out Is Through (03:52) 3 Excuses (03:32) 4 Doth I Protest Too Much (04:03) 5 Knees of My Bees (03:41) 6 So‐Called Chaos (05:03) 7 Not All Me (03:58) 8 This Grudge (05:07) 9 Spineless (04:15) 10 Everything (04:34) 1 Citizen of the Planet (04:22) 2 Underneath (04:07) 3 Straitjacket (03:08) 4 Versions of Violence (03:36) 5 Not as We (04:45) 6 In Praise of the Vulnerable Man (04:07) 7 Moratorium (05:34) 8 Torch (04:49) 9 Giggling Again for No Reason (03:48) 10 Tapes (04:26) 11 Incomplete (03:30) |
 | Album: 15 of 17 Title: Live at Montreux 2012 Released: 2012-04-19 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:13:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Remain (03:02) 2 Woman Down (03:32) 3 All I Really Want (06:05) 4 You Learn (04:42) 5 Guardian (05:00) 6 Flinch (06:37) 7 Hands Clean (04:40) 8 Ironic (03:58) 9 Havoc (05:55) 10 Head Over Feet (04:35) 11 Versions of Violence (03:43) 12 You Oughta Know (05:04) 13 Numb (06:29) 14 Hand in My Pocket (05:01) 15 Thank U (04:49) |
| Live at Montreux 2012 : Allmusic album Review : Alanis Morissette hasnt racked up a lot of live releases over the years, which makes 2013s Live at Montreux 2012 somewhat noteworthy. Discounting such oddities as the 2002 home video Music in High Places, this is Alanis first official live album since 1999s Alanis Unplugged and much has changed in the ensuing 13 years. Back in 1999, she was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. In 2012, shes a survivor and an old pro, easily adjusting the keys of the song to fit her voice, knowing how to sequence her set so the fan favorites -- a huge chunk of Jagged Little Pill is here -- are threaded between the new songs. The band is big but not too powerful, the performance polished without being overly slick. There may be no surprises, as another titan of the late 90s once sang, but its a satisfying performance, one that should please the fans who have been waiting years for a live souvenir. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 17 Title: Havoc and Bright Lights Released: 2012-08-12 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:01:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Guardian (04:18) 2 Woman Down (03:36) 3 ’til You (04:07) 4 Celebrity (04:01) 5 Empathy (04:00) 6 Lens (04:08) 7 Spiral (04:17) 8 Numb (04:10) 9 Havoc (05:53) 10 Win and Win (05:01) 11 Receive (04:28) 12 Edge of Evolution (04:30) 13 Will You Be My Girlfriend? (04:11) 14 Magical Child (05:07) |
| Havoc and Bright Lights : Allmusic album Review : Rebounding from the breakup record of 2008s Flavors of Entanglement, Alanis Morissette is in a sunny mood on Havoc and Bright Lights, her first album in four years and first shes released since leaving her longtime home at Maverick Records. A new home suggests its time for a rebirth and Havoc and Bright Lights certainly fits the bill, Morissette exuding a quiet bliss as a happy newlywed and mother, a sensibility thats tempered somewhat by Alanis also embracing her role as an elder statesman, hectoring all those young folk eager to become a "tattooed sexy dancing monkey" so they can become a "Celebrity." Such mild condescension doesnt surface all that often, probably because Morissette is in an unusually benevolent mood, settling into her happiness without raising a single doubt or misgiving. Naturally, it follows that her music also feels quite comfortable. Working once again with producer Guy Sigsworth -- he helmed Flavors -- along with his new partner Joe Chiccarelli, Morissette flips Flavors inside out, winding up with a wide-open, cheerful set of adult pop, the kind where the sound matters more than the song. And thats not quite fair to Alanis, for as content as she is, shes still exploring the depths of her satisfaction, working out its pitfalls and plateaus. If the music shortchanges this struggle, presenting it as nothing more than a foregone conclusion, at least Havoc and Bright Lights is as soothing as a Sunday afternoon nap or a warm bath: its music for when you know youre right where you want to be. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 17 Title: The Demos: 1994 - 1998 Released: 2016-04-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Bottom Line (04:11) 2 Superstar Wonderful Weirdos (04:23) 3 Closer Than You Might Believe (03:35) 4 No Avalon (04:21) 5 Comfort (04:05) 6 Gorgeous (04:02) 7 King of Intimidation (03:19) 8 Death of Cinderella (03:15) 9 London (04:32) 10 These Are the Thoughts (03:16) |