Lopez Blogs

Who would have thought that the FizzyPop 25 Acts of Amazingness would kick off with ol' Alanis at number 21? Much like I often do with the Barenaked Ladies (who battled valiantly for this spot but lost out), I forget sometimes how much I like Alanis and her infuriating pretentious lyrics that are often wrapped in tres pretty melodies. And her latest opus (reviewed further down) demonstrates that she is at her best when putting out her odd numbered studio albums, which are all quite delightful in comparison to the bloated offering of number two and disappointing number four. Read on my pretties and all will be revealed.

JAGGED LITTLE PILL (1995/2005)

My two favourite albums of 1995 could not have been more opposite and represented the polarising romantic conflict I was having within. Think With Your Heart (Debbie Gibson) was full of odes to true love, long lasting romances and soul mates. Jagged Little Pill was the perfect antithesis - a marrying of bitter grungy venom with razor sharp lyrics. Detractors said it was far too depressing and full of shock tactic only words, but it sold like hot cakes (mmmm, hot cakes) to millions of Lillith Fair loving ladies. And me. I first heard You Oughta Know while I was in Utah of all places in July 1995 and instantly loved it. It was the perfect break up song, dripping with malevolence, spurned hurt and venom. Plus it proved that Alanis could give the greatest "fuck" in pop history - practically spat out and cleverly guaranteeing her some publicity (FYI - Ani DiFranco gives the second greatest "fuck" so soft and gentle in Untouchable Face as if to say "i'm done. You can't hurt be anymore". Strangely lovely!) The album is jam packed with tracks that could easily have been singles - and at times it seems like most were. Hand In My Pocket is an ode to the great past time of masturbation set to a lazy guitar led melody; You Learn has a great poppy chorus and details what can be taken from life as you grow (though for years I erroneously thought she was recommending Chinese food when she sang "I recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone" or "I recommend bin ting thai mon ching to anyone" as i heard it! Yikes!) and All I Really Want is guitar thrashy goodness that further bridged the grunge-pop divide. Now let's talk Ironic. None of the examples in the song (a great melody btw) are actually ironic. Irony is the wizard of oz (Dorothy wants to go home, only to find out she could go home all the time; the scarecrow seeks a brain only to discover he is actually intelligent); irony is romeo killing himself when he finds the poisoned Juliet, only for Juliet to kill herself on waking to find the dead Romeo; irony is actually avoiding flying and then taking a bus to avoid your fear of planes crashing only to have the plane crash into the bus - thus confirming those fears! It bugs me a little bit, so I have chosen to believe that Alanis was actually being ironic by using examples that didn't signify irony in the slightest. Or something. Anyway, so amazing was this album that 10 years later it was released in acoustic format and sounded equally as lovely. And actually made me realise that the album wasn't as angry as I first thought - more of a declaration of empowerment a full year before those spices hit...
Singles (actual and suggested): You Oughta Know; Hand In My Pocket; You Learn; Ironic; All I Really Want; Head over Feet

SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE (1998):

Blimey! While Alanis was gathering her inner Mother India for the release of this album, she plugged the gap with the beautiful Uninvited from the dreadful movie City of Angels. Built around a haunting piano melody, it was elegant both in design and execution. It probably was the template for Evanescence as well, so it did have a down side too. Still, I adored the tune and soaring vocal (and subsequent dance remake 10 years later) which meant that the bloated pretentiously titled second album was even more of a let down (particularly in light of her new album which revisits the eastern sounds and influences this album was bathed in)... Frankly the album could have had about 7 tracks cut from it and it would have been a much more comprehensive set. With it's themes of reconciliation, Thank U made a decent if not outstanding first single and at least had an identifiable chorus - something that some of the meandering tracks did not (that's called the Dave Matthews factor). Joining You was just a hideous mess of a track - depressing and fuzzy and an odd choice for a single. Pure in contrast was possibly Alanis' first dance-pop effort and was a true delight to listen to. In between the plodding instrumentals and experimental failures, self indulgence and too too intimate diary peeks (the Jewel factor) were a couple more winning songs that could easily have been singles and perhaps redeemed Ms Morrisette in the eyes of her diminishing fanbase. UR is a mid tempo pop jam that almost forsakes the chorus in favour of a slow building burn and throwsback to Jagged... with use of harmonica. And Alanis reached the Dawson's Creek masses with her most accessible song here, the gorgeous ballad That I Would Be Good - swathed in melancholy and delicious melody, Alanis' voice is in fine form and shows that a little acoustic restraint can benefit everyone. If i sound over critical of this album, it's because it felt such a let down after Jagged... though some people claim it was actually artistic growth and development. Yes, well, if all art was valid, my doodles of darren's willy would be hanging in the louvre...:P
Singles (actual and suggested): Thank U; Joining U; UR; That I Would Be Good; So Pure

UNDER RUG SWEPT (2002):

While waiting four bloody years for a third album proper, Alanis did one of those "oh so trendy in the 90s" MTV Unplugged albums - always a good way of raking in some extra cash, I suppose. And she nearly lost me at this point. Still disillusioned by Supposed... I wondered whether I was done with Alanis. Certainly it was too early for an unplugged album (that goes for you as well Mariah and Lauryn Hill) and the new songs on it certainly weren't anything to write home about. Luckily good stuff was coming, and strangely enough it came God-given in the form of a soundtrack. Still was taken from the movie Dogma and as far as I can tell was a song written from the point of view of God who seems pretty pissed off with the world for continuing their sinful ways! It's possibly the best religious song since, erm, anything Amy Grant did back in the House of Love era and a definite winner... And then came the third album and Hands Clean proved she could still write a brilliant pop song with a catchy hook and those annoyingly irritating lyrics that you kind of learn to love in an eye rolling kind of way. Alanis showed she could still be angry and vent her frustrations, but she didn't have to do at a million miles an hour. Her maturity showed a more philosophical approach and that's what makes this album so great. Radio virtually ignored the album and that was certainly to their detriment because I can count a decent six singles from this set. Aside from the lead off single, there were the scratchy beats of 21 Things I Want in a Lover (make your own list people! So much fun!) paired with the rockier Precious Illusions that could have penetrated snobby alt. radio. Moments of reflection and enlightenment shine through in the melodic and pretty Unsexy - a song full of regret for how mere words and criticism can damage confidence and self respect as much as any other type of abuse. Utopia would turn out to be an unofficial response to the 9/11 tragedy with her definition of a perfect world set to multi layered voices which definitely showcase how lovely Alanis' vocal can sometimes be. And once again, perfect for the now-moved-on-to-The-OC generation was the restrained ballad That Particular Time with a stunning low key piano performance and heart breaking chorus. At 11 tracks it is a much more focused affair than Supposed and fairs far better in my memory for it.
Singles (actual and suggested): Hands Clean; 21 Things; Precious Illusions; That Particular Time; So Unsexy; Utopia

SO CALLED CHAOS (2004):

Alanis is in love! And it shines through on this album like the sun breaking through the clouds. And despite me protesting that the even numbered albums aren't particularly amazing, this is far better than Supposed, but lacks the magic of Jagged and Rug. Perhaps her power was in her hair, which she chopped off and looked worse than the current image of Katie Holmes-Cruise-Controlled. Everything was a weak choice for a first single and was easily overlooked by radio and fans. I seem to remember that Eight Easy Steps was touted as the lead off single at one stage and that would have been a much better choice. Great chorus, punchy little rocker and a winning vocal. Out is Through is also a great song, though slowed down a little and perhaps her most hopeful lyrics to date (bar Utopia). And just as Sophie B Hawkins stood out with ballads like As I Lay Me Down and Lose Your Way soundtracked a million teen dramas, so Alanis continued her trend by providing the lovely but marginally dull These Excuses that could easily have narrated a montage on Everwood or Gilmore Girls. It was nice to see Alanis in love - she was just more interesting when she was as fucked up as the rest of the world. Head on over to her greatest hits collection and you get a great piece of ear candy in the form of her delirious take on Seal's Crazy. More like that and this chaos would have been much more tolerable...
Singles (actual and suggested): Everything, Out is Through, Eight Easy Steps, These Excuses, Crazy

FLAVOURS OF ENTANGLEMENT (2008):

Even though I may seem a bit critical of Alanis in this flashback, the fact that i keep returning to her songs from all eras over and over again - and look forward to new material earns her that place in the FizzyPop 25. Her new album is a complete winner - and totally XO approved too! There was a line on popjustice that made me laugh - "they sent us (and presumably every other blog on the planet) some promo material". I received so many promo things for the single Underneath, it was unreal - and then saw them proliferate the blogosphere with nowt but a few lines of prose under them. Deep! I wanted to have something a bit more to say - Underneath is a fine track, but it's VERY Alanis and i was hoping for more. Luckily the album totally delivers (except the very clunky Citizen Of The Planet which is just too hodge podge of styles to truly come into it's own). It takes the themes and musical influences from Supposed and under the watchful eye of Guy Sigsworth are transformed into a cohesive and lovely piece of work. Take Giggling Again For No Reason. It's a deliciously airy nugget of pop, reminiscent of So Pure with a gorgeous chorus that floats along with Alanis' most innocent vocal to date and perhaps something that would have worked perfectly for a Kylie track. Her openness about her breakup with Ryan Reynolds (no relation!) is evident in tracks like In Praise of The Vulnerable Man where she is laying her heart on the line. The simple and elegant Not As We stands out for it's pretty piano melody and restrained performance, while the epic Torch uses sweeping orchestral instrumentation to convey her devastation at losing her love and is musically gorgeous while lyrically heartbreaking. It's a very singular themed album, but one so expansive in musical themes that each listen (and there's been a few) brings new delights and rewards. Oh and check out PopMuse's view of the tracklisting and aces bonus song...
Singles (actual and suggested): Underneath; Giggling Again; Not As We; Torch

Tomorrow! thoughts on some of the latest new singles....