So-Called Chaos

ALANIS MORISSETTE

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Released 17/05/2004

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Songwriter/Performing Songwriter

Editorial Review

It is nine years since the angst-ridden ‘Jagged Little Pill?/A> with the head-turning “You Oughta Know?track. She doesn’t do naughty things in movie theatres any more and has updated her image too, with those temptress tresses being chopped down to a respectably sexy shoulder length. So the body may be lighter, some tunes brighter, but fear not, she’s not slipped into the lightweight mainstream category yet. More palatable but the attitude remains.

Alanis always unburdens her soul through her music, and her profoundly weird streak hasn’t gone away either. As has always been her trait, it all sounds so very personal, and even if all those men-hate-crimes are unproven, she still gives the impression of having been through the emotional wringer. This time though, there’s less confusion and more positivity.

She’s played around with Indian rhythms before, and that continues again from track one. An interesting, more upbeat track than has been her stock in trade before, and one which turns almost frantic. “Knees Of My Bees?is one of her best titles ever, and once again the underlying Indian vibe works well. Big song. The same influence on the title track, but with growling guitars and more obvious dissatisfaction, this is a far darker, angry affair. It hardly matters if she has gone the angry musician route to ‘find herself?in ‘Eastern mysticism? but those vibes meld well with her voice.

“Everything?(in explicit form on the album) has the drifting, building magic that she creates perfectly. Not quite as immediate as the pop-tastic “Hands Clean?last time out, but a worthy lead single anyway. “Out Is Through?is a quintessential Alanis track. Fine hooks and melodies, and a certain future single. “Excuses?is a really pumped up version of “Uninvited? Rockier, bouncing but still with the souring choruses that she can do so well. “Spineless?still has self-inflicted venom whilst “This Grudge?has a fairy-tale hint of self-progression, yet of a grudge that has grown old ?which many might accuse Alanis of having herself.

But however strong many of these tracks are (and some definitely are), it is easy to be trapped by Alanis-fatigue. Her appeal is so unique, and although more dilute this time around, a little does go a long way. So maybe it really is best that she only spews out the barest minimum ten tracks here. At least she preaches the obvious self-belief that so many contemporaries fail to wear on their sleeves, but how many bitchin?songs from a whingeing songstress do you really want to hear?

Alanis Morissette is still a remarkably shy person who only turns 30 next month. Grown up maybe, but not the contented housewife yet, even if her looks do give that impression. Four albums in, there remains a cauldron of bubbling creativity in her head of bees (and their knees), and although the impact of the ‘Jagged Little Pill?/A> may have been swallowed before, there’s still a whole lot of attitude left to savour.

Neil Chase
Music Editor

Additional Info

Recording: STEREO
Format: Single Case

Tracklisting

CD

Eight Easy Steps
Out Is Through
Excuses
Doth I Protest Too Much
Knees Of My Bees
Not All Me
So-Called Chaos
This Grudge
Spineless
Everything

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