CD - Alanis Morissette - Flavors Of Entanglement

Reviews, By Danm82, 10th June, 2008

It’s been four years since Alanis released any new original material. Finally she has released her follow-up album to the moderately successful So-Called Chaos. During the time away she has obviously done some musical searching and decided to release an album which not only reclaims her failing career, but also proves that she can be successful across multiple genres.

Opening the album is a rock anthem Citizen of the Planet which will appease listeners who tuned out after Jagged Little Pill. She also muses over what it is to be human and looks at how we interact with the track Underneath. Then, in a complete change of musical style, Alanis hits us with Straitjacket full of electronic beeps and riffs – it has to the be most un-Alanis song that we’ve ever heard. The remixes will be nothing short of amazing.

Versions Of Violence slams back with electric guitars wailing and drums, pounding messages of different types of domestic abuse into our ears and minds. The album then drifts on with more tracks which are undeniably Alanis as she slides through her entire vocal scale, showcasing her true talent as a singer and songwriter.

The album is a departure from what we have heard her produce musically but the content is still on par. Her angst routine still lurks behind more than a few of the songs. She even shows a much softer and mellow side on more than a few of the tracks featuring pianos, violins and guitars. Sadly, her the harmonica which was ever present throughout Jagged Little Pill and Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is missing from this release.

After a few misses with her last few studio albums, it’s good to hear she’s back on track with an album full of material that will restart her career and re-instate her as one of the super-acts of today. She’s a musician with something to say and the intelligence and musical talent to convey it to the masses. The only fault with the album is that there’s not more of it. Alanis Morissette, nineties queen of angst, 2008’s album of the year.

Flavors Of Entanglement is out now through Warner Music.

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