"Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill"

When one thinks of '90s angst-rock, a couple of bands pop up--Nirvana is one, of course. Another is Alanis Morissette, whose major-label debut, Jagged Little Pill, was quite possibly the most well-known "f**k you" album known to man. But this isn't an entirely accurate or fair portrayal of the album, which moves from angsty diary entries to quiet meditations on spirituality, the self, and redemption.

Above all, this is really an album about redemption--about those who seek it, those who attempt to redeem others, and those who refuse to accept redemption. The song cycle deals in large part with what is called simply "The Relationship," which apparently involved the young waif Alanis and an older record executive gentleman who promised to make her a star and instead took advantage of her. This forms the basis for most of the songs here, especially the breakout tune "You Oughta Know" and "Right Through You." Though many of the songs overt mentions of "The Relationship," these two convey the path the circumstances followed the most.

Lyrically, Alanis's style is very confessional and reads like a diary entry set to Dylanesque verse. Like Dylan, she sometimes tries to cram too many syllables into a single phrase. But the funny thing is, it works. Even her sometimes piercing vocal delivery works. This is catharsis in its most primative and purest sense; this is a young woman exorcising her demons and attempting to move on, as songs such as "You Learn" imply. Songs like "You Learn" and "Head Over Feet" present a smirking, impish side to Alanis's music, proving she's not just about screaming and being angry at the jerk who did her wrong. She recognizes that dwelling in the past prevents personal growth and development, so she uses the songs about "The Relationship" to purge herself and to move beyond the situation.

Especially when you consider that she was only all of 19 when she recorded this album (primarily with producer/multi-instrumentalist Glen Ballard), Alanis's lyrical abilities are still impressive. She has the confessional, personal style down pat, and it works well for the themes and circumstances she writes about. Her introspection is sometimes a little too insular, and some of the songs are hard to penetrate (one feels this is on purpose, even), but they're still good songs, even if you can't quite figure them out.

The album's musical sheen clashes a bit with Alanis's ragged vocals. There is a processed, polished feel to everything--most of the drums are programmed drum machines rather than live drummers, and the guitars are smoothed out and rendered into an almost synth-like drone in many places. This isn't to say the music is bad, just that it doesn't always jive with the vocals. Of interesting note is that Heartbreakers pianist/organist Benmont Tench makes several guest appearances here, providing some excellent and understated organ accompaniment to several of the songs.

Overall, Jagged Little Pill is an excellent album that seems like something of an acquired taste. This is due in large part to Alanis's ragged and histrionic vocal delivery. Once you get past that, though, and dig into the meat of the songs, it's well-worth the trip and discovery.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Alanis Morissette, "You Learn"