Havoc and Bright Lights

Alanis Morissette | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 28, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collective Sounds
• ASIN: B008568U4Y
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,535 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Guardian

2. Woman Down

3. 'Til You

4. Celebrity

5. Empathy

6. Lens

7. Spiral

8. Numb

9. Havoc

10. Win and Win

11. Receive

12. Edge of Evolution

Editorial Reviews

Multi-platinum, Grammy winning artist Alanis Morissette, is releasing her new album Havoc And Bright Lights, on August 28th (Collective Sounds/Sony RED). Produced by Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Madonna, Seal) and Joe Chiccarelli (Tori Amos, Elton John, My Morning Jacket, U2) and recorded in Los Angeles, the album marks the songstress' first release in four years.

"This record, as always, is a snapshot of what I currently obsess about, care about, and what strikes me at 4 in the morning in my most introspective moments," says Morissette. "It is my emotional, psychological, social and philosophical commentary through song. I can't wait to share it with this fun and funny planet, and to tour, and can't WAIT to have the lively, engaging and challenging conversations that these songs may invite."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 45 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Less Havoc, More Bright Lights August 28, 2012

By Rudy Palma

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Alanis Morissette will not earn many new converts with "Havoc and Bright Lights," but she will keep her devoted fan base pleased with this smart, sturdy collection of tunes.

Devotees hoping for a continuation of the high watermark set by 2008's "Flavors of Entanglement" will be disappointed. While "Havoc..." may not be as impressive or irrepressible as that collection, however, Morissette must be given credit for not repeating herself. The four years, after all, have brought her into the thick of marriage and motherhood, and that is reflected in a freer, decidedly less anxious set of tunes.

Part and parcel of this new perspective are the likes of "Til' You" and "Empathy." Deceptively unengaging and soft at the core, they soon reveal their lyrical and melodic treasures upon repeated play, underscoring the irreplaceable value of Morissette's highly individual style.

Tunes such as "Lens" and "Win and Win" follow suit. Kind, altruistic and gentle are not synonymous with banal in Morissette's vocabulary. She manages to touch on themes of interconnectedness and universality without inducing groans or recycling preceding ideas. One of her key assets is an ability to express her ideas in an unorthodox, through-the-backdoor fashion, rewarding listeners with poetic ears.

"Receive" is particularly moving with its full-bodied chorus, as is the sprightly, acutely self-aware "Spiral" - they are but a few idiosyncrasies away from being radio friendly.

She still rocks hard when she wants to. "Woman Down" blisters and pierces in its righteous anti-misogyny, proving Morissette can still make her enemies cower if the spirit so moves her. Alternatively, the fierce love and nurturance that seep from the pores of lead single "Guardian" is absolutely hair-raising upon close listen.

The major flaw of the record is Joe Chiccarelli's production, which whitewashes a lot of the adventure and unpredictability out of the equation. Morissette's particular proclivities are too often bleached, giving many of the songs an unwelcome slickness and sheen, and her voice is mixed too far below the soundscapes. This serves to deemphasize what makes her unique, rather than putting those qualities front and center where they belong. Compared to Guy Sigsworth's awesome work on her last record or Morissette's own on 2002's "Under Rug Swept," it is a considerable disappointment, even though Sigsworth is still credited here on a handful of tracks.

Such detractions notwithstanding, Morissette's highly individual voice and perspective still shine through to grab the listener and take hold. She proves that, in spite of how many changes she may go through, she is still a compelling, important artist with a unique place on the shelf.

Those who complain that a wife and mother in her late 30s no longer moves and sings like her former 20-year-old self are sadly missing the point. "Havoc and Bright Lights" is the sound of a particularly valuable artist in the throes of her own evolution, and listeners are lucky to still have her recording and performing.

Different retailers and sections of the globe offer different bonus track, so do have a look on Wikipedia before choosing your edition.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars As always, getting to the core... August 31, 2012

By Jennifer McKenzie

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

From the very beginning with her first music, Alanis Morissette has done one thing very, very well; she's stripped away all the masks and gotten deeper. It's why I loved her from the start and kept buying even when critics and the very fickle music industry rejected her change of direction.
The biggest surprise for me was "Till You" which is completely different from anything I've heard from her. I love it because it reveals a softer side, the edges off. "Guardian" remains my favorite song. The edgier "Numb" is reminiscent of "Collide" with it's minor chord sound. My least favorite song is "Win and Win" though the words are awesome, the music was meh. (Your mileage may vary). I love the song "Receive" which speaks to those of us who have a tough time taking care of ourselves. "Edge of Evolution" is all about change and moving forward. It's got a great unique sound. Morissette's lyrics are always thoughtful and emotionally charged. This CD is no different.
Maybe it's because she has always tapped into something in me that has changed and grown as she has, but she has expressed much of my own feelings. One thing about Alanis; she won't hold back where ever she is spiritually, emotionally and musically. As a fan, I love that about her.
If you're looking for shallow, this isn't it.

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Morissette Sounds Comfortable, At Ease, and At Home August 28, 2012

By T. A. Daniel TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

I'm not one of those people that have shrugged off Morissette's work after JAGGED LITTLE PILL. I've kept up with her work since then though and enjoyed most of what she's released since then (I wasn't able to check out FLAVORS OF ENTANGLEMENT). It saddens me to say that this is probably the first album that I've listened to by Morissette that I didn't out-and-out love. I like it -- but it doesn't live up to the albums that have come before it. This album (similarily to SO-CALLED CHAOS) feels like Morissette is an artist who is completely comfortable with herself in the studio; much like David Bowie's later work, it feels less like Morissette is trying to challenge her audience or prove herself, but instead, she's writing songs and music that she's enjoying and is comfortable with. This isn't another JAGGED LITTLE PILL, and that's fine: Morissette shows that inspiration can be found in the mellow, happy moments of life.

Musically, HAVOC AND BRIGHT LIGHTS moves all over the place. With producers Joe Chiccarelli and Guy Sigsworth, Morissette achieves a variety of tone sand styles. The first track and lead single, "Guardian," is a light rocker that harkens back to the mid-90's sound. The following track, "Woman Down" is glossed with electronic beats, but this production doesn't slow Morissette down. Perhaps the most angry song of the bunch, "Celebrity," pulls off a gritty hard-rock sound. Pushing past that, the album covers a ton of ground lyrically as well. "Lens" tackles differences of philosophy and religion while "Woman Down" works as a feminist anthem. The final track, "Edge of Evolution" is the least conventional of all of these songs, and it's a welcome foray into new territory for Morissette.

Anyone looking to sample this album before they buy it should be directed to SoundCloud.com, where HAVOC AND BRIGHT LIGHTS is currently streaming in its entirety. Fans who have followed Alanis Morissette since the 90's will perhaps know what to expect from this album, and it's a welcome effort. It's a good listen that gets better with repeated spins. Those who are looking for another JAGGED LITTLE PILL won't find it here, and that's okay. Standout tracks to sample/download: "guardian," "woman down," and "edge of evolution."

Additional Release Information:
The standard edition of HAVOC AND BRIGHT LIGHTS is a dozen tracks long, but other editions extend this length. The Deluxe Edition comes 27 total tracks across two discs with an additional DVD. This deluxe edition adds two songs to HAVOC AND BRIGHT LIGHTS ("Will You Be My Girlfriend?" "Magical Child"); disc 2 features a concert performance recorded live in Berlin that contains many of Morissette's bigger hits mixed with songs from this album; finally, the DVD also included contains some video for the Berlin concert with a "Making of" featurette. Buying the album at Target locations adds three songs: "Big Sur," "Guru," and "Permission." Buying the album on iTunes warrants the bonus track "Jekyll & Hyde," a song featuring SoulEye.

If you want the most of it all, buy the deluxe edition on iTunes -- it should net you the most songs out of all the possible combinations.