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80 of 87 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Angry on the surface but empowering at its core, August 31, 2004
When you talk about the biggest albums of the 90s, you certainly have to talk about 1995's Jagged Little Pill. Alanis Morissette, to my mind, came to represent a version of the new woman of the 90s, leaving no questions as to her feelings and, some might say, demands. Decades ago, Aretha wanted R-E-S-P-E-C-T, but Alanis wants much more than that, and as far as I'm concerned, she deserves it. Apparently, at least one guy did Alanis wrong at some point; some women get mad, some get even - Alanis has the strength to do both. I for one love a strong woman.
To many, Alanis burst on the scene from out of nowhere with this mega-smash CD. I have one of her first two albums, so I know better. As a teenager, Alanis actually found stardom in Canada singing, of all things, bubble gum pop. I know - it's hard to believe. I don't think any artist has ever undergone such a radical transformation as Alanis did from her teen albums to Jagged Little Pill.
Do I even need to talk about the songs? Were any of these tracks not smash hit singles? It all started with You Oughta Know, which was a revelation of sorts to many radio listeners. Harsh, angry, a little perverted, cursed with a couple of those silly bleeps radio stations just have to use - this was something different, and it just so happened to rock, as well. Alanis says everything all the good girls wronged by bad guys want to say but cannot to the heels in their lives. Right Through You comes in from the other direction to hit the target; Alanis, as a new woman of the 90s, is far too smart to fall for all the shuck and jive guys try to sell the ladies. She knows what guys want, but she is not about to let herself become nothing more than a conquest some jerk can brag to his friends about. Experience has been one of her teachers, as described in the song You Learn. I think the song Forgiven plays into this theme, as well, although it's a little too complex a song for me to claim I fully understand it - it's got some of the edgiest, most passionate lyrics on the album, though. Of course, nobody's Perfect (clever segue, eh?), and life truly has a painful tendency to be Ironic at just the wrong times, but don't dismiss Alanis as some angry psycho-beast. She knows and likes herself, she knows what she wants (Not the Doctor vividly describes what she does not want), and Hand in My Pocket proves she is perfectly all right out there on her own. Wake Up, she urges the rest of us, and go get what you want rather than pining away waiting for it to find you. That very love that sends a person completely Head Over Feet is still possible - although you might have to go through a long line of jerks to find it. You don't have to become like Mary Jane, letting yourself waste away without hope.
In the end, Jagged Little Pill is not as angry an album as it might first appear. This music is all about self-empowerment, standing up and believing in yourself, living life with both eyes open and a never-dying sense of hope. I think a spirit of optimism runs through this music, negating the angry sentiment that lies on the surface. I've barely talked about the music itself from this album, and part of the reason why, I believe, is the fact that Jagged Little Pill is one of those rarest of albums, a collection of songs that transcends the music and speaks to the listener's mind and soul. Let it also be known, lest there be any doubt, that - to quote many a reviewer of music in this little online community of ours - this album totally rocks.
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22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"You...You...You...OUGHTA BUY THIS ALBUM!", April 23, 2002
This is by far Alanis' best work and always will be. There really is no question why this record sold 14 to 20 million copies, being that from start to finish you get the ultimate music experience. It's a perfect fresh start the public needed after Kurt Cobain's death. Each of the songs are fresh, raw, and catchy, and the lyrics are honest and empathetic. Being a teenage girl, I can relate to and understand each and every lyric much better than I would have been able to five years ago when I received this as Christmas gift in 1996 at 11 and one half years. Oops! I just revealed my age and probally repelled the reader from finishing this. I liked the music, but could only understand some of the words which makes listening to this today two times the charm. Alanis was 21 when she wrote and recorded this, and though she was speaking of her own angst and pains, I'm sure she intended to reach out to other people in her age group including me. The music alone is great and the entire album is one large highlight. Here's a brief summary list of the songs and I how I interpereted and connected to the lyrics:
1) "All I Really Want" A request for an escape from stress and to take happiness in the things that really matter.
2) "You Oughta Know" Well, this is her first single, and I'm pretty sure we all know what this song is about. I'm avoiding dating but I can relate to similar situations with any jerk.
3) "Perfect" This song is basically about being pressured to satisfy everyone around you and not being accepted. Alanis specifically wrote it about parental pressure and her anorexia.
4) "Hand In My Pocket" This is a great catchy song, and I'm pretty sure it's about not having to be all or nothing: you can be satisfied in the middle and enjoy a variety, you get what I'm saying?
5) "Right Through You" Yeah! Couldn't have said it better myself! Listen to the song and you'll know what I mean.
6) "Forgiven" I'm not quite sure, but this song might be about religious pressure?
7) "You Learn" This song is about learning from your experiences and don't be afraid to experiment with life.
8) "Head Over Feet" This is basically just a love/friendship song. The music is better than the words.
9) "Mary Jane" This is an ode to a lost and confused grieving friend.
10)"Ironic" This many peoples' favorites and hence the title it's about irony in life.
11)"Not The Doctor" This is one of those songs I can relate to more than anything, it's about being fed up with having to be responsible for someone 24/7.
12)"Wake Up" This song is a message to people who are so dissatisfied with life, but don't do anything to improve.
13) "You Oughta Know" (reprise)
14) "Your House" An accapella. Boring.
I know a lot of people who own this album, and I don't hear any complaints.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When Rock Was Reborn, March 19, 2002
Well, it seems like it's been a very long time since we've heard from Alanis Morissette, doesn't it? With her newest CD "Under Rug Swept" out now for not quite an entire month, I feel I should review "Jagged Little Pill" once more.Coming out of the wave of late 80's "cutting edge" rap, Mariah Carey reaching her peak with albums like "Butterfly" and "Rainbow," and of course the Spice Girls/Hanson pop explosion, there were lots of different types of music floating around. When we turned on our televisions and saw a seemingly ordinary Canadian woman with a guitar, I think 98% of the world stopped to watch. Alanis Morissette shocked (and pleased) everyone with her emotional world-debut single "You Oughta Know." It's just so easy to love every song on this CD, especially "You Oughtta Know" (Who can resist lyrics like "Does she know how you told me until you die-but you're still alive?") The album has such amazing works on it. 3. Perfect is one of my favorites. The pressure people put on you, what they expect from you- it's just to exhausting sometimes. "We love you, if you're perfect" is often the feeling you get from parents or siblings. Anyone could relate to this song. 5. Right Through You is simply irresistible. "You scan the credits for your name and wonder why it's not there." "Narcissus" (On Under Rug Swept) sort of sounds like a follow-up to this. 7. You Learn is possibly my favorite of the album. You live, you learn, you lose, you learn. This is so universal and always sounds fresh. I love listening to it! 9. Mary Jane is a really odd song, but very soft compared the rest. It's a nice change in tempo. 10. Ironic is absolutely outstanding. She tells several stories with the lyrics and it too is a little bit softer than the other tracks.
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