Alanis Morissette
Under Rug Swept
(Maverick)
By: Jeff Leisawitz - ModernRock.com
In the middle 90's Alanis Morissette blasted onto the scene with tales of disastrous relationships, sleazy music executives and ironic circumstances. On Under Rug Swept, her third album for Maverick Records, Alanis shines again as a brilliant songstress with nearly a dozen brand new tracks.
The album opens with the grind of electric guitars and something that sounds like a personal ad. "21 Things I Want in a Lover" asks, "Do you derive joy when someone else succeeds?/ Do you not play dirty when engaged in competition?/ Do you have a big intellectual capacity but know that it alone does not equate to wisdom?" Not hearing an immediate answer she continues with "Narcissus," a rant against most of the men she deals with in her daily life.
The album's first single, "Hands Clean," continues to map the girl's innermost worlds by skirting around the details of a past, elicit relationship. With groovy drum loops, thick layers of guitars, synthesizers and sugar melodies, Alanis piques our interest without giving up the goods on the album's finest song.
Alanis continues to use potent hooks and electronics to articulate her deepest thoughts, desires and insights. "Precious Illusions" pushes the beats and stellar melodies further, asking an invisible man for some kind of salvation with a low level bass funk and a swelling backbeat. Then, "That Particular Time" goes downtempo with just a voice and piano. A quiet, reflective track, this one shows the solitary emotion and expression this singer is capable of delivering.
For Under Rug Swept, Alanis took full control, writing and producing the record herself. With the help of some famous friends— Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Eric Avery (ex- Jane's Addiction), Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) and others— the sonics and songwriting speaks for itself. While the bite and bitterness of Jagged Little Pill may be toned down a few notches, Alanis Morissette continues to prove that she is a vital artist with something valuable to say.
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