Is there any other artist in the history of pop music who has used the words “I”, “Me”, “My”, “Mine” with such regularity? No wonder one UK critic was recently moved to describe Alanis Morissette as “the Queen of self-absorption”. Almost a decade on from her breakthrough debut, Jagged Little Pill, her latest collection of diary entries – sorry, songs – will no doubt please her legion of fans. They’ll be happy to note that she hasn’t changed all that much since her last outing Under Rug Swept. On songs such as ‘Eight Easy Steps’ and ‘Doth I Protest Too Much’ she indulges in the usual mixture of whiny narcissm and stream of consciousness Zen warbling while ‘Not All Me’ may well be some kind of riposte to those who accuse her of lyrical self-indulgence (isn’t it ironic!).
All of which is a shame really, because if you can ignore the lyrics and the vocal whinging (not easy), the songs are strong musically with stellar backing and crystal clear production. ‘Out Is Thru’ has a terrifically insistent melody and a big raging chorus while the anthemic title track is as strong as anything from her debut. The low-key ballad ‘This Grudge’ is something of a highlight too if only due to the comparatively relaxed vocal approach, which contrasts sharply the rage-fest that precedes it.
In the end it’s the lyrical awkwardness that lets it down - something she virtually acknowledges on the final track ‘Everything’:“I can be an asshole of the grandest kind/I can be the moodiest baby.”
You’re not wrong Alanis!