MTV Unplugged

While her recent visit to the Point Theatre met with mixed reviews, the show containing perhaps a little too much material from her last album, the critically panned (and rightly so . . .), Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, this unplugged offering is, well, alright.

The snag with releasing Jagged Little Pill, a massively successful album (and rightly so . . .), is that one expects Ms Morrissette to continue to deliver fey melodic material, and when, as on the last album, she decides to experiment, it's frankly a little hard to take. One of the drawbacks of unusual talent, is that your record company, for whom you've literally made millions of pounds, not to mention your band and your mates, are all a little afraid to tell you to cop yourself on. At The Point, she jigged about like an indulgent, middle-class thirteen year-old, and while the band's music was beautiful, Alanis' wailings over the top just didn't make sense.

This recording predates the second album, and consists mainly of tracks debuted on Jagged Little Pill, (sighs of relief all round then . . .), with the addition of three previously unreleased numbers. The earlier material lends itself well to the unplugged treatment, and all the hits are included.

Morissette is a great performer, and appears as amazed by the beauty of the music she creates as we are. One for the girlfriend's Christmas stocking, perhaps?