Alanis Morissette - Havoc & Bright Lights

It's no secret that I am an enormous Alanis Morissette fan. My relationship with her music, yes I'm pretentious enough to call it that, has strode on for 11 years since I first picked up her debut Jagged Little Pill after hearing 'Ironic' on TV, as mum did her ironing and cursed her creases. Since then there have been 6 unique studio albums, an acoustic recording of her debut and numerous other musical expeditions.

Alanis has never been one to follow a trend, not conventionally anyway. When the GaGa electro-pop fad was taking hold back in 2008, she released Flavours of Entanglement which took pop synths and thrust them into the most unreachable place she could find. This was and remains one of my favourite albums, with brilliant songs like the heady roaring electro rock anthem 'Versions of Violence', beautiful ballad 'Not As We' and the classically Alanis sounding 'Underneath'. This was a huge step forward from the disappointing So-Called Chaos which just didn't hold the same bite her past albums. That's not to say it didn't have any decent songs on it: 'Everything' and 'Eight Easy Steps' are both great. 

What people have been waiting for is an album that is just as emotional, quirky and full of bite as JLP. Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie was brimming with edge and stroppy charm and Under Rug Swept was blessed with some stunning moments ('Hands Clean' & '21 Things'), but neither managed to meet the iconic sound of their mother album. Who wouldn't want a 21st Century 'All I Really Want'? A fucking idiot that's who.

Now it's 2012 and we're presented with Havoc & Bright Lights. An album that is preceded by lead single 'Guardian', a typically Alanis sounding rock song about her baby. It's not as cheesy as it sounds, in fact it's one of her best songs to date, with her predictably powerful vocals and standard quirky lyricism draped over an infectious guitar riff. Following from this, 'Woman Down' acts as a 2012 version of the epic 'Sister Blister', only this kicks off with squiffy beeping synths which lead into a girl power rock anthem chorus: 'Calling all woman haters/we've lowered the bar on the/behaviour that we will take/come on now'. 'Til You' is an ethereal ballad with a heavenly echo in its chorus, not quite 'Not As We' but close. 

The dark tones of her last album are continued on 'Celebrity' and 'Numb'. The former isn't as divine as it could be, but it's got one of those choruses that just whips you off your feet. In the grand scheme of things though, it's not even in the running for best album track and it's tough to get a handle on what she's saying. The latter is more epic, more dark, more riffy and just much better. She lightens things up with 'Empathy' and 'Receive', the former one of the album's highlights, and 'Lens' which sounds like a track fit for a 21st Century JLP.

Unfortunately there are some weaker moments. 'Win & Win' and 'Havoc' aren't the most inspiring songs, mainly because they're so damn hard to get into. W&W has had 6 plays and I still can't find the hook. Thankfully album closer 'Edge of Evolution' improves things but even this isn't strong enough to wrap things up in optimum style. 

Alanis's music has always reflected her own life, experiences and emotions. JLP was an angsty record, burgeoning with fire, sadness, themes of loss and desperation and rage. The album's success is down to its ability to speak to anyone who listens to it, regardless of their age or personality. As time has gone on and Alanis has grown up, so has her music. The themes have gone from those mentioned above, to love and separation, world peace and motherhood. This isn't a bad thing, it's just a lot harder to relate to every song when you haven't experienced those events yourself and probably never will. However, Alanis will continue to develop songs that are so lyrically intricate and dynamic that our interpretations are somewhat open. 

Havoc & Bright Lights doesn't match its ancestor record, not even by world's length, but it does prove that this artist isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. If she wants to share her life with us through some stunningly crafted music, then who are we to argue? I just hope next time I can give it a better rating.

3/5

Download: Guardian, Woman Down, Lens, Empathy