Alanis - what's the verdict?

[NShaik]

Hey guys. I just bin listening 2 a lot of Alanis Morissette and wondered what u think of her?

 

[Laura M]

This will probably be moved to just the bang and the clatter

I like her shes not bad A bit whiney at times though

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I like her music. I think she's a fantastic lyricist...I wish I could write lyrics even half as good as hers.

Angela

 

[IWasBored]

i hate her. her voice makes me want to stuff burning spikes into my ears. not to mention her songs are horrible. does she write them herself? that's got to be the problem...

 

[meegannie]

I LOVE the song she did with Ryan Adams, "1974."

I HATE her new haircut.

 

[Salome]

This will probably be moved to just the bang and the clatter

I like her shes not bad A bit whiney at times though

* yes
* mwah
* yes

 

[beegee]

there are no words foul enough
to describe how i feel about alanis and her "songwriting"

 

[Bonochick]

I LOVE the song she did with Ryan Adams, "1974."

Yes.

BTW...to anybody who may notice...this is not the same "1974" that Ryan is releasing on his new album...the song they did was quite different! Very sweet and beautiful. It can be found on bootlegs. If any Alanis fans are curious, let me know, and I'll find a way to share it with you.

I have two of Alanis's albums...Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and Jagged Little Pill...I like them both.

 

[dsmith2904]

I have all of Alanis' albums and love her so much. I think it may be because she's just three years older than I am, but there's a definite connection, I can relate so well to what she discusses in her music. I think she amazingly talented and so fantastic live, I've been fortunate enough to see her twice, including once in a very small venue, and it was incredible.

 

[meegannie]

I liked You Can't Do That On Television.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I loved Jagged Little Pill, but after that, I didn't see what the big deal was.

 

[flaming june]

I like her. I only have one of her CD's though.

 

[DiGi]

I liked You Can't Do That On Television.

LOL

 

[zoney!]

I liked You Can't Do That On Television.

I so want to see this show again!

 

[Bono's shades]

I love the song "Uninvited," but other than that her stuff leaves me cold.

 

[Saracene]

I'm not anywhere as impressed with her music as I used to be five or six years ago, but I still like her. Her lyrics though often strike me as over-wordy, dry and rather awkward.

 

[Bonochick]

Ryan Adams also has a song called "Alanis"...he performed it a few times while on tour with her. I have at least one of the versions...might have another somewhere...

~~~~~~~

Here comes the sun
She's playing guitar
And I wanted you to want me somehow
So here comes the moon
Soft silhouette
And I wanted you to love me did you forget
Go on and ask me to dance
Go on and ask me to dance
I just might I just might for you
Alanis, rag doll marionette
Hello, can you hear me?
Hello, can you hear me?
Alanis, Alanis
So here comes the part
The part with the strings
Broken hearts laid on old wooden machines
So here comes your girl
Pretty as fuck
Her eyes, they're universes that the galaxies forgot
So go on and ask me to dance
Go on and ask me to dance
And I just might I just might for you
Alanis rag doll marionette
Hello, can you hear me?
Hello, can you hear me?
Hello, can you hear me?
Alanis, Alanis, Alanis

 

[SkeeK]

she's pretty good. i would agree that her lyrics sound a bit awkward at times, but she has some very good songs.

 

[Bono=Saint]

I HATE her new haircut.

I agree.

But I love her and her song!!

 

[u2popmofo]

I quite like her. I still say that she has the best MTV Unplugged album by a long shot. That's the only cd of her's that I own though... I saw her live at the SLC Winter Olympics. She put on a good show.

I find it odd so many of you think she's so bad. One of the only decent artists you can still hear on the popcharts in my book. Different strokes for different folks though I guess.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I find it odd so many of you think she's so bad. One of the only decent artists you can still hear on the popcharts in my book. Different strokes for different folks though I guess.

I agree. She was an acquired taste for me but once I started really listening to her I realized she's quite good. She's a thoughtful intelligent songwriter and a nice person, they say. She gets a bad rap and I don't get it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i liked it when she was a vengeful, angry bitch... turned me on. after that one song though, kinda let me down...

 

[joyfulgirl]

 

[HeadsOnSticks]

there are no words foul enough
to describe how i feel about alanis and her "songwriting"

 

[HeartlandGirl]

My story with Alanis is this:

When "You Oughta Know" came out, I was definitely intrigued. The rest of the singles from JLP, though, did not impress me at all. I especially couldn't get over the fact that none of the situations in "Ironic" are actually ironic. The lyrics to "Hand in My Pocket" did nothing for me. I also didn't like her style of singing. It's hard to describe...if only you guys could hear me imitate what I don't like about it, you'd understand. It's like she oversings and moves the pitch up and down too much. The two songs of hers I like don't have that quality as much. If she would just sing the notes with a pure tone, I might be willing to listen to a whole song all the way through.

A friend of mine then bought SFIJ for me. I tried to listen to it. I really tried. One song on the whole album stood out to me as quite good, but as far as I can remember, I haven't pulled that CD out to listen to in years.

So I like "Joining You" and, for the most part, "Uninvited," but otherwise, I can't get past what I hear to be oversinging and uninspiring lyrics. Each to his or her own, for sure, but maybe I've put words to why so many people don't care for Alanis much.

 

[joyfulgirl]

My story with Alanis is this:

I also didn't like her style of singing. It's hard to describe...if only you guys could hear me imitate what I don't like about it, you'd understand. It's like she oversings and moves the pitch up and down too much. The two songs of hers I like don't have that quality as much. If she would just sing the notes with a pure tone, I might be willing to listen to a whole song all the way through.

I get what you're saying--I had the same problem at first. But she has definitely grown as a singer and I noticed on her last record that she didn't manipulate her voice that way nearly as much as she used to.

As for "Ironic," many people have said that none of the situations in that song are actually ironic. Maybe I don't quite understand what irony is (I've also read that the word is used incorrectly a large part of the time) It seems to me that rain on a wedding day would be ironic in that one expects/hopes for a sunny day. But since one can't predict or control the weather perhaps it's not a reasonable expectation or intention to begin with, therefore not ironic when it doesn't happen.

That's as far as I can go with that without getting a headache, lol...

 

[NShaik]

I do have 2 admit that without JLP, Alanis would be mediocre. I think most people find themselves enjoying Alanis other work because it reminds them of Jagged Little Pill. Its still very worthy tho - and very enjoyable. Alanis is just one of those artist who has the problem of being constantly outdone by a previous achievement, and living in its shadow for the rest of her life. There is some great stuff not on JLP - You just gotta love Uninvtied, and I think "That I would be Good" shud appeal 2 U2 fans - no pressure over Cappuccino was cool, and I ADORED her cover of Sting's "King of Pain"

I do happen to think that Supposed Former Infatuation Junkiewas a disaster with sum nice side effects.

Under Rug Swept is nice, but similarly to ATYCLB, feel kind over-produced. 21 things for example - I love the first 3-4 seconds - then I get bored. Similarly with Surrendering - good idea, but it just gets lost in the convolutedsounds. However, she does get it right sumtimes - Hands Clean and Utopia.

To anyone who doubt Alanis's talent, I recommend the DVD Feast on Scraps - I believe the true test of a band/artist is in live performance - and Alanis is truely unfathomable onstage.

 

[celia]

Her latest DVD/CD is very good, I think she has amazing talent and has grown and developed as an artist. I was lucky enough to see her 4 times live, once I was arms length away the whole concert it was such a small gig in a pub, was brilliant.

And it's a shame she cut so much of her hair off, I don't think it'll be the same without her swishing her hair around in the shows...

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I realized something before I went to bed last night: Uninvited isn't the song of hers that I like at all. I can't even remember what it's called.

And yeah, jg, irony is a hard concept to explain, but not as hard to identify when you see it. All the situations in the song are pretty much just "bad luck" scenarios. There's nothing ironic about getting stuck in heavy traffic when you're running late. I don't know...too much for my brain to handle so early in the morning...

 

[Salome]

I think it's irony that a song titled ironic is the "#1 song with the least ironic merits" ever made