Alanis Shines Heavy On First Live Album

In 1995, Alanis Morissette took the world by storm with her debut album, Jagged Little Pill. Alanis took the grammy winning album twice around the world and really became a house hold name!

By the time Jagged Little Pill ended its run on the charts, Alanis was left exhausted and very drained, but with much rest and also much thinking, Alanis returned to the music scene in 1998 with Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. Though Junkie only sold half of what Jagged Little Pill did, Alanis still proudly took Junkie on two major tours and still had a massive following, and sold out shows nation and world wide.

Most of the material on Unplugged highlights Junkie, but at the same time, this album does return Alanis to Jagged Little Pill. I personally feel this not just an average album, since it is a live album, this really more for the die hard Alanis fan, and also I feel this album is more for the fans who have not had the pleasure of seeing Alanis in concert, but if you, the real fan has seen Alanis live, then this is just like any other Alanis show, the only difference, we are getting an unplugged performance. This album is a softer and much more relaxed Alanis, which I find pleasing!

Track 1 opens with You Learn. This live version is a softer and much more laid back performance. Generally, when You Learn is done live, Alanis usually runs across the stage at the end of the song or will twirl circles, but here we get this very peacful and relaxed side of Alanis, and besides what would a live performance be with out this song? Alanis does get into this vocally, when the instrumental break comes up, she does something like a Steven Tyler of Aerosmith would, sort of this skat like be bop feel to the music, which is awesome!

Track 2 brings us to Joining You. Joining You comes from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, and the original single itself did fail on the charts, but do you think Alanis cares? I would say probably not! Here Alanis takes it very much like the single mix that was supposed to hit radio, the only difference is, Alanis takes this song slightly slower. The song Joining You is about a gay friend Alanis had that wanted to kill himself, and Alanis simply tells him in her own way that she is there for him and has always been. The song has a dark but yet beautiful tone, and I am personally glad Alanis included this on her set list, since she rarely does this song live.

Track 3 is the long lost No Pressure Over Cappuccino. This was a song Alanis did on the Jagged Little Pill tour, then the song simply became a little forgotten. I recall her saying on the first tour that this was to be on the next album, but unfortunately, it was not on Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, but by sheer surprise, Alanis brings us back this song! No Pressure has a slight Ironic feel to it when it opens up, meaning that it sounds a little like the hit single when it first starts. No Pressure does this compare/contrast thing, which we know Alanis is famous for. Alanis wrote this song about her twin brother Wade, and it is so funny, because me, the huge fan I am totally related to this song, because I too dedicated this to my older brother who also left home to further his career. If you have never heard this heartful song, I think you will find it pleasing and also very poetic at times. Alanis amazed me when she sings lines like: And your'e like a 90's Jesus, or a 90's Kennedy, when you hear the song in full, you will learn why she uses these references, and I also will say that this song will probably bring a tear to your eyes, like it has me many times!

Track 4 is the heart wrenching That I Would Be Good. This was actually released as a single, this live version was, to market the album Unplugged, but only Mtv and Vh1 played this song for a short time. This song originally appears on Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, and it really does not differ too much from the original album. This is the song that Alanis hid in a closet and wrote by candle light. This song really brings Alanis to an emotional climax. She simply tells you the listener here that if she was bald, or poor or even too clingy, she would still be good, I always hailed this as Alanis's personal therapy to herself, and we all as people can relate to this song, and if you listen to this song, you find yourself a little teary eyed.

Track 5 brings us back to a Jagged Little Pill hit, Head Over Feet. Just by listening to this live version, you really hear a happy Alanis here! This live version does differ a little, because at some shows I have been to, Head Over Feet has been played a little slower than this version, but it is nice to hear it a little more up beat like this. I think if you loved this song, you will find this perforamance very pleasing!

Track 6 is a rare song called Princes Familiar, but also you may find this live performance on Greatest Hits that was released back in 2005. The song is very upbeat and very happy! Alanis simply sings about finding Mr. Right! She lists things she expects him to be or wants him to be. Lines that stick out for me are: Please be sex-a-holic- or please be tapped into your feminity, and also a good line I find a little humorous, please be unpredicitably miserable. The song also says I want you to be like my father, this is one you must listen to yourself to get the full message. I am glad she revived this on her greatet hits in 2005, because who knows, maybe this will be done at other concerts in the future! Too bad they did not release this as a single, since it could have fit radio at the time this album was released.

Track 7 takes back to Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, and the song is I Was Hoping. This song whenever done live, is always slow, but its original form on Junkie was a little more up beat and slightly edgier. Over all this song is about judgement, because if you listen closely, Alanis drops that word out several times in the song. This is one song I think only REAL Alanis fans love, because it is not just an average song!

Track 8 is the mega radio smash Ironic, which comes from Jagged Little Pill. This version is slightly different, and I have personally heard this version done at a couple of shows, meaning Alanis will either take this song with the original hard driven edge she had on it when Pill was recorded, or like here on Unplugged, Alanis takes it with a softer and easier tone. At most shows Alanis usually turns the microphone over to the crowd, but not here, she probably kept it soft and on her terms due to this being a live performance for MTV. I will say if you see Alanis Morissette in concert, expect to sing along with her on this classic hit from her. This is probably the one song that will be played even when Alanis is long retired and gone from the music business. Also I must note, what would an Alanis concert be without Ironic? Two thumbs up for this sweeter and softer version!

Track 9 is a personal favorite of mine, which is a song called These R The Thoughts. Originally this was to be on Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, but as Alanis said at my 3rd concert, it accidently got bumped. The song did however appear on the Joining You single, which is available on Amazon.com or Ebay. The song is basically about all the mixed up thoughts Alanis has in her head. Sure the lyrics run into each other, but at the same time, it is typically Alanis.

Track 10 is a song originally written and done by Sting and his former group The Police. The song is called King Of Pain. Alanis and company done a remarkable job here! I personally feel it is important for an artist or a band to remake a song here and there in their career, because it shows off influence, and I am one who is not opposed to a remake if done right, and here Alanis does not trash this song! She keeps it true to its original form but at the end she changes the words to queen of pain, which is ok, because Alanis adds her unique touch to this mega hit! I am sure Sting was proud of her version this song! This was also a first for Alanis, meaning she had never done a remake up to this point, later on she would remake Crazy by Seal.

Track 11 brings us to the song that started it all, the monster hit You Oughta Know! The audience really shows gratitude here at the beginning, which shows love and apperication for Alanis. The song is done very slow and orchrestrated here, which is basically the same way Alanis done this song at the Grammys in 1996. I have often heard in the past that Alanis originally wanted You Oughta Know to sound this way, but when doing Pill, the song took a hard driven edge, which of course lead to the misconception that Alanis was always an angry person, which is simply not true, when in fact Alanis is the opposite of that misconception. Also Alanis has often said how sorry she was how misunderstood she was, this song is really all about the pain this man caused her. The song is very much a relatable song, since we have all been dumped at one point or another, if you have never heard this beautiful arrangement of this song, I promise you won't have a dry eye when the song ends.

Track 12 closes out the album and concert, which is the mega hit Uninvited, which came from the soundtrack of City Of Angles. This song is a dark but beautiful ballad, and remains a personal favorite of mine! Alanis has done this song at every concert since she released it, so any Alanis show you attend, this is a given! Also a little side note, Alanis won a couple of Grammys for this monster hit!

Over all, this album is a little view of an Alanis concert and is a must have for any fan who has not been to any show! Also I invite anyone who likes Alanis and simply does not have this album! I promise you will find it entertaining and with many of your favorite songs from Alanis!

I will note that are a few songs missing here that I feel should have been on here, such as Not The Doctor or Hand In My Pocket, which both come from Jagged Little Pill, but at the same time, we get a few rare ones and new ones from Alanis that other albums did not have, to make up for the loss of certain songs.