Alanis Morissette and Under Rug Swept: What rug have you been living under?

Dearest Alanis,

It's been a while! So how have you been? I was starting to get a little worried. After the manner in which Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie was received, I thought we might never hear from you again! I'm glad you are smart enough not to take things like this too personally.

If you ask me, I'd be willing to bet that a lot of the Junkie haters, if they were to go back and listen to that album now, would be surprised at how much they enjoy it now. People naturally develop an attachment to an album over time, and as the years pass, they start to associate it with that certain period of their lives. I think this happened with Jagged Little Pill, and after three years when Junkie hit the shelves, we were naively expecting it to have the same effect that Pill did on us. Of course, that didn't happen, and a lot of people missed out on some great songs as they trusted word-of-mouth, and in turn, chart results. The squeaky one-two punch of "Baba", the dark and claustrophobic "The Couch", the moody but superb gems "I Was Hoping" and "Joining You". The chiming overtones of "Thank U", the cheery undertones of "UR", or the string-laced beauty of "Unsent". These are all easily Morissette classics, aged to perfection. Aged is the key word here, though, I suppose.

Not trying to say that Junkie is equally dazzling as Pill was, but then again, what is? It could have been the intimidating length of the album (17 songs), it could be that people were happier in 1995 than they were in 1998. It could have been, as some others have pointed out, that Junkie lacked the "singalongability" that Pill possessed.

So now it's Century 21, America is at war, and here at the pinnacle of 2002, right on the brink of spring, you have presented us with number three, Under Rug Swept. (Not counting the live CD, but you did a killer job on "King of Pain".)

Whatever problems people had with Junkie, it looks like you must have been well aware of them! For one thing, you toned down that intimidating album length, to a slim 'n trim 11 songs. I admit, maybe you didn't have to trim it down that much, but hey, whatever works, right? Secondly, it seems that some of Pill's singalongability has returned. I could tell this right off, from the moment the chorus of the opening track, "21 Things I Want In A Lover" broke out.

Incase you were wondering, dear, my marriage proposal to you still stands. You are still the girl of my dreams, you always will be. Seven years and I still flinch when I hear your name. If growing up is really what it will take, as you say yourself, to be free of this, then I guess I'll just be a kid forever. A kid who is still naive enough to dream of things he will never have, yet continue to believe in the possibility that someday, somewhere, somehow, those dreams may come true. Because I love you.

When I heard you were including such a song as "21 Things I Want In A Lover" on your new CD, I just knew. This was my test. It goes without saying, if you're going to marry me, you deserve to have everything you want. That's why I'm glad you were able to somehow get a list to me of what you want in a lover, so we could compare notes.

What you have actually done here is crafted a gorgeous song in the process. Sometimes, the first five seconds can make or break a song; in fact, some people seem to think this is the case with any song. With "All I Really Want" (from Pill), it was the opening echo of a harmonica chord, followed by a sharp guitar chord, eventually leading into an all-out triple team attack of drums, guitar, and harmonica. "Front Row" (from Junkie), on the other hand, started with two of you yakking away, and most of the song wound up being a jumbled mess of two of you, sometimes singing two totally different things at once! Yeah, it had a great beat and a neat little abstract-ness to it, but at the same time, it was tough to follow.

Here on "21", the first five seconds harken back to the classic sound of Pill's opening. It starts with the good old electric guitar chords, brought to you by the young and capable fingers of Dan Delo, the Stone Temple Pilots guitarist! And you thought that rap artists were the only ones that ever had "featuring" in the artist name half the time. Dan's vibes are definitely strong here.

The song evolves slowly (another good thing) into a descending progression of chords, backed up by that signature Alanis Morissette beat. The chorus continues with the same chord progression as the verse, which makes the song an ideal intro in spite of its loudness, because it doesn't demand a lot of attention to be enjoyed.

Looking over the things you want in a lover, I must say that you don't need to listen to Meatloaf, who seems to think that 14 out of 21 ain't bad. Because with me, baby, you can have 18! (I know what you're thinking, what a loser!!!)

The only things I seem to lack are the political awareness, being athletic, and an uninhibitedness in bed. But then, I have no experience in the sack, so I wouldn't know. My gas pumping has been self-serve for all of 25 years, 11 months and two days. If you're looking for more than three times a week, though, I have no problem with that. Hell, if you want three times a day I'd gladly oblige, even if my attraction to you is more spiritual than sexual.

Are you funny? A la self-depreciating? I love the way you just spit out that a la; it's one of the many signs that the old Pill attitude is back.

Well, if it takes me that long to cover one song, we're gonna be here all damn day, so I'm gonna try and hurry this up.

"21" is followed immediately by "Narcissus", perhaps your most playful song since "Head Over Feet". Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers jumps in with the funky bass, employing what initially seems to be a random arpeggio of sorts to back up the chorus. It wasn't until I sniffed out his pattern that I started to more or less "understand" the melody. Overall, it is very weird, but very fun.

It seems that here, you are engaging in some more You Oughta Know-esque male bashing, but keeping it exclusive to the narcissist brand. (Thank God...I guess!) The transition of bridge to chorus is what really makes this song. The last word of the bridge (Leaves you running for the door) occurs at the same moment as the first word of the chorus (Why, why). It gives the song a poppy feel, and enhances its friendly vibe.

No doubt, "Narcissist" should go down as a pure Morissette classic, simply because the lines are SO you. I know you're used to getting everything so easily, a stranger to the concept of reciprocity. Or one of my personal favorites from the entire album, You've never been with anyone who doesn't take your sh!t, You've never been with anyone who's dared to call you on it, I wonder how you'd be if someone were to call you on it.

Sometimes, the singalongability and pronunciation are sacrificed for the sake of continuity, resulting in one of the aforementioned lines coming out like this (bold syllables are accented)...

A stran-ger to the con-cept of re-ci-pro-ci-ty.

But hey, if it's your style, I say go with it!

"Hands Clean" is one of those we've all pretty much heard by now. You did a great job with this one, my love. Kind of reminds me of "Not The Doctor", what with the beat, the tone of voice, the use of the word "and" as a connector at the end of some lines. A line like I have honored your request for silence, once again, it's SO you! Sounds like something out of a Shakesperean tragedy.

Maybe it's just me, but when I hear this song, I often hear a "d" pronounced on the end of "clean", as in You've washed your hands cleaned of this." I dunno if that's you or me, but either way, it adds a nice assertive punch to the song.

My first thought on who this song is about is Glen Ballard, between the parts about maturity, fast forwarding to a few years later (after Pill's success) and the implication that if it weren't for me, you would never have amounted to very much. And, of course, the fact that now he's gone, so you're able to bring it up without immediately looking too conspicuous!

"Flinch" actually reminds me of some of the older quiet songs by the Dave Matthews Band. "I Will Back You Up", in particular, comes to mind. The melody is one of those "sad, but I'm gonna make it, I just don't know how yet" kind of melodies. Soft, tender, relaxing, like a stream in the middle of the greenest of woods, but on a chilly day.

Sometimes, you develop an attachment to someone, and off they go like a horse, dragging you through mud, barbs, and rocky roads, completely unaware of how they have affected you. And the thing that hurts the most about it is that your attachment to this runaway is by your own will. So the only way to be free is to break your own will. That, to me, is what this song is about. The mere mention of this person's name can trigger the most painful of flashbacks, reminding you of what you went through just to be close to them, because they affect you on the most profound of levels. What's it been, over a decade? it still smarts like it was four minutes ago. Nice call on the use of the word "smarts", babe. That's what really turns me on about you.

I see that with this album, you also decided to be unpredictable, and rather than follow the ballad up with some wildly fast arrangement to wake everybody up. You simply eased into another mellow tune. "So Unsexy" is so unlike anything I've heard out of you yet!

Your voice soars like an eagle on this track, it really does. It sounds better than ever. The transition in and out of falsetto sounds terrific. I'm not afraid to tell you this; in "Your Congratulations", there were moments you sounded like a banshee that had taken one too many hits off the hash pipe. Here, you sound terrific, though. This song almost sounds like it could be a hymn; it's that lovely. Meshell Ndegeocello's assistance on the bass shows just what a great taste you have for good variety.

Here's where we head into an interesting number called "Precious Illusions" This looks to me to be the ideal candidate for second single. It's songs like this that make writing a music review so friggin' intimidating! But I'll try.

In a lot of classic rock and even some modern rock, the D sharp (D#) chord is used to spice up an otherwise happy song (in the key of C) and give it some attitude. Normally, though, this only works if you use D# as a filler chord (or play around the note in guitar solos). The D# is rarely used as an actual part of a song, but when they do use it, the melody just screams of hope. The most recognizable example I can think of where this is used is in the bridge of Don Henley's recent song, "Home". (The Where we can be with the ones who really care part.) When he gets to the words really care, that is when the D# hits. You don't hear a lot of that kind of chord progression in music. If you like that, try downloading "Let Love Be Your Energy" by Robbie Williams; that song milks the D# for everything its worth, and it sounds AWESOME. If you hear music in any way similar to the way I do, you might see what I mean when I associate this chord with the feeling of hope, because it just sounds like hope to me.

Well, Alanis, if you're still awake (or anyone else out there for that matter), that's what I love about "Precious Illusions". The D# chord is all over this song, and I think it would be great to see this one make it to the radio. People can use it, even if they don't know it.

Lyrically, I still haven't figgered this one out yet. You seem to imply that all good guys are precious illusions. Not that I can blame you. Back in "21", you asked Do you see everything as an illusion, but enjoy it even though you are not of it? Well, I'm no illusion, sweetheart. I'd be glad to take you on a tour of this illusionary world anytime. Our love can be the only thing that's real. To us, anyway. But then, I guess that's the idea.

In the liner notes, after "Precious Illusions" and before the next song, "That Particular Time", there is a really great black and white picture of you half sitting, half lying on a vinyl couch (A couch; imagine that). You got so much hair, it just avalanches down every which way but loose. I dig the pants, baby! Those are some pretty sweet shoes, too, even if it is kind of obvious nobody has ever worn them before and probably nobody ever will again (They'll probably be auctioned off somewhere for a few thousand dollars...) You look totally at peace in the picture. So can I assume you're not still breaking through the Pill funds and throwing $75 an hour away on the shrink? Heck, you're wise enough, you could be your own shrink!

So anyways... where was I?

"That Particular Time" is another piano-driven ballad. The melody is simple, but touching. The first line of the song pretty much describes how I felt by the time this song was over. My foundation was rocked. "That Particular Time" is about what happens when you decide to take a break because you are having doubts about the relationship you're in. Psychology doesn't normally scare me, but the words to this song were enough to instill fear in me, imagining what such an experience would feel like.

I've always wanted for you
What you've wanted for yourself
And yet I wanted to save us high water or hell
And I kept on ignoring the ambivalence you felt
And in the meantime I lost myself
In the meantime I lost myself
I'm sorry I lost myself... I am

If there is even a trace of Junkie influence left, I see it right here in the next song, "A Man". No doubt, this song is a perfect mixture of "Baba"'s beat and the blaring weirdness of "Would Not Come". As for the lyrics, well, I'm at a loss! To us guys, you girlies are tough enough to understand; but a girl pretending to be a guy? Fuggedaboutit!

Meshell Ndegeocello comes back to offer some more groovin' bass, this time on "You Owe Me Nothing In Return", a more upbeat tune. It's not a cheery melody, but it's not exactly dark either. It's like one of those mellow, mid-tempo, bluesy Sting songs. (Yes, I said the same thing about "One", from Junkie. This song actually reminds me much of that song, melodically, as well.)

Lyrically, we're talking about a very singalongable track. Looks like you're making some serious deal with a guy, saying "You can do this and I'll hear it/want it/empathize with it." Then, you finish it off with an all-too-obvious N*Sync staple, "...and there are no strings attached to it." This is easily one of the most relaxing, well-produced and all around great songs on the album, dear. Kudos to you!

"Surrendering" is one of the two that I downloaded (the other was "Narcissist") a few weeks before the album actually came out. Yeah, I cheated. I had no idea they were from the new CD! I figured they were some obscure soundtrack songs or something. I was very pleased though, to find out that this gem was from Under Rug Swept, because it is one of my favorites.

Lyrically, it spins on a dime at some of the most unexpected moments (another attribute of Pill that a lot of people seem to miss). "I embrace you for your faith in the face of adversarial forces that I represent." That line alone left me with my mouth just gaping the first time I heard it.

"Surrendering" has probably the best beat I've ever heard in one of your songs. It's a tight, hip-hop kind of beat that persists throughout the whole song. You don't cop out and erase the drums or cut the beat in half on the bridge (I think everybody's finally sick of doing that), they just move to the back burner for a short time. The melody of this song is just all out pure pop, making this probably the most radio-friendly song on the entire CD, and a likely choice for second (or third, or fourth, or eleventh) single.

"Utopia" finishes off this short and sweet set with a 3/4 beat and a melody that recalls the foreign sound of "Heart of the House". This is your picture of the ideal world, and just a bit more enlightening than Everything is cool as can be in a peaceful world. (No offense to the Mellencamp fans; in fact, I really like that song too). It's not a bad stab at what a lot of us Epinionators are striving for (all the more reason to believe that you've been following me around here!)

We'd provide forums
We'd all speak out
We'd all be heard
We'd all feel seen

John Lennon once sung the words You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. You took the dreamer part and elaborated on it a little bit here (kind of like Ozzy did). The results are utterly fascinating.

We would share and listen and support and welcome
Be propelled by passion, not invest in outcomes (Love that line!)
We would breathe and be charmed and amused by difference
Be gentle and make room for every emotion.

You really believe this is possible, Alanis? If only everyone could be like you, sweetie :)

I don't know what else to say but THANK YOU for giving me something to smile about at work, something to bring solace to my soul when I sleep, something to die for, something to live by. This is the beauty of Under Rug Swept. Welcome back to #1 !!!