Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara's staying power should not be underestimated. When I listen to these artist's discography their tracks stay on my phone - often for months - and are subject to many repeat listenings. Some of us will never forget the two years of listening to Al Hirt and Al Green - because I stopped commuting during the pandemic. It doesn't matter how great Al Green is, or even how listenable Albert Hammond is for that matter, because at some point we all want to hear something new after getting tired of the same things being played over and over again.

Not so for Alessia Cara! Look, this isn't my favorite type of music in the world. Kiddie pop/R&B? But the fact that I found it extremely tolerable for a great length of time is really saying something. I've leaned on this expression before, courtesy of Crowded House, but maybe this is "pop music that matters." Perhaps the more substantial pop sounds are the results of a more substantial performer, as opposed to say some sort of prepacked, glossy product from committee thinking. This girl has got all her clothes on in all her pictures. I guess she started when she was just a kid, posting covers on YouTube. Yet even today, she's not out there shaking her ass and showing off. She's got some RealShit to talk about. It's mostly young people, emotional stuff. Actually, it is almost all relationship stuff. Some good, some less-so, but mostly really healthy notions of personal relationships are upheld here. Often it felt like reading a schoolgirl's diary. Someone said that the aces (asexual) even like her in particular because of her favored lyrical contents; I could see it afterwards but didn't really pick-up on that. True. it's never very sexual. The raciest thing she sings is, "You should see me in a sundress" and that's just delightfully adorable. The point is, this kid has got a head on her shoulder, and the results are smart and highly appropriate, if not always earth-shatteringly new musical sounds. Her first album is called Know It All. Perhaps it goes without saying, but she writes all her own songs. I'll say this: my 12-year old daughter and I shared an appreciation for this discography over many months of commuting to school/work. We skipped very few songs, very rarely! In other words, by my logic, even though I'm a band guy, this is WAY better than Aerosmith. Way, way better. (Sorry, I can't let that one go, but that terrible band is still around and only getting worse.)  

Many of us will have encountered Alessia Cara for the first time ever on the Moana soundtrack; I think maybe I did. For context, recall that Demi Lovato similarly sang Frozen's theme song over the end-credits ...and then she promptly went on to a sex- and drug- fueled career. Cara is sweet and innocent at this point too, but the difference is she basically stays rather wholesome the entire time. That's not going to land her on the top of the HOT100 chart or crashing Ticketmaster to sell-out stadiums in our modern America, but like I said - this music stands up for repeated listenings. With apologies to today's flash-in-the-pan, top-charting pop sex kittens, I find this music far less vapid than most of that stuff. Admittedly, it's not always what I'm looking for, but I'm glad it's around for sure. And all of this is super-great music for young people to be listening to. It's incredibly positive throughout. I might also add that we still know almost nothing about her personal life, and that's OK. She's Canadian, alright. What else do you need to know to listen to her music?!  

But the song from Moana, written by the extremely overrated Lin-Manual Miranda (I'm sorry but Hamilton sounds like a Simpsons parody of Broadway's desperate attempt to be cool), was actually released after her debut album, and it's first two hit singles. The third single, however, remains her biggest hit to this day. "Scars to Your Beautiful" is a great song with an important message that made a big misimpression, also with the video:

I mean, it's Grammy-bait, but, in addition to the essential messaging, it works really well to highlight her voice; it's so good, a little scratchy, and with a broad range that sounds super when low. If I am being really generous with myself I might have said something like, "Oh, this girl singing 'How Far I'll Go' is the same one that sang 'Scars to Beautiful'" - but I'm not sure I ever said that in 2016.  

"Here" is also a relatively big hit, and technically it comes out before the previous two songs. It's so simple: an anti-party song, but it needed to be said. And what a uniquely unexpected way to explode onto the music scene! I saw it repeatedly referred to as an "introvert anthem," which fits better than asexual anthem. More positive vibes, nonetheless. Her debut single and subsequent album come out right after she got signed at the age of 18. (Apparently some random girl showed her record-producer dad a performance video that Cara had uploaded). Both "Here" and "Scars" make significant impacts, ranking high on year end lists and what not. However, she hadn't quite come into her own by this point, but the potential was there and shortly realized. 

After playing SNL but before she released another album, she was featured on the song "Stay" by Zedd. It's gotta be the most innocent song that Zedd ever made (off the top of my head, I recall his collaboration with Selena Gomez, whom he may have been dating at the time), yet it is significantly more hard-hitting EDM than anything else in her catalog. I dig it. I liked this song from knowing it even before listening too all her stuff on purpose. There's some acting in the video! (I'm guessing the dude is Zedd?!) While most still call her a singer/songwriter, not "singer, actress, etc.", she's done some voice-over work, more recently: I didn't watch The Willoughbys, but Blade Runner: Block Lotus seems cool; she did songs for both too.  

She opens 2018 with a win at the Grammys for Best New Artist. This can be a kiss of death: while there are plenty of counter-examples, when was the last time you heard anything from Shelby Lynn, Arrested Development, or Paula Cole (who beat out Fiona Apple, Erykah Badu, Hanson, and Puffy Daddy with the freakin' song from Dawson's Creek)? Among those who Cara beat for her award: immediate future collaborator Khalid and 2023's list-topper, SZA. Does it matter that Cara was the first Canadian to win the Best New Artist award? Take that Alanis! 

Before her second album, she also appeared on another famously impactful song: she and Khalid are featured in the song (and video for) "1-800-273-8255," the anti-suicide anthem from Logic's album. Who's gonna complain about that?! Nobody. It was also nominated for a Grammy, as was "Stay," but neither won. 

She releases The Pains of Growing in 2018. The growth is emotional and lyrical, not necessarily musical. There's actually a bit more variety to this album, but the sonic options didn't all work for me. It's good enough, but I liked the previous and next one better. It's a bit more sparse with plenty of acoustic numbers. Like coffee shop music. Just as much stuff from the internal-dialogue of an emotionally sensitize young person, but that's OK. "Growing Pains" was the first single, and set the theme for the coming-of-age album. However, the next one "Trust My Lonely" is more in-line with the self-respect and anti-party focus of the first album: she doesn't NEED anybody. (I think this is the song the aces really like). "Nintendo Game" offers a extended metaphor for relationships that is cute AF: "All the trashtalk is getting reload / I'd rather try my hand at Rainbow Road....This is taking longer than Zelda." The album got solid reviews. It debuted at #1 on the US iTunes Pop Charts, whatever that means, but did less well on the Billboard charts. It did well in her native Canada. She went on tour opening for Shawn Mendes; I would have left after she played TBH. While touring she released a new EP in the summer of 2019, This Summer, and it's some of my favorite stuff from her. "Rooting for You" is more unrelenting positivity, but "OKAY OKAY" is glitchy and fun. I like "October" too: maybe just because it makes the Season Fall playlist and gets played a lot or maybe because it's a great song. The following summer she released a live version of the EP...and donated all the proceeds to Save the Children! She also added more colorations around this time, appearing on songs from the bands Bastillle and Lauv(?), pop bands I don't know much about, probably because they are all boys! But...you know that all-girl, Mexican Metallica cover band, The Warning? She covered "Enter Sandman" with them. I don't ever say this about thrash, but slowing it down just a hair makes it somehow groovier and deep. Pretty bad song, of course, but I'll give them a pass.

Also, in 2019 she was nominated for multiple Latin Grammy awards. Can we please talk about this for a second? Not that it matters, but did anyone else think Alessia Cara was Latin? You could be forgiven for thinking she is after she was nominated for Song and Record of the year for her collaboration with well-established Columbian artist, Juanes, on a song called "Querer Mejor," in which she sings in Spanish. She's not. She's Italian! She lives in Canada, but both her parents were immigrants from Italy. Very Italian! Another hint: her real name, listed for the song writing credits, is Alessia Caraccioli; that would have given it away! It is absolutely not just me: it came up when she was playing that game with Wired wherein celebs answer the mostly commonly Googled questions about themselves: What is Alessia Cara's nationality? To which she replied, "This is a funny one because if you go online, every day, a few times a day actually, every single day, there's a person that discovers that I am Italian and basically white. It makes me laugh 'cause they're in like in shock that I'm like not Latina or something. I am pretty racially ambiguous. I think that's because my family's from the South of Italy and everyone from the South is like a little bit darker and more olive skinned. I got the curls, but I'm Italian through and through." Yep, that was me; I'm the person online. I'm glad she doesn't seem upset by it and I appreciate the explanation.    

Then the pandemic hit and she went back to making little YouTube videos in her bedroom, like pre-fame. It works! The innocent adorableness is off the charts: "Is this thing working?" "Hi, I'm Alessia." Um, you're pretty famous at this point! She was on a world tour and played on the late night talk shows and MTV Awards and all sorts of things. 

Her third and most recent full album from 2021, In the Meantime (ideally not confused with the [best] Helmet album of the same title), offers more "introspection and vulnerable lyricism" that played well with critics and audiences. I liked it the most, which bodes well for the future. The little electronica and even reggae flourishes really keep it interesting. The actual singles didn't particularly resonate with me, but plenty of these songs were good. The song "Bluebird" deftly incorporates "I Wish You Love," made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, and Dusty Springfield. The breezy "Find My Boy" is another favorite. 

While doing this blog entry I heard a Christmas song on the radio in a public place and could easily identify Cara's voice. I went looking for it and found several Christmas covers and originals. Holiday Bonus! 

There's been a spattering of singles from movie soundtracks and maybe some EPs since the last album;  they have been consistently good too. As of this writing, just a couple weeks ago she posted "haven't put out music in two years (that will soon change)." Get ready, everybody! I'm here for it.   

that voice, tho

Alessia Cara with her Best New Artist Grammy (2018); I would not be opposed to possibility of additional accolades in the future. 

Interlude: Best of 2023

2023!

Best Songs of 2023

1. "TQG" Karol G & Shakira

2. "Kill Bill (feat. Doja Cat)" SZA

3. "Green Honda" BENNE 

4. "Single Soon" Selena Gomez

5. "Flowers" or "Used to be Young" Miley Cyrus

6. "Only Daedalus" U.S. Girls

7. "Sports" Yuné Piku

8. "Fly To You (feat. Dido and Grimes)" or "Blood and Butter" or "Dang" Caroline Polachek 

9. "I Got My Tooth Removed" or "Frog on the Floor" 100 gecs

10. "Lord of Ruins" Crypta

----------------------------------------------

11. "Spit" Poppy

12. "Houdini" Dua Lipa 

13. "Dummy" Portugal. The Man

14. "Chocolate Rain" or "Fruit Loop" Flo Milli

15. "Float (feat. Sean Kuti and Egypt 80)" Janelle Monáe

16. "Blades" Arlo Parks

17. "City of Angels" Ladytron

18. "Hare Hare" or "MOONLIGHT" Twice

19. "Super Shy" New Jeans

20. "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" Pink Pantheress and Ice Spice

21. "Vampire" Olivia Rodrigo

22. "Moonlight" Kali Uchis

23. "Hercules" Aaron Neville

24. "A&W" Lana Del Ray

25. "STORY OF BLOOD (feat. Weyes Blood)" John Cale 

Best Live

Crypta

Honorable Mentions

Animal Collective, Princess Nokia, Kimbra, Margo Price, Coi Leray, Neggy Gemmy, Tennis   

Best Albums

100 gecs - 10,000 Gecs

Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn into You

Delco MFs -  The March of the MFs 

Temples - Afterlife 

Best New

yuné pinku  

HMU if you see the theme here, at least in the first four songs. No really, HMU.

Heading into 2024 "upbeat and energized"...like Olivia Rodrigo...and John Fogerty.

Albert Hammond

I was listening to an NPR newscast recently and the host said, "An old song claims that it never rains in California, it pours...and well [awkward transition to news about catastrophic flooding]". I had a mixed reaction. Part of me was glad that "It Never Rains in Southern California" had achieved the status of a well-known, old song - common knowledge, if you will. However, part of me wanted to say, "Hey! That's not just some old song; that's by Albert Hammond, and I've just listened to every song he ever recorded - good stuff." Perhaps the newscaster's vague assessment is not unfair though. He's known most for this song - or for being the father of the guitarist from The Stokes. I found a lot worth listening to though. It turns out that he's a great songwriter. 

Knowing nothing about Hammond before listening to all his music raised some interesting mysteries. Like: why so many well-known covers? And: why is this white guy singing so often in Spanish - and just as often not? 

First, though born in London, he's actually from Gibraltar and got his start playing in Spain, where he remained popular. He must have done something right because he's OBE in merry ol' England. He moved to LA at 26 and that's where his career really took off.

Secondly, he wrote ALL those songs. Despite some cringeworthy lyrics and the occasional silly song, this man is a legendary song writer. He was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2008. Even if you don't know him or his name, surely you have heard of some of the classic songs he has written, including:

"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship [Stop complaining; you love it. It's the second- best Starship song!]

"One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston. Oh yeah, and it was the theme song of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Thus it won an Emmy. NBD! 

"The Air That I Breathe" a big hit for the Hollies, and one I couldn't understand why he kept covering in different versions. Radiohead owes him a little something.

"To All The Girls I've Loved Before" which became a duet between Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. When I saw Willie Nelson at NO Jazz Fest he did the duet with Orleans Parish Sherriff Harry Lee; it was really something. Damn if I can't find footage of it, but nola.com confirms: "The late Jefferson Parish sheriff Harry Lee was often a special guest for Nelson’s local appearances."

"When I Needed You," which I didn't recognize on paper as a hit, charted for both Leo Sayer(?) and Leap Lee(?). Ok, when I hear it I know it. Leo played it on The Muppet Show; maybe I saw it there. 

Besides all that, and a bunch of other songs and artists I don't really know, he wrote songs for Celine Dione, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Chicago, Heart, and the Carpenters. Wow- he even wrote an Ace of Base song! (Well, they covered a song that he wrote with the ubiquitous Diane Warren.) 

Hammond co-founded the British vocal group The Family Dog and they had a minor hit in 1969 with "A Way of Life," from the album of the same name. It hasn't aged too well. However, he's mostly  known as a singer-songwriter on his own, and that really begins in the 1970s with a classic 70s sound on his first album, which contains several of his best-known songs and his only real hit for himself. It Never Rains in Southern California is an excellent debut in 1972, and it certainly sounds like it comes from the 70s. The title tracks hit No 2. on the charts, and there are other good songs. "From Great Britain to LA" is a jaunty rocking number that belies the "soft rock" moniker he gets saddled with later. Not to be confused with Neil Young's far more intense song, "Down by the River" is a little silly ("there will be a tear in the otter's eye..."), but it's good early environmentalism made simple and fun. While some of this rhyming couplets are a little grating, there are actually some good zingers, including this innocently sexy line: "You put your jeans on top of mine / Said, come in the water's fine." And on "Anyone Here in the Audience" the speaker pitifully begs for musician's mercy. The album ends with "The Air the I Breathe," which is a nearly perfect song that Radiohead stole the progression from and The Hollies had a big hit with. All these themes will be re-mined on subsequent albums, but are present here in this initial solid set of songs.   

Here he is, in all his early glory, playing his biggest hit at the time. 

His second album, entitled The Free Electric Band comes out only a year later, with him producing and arranging himself. "The Day the British Army Lost the War" is a stand-out tracks that borders on hilarious (in a good way). Clearly building on the semi-autobiographical elements teased on the first album, the British Army loses the war because the daughter of the major ends up dating a working-class guy from America. He also retells the story of giving away his family's privilege and fortune for the rock-and-roll lifestyle. Both the title track and the "The Peacemaker" are singles, but they don't go too far. As a full studio album though, even the non-singles are solid songs. 

His third album is sadly self-titled. It starts to settle into the "soft rock" genre, with most of these being mid-tempo numbers. "I'm a Train" is a weirdly simple song, almost a traditional, that was first recorded in French in 1967. Somehow it's the single here. I'd like to think that "Dime Queen of Nevada" is about weed, but it's not - it's about slot machines. "Mary Hot Lips Arizona" tells another compelling story about another interesting lady. Hammond meets lots of ladies in his songs.  There's the working-class sentimentality again, such as on "Everything I Want to Do" (" don't want to go to work / Unless you're there when I get back home) and also on the relatively self-explanatory "I Don't Want to Die in an Air Disaster." 

99 Miles from LA is not an album the sells much at all, but the title track ends up being Hammond's only number One on the Easy Listening charts and probably his most successful track overall. That's especially true considering it's a cover for Art Garfunkel and Johnny Mathis in the 70s, then Julio Iglesias, Dionne Warwick, and Nancy Sinatra later. He covers it himself on the next album, When I Need You, which was his poorest pop-chart showing so far, though it contained "To All The Girls I've Loved Before."

Then he starts singing in Spanish! Like, all in Spanish. The whole album. Having released at least an album a year since 1972, in 1976 he releases the again self-explanatory My Spanish Album. This helps him tour Latin America successfully, and leads to him producing other acts, like in Mexico. He later he also produced Duffy. (Remember Duffy? She was like an Adele/Amy Winehouse predecessor but did not stick around after her first hit, "Mercy," which is still a great song. If we are still allowed to call things "blue-eyed soul" than that was it.) In 1977, '78, and '79 he releases fully-Spanish albums - and they are great. Al Otro Lado del Sol was good enough to get the "Remasterizado" treatment, and it sounds fantastic. Very tastefully produced with acoustic and rhythmic flourishes. All his Spanish stuff is consistently, moderately great.   

I'm still not sure why 1981's English-language Your World and My World, which didn't chart anywhere except Japan (#18), contains his top streaming song "When I'm Gone."  It inexplicably bests "It Never Rains" and "Ansiedad," which somehow tops his big hit by appearing on some Spanish-language compilations. The single itself only charts in Germany, Switzerland, and South Africa- which I suppose is nothing to scoff at, but it wasn't a big hit there or anywhere else. It might be why Wikipedia calls him an "English soft-rocker." Fair. It does sound like Air Supply - as does "When I Need You." Actually, yea- he wrote an Air Supply song too: "Lonely is the Night" again with Diane Warren. This album in particular leans pretty heavily into the soft-rock.  Here he is in the moment:

I was a little disappointed in the others extremeley-1980s sounding soft-rock album, Somewhere in America, but this guy is still around today and definitely not leaning into the 80s synth-pop sound anymore. There have been a series of collections and repackagings. The most recent was 2016's In Symphony, which--as the title indicates--offered symphonic versions of some of his best songs; some worked better than others. I'm happy to report though that his voice is still in excellent condition, and Hammond seems to be enjoying his ride as a respected elder-statesman of rock. Or at least Music. While he may not enjoy the widespread and ongoing popularity that he might deserve, his undeniable prowess as a successful songwriter makes him a true legend. And a good one at that! Unlike Alanis, his songs held up very well to extended repeated listenings. It's not all great, but very little of it is bad. I dig it! 

In 2024, he dropped a new album, which I'll generously call "grizzled." And this article came out, which dismissed him as "the father of a Stroke," and reminds us again that he co-wrote Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" from Mannequin.  

Before listening to Hammond's discography I had knowingly heard him at least once before. His hit song memorably soundtracks the bittersweet/ambiguous original ending to the Veronica Mars series. Like this,

Alanis Morisette

Alanis Morrissette is a fairly big pop star, but her career trajectory is somewhat atypical. Her career is front-loaded to say the least, but has successfully endured. Although she's still making music today, and occasionally salient music at that, many listeners will be familiar with her first album and its breakout success over 20 years ago. As an American, that's where I first heard her. And while I was never exactly an enthusiastic fan, I never had any problem with Alanis. That changed a bit, however, when I tried to sit down and listen to her whole album from top to bottom for the first time- and then followed it up by listening to every other song and album she ever made. It often made for a pretty uncomfortable experience, but I am as surprised as you are to report that the listening eventually got better, and Alanis' most recent work may be her best, though there is a catch. There's light at the end of this tunnel, but the tunnel is long and gets dark. 

Maybe my harsh criticism is because I shouldn't have listened to this girl-power stuff while going through a divorce, but I am a slave to the alphabet. However, for the most part I was just not having this psychotic ex-girlfriend schtick. I found her to be frequently shrill, often unjust and hypocritical, and above all else incessantly complaining,  I didn't enjoy much of it - and it did not stand-up well at all to repeated listenings. But there are moments. So now I'll try to review my listening to Alanis Morrissette's discography without descending into virulent sexism. Wish me luck.  

Let's get this out of the way first: You know, she did some acting? She memorably portrayed God in those Clerks-adjacent movies. And I loved every season of Weeds, in which she also appeared, though blandly. She was also on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Sex and the City. I remember hearing that as a youngster she was on Canada's You Can't Do that On Television, but it turns out she was only on five episodes. Yet here she is getting slimed. (You're welcome.) That's why she gets to complain on her recent album that: "These are the reasons I drink / The reasons I tell everybody I'm fine / Even though I am not / These are the reasons I overdo it / I have been working since I can remember /Since I was single digits." I'm sure that was traumatic and all, but you know what else is traumatic: listening to her complain about the same shit for a couple of decades. She goes on in the same song, "And so that's it, I am buying a Lamborghini / To make up for these habits / To survive this sick industry." Yes. Yes, it is sick. I'm genuinely sorry for what she underwent. I'm just not sure I need to hear about it in a pop song, much less via so much screeching in so many songs. I don't know where else to mention that she was engaged to, but never married, Ryan Reynolds; the two Canadians met at Drew Barrymore's birthday party. There may have been some red flags. Raised by Canadian teachers, she still had a devout Catholic upbringing. She self identifies as a "highly sensitive person" . Yea, we got that.  

She's bitter AF right out of the gate. And to understand why, you need to dig up her old glossy-pop garbage music from the 80s - and OMG it is bad. She's only two years older than me, and I have some sympathy. I am genuinely sorry that as a teenager she was horribly exploited like crazy by patriarchal capitalism, but we are ALL going to pay the price. She's had a hit song called "Too Hot" and an album called Now is the Time that is mostly ballads; these are Canada-only releases and I simply am not listening to any more than that one video from "the Debbie Gibson of Canada." She opened for Vanilla Ice during this era. (Since I'll probably never get to 'V' let me take this opportunity to briefly remind everyone that he had the first #1 rap song on Billboard's Hot 100.) Perhaps it's not a coincidence then that she is currently married to a white rapper from Massachusetts and "feat." on several of his songs; I'm sorry, but it it not good. I'll admit to not giving him a thorough listen, but what I heard was not even tolerable. Also, besides Vanilla Ice, the other bands she has opened for or toured with over the years make a fairly pitiful list of bands I don't like at all: Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Barenaked Ladies, Matchbox Twenty. Fuck - that's a short list of awful bands! And just so that I'm not guilty of bias, it's only fair to conversely admit that she has also toured with Radiohead, Tori Amos, and Garbage and Liz Phair (both twice). So she must be doing something right. She's "alternative," you see.   

Jagged Little Pill an album I am very familiar with, despite never previously owning (physically or otherwise) was her breakout success, though technically her third album. It seemed to be omnipresent while I was in college. She released one single after the other over a period of months and months, so she was always on the radio and MTV. Madonna's then-new label, Maverick, put the album out after everyone else passed. It was Maverick's second ever success, following shitty-grunge band Candelbox's self-titled debut. (Maverick eventually folded, but not before being part of a music industry group that sued a 16-year old cheerleader to the tune of $27k for file sharing a handful of tracks, in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court; the cheerleader lost.) There's no way around the fact that Jagged Little Pill is one of the best selling album of all time. Not bad for a worldwide debut. So many hit singles. So many sales. You maybe never heard of Glen Ballard, but he co-wrote some of and produced all these songs; he had previously done some writing/producing for Michael Jackson and a ton of other 80s pop acts.  

It all starts with "You Outa Know," and I can't believe how dirty it is. It earns her a rare "Explicit" label, which very few of her other songs have, because she sneers, "Are you thinking of me when you fuck her?" - and that gets bleeped out, but not the part about "going down on you in a theatre." OK. People always be like, "Oh, you know Flea plays bass on that song?" as if that makes it cool. And I'm like, "Yea, I fucken know it's Flea (and the guitarist from the Chili Peppers at the time, Dave Navarro); he's popping and slapping a mess all over the song; how could I not know?!" I don't love the rhythm section here, which sounds like they strip-mined grunge and sucked out the bile (thank you Jello Biafra). I also understand that the late Taylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters played drums for her; you know it was only for one 18-month tour, right? He's in the video for "You Outa Know" but not on the album track. The song was a game changer for sure. It's like the 90s-post-grunge, post-Lilith Faire version of "I Will Survive" and people (girls?) were glad to hear it. I think she scared some of the boys. "Ironic" is actually the biggest hit from the album, and her most popular song ever. Some of this may be attributed to the iconic and admittedly clever video and also the endless public discussions around her occasionally inaccurate use of the term "irony." The song has massive cultural staying power too. This recent Politico news story contained the expression "Alanis-level irony" and everybody knows what the means, which is kind of beautiful. Sure, it's an OK song with a tad less acerbity, but with the intense over-singing I still feel like she's yelling at me. How does she sustain her anger? I feel bad for her ex-boyfriends, allegedly including Dave Coulier. Cut. It. Out. There's a reason that Rolling Stone called her the "Queen of Alt-Rock Angst," which is kind of niche-y TBH. Sure, it occasionally rocks, but I'd be more comfortable calling it alt-pop. Alternative-pop-rock? 

One of the craziest things about that first album, and pretty much none of her other music: harmonica. I'll admit, I didn't see that one coming, and there's a certain charm in that. However, I actually can't believe how badly she plays the harmonica on this mainstream music performance; like, I could do that. YOU could do what she does to that instrument, I promise. John Popper agrees, as this guy quotes in his excellent response to the album., but I think it's great that Popper and Morsette played at the same Pro-Choice rally in D.C. in 2001 circa their respective peaks. Harmonica is one of the first things we hear on the album, as it opens the first song "All I Really Want," which rocks well enough. Many of her albums start strong, then fade fast. "You Learn" and "Head Over Feet" are slightly more-chilled out singles that kept this gargantuan pop phenomenon chugging for many months. I actually almost-like "Hand in My Pocket" because she kind of says "shit" and she's not as angry. I can also relate to the paradoxical self-assessment. The last song on the album (Was it a hidden song on the CD?) is the a capella "Your House." It's creepy and interesting, although not musically, but seems to be a clear violation of the consent the she otherwise holds so dearly. 

I also want to say: that's not a very good album cover, but almost every other one she puts out is worse. I don't know what the problem is there.  

She actually holds the record for the most Number Ones on the Billboard Alternative Song chart for a female soloist, group or duo, which is--again--a pretty specific niche. She's no Rihanna or TayTay. Yes, she's had like 8 singles reach the Top 40, but they are all on these first few album. Obviously the Grammys threw a couple statues at her. Her "highly anticipated follow-up" Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is supposedly "experimental" (it's not) and "electronic-infused" (<eye roll>; it's no Ray of Light). It does have another awful album cover, far worse than the previous album, and not as many successful singles. "Thank U" seemed to ride the coattails of the previous album to keep things going for a bit. She capitalizes by recording an Unplugged, as that is what one did in 1999 when one is a pop star. It's got to be one of the more disappointing entries in the unplugged series; sure it offers a nice career retrospect, if her first two albums could be considered a career, but the songs sound thinner, and nothing is added by stripping them down. This is especially true of the live-with-some-strings version of "Uninvited," which she had the good sense to close her set with. Still, I'm going to say this is her best song, and easily my favorite. I love the exotic soaring vocals, the twinkling start, and the way it builds to an epic orchestral swell. It's one of few songs from her early career that she can take credit for writing entirely on her own, although it's seemingly penned by the same inappropriate creeper who sang "Your House." The song never appeared on an Alanis album and wasn't even released as a single, even though it did get airplay and climb those charts. It's from the soundtrack of City of Angels, a movie with Meg Ryan and and Nicolas Cage that seems otherwise forgettable. But the soundtrack had this song, her first release following the previous album's success, and has got a bunch of other famous songs on it, include the Goo Goo Dolls hit single "Iris," which I don't love but certainly got that band noticed (for better or worse). 

After that things are not as great. Under Rug Swept is the last album most people seem to remember. It had "Hands Clean" - and granted: we absolutely need to hold the slimy men running the music business accountable for their sins, and this was way before most people were calling them out. The meta video does a good job of doing just that, but for some reason it didn't seem to get that much airplay. As someone with the privilege of not having to face sexual harassments, and who was hardly a feminist yet in 2002, I registered no reaction whatsoever to the song or it's message. My bad. When the album opens with the obnoxious 1-2-punch of "21 Things I want in a Lover" and "Narcissus," it starts coming across as just a laundry list of bitter complaints.   

Somehow So-Called Chaos is a little better. Less bitter, less shrieking. She still has lots to complain about but has more diverse content, and she seems more reserved in these complaints. We get another truly awful album cover, including one of the most awkward photos of a famously beautiful pop star that I've ever seen. Perhaps the title and picture (the font is also relevant) are veiled reference to My So-Called Life. That was one of my favorite shows. If Claire Danes-super-fan me is left wondering if there's an allusion here, then it is falling flat.

Flavors of Entanglement is actually pretty good, or at least I didn't have any specifically articulated problems with it. It sounds very much like an "early 2000s" record and not at all like "90s rock." There's hardly a distorted electric guitar to be found, but there's plenty of electronica flourishes. There's even an almost-drum-and-bass song- with strings! OK...OK.... Even the ballads are tolerable, if not impressive or necessarily enjoyable. It helps enormously that she has toned it down a bit. She's still got plenty to complain about but she's more reserved, calmer about it: there's less angry shrieking and it helps. At least to this listener. Even the album cover is an improvement; it's just another obscured portrait, but this one is vaguely alluring, what with the smoky eyes and all. Maybe that's just me! Ironically, this is the first I've heard of any of these songs. I'm not sure they made much of an impression in 2008, and that's somewhat unfortunate. It's a well-constructed album of decent songs with a good, polished sound. Forty-six minutes might be the perfect album length. The Deluxe edition that adds another twenty minutes of original songs ruined it. This was the album about breaking up with Ryan Reynolds. The next one, 2012's Havoc and Bright Lights is a pretty weak and forgettable affair produced by the same guy that made her previous record. I appreciated the lighter tone, but like some of her other stuff it made no impact on me. It was her first album away from Maverick Records. It did well in Canada, but not elsewhere. Critically response was mixed at best. So maybe to make the critics STFU she released a four-disc collector's edition of Jagged Little Pill to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. That's too many discs. Five years later she took it on the road for it's 25th, although COVID killed that idea, at least temporarily. She kept milking it, and the album became a musical on Broadway in 2019; apparently its pretty good (15 Tony nominations!) if you're into musical theatre.  

So yea, then she's been around for over 20 years and, after an eight year break between albums, she evolves. There's still that glossy pop production, but rather than electronics and dumbed-down beats this is a more band-oriented sound: I can hear the guitar, bass, drums, and plenty of piano and keyboard driven tracks. There's a new depth and maturity in her singing and lyrics on Such Pretty Forks in the Road, which could be described as mom-rock. I'm not saying that pejoratively. Moms needed this music, just as much as all those jilted ladies needed "You Outa Know" all those year ago. "Reasons I Drink" is a mom-rock anthem, despite being hyper-personal. The first song from the album, and another single, is "Smiling." It ain't bad! It's like she heard me praising "Uninvited" and leaned-in to that sound. I declare it to be my second favorite Alanis song. But you know what, the album cover is bad again. Like real bad. Like disturbing. Like - why? She's a pretty lady, but the pic of her on the album cover is the stuff of nightmares. 

Right before what is currently her last album, she released a stand-alone single, the sincerely apologetic "Olive Branch." Again, it's like she heard me complaining about her complaining. It is not the greatest song, just a sparse piano ballad, but I really appreciate the lyrics. I mean she's probably talking about her relationship(s) or whatever. Her lyrics have always tended towards the poetically confession. In all seriousness though, it can be taken as as letter to her listeners who grew irritated. It's cool: we're good, Alanis. 

Her most recent album from 2022 is my favorite...but she doesn't sing on it. At least, she doesn't sing any words, although there are some wordless vocals. No more biting lyrics though. It's an ambient album - and so I like it! I can listen to this while reading, yoga practicing, or maybe even falling asleep; it's versatile! I'm sure there is better meditation music out there by Brian Eno or whoever, but this was so nice to hear after all the bitter anger and complaining. The Storm Before the Calm goes on for a while and goes to some different places with a bunch of long tracks, but it is delightfully chill and I could listen to it over and over again without getting irritated at all. She made the album with the guy from Darkside, a semi-defunct electronic outfit. I'm picturing Alanis laying on her back on a yoga mat while bad ambient music plays; then her eyes pop open and she says, "Come on, I can make better instrumental chill-out music than this!" So she does. I'm here for it. This will stay in my rotation for chill-out purposes. Also: Who is this obscurely beautiful, young hippie woman looking so serene on the album cover? Has Alanis really chilled out? Is that even her? If so, I'll have whatever she's having... 

I guess I'm slowly coming around, but it's to a mixed a big at best.

Even as I was drafting this Alanis was levelling her charges of sexism against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, right after she was excited, apparently. And good for her, sincerely. Somebody needs to say something. I also want to fight sexism. But I want to fight obnoxious music too. I listened to a lot of Alanis in 2022 and was ultimately more vexed then entertained by it, but there's definitely some good stuff in there for some people. You could definitely do a lot worse for such a wildly-successful international pop star.