Alanis Revisits The Scene Of The Crime

In 1995, out of no where, the entire world met a very angry, and sometimes distant Alanis Morissette with her mega hit album Jagged Little Pill.

Jagged Little Pill was an album that spoke for many young angry people, either through the jilted lover's anthem, You Oughta Know or through the bitter ballad Perfect, which was written for the sake of parents who simply didn't understand. Jagged Little Pill simply took Alanis to places that she certainly did not expect. Weather it was fans screaming in an arena to this album, or to radio which over played this album, Alanis simply did not get to enjoy this album, at least not in a way the artist should have. This period in her life left her drained and very distant.

The album gained grammy's and took Alanis and her bandmates all over the world twice, and it is not any wonder why it took Alanis three years to make a follow up.

I have often read here and from critics that this album was unnecassry to make, I am one to disagree with that. Other artists in the past have celebrated their albums in the same way Alanis did with this. The album was ten years old, so I feel Alanis had good reason to celebrate an album that still to this VERY day effects people. Wouldn't you, if you made an album that made you millions of dollars beyond your wildest dreams and also would you celebrate and album that meant alot to your fans who put you in the must have catagory? Rolling Stone magazine hails Jagged Little Pill as a must have album, and one day this is going to be the album that puts Alanis into the rock and roll hall of fame. Jagged Little Pill, weather it is this acoustic version or the original 1995 release, will hail Alanis as a classic artist when she is sitting high at the age of 50. I know when I think classics, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Heart all come to mind, but Alanis and many others are soon to follow in that same catagory.

Track 1: All I Really Want opens up, and this version floored me. I have seen Alanis 5 times in concert, but the way I always heard this song live and also on the original album, this song was always dark, but here Alanis sheds a little light on this version. She never really has done this song acoustic, so this is a chance for fans who have never had the oppertunity to hear the song live or done acoustic. Also, for the fans who have not gotten this version yet, she has changed the line: Why Are YOU So Petrified Of Silence to Why Am I SO Petrified Of Silence? I think it is great she did that, since she does tend to sing that line in concert, so this brings a live effect to you that you the fan may have never heard. Also at the end Alanis brings out the lines that was so difficult to understand, so here is your oppertunity to hear the lines you did not quite get on the original release.

Track 2: You Oughta Know, I must say I love this version the best! I have heard this song slowed down, I have heard it live numerous times, but here Alanis simply takes to a mid level, so it is not too fast or too slow. As we all know, this is the song that started it all, the man who decieved her. But by now most people should know the topic of the song, so here we will discuss the sound. Here Alanis brings out the acoustic guitar, and some really great sound effects musically. Alanis also does some what of the live effect here, so you will get what you have missed in past years as far as live performances go. Also for you who doubt Alanis, she has sort of mellowed her vocals here, so not as harsh as the first one was, but more of a mellow vocal.

Track 3: Perfect, the song about parents who misunderstand their youngsters or the parents who pushed their kids way too hard. This song sounds so great on piano, so here, we are getting a very smoothed out version on piano and acoustic guitar. Alanis still shows that depth of anger, but yet you get this softness the original did provide. Actually a small bit of info on this song, this is what started Jagged Little Pill and took it to the heighths and depths we know as an album.

Track 4: Hand In My Pocket, this is certainly not the version you are used to via radio or video. As many times as I have heard Alanis live, she never took this song to this depth, but here she takes a Bob Dylan effect to the song that gets fans and listeners doing hand gestures. I love this particular version due its happy effect, the first time I heard this version I felt like Janis Joplin came back and brought Alanis a sort of happy hippy effect to this great classic!

Track 5: Right Through You, the bitter track about those who decieve you, and here you get almost the way Alanis would do this live. There is not too much difference here, except the various strings never attached to this dark piece.

Track 6: Forgiven, the song about Catholic faith, and this version slightly differs the original due to a more live effect. This particular polished version is slightly slower than the original. I love how Alais tackles this vocally, as if performing it for an audience of thousands, Alanis gets into it.

Track 7: You Learn, the angle of this song is different here, Alanis does this as you may have heard it on her Unplugged effort. I like the slower and mellow effect Alanis gives off here. She vocalizes well on this former top then hit.

Track 8: Head Over Feet, the only real love song that came from Jagged Little Pill, and this version is even sweeter with the piano effect and also Alans slows this down a little more than the original was. This is just perfect enough to dedicate to that one special guy or gal in your life, I garuntee this particular version is enough to make them smile when you play it for them. And of course as you know, this song would not be complete without the famous harmonica solo added in.

Track 9: Mary Jane, this particular revamped version is done on piano as well, this version is slightly slower than its original counter part on the original Jagged Little Pill, and just as you may well remember this track, the lyrics start out negative, but will eventually build into a very positive effect by the song ends, as it has me, this song may still make you cry. Alanis really adds more depth into her vocal here, bascially take it as a live performance.

Track 10: Ironic, the song radio played a gazillion times over, but here Alanis takes her classic top ten hit and does a few changes. First off, the song starts out on piano, and then lyrically you are familar with the old man who won the lottery, and then dying the next day. The chorus is where change number two kicks in, instead of the rough it's like rayyyyyeeeen, you get a softer tone and a mellow effect vocally, also right before the choruses kick in, Alanis holds on to the line don't you think, which is how this song is typically done in concert, then the sudden surprise kicks in change number three, she now sings it's like meeting the man of my dreams and meeting his beautiful husband, which is done quite often in live shows, and that normally gets the crowd all excited and cheering. Ending the song is a beautiful effect, again done at all shows, she rides high on her vocal and completes this wonderful revised version.

Track 11: Not The Doctor, and this song is not done like it was on the first Jagged Little Pill, instead she gets a wordly effect going on in the intro and also she darkened the song, since the lyrics were very dark to begin with. I really perfer this to the original and I find myself playing it more than the first one.

Track 12: Wake Up, and this one does not differ too much from the original Jagged Little Pill, but still you get a very nice acoustic version of this fan fave. Alanis does slow this track down a smidge, but it is a nice warm performance. I personally miss this song in live shows, this really hasn't been done since Jagged Little Pill was the main focus on her first tour.

Track 13: Your House, to get this song to play, you have to leave track 12 goin, then out of no place, like the first album did, you get the hidden track, but where this differs is in the sound, Alanis finally adds music to this, but only true hard core fans have gotten the pleasure of the musical sound to the former accapella track. I think you as the listener will find this version very pleasing.


Over all Jagged Little Pill Acoustic is just a refreshing blend of new sounds and versions of her songs that some fans have never gotten the pleasure of hearing live. Also, Alanis does include in the cd booklet how she was not able to enjoy the hype that everyone else around her did, and that includes fans as well, we fans got more pleasure and enjoyment than she did, but time has withered away the demons that haunted her during that time, so this gave Alanis a new aspect to look at, this time Jagged Little Pill is a piece of art Alanis can enjoy now, and along with Alanis, I hope you enjoy it as a listener and possibly any new fans who have not heard her live, well you get some idea at how amazing she really is, not just in lyric, but also in vocal and in some cases, with instruments.