Alanis Morissette has long lost the quirky charm she exuded when she first transitioned from just another Canadian singer to a Jagged Little Pill rammed down the throat of the pop music world. That album, one of the biggest-selling ever, was 25 years ago. She’s had plenty of time to mature; she started as a teenager; now she’s in her mid-40s; and these new songs reflect as much.
“Take me back in time,” she demands on Sandbox Love before engaging in post-traumatic sex that’s “awkward as fuck”. It’s lyrically and sonically about as close to the artistic edge as she gets here. Most of the other songs stay near the middle of The Road. The album ultimately comes across as sad and desolate even when she’s Smiling; a “crash” survivor that’s too damaged to feel Pretty.
my rating : 3 of 5
2020