Alanis Morissette, Under Rug Swept

By Nicole Riva

On Under Rug Swept, Morissette finds a perfect balance between the anger expressed on Jagged Little Pill and the spiritual clarity on Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. Songs like “Narcissus” prove that men still piss off Morissette, and she is still dealing with self image though songs like “So Unsexy.”

Her voice has never been stronger and used in such a wide range. This was her first album without co-producer Glen Ballard and the album proves that she is capable of sitting on both sides of a recording booth. The songs vary from guitar filled to minimalist (“That Particular Time,” “Utopia”) and the album overflows with emotion, stories, intelligent and beautiful lyrics and a sense of humour. I picked this album over my two other favorites of the year because it was completely overshadowed by a new breed of girls with guitars and deserves quite a bit more attention than it received.

2-Weezer, Maladroit (Interscope)

3-Norah Jones, Come Away With Me (Blue Note)

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