Music, books, and films can find endless ways to travel through time and space. That’s how a work that has been remarkably relevant in a certain time, can seem to vanish for a while, only to resurface again, riding waves of popularity from one generation to the next. I think that’s exactly what keeps happening with Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette’s third album (and her first to be released worldwide).
Produced by Madonna’s (!) record label, the album turned 30 on June 13. And if it’s true that 30 is the new 18 (bear with me), what better reason to dive into a double review of this over-30-million-copy pop-rock legend?
On one side, there’s me, someone who discovered the album retrospectively, more than a decade after it came out. On the other side, my friend and colleague Laurell, who witnessed the Alanis phenomenon explode in real time.
Back then, I knew Alanis for the hits she dropped in the 2000s. I liked her, but I hadn’t yet stumbled upon the album that changed everything for her, neither by chance nor thanks to MTV. The only ‘90s reference I had was that image of Alanis driving a car with herself as the passenger, and that was already quite interesting to me.
Only after listening to Jagged Little Pill all the way through did I realize that scene came from Ironic’s music video. What lives free rent in my mind is the breath she takes right before singing “A little too ironic”, you think the final chorus is about to explode, but instead, she holds you in the softness of the bridge just a little longer.
I think it’s fair to call this a coming-of-age album, straddling the line between adolescence and adulthood, filled with moments of clarity, angst, sarcasm, and romanticism.
My personal favorites are definitely “Head Over Feet” and “You Learn.” Especially this last one is an ode to all the times we felt like we’d fallen too hard, when in reality it was just a tiny bruise.
It’s been 30 years since Jagged Little Pill came out, and yet it still feels like an album with so much to say, and the proof of something pretty essential to me: times may change, generations may shift, but deep down, young people will always be the same.
That’s my take, now over to Laurell, who’ll share what the album meant to her.
'Cause the joke that you laid in the bed that was me
And I'm not gonna fade as soon as you close your eyes
And you know it
And every time I scratch my nails
Down someone else's back, I hope you feel it
Now can you feel it? - You Oughta Know
Alanis Morissette never sang, screamed, screeched, or yelled a lyric that didn’t instantly evoke the most vivid mental imagery - that’s her superpower.
You couldn’t go anywhere in 1995 without hearing the intelligent and unmistakable wordplay from this crazy, colourful Canadian lady who had recently burst onto the music scene. Alanis was doing something a little off-centre to that mid-90s soft rock and R&B dominant sounds we all became accustomed to.
My teenage obsession with Alanis is that listening to Jagged Little Pill was a sort of Duolingo of that era. To this day, you cannot listen to Alanis and not instantly expand your vocabulary. Don’t believe me? Alanis taught the world the meaning of the word Ironic - truly iconic behaviour!
Jagged Little Pill is one of those time capsule-worthy records. Hand in My Pocket for example, is a song that describes every human mood ever. Everyone should listen to this song, often, whenever you need reassurance that everything will be just fine. Because how else will we ever explain to our grandkids that you can have one hand in your pocket while the other hand is giving a high five?! She also taught me the most iconic apology that I use to this day when she crooned: “I’m wrong and I’m sorry…baby!”
I'm free, but I'm focused
I'm green, but I'm wise
I'm hard, but I'm friendly, baby
I'm sad, but I'm laughing
I'm brave, but I'm chicken sh*t
I'm sick, but I'm pretty, baby - Hand In My Pocket
It’s so hard to pick my top 3 anthems from the album, but forced to make a choice, I would go with:
I agree with the two most popular opinions of Jagged Little Pill: it’s either an anthem for empowerment or a heartbreak soundtrack, depending on the stage of your life you’re in when you discover its charm.
