Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
by Alanis Morissette

When I used to listen to this album I would skip a bunch of the songs, and now it's my favorite album and I love every track (and with 17 of them that says something). The reason for the big change is because I first came to the album with the wrong expectations - and I think this explains the divided reception. There aren't as many catchy hooks here or sing-a-long classics as there were on her album before this, so it can throw you off if that's what you're after. But if you're type who particularly enjoys songs with depth, with layers in production and lyrics that continue to offer more with every listen, you will like this. If you appreciate songs that push boundaries and subvert conventions in songwriting, you will like this. Not because it's the most experimental album ever produced, because it's not. But it is unusual and dense enough that it will put you off if you only expect the radio-friendly rock of Jagged Little Pill.
Moral of the story: come to the album with the right expectations, and you will hopefully appreciate this as a brilliant alternative album from a confessional singer-songwriter.

I won't necessarily put this or Jagged Little Pill above one another. I like them both for different reasons. But, with this being said, I really do think that they are two different beasts. While Jagged Little Pill was a really great album that especially emphasized and brought to life the teenager angst that we have all felt before, it was just this. The songs had their meaning and their instrumentation and their production and their overall display on the album. You got it on your first listen, if you were paying attention.
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is quite different. You find layered, upon layered instrumentation and even vocals on a lot of tracks here. You will find more and more on each listen of this album. It is experimental, especially in comparison to Jagged Little Pill. I like each of these albums for their own reason, but you might find me listening to Jagged Little Pill out of comfort, and this one out of curiosity, wonder, excitement, and... well you get my point.

My favourite album from her. For the 3 years preceding this album she was possibly THE biggest act in the music industry, anywhere in the world. With that in mind this has got to be one of the bravest albums from any artist, really unique and subversive. Many of the songs don't even have choruses, and the album as a whole is not particularly accessible. She alienated a lot of fans who liked the radio friendly winning formula she had struck upon with Jagged Little Pill, but she didn't need any more money, and was more than happy to forego the pressure of fame that she had experienced the years prior - so she resolved to just to the music she wanted, regardless of expectations. The result is an alt-rock masterpiece, that was overlooked by many who would normally appreciate it because many alt-rock fans had already written her off as too mainstream after Jagged Little Pill. Retrospectively though, this is an underrated 90s classic. (Edited)

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/12/2011 16:28 | #32758 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

"supposed former infatuation junkie" doesn't really start for me until "baba" (track #2) where alanis is looking for absolution. She's looking to, and appreciating, something other-worldly (in "baba": "I've seen them overlooking god in / their own essence. / I've seen their upward glances / in hopes of instant salvation."), thinking universally and composing resolve to act inwardly (in "thank u": "How about me not blaming you for everything / How about me enjoying the moment for once "). The rage is more tempered now, focused on some sort of self-improvement. There's the alanis agressiveness in "sympathetic character", then she turns sympathetic in her confessional "that i would be good". She still writes what i call "grocery list lyrics" -- where all ideas in the verse start with the same phrase and/or the same thing for all incarnations of chorus (like in "are you still mad?" where EVERY lyric starts "are you still mad" only for her to conclude "of course you are" -- OY) or end the same way (as in "u r") -- which becomes tiresome and comes off as lazy writing after a while. But the album is saved by all of the ideas alanis pours in to this album from within, even if some ideas outlast their welcome like the "couch" psych visit, because some work well like "i was hoping" and the self-rehabilitating power of "one". i particularly like "unsent" and somewhat-dark "joining you" near the end.

From RoundTheBend TOP 100 COMMENTER 05/15/2016 20:32 | #166045 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I was disappointed, but maybe I should give it more of a chance and in time probably will understand why everyone is raving about it.