Albums by this artist

Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998)

Alanis Morissette

Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie

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» KATHARINE KELLY | STAFF WRITER

Alanis Morissette Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie Maverick, 1998 RiYL: Madonna, Natalie Imbruglia, Tori Amos

After the hugely successful Jagged Little Pill, expectations for Alanis Morissette's next album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, were more than high. While her powerful voice is still intact, this album represents a more self-conscious Morissette -- and a less creative one.

"Front Row" kicks the album off with a familiar rhythm and subject: love -- or, more accurately, why love sucks. Unfortunately, the rest of the songs on Junkie suggest Morissette may have hit a wall in terms of song structure. Track after track, the pattern is the same: Start with a sentence or two and spend the rest of the song tacking on different endings (as exemplified by both of the album's repetitious radio hits, "Thank U" and "Joining You").

Even when the singer does break this pattern, her ramblings -- which once came off as honest and raw -- don't strike the same empathetic chord as they did on Pill. Her sentiments seem to be in the right place, but it's almost as if the pressure to put out another Grammy winner overwhelmed her ability to tell heartfelt stories in a listenable manner.

Something about this record feels commercially premeditated. Maybe next time she won't think as hard.

KATHARINE KELLY |