Under Rug Swept - Alanis Morissette
It’s hard to follow the bombshells that are Jagged Little Pill and Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, and in comparison Under Rug Swept seems a bit blander. In particular, the music has more of a poppish vibe than many of the daringly experimental songs found in the previous albums. But the intellectualism and emotional vulnerability are still there, and there are plenty of unique things about this album that make it a worthy addition to my collection.
Fans of the Alanis who’s bitingly sarcastic in her treatment of ex lovers will be pleased with Narcissus, which seems to meet the bitterness quota for the album, as the rest of it is much softer and more self-reflective. Flinch, So Unsexy, and Precious Illusions reveal a very different kind of persona, one who is shrinkingly insecure and overly attached, far from the strikingly independent mask that such a person might don for the sake of self-protection.
The other songs mainly deal with reframing interpersonal relationships in a more compassionate light. That Particular Time and Surrendering present the rather groundbreaking idea that breaking up and being rejected can be gentle, respectful, healthy, and even loving - rather than contentious and hurtful:
At that particular time love encouraged me to leave
At that particular moment I knew that staying with you meant deserting me
that particular month was harder than you’d believe
but I still left at that particular time
Surrendering in particular is the only song I’ve ever heard that imagines rejection of a prospective romantic partner as an expression of praise and respect. Would that all rejections could be taken in this light; perhaps then we’d have less rage, jealousy, and violence in the name of unrequited attraction.
A longtime favorite of mine from this album is A Man, which was my adolescent self’s first exposure to the idea that feminism in its most effective form cannot be a crusade against the male gender. Written from the perspective of a man who resents being held responsible for all the crimes of patriarchy, it’s especially powerful coming from a singer whose career was made at least partly with musical tirades against men. It fits very well with the album’s overall theme of healing interpersonal wounds and reframing conflict as an opportunity for intimacy. It’s also one of the most musically interesting songs on this album.
Next: So-Called Chaos
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