Album review: ALANIS MORISSETTE – Live At Montreux 2012

Eagle Rock

The fact that Alanis Morissette has sold over 60 million albums is pretty impressive. The fact that over half have been her been her monumental 1995 ‘debut’ album Jagged Little Pill, suggests that it’s a career highpoint that she’s never going to equal. None of her subsequent 5 albums have come even close.

But such was the success of Jagged Little Pill that she continues to command a loyal following and in July 2012 she returned to Montreux with her Guardian Angel tour in support of her, at the time, soon to be released Havoc And Bright Lights album.

With a supporting band of Julian Coryell and Jason Orme on guitars, Cedric LeMoyne on bass, Michael Farrell on keyboards and Victor Indrizzo on drums, the set featuring a selection of new and old material was captured on this separately available CD and companion DVD.

The DVD is the full 98 minute, 20 track set, while it’s been pared down to 15 tracks to fit onto a single CD. Inevitably, Jagged Little Pill contributes significantly with more than one third of the material.

But that’s not altogether a bad thing – for one, it will keep fans happy, and it’s encouraged me to go digging around my back catalogue. And in the excellent Neil Young-ish ‘Flinch’ (a 2002 single taken from the album Under Rug Swept) it’s made me want to investigate a little wider.

The set benefits significantly from the DVD visual experience, so if you’re thinking of indulging, that’s the one to go for – the band are tight, the light show’s reasonable, and Alanis is hot. She may be a little heavier as she approaches middle age, but for a with waist length hair, vest and tight jeans she’s looking in mighty fine health and like she’s having a blast.

Put the Jagged Little Pill highlights to one side for a moment and it’s still a damn fine rock cross over performance. It makes you wonder why her star seems to have faded so badly. But I suppose, when you reach the top, the only way is down. That said, it’s made me want to dust down my copy of Jagged Little Pill and give it a spin. A classic then, and still a classic now. ***1/2

Review by Pete Whalley

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