E' una Morissette calma, rilassate e pacata quella giunta all'appuntamento con Havoc and Bright Lights, cresciuta con la maternità e pronta a ricominciare da capo dopo la rottura con la Maverick di Madonna. Lontana dai trentatré milioni di copie di Jagged Little Pill - l'album di debutto più venduto di sempre - dimentica dell'ascetismo indù per l'incompreso Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie e poco disponibile ad un nuovo nudo creativo simil Thank U, Alanis recupera le redini della sua epopea, temporaneamente abbandonate con l'ultimo Flavors of Entanglement, consapevole di non vestire più i panni della ribelle adolescente canadese alternativa post-grunge e di fare ormai rotta verso la nicchia delle cantautrici di qualità prive di una mastodontica copertura commercial-mediatica degna delle "sgualdrinelle" trash pop.
Havoc and Bright Lights, perfetto erede della stramba cacofonia morissettiana dei titoli, fa capolino all'orecchio dell'ascoltatore in quanto curato e raffinato disco pop-rock, magari non monumentale e luminescente rispetto all'epoca d'oro dei Novanta, libera espressione di un'artista che ha scelto la strada della schiettezza, della freschezza e dell'integrità creativa su pentagramma senza concedersi alle assordanti aberrazioni sonore del momento. Chi tenterà di fiutare improbabili guizzi di innovazione e di stravolgimento oppure pretenderà avanguardie e dinamicità pseudo futurista e ribelle rimarrà seriamente deluso: i brani di Havoc sono piccoli tasseli della semplicità fatta a tracklist, caldi, solari, un pizzico malinconici e nostalgici, propugnatori della più classica e genuina tradizione cantautoriale internazionale, oggi largamente soppiantata dall'artificio e dalla vuota, quanto inutile tendenza alla tragressione a tutti i costi.
Dal primo estratto Guardian, piacevole brano rock melodico a climax reiterati, alle fragranti suggestioni elettroniche di Edge of Evolution e, timidamente danzerecce, di Woman Down, il sesto sforzo in studio della Morissette palesa in modo encomiabile la volontà di rimanere con i piedi saldamente a terra, lungi dallo scordare il glorioso passato intrapreso più di vent'anni fa e di proseguire il percorso rettilineo tracciato con le sue ultime produzioni. E alla consueta ridondanza del nome di battesimo del disco si oppone una serie di brani "mono-dicitura": Celebrity è a metà fra l'hard rock e i synth alla Muse, Havoc scivola dolcemente nella piano-ballad d'atmosfera, Numb si inoltra in un coraggioso pop-metal gotico con sfumature grunge e Win And Win regala tutta la meglio morbidezza folk-strumentale.
Scordatevi, dunque, l'Alanis pepatina, birichina e maliziosa nel pieno dell'epoca alternative e della gioventù ribelle: l'artista-mamma di Havoc ha sposato l'autenticità della femminilità "Acqua&Sapone" trasposta per l'occasione nella sala di incisione, partorito un dignitoso gruppetto di canzoni del pop più genuino e verace che ci sia e dimostrato alle anti-dive che la buona musica e un'immagine curata e non plasticosa possono essere più salde, durature e prolifiche di una mega-hit da leoni inferociti della pista da ballo.
Alanis Morissette, Havoc and Bright Lights
Guardian - Woman Down - 'Til You - Celebrity - Empathy - Lens - Spiral - Numb - Havoc - Win And Win - Receive - Edge of Evolution.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Ironic (00:00)
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic...don't you think
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought ... it figures
Mr. Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought ... it figures
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face
A traffic jam when you're already late
A "No Smoking" sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and yeah I really do think...
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought ... it figures
Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out
10 You Learn (00:00)
I recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone
I recommend walking around naked in your living room
Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)
It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)
Wait until the dust settles
(You live you learn
You love you learn
You cry you learn
You lose you learn
You bleed you learn
You scream you learn)
I recommend biting off more that you can chew to anyone
I certainly do
I recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free
Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)
Hold it up (to the rays)
You wait and see when the smoke clears
Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do)
Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually anyway)
The fire trucks are coming up around the bend
You grieve you learn
You choke you learn
You laugh you learn
You choose you learn
You pray you learn
You ask you learn
You live you learn
17 Uninvited (00:00)
Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
To watch shepherd need shepherd
But you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Like any uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced love like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
I don't think you unworthy
I need a moment to deliberate
23 You Oughta Know (05:29)
I want you to know
That I'm happy for you
I wish nothing but
The best for you both
An older version of me
Is she perverted like me
Would she go down on you in a theater
Does she speak eloquently
And would she have your baby
I'm sure she'd make a really excellent mother
'Cause the love that you gave that we made
Wasn't able to make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me you'd hold me until you died
'Till you die
But you're still alive
And I'm here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
You seem very well
Things look peaceful
I'm not quite as well
I thought you should know
Did you forget about me, Mr. Duplicity
I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner
It was a slap in the face
How quickly I was replaced
Are you thinking of me when you fuck her
'Cause the love that you gave that we made
Wasn't able to make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me you'd hold me until you died
'Till you die
But you're still alive
And I'm here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
'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
Well can you feel it
Well I'm here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
I'm here, to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair, to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
24 Head Over Feet (00:00)
I had no choice but to hear you
You stated your case time and again
I thought about it
You treat me like I'm a princess
I'm not used to liking that
You ask how my day was
You've already won me over in spite of me
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault
Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for
That's not lip service
You've already won me over in spite of me
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault
You are the bearer of unconditional things
You held your breath and the door for me
Thanks for your patience
You're the best listener that I've ever met
You're my best friend
Best friend with benefits
What took me so long
I've never felt this healthy before
I've never wanted something rational
I am aware now
I am aware now
You've already won me over in spite of me
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault
You've already won me over in spite of me
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault
26 Hands Clean (00:00)
If it weren't for your maturity
None of this would have happened
If you weren't so wise beyond your years
I would've been able to control myself
If it weren't for my attention
You wouldn't have been successful, and
If it weren't for me
You would never have amounted to very much
Ooh this could be messy, but
You don't seem to mind
Ooh don't go telling everybody, and
Overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast-forward to a few years later
No one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this
You're essentially an employee
And I like you having to depend on me
You're a kind of protégé
And one day you'll say you learned all you know from me, and
I know you depend on me
Like a young thing would to a guardian
I know how you sexualize me
Like a young thing would and I think I like it
Ooh this could be messy, but
Ooh... you don't seem to mind
Do... don't go telling everybody
Overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast-forward to a few years later
No one knows except the both of us
I've more than honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this
What part of our history's reinvented and under rug swept?
What part of your memory is selective and tends to forget?
What with this distance it seems so obvious
Just make sure you don't tell on me
Especially to members of your family
We best keep this to ourselves
And not tell any members of our inner posse
I wish I could tell the world
'Cause you're such a pretty thing when you're done-up properly
I might want to marry you one day
If you'd watch that weight and keep your firm body
Ooh this could be messy
Ooh I don't seem to mind
Ooh don't go telling everybody
Overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast-forward to a few years later
No one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this
Ooh this could get messy, but
Ooh I don't seem to mind
Ooh don't go telling everybody, and
Overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast-forward to a few years later
No one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this
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