Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill

There's an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm from 2002 where Alanis Morissette is performing at a benefit concert that's eventually held at Larry David's home, where she sings a stripped-down acoustic arrangement of "You Oughta Know" with guitarist David Levita for an audience of wealthy Hollywood liberals. This may not have been the genesis of her 2005 album Jagged Little Pill Acoustic – initially for sale only in Starbucks stores, but released to mass retail in late July – but that performance not only offers a clue to the sound of this acoustic-based reinterpretation of her blockbuster breakthrough, but also to its target audience…

It's remarkable that Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill struck a sympathetic chord with millions of listeners, because it's so doggedly, determinedly insular. This, after all, plays like an emotional purging, prompted by a bitter relationship – and, according to all the lyrical hints, that's likely a record executive who took advantage of a young Alanis…

This summer is heating up for Alanis Morissette, who is set to release her ninth album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road, on July 31. To top it off, the iconic singer-songwriter revealed that a deluxe version of her seminal Jagged Little Pill album will also drop this month. The new edition, arriving on June 26, pairs the original 13-track album, produced by Glen Ballard, with a new acoustic live album from Morissette's March 2020 performance at Shepherd’s Bush.

Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill: Live presents highlights from her Jagged Little Pill world tour, including hits like "Hand in My Pocket," "Ironic," "You Oughta Know," and "You Learn" as well as 21 other songs. Though the video contains many strong performances, the hyperactive editing splices different renditions of the same song together, resulting in jarring changes in the sound and visuals…

It's remarkable that Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill struck a sympathetic chord with millions of listeners, because it's so doggedly, determinedly insular. This, after all, plays like an emotional purging, prompted by a bitter relationship – and, according to all the lyrical hints, that's likely a record executive who took advantage of a young Alanis. She never disguises her outright rage and disgust, whether it's the vengeful wrath of "You Oughta Know" or asking him "you scan the credits for your name and wonder why it's not there." This is such insider information that it's hard to believe that millions of listeners not just bought it, but embraced it, turning Alanis Morisette into a mid-'90s phenomenon.