Music to slit your wrists to

Here's a run down of the music I've bought this month.

Alanis Morissette - Flavors Of Entanglement
When Alanis first bursted on the scene with You Oughta Know, I hated her. The song was good, but I got sick of hearing it, I resented how popular she became, and I despised all those wannabes jumping on the bandwagon and declaring her a "genius".

But after hearing Hand in my Pocket and Ironic, I admit that I changed my tune. Those songs were undeniably catchy, and after hearing them I couldn't get them out of my head.

Then came Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and the single Unsent. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that song and it rocked me to the core. I had to have that song! So I bought the album and to this day it's probably my favorite Alanis album (if I had to have a favorite). It's not a great album, but the songs I like, I really like... and then there are some I always skip.

That would become a very telling sign because I own 4 Alanis Morrissette albums, and none of them are great. I always like about half of the album and skip the other half. The half that I like is always brilliant, but the half I don't seems like fluff.

So, when I bought her latest cd I hoped that she had put together a complete album. I admit, that I expected this to be a break up album (the whole Ryan Reynolds thing), and I hoped it would be dark and confessional.

But what I got was a very poppy sounding album and one that I am utterly disappointed with. I've only listened to it 2 or 3 times, and I guess I should give it a few more chances. But I remember thinking (when I first listened to it) that it sounds like Debbie Gibson making a come back with a high profile producer; dressing up the music with snappy sounds and bouncy beats.

That being said, I will give it a few more spins and hope that I am very very wrong. After all... I've been wrong before. Case in point, it took me a long time before I realized the genius of Radiohead's OK Computer.

Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
I loved Parachutes... it might be a classic! I was disappointed with A Rush of Blood to the Head, and I thought X&Y was ok- it had its moments.

Now comes their latest which is by far their most diverse album. It sounds really cool actually. It almost has a U2 vibe, back when U2 was cool (specifically the Joshua Tree days).

Freedy Johnston - Live at McCabe's, April 25th, 1998
One of the best singer-songwriters around. This intimate setting services him well, but still, I think this release will mostly satisfy his core fans. I really dig it.

Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
See my post from yesterday