Alanis Morissette's first album in eight years is a heartfelt record — direct in its message but embellished with intricate musicality throughout.
Such Pretty Forks in the Road does not hold back in its depiction of the murky stigmas that surround mental illness, addiction, breakdowns and postpartum depression. Having recently opened up about addictions and therapy in interviews, Morissette mines her experiences. On Reasons I Drink, she sings: “One more hit / It feels so helpful in my need for respite,” and on Diagnosis: “Call me what you want to / To make yourself comfortable / So I am debilitated / I can’t remember where the sentence started / When I’m trying to finish it”.
This lyrical storytelling is supported by melancholic violins, cascading drums, and moving piano ballads that are so rousing you could almost hear them being belted out on a West End stage.
Morissette thrust the “angry young woman” vibe into the mainstream in the late-Nineties with her album Jagged Little Pill, and often found herself undervalued and misunderstood at the height of her fame.
With her latest, she’s taken control and found relief within herself.
