1. Citizen Of The Planet 2. Underneath 3. Straitjacket 4. Versions Of Violence 5. Not As We 6. In Praise Of The Vulnerable Man 7. Moratorium 8. Torch 9. Giggling Again For No Reason 10. Tapes 11. Incomplete
Amazon.co.uk
Though the mainstream might have all but abandoned Alanis Morrissette since her mid-90s breakthrough as the MTV grunge generation's Madonna, she has forged on with a handful of albums of a reasonably steely consistency, although even kindly ears would recognize her output since Jagged Little Pill as reduced strength versions of that celebrated album. Its slightly convoluted follow up, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, remains her most intriguing if long-winded work, and with her most recent record (2004's So Called Chaos) more or less finding peace with itself--filing down the angsty internal dialogues and sounding almost content even at its loudest points--the future seemed to be heading on a downward spiral. But talk about an about turn. With Flavours Of Entanglement the bronco is very much bucking once more, often causing whiplash-inducing stylistic swerves. "Citizen Of The Planet" opens the album, erupting out of eastern strings and a sequenced underlay with blunt, compressed guitars and thumping beats, sweeping through desolate plains previously inhabited by nu metal fantasists Evanescence. The dark tension is upheld through the robotic techno of "Straightjacket" and dark string-laden drum `n' bass of "Moratorium." Landing amid the lonely Tori Amos balladry of "Not As We," Texas-pop of "In Praise Of The Vulnerable Man," and the more typical Alanis fare of "Underneath," this is an often unsettlingly mixed bag achieving varying levels of success, but it is also probably her most emotionally satisfying work for a decade. -- James Berry Amazon.com
The first studio album from Alanis Morissette since 2004, Flavors Of Entanglement fuses the organic and the technoprompted by producer Guy Sigsworth (Madonna, Björk). Incorporating beats, loops and synthesizers, the album was designed, says Morissette, so listeners can "dance your face off." Balancing introspective confession and delirious joy, the global and the personal, Flavors Of Entanglement is a tasty new musical feast from one of pop's most intriguing artists. Album Description
Japanese pressing of full-length from Alanis Morisette. This version comes with one bonus track, '20/20'. Warner. 2008.
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Flavors Of Entanglement
- Audio CD: 0 pages (2008-06-10)
- Publisher: Warner Brothers Records
- Label: Warner Brothers Records
- Studio: Warner Brothers Records
- Average Customer Review:
based on 78 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #294
Avg. Customer Review:
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: A little Above Average 2008-08-09
Comment: There are some very favorable reviews of this CD and I liked it mostly too but I still expect more from a Morrisette CD.
The first few songs are forgettable - "Underneath", "StraightJacket" and "Versions of Violence".
"Not as We" is about the harsh end of a romantic relationship and it very good and pure:
"Day one day one start over again
Step one step one
I'm barely making sense for now
I'm faking it I'm pseudo making it"
...
"From scratch begin again but this time I as I
And not as we"
"In Praise of the Vunderable Man" is much more like Alanis - talking about her relationships with men and it's fun sounding.
"Moratoriam" is back to the techno sounding stuff and I don't like it.
"Torch" is ballad about, again, remembering someone she was romantically involved with (I assuming Ryan Reynolds). It works as it's pure Alanis singing about her emotions.
The last three are good as well, mostly about renewal after the relationship is over and trying to move on, and could of been placed at the start of the CD.
"Tapes" is very good.
"I'm but thorn in your sweet side"
"You are better off without me"
"It'd be best to leave at once"
I find she is at her best writing about emotions - anger, sadness, fondness and love.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Her best since Jagged Little Pill 2008-08-02
Comment: This is her best work since Jagged Little Pill. Some her latest stuff has been a little weird, but not this one. It is great!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Delicious Flavors 2008-07-31
Comment: This is probably my favorite album by Alanis and at four years since her last one, well worth the wait. Combining Alanis's rock sensibilities with techno courtesy of producer Guy Sigsworth who has previously worked with Madonna and Bjork, this is a masterful work of art. My favorite tracks include the Mid-Eastern/Indian flavored "Citizen Of The Planet" (sample lyric- "I am a citizen of the planet. My president is kwan yin. My frontier is on an airplane. My prisons: homes for rehabilitating.") which I totally relate to. John Lennon's "Imagine" shares this sentiment in that rather focusing on what country one pledges allegiance to (which is all about division), we instead align with all humanity and love this Good Earth without the boundaries. The strings on this song (arranged by Sigsworth and Fiora Cutler) are incredible, sending an already fantastic song into the stratosphere. "I get giddy" indeed. If you liked "Baba" from "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" and the title track of "So-Called Chaos", you'll love "Citizen". The angst-ridden "Straitjacket" is one of the songs here that you'll want to (in Alanis's words) 'dance your face off' to. Great beat, more great lyrics that are nakedly personal, and I love the treatment the word 'straitjacket' is put through, giving the song just the right touch of insanity. "Versions Of Violence" gives me goose bumps in its depiction of a relationship that could be interpreted as either personal or universal. I love the way Andy Page's synth bass threads through the song.
After a deluge of sound from the first four songs, "Not As We" simmers the album down in just the right place. Basically just Alanis singing with piano accompaniment by Guy, this is perhaps the most personal and heartbreaking song on the album. But it also has a glimmer of hope reflected in the lyric "From scratch begin again but this time I as I and not as we" which makes it all the more touching. More hope and positivity comes in the form of the subtle beauty of "In Praise Of The Vulnerable Man" which also has a glorious string arrangement. Lyrically, "In Praise" seems to be a further exploration into the territory established in songs like "UR" and "So Pure" from "Junkie". "Torch" is another very personal song concerning Alanis's breakup with Ryan Reynolds. It's musically dynamic, going from relatively minimal instrumentation to full bloom and back again. This woman is fearless when it comes to documenting emotions and her art is richer because of this openess. Another ode to positivity and happiness, "Giggling Again For No Reason" follows. It's sort of a sister song to "Knees Of My Bees" from "So-Called Chaos" and allows Alanis to show a brighter side of herself before the intensity of the swirling "Tapes" which includes the priceless lyric "All these thoughts in my head aren't my own wreaking havoc". The song ends with Alanis singing in an upper register that is heavenly. "Flavors" ends perfectly with the upbeat "Incomplete" with swirls of gorgeous background vocals and other nice flourishes of sound courtesy of Andy Page's 'sound design'. I don't know if it will offend many of her fans but I dig Alanis's perception of God as female in this song. In this white male-dominated nation, I find this notion refreshing and share it with Alanis.
"Flavors Of Entanglement" shows Ms. Morissette continuing to grow as an artist. Girlz Rock!
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: This is my first Alanis Morisette album........ 2008-07-30
Comment: ...but whether it will be the last remains to be seen. OK, the disclaimer; I bought it because it was featured at Starbucks, my Starbucks stock is not feeling well.... After the first few cuts, I was ready to toss it...the liberal political bilge of "Citizen of the Planet", and "Underneath", the gross vulgarity of "Strait Jacket"...then she got to the softer numbers, and I was forced to render a grudging respect. [Yes, I've listened to it several times; no one should review after one hearing]......
"Not As We", "In Praise of the Vulnerable Man", and "Tapes" are wonderful...The title is a line from "Moratorium", which is a REALLY catchy song........ As I say, this is my first record by Miss Morisette...she really isn't my style...maybe...I sure see where she gets her following.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Alanis at her best 2008-07-24
Comment: This Alanis is more cutting - reverted to some of the stylings of Jagged Little Pill - but I'm not the first to state this, by any means. I could listen to Alanis' word stylings alone all day. She is a word majician - and a word stylist majician in both their extreme complexities. Her writing capability, that voice and the driving sound that made her what she's been for a long time... that's my Alanis.
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