Why Alanis Morissette Matters

PopMatters writer Volpert (Boss Broad) paints an idiosyncratic portrait of Alanis Morissette centered on her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill. The author contends that in contrast to the openly defiant feminist records of the riot grrrl movement, Morissette’s album reflected “what French feminists in the seventies called écriture feminine”—women “writing their way out of oppression” by eschewing classic stylistic approaches. In the case of Morissette, her lyrics subtly question “definitions of equal and balanced relationships,” social standards underpinning eating disorders, and even inequality in the recording industry, according to Volpert. She entertains and promptly refutes the idea that the album’s popularity—it’s sold about 33 million copies worldwide to date—makes it “an instrument of the system” it critiques, arguing that the record’s supposedly “commercialized form of Girl Power” allowed it to slip through the gates of the major label system and strike a chord with listeners. Personal musings form the backbone of the narrative; for example, the album’s “constant scream” on the radio helped the author, then a 14-year-old Midwestern kid with nascent feminist leanings, begin to believe “that my coven was powerful enough to survive high school.” This approach gives weight to Volpert’s claims about the extent of Morissette’s cultural influence, though it contributes to the narrative’s somewhat disorganized feel. Still, ardent Morissette fans will savor this. (Mar.)