Such Pretty Forks in the Road

Havoc and Bright Lights marked a rebirth for Alanis Morissette, the first album she recorded as a newlywed mother. Delivered a full eight years later, Such Pretty Forks in the Road is the second act of the story, an album about learning how to find contentment at middle age. Morissette wrestles anxieties, origin stories, addictions, parenthood, and partnership throughout the record, searching for reasons and a diagnosis, achieving a sense of peace with having her sense of calm being disturbed on occasion. Appropriately for an album thats decidedly focused on an inward journey, Such Pretty Forks in the Road simmers, never boils. Hooks force themselves into the center stage on Reasons I Drink -- the rare tune here that could be called catchy -- but otherwise melody takes a back seat to mood. This doesnt necessarily mean Morissettes words are pushed into the spotlight. Such Pretty Forks in the Road is lacquered in immaculate gloss, a sound that accentuates the interior journey of the songs without quite inviting exploration. A close listen reveals all the troubles rolling around Morissettes mind, but the nice thing about Such Pretty Forks in the Road is how its smooth, placid surface makes the record feel like an album-length guided serenity meditation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

約8年ぶり、母となって2枚目となる通算9作目のスタジオ・アルバム。まずアレックス・ホープ(セレーナ・ゴメス、カーリー・レイ・ジェプセンなど)とキャサリン・マークス(フォールズ、キラーズなど)という新鋭気鋭の女性クリエイター2名をプロデューサーに起用したという人選に驚き。先行シングル"Reasons I Drink "などポップなナンバーも数曲あるが、全体的にはピアノ中心のミディアム～スロウテンポの曲が多く、これまでの作品とは少し毛色の違う壮大かつシリアスな雰囲気を備えている。彼女自身の歌声もこれまでのエモーショナルな力強さを感じさせつつ、伸びやかで包み込むような優しいものに変貌し、非常に興味深い。どことなく母性を感じさせる、彼女にとって新境地の快作だ。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二