Track Listing

1. Eight Easy Steps
2. Out Is Through
3. Excuses
4. Doth I Protest Too Much
5. Knees Of My Bees
6. Not All Me
7. So-Called Chaos
8. This Grudge
9. Spineless
10. Everything

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8372 in Music
• Published on: 2004
• Released on: 2004-05-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Amazon.com
It's been a long time in coming, but with So Called Chaos Alanis Morisette has finally produced a worthy follow up to her globe-conquering debut. Calmer and more focused, the songs exude a new, mature woman, firmly in control of her life. "I'm not threatened by every pair of legs you watch go by," she sings with Zen-like serenity on "I Doth Protest Too Much" (as if she'd have said that on Jagged Little Pill). Time mellows--leave the angst to Avril Lavigne.

Overexposure once made her fantastic voice grate, but now it's like welcoming back an old friend--that distinctive little warble, that softness…it's her most valuable asset and the simple, clean production wisely allows it to breathe freely. Most of the songs follow a slow, quiet verse/loud sucker chorus pattern and there's nothing on here that rivals anything from her debut, but everybody (including herself) has accepted that now. The absence of a world-class co-songwriter plays a part, but it's a refreshing change to see no external involvement. Accept Morisette for what she is--a female singer/songwriter with an exceptional, original voice and you won't be disappointed. --Ben Johncock

Customer Reviews

All Aspect of Living
I received "So-Called Chaos" on MP3 about three months ago. And I am stilling loving listening to it!

I have always enjoyed Alanis Morissette, but this is my all-time favorite.

I have to say that I don't think there is one song on this CD that could have been written just to be a fun song. Every song on "So-Called Chaos" is meaningful, and pertains to intense spiritual and personal growth that many of us are currently facing.

"Excuses," my favorite track, is about letting excuses hold us back from living an authentic life. It's gentle, yet powerful.

"Everything," my other favorite, is about letting ourselves be loved no matter what imperfections we seem to have.

"Eight Easy Steps," brings to mind our leaders and teachers who moment to moment fail to walk their walk, and fail to see the greater needs of humanity. It's quick and upbeat and I really love the drum track!

"The Grudge" is about the pain we can experience when we continue to hold on to a grudge. It's a very smooth, quiet song, bittersweet and powerful.

"Knees of my Bees" is a fun song... not quite sure what it's about though ;)

There are ten songs in all. I love the CD, and find it both personal and spiritually uplifting.

Chaos for the win!
Ah, another strong release. While not quite as poppy as her debut, there's lots of rock on this album. I consider `Doth I protest' and `8 easy steps' the two strongest songs in her career. Too bad the public didn't agree... this is her weakest selling record so far. What's it like? Mostly like rock. There's a few slower songs too, and some poppy shine gleams through. Although there's a lot of wacky lyrics as usual `knees of bees?' Que? It's also quite short- 10 songs makes it the shortest so far... But they're mostly all excellent. The title track is quite funny look at the pressures of business, only to be shattered by the chorus of her warbling about chasing her dream. Awesome. Another weird omission- the 8 easy steps video isn't included on the enhanced portion... record execs.. bleh!

Ryan who?
I've never rxd to the fact that any of the tracks on this album came from the Reynolds in her life. As you see, they live on even after dissolution of that "couple". Love permeates through this disc, but never allows you to feel it without paying dearly prior to.