There are two simple reasons, I believe, why there is a bandwagon to slam this album from all sides. #1 is the common sophomore jinx - when your debut breaks records, people start jumping at the bit to trash your next effort with hideously unreal expectations. #2 is I truly think today's pop-rock-top-40- whatever gauge might be one of distinct laziness. This album isn't three chord top-40 pabulum. Its difficult, its wrenching, it's at times confusing. It's also stunningly creative, most of the time lyrically brilliant, and in many places a rock masterpiece. And rock masterpieces in today's massive confusion of WHAT rock/top 40/pop is, aren't exactly being released in effusive quantities.

There are also two simple reasons why this mostly glorious album is indeed quite so glorious. One is the songs. For the most part this album is LOADED (and I do mean LOADED - there are 17 cuts on this disc, with only A small handful of them being shy of 4 minutes) with affecting gems, screamed/shouted bits of angst and accusation that simultaneously reach in and rip part of you out, while at the same time comforting you with the fact that someone else has indeed FELT the brutally honest, and sometimes confused, feelings expressed in this album's heart-crunching lyrics. Since this rating isn't quite a 5, admittedly there are a few songs on here than don't quite measure up. But even their near-miss status would still raise them head and shoulders above a great deal of garbage that passes for a top 40 hit these days.

The Prince/Glyph-man-Languaged UR has some OK lyrics, but is presented so enigmatically that's its complicated premise doesn't ever quite jell. The 7/8-ths wonderful "I Was Hoping," completely implodes at the last, nonsensical, soft-porn lyric of "I was Hoping we could be creamy together". (???? Are we going to be doughnuts Alanis? Or perhaps peanut butter?) Finally, completing the short list of tunes that don't work, " Heart Of The House" is musically nice enough, but would have benefited perhaps from at least a TAD more traditional verse-chorus construction.

However, elsewhere on the disc, the stream of consciousness way most of these killer songs are put together give them a creative brilliancy and an emotional power that most top 40 music couldn't begin to shake a stick yet. This reviewer's personal favorite is "Can't Not." I dare anyone who has EVER been in a complex relationship with ANY spouse, lover, friend, relative, etc., (which I believe is most of the planet), and had the complexities of that relationship occasionally rip you apart, to listen to the lyrics of this song and NOT be affected. (IF you do, and you're not, check your veins for ice water.)

"Baba" is a powerful version of a prayer, crossed with a retaliation. "Are You Still Mad?" and "Unsent" are stirringly, heartbreakingly, honest first-person dissertations to former lovers, brilliantly realized. "So Pure" and "Thank You," while still in the frame of surreally-constructed poetry as opposed to verses and choruses, actually have melodies that approach the insidiously catchy hooks of her previous hit. "Hand In My Pocket." The rest of the wonderful songs are expertly balanced, soul-baring declarations and heart- wrenching accusations.

The songs are the first main reason this album is stunning. The 2nd main reason should be obvious to most, but evidently from the plethora of closed minded reviews slamming this artistic triumph, it isn't. It's the voice, people! Wrenching, yet comforting, at the same time. Like honey-covered razors or a sugarcoated bee stinger, the swoops, groans, hollers, and whispers that come out of this young lady's mouth are alternately intoxicating and emotionally wracking. This voice could sing an album of the phone directory and still get more nuanced and crafted emotional effect than a host of today's ersatz top 40 divas singing opera arias. This album is borderline classic.

However, there indeed ARE reasons again why its not perfect. Angst and attempts at emotional redemption aren't exactly, well, FUN to listen to, as cathartic as they may be. And 17 servings of such may be a tad much. Also, there are those few times when there is SO much complicated wordage being thrown at you, you can't imagine listening to this album enough times to be able to assimilate all that's lyrically going on without the notes in front of you. (However I DO plan to do so.) But, in the face of the fact that this album is SO meaningful, SO powerful, and just SO damn good, these reasons are minor.

So, get your ears out of the easy chair, your heart out of neutral, and take the emotional journey through this album with Alanis, who's blunt emotionalism, and wailing honesty, may someday make her be seen as the "Janis Joplin" of our time.