Havoc and Bright Lights | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 22, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2011–2012 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Soft rock [1] | |||
Length | 52:41 | |||
Label | Collective Sounds | |||
Producer | ||||
Alanis Morissette chronology | ||||
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Singles from Havoc and Bright Lights | ||||
Havoc and Bright Lights is the eighth (and sixth worldwide) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, first released in Japan on August 22, 2012. The album is her first release on Collective Sounds (distributed by Sony worldwide except by Universal in Canada [where Morissette was on predecessor MCA in early days] and Japan), and in the US by RED Distribution and marks her first release away from Maverick Records, her label since 1995. It was produced by Guy Sigsworth and Joe Chiccarelli, the former having produced her previous album, Flavors of Entanglement (2008).
Havoc and Bright Lights received mixed reviews from music critics. Some praised Morissette's softer tones and production, while others found the album overproduced and lyrically weak. The first single released from the album was "Guardian".
In June 2011, Guy Sigsworth, producer of Morissette's Flavors of Entanglement , wrote on Twitter that he was in Los Angeles working with a "certain amazing Canadian lady". [4] On February 28, Morissette shared a video (shot in May 2011) of her recording a song, and Sigsworth's voice behind the scenes made it obvious she was working with him. In May 2011, Morissette shared a song called "Into a King", on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of her marriage, which was co-written with Sigsworth. She also recorded "Magical Child" for the compilation album Every Mother Counts. In November 2011, Morissette appeared on the American Music Awards, saying she had written 31 songs and had to choose the final twelve for the record.
Rolling Stone magazine announced that Morissette's new album would be released in June 2012 and shared the titles of songs "Havoc" and "Celebrity". The magazine also wrote that nearly every tune has a monster chorus. [5] On May 2, Billboard magazine wrote that Morissette's new album would be released on August 28, 2012 through Collective Sounds. The album was distributed by Sony's RED in the States. [6] On May 23, the album became available for pre-order at Amazon.com. [7]
In February 2012, Morissette announced a summer European tour to promote Havoc and Bright Lights. Pre-sale started on February 8, while tickets went on sale on February 10. The first show took place Monday, June 25, 2012 in Birmingham. The first three tour dates, all in the United Kingdom, were sold out weeks before the tour started. [ citation needed ]
The album's lead single, "Guardian", was premiered on radio on May 11, 2012 and was made available for digital download on May 15. [6]
"Lens" was released as the second digital single and was made available for download on July 31, 2012. [8]
"Receive" was confirmed as the third single from the album. It was sent to radio airplay on October 12, 2012 in Italy and was released worldwide on December 3, 2012.
According to Morissette's Facebook page in April 2013, a video for her song, "Big Sur" was shot. The song is available on the deluxe edition of the album, exclusively sold through Target Stores. [9]
In May 2013, a music video for the song "Empathy", directed by her drummer Victor Indrizzo, was released through social media. [10]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 55/100 [11] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [12] |
American Songwriter | [13] |
The A.V. Club | B− [14] |
Consequence of Sound | [15] |
The Independent | [16] |
NME | [17] |
Paste | 8.0/10 [18] |
Rolling Stone | [19] |
Slant Magazine | [20] |
USA Today | [21] |
Havoc and Bright Lights received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 55, based on 17 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews". [11] Many critics first complimented the album's more mature and warmer sound. Holly Gleason from Paste gave it a positive review. [18] She stated "Twenty years later, the lithe songwriter embraces the same hybrid notion of introspection and sonics that are anything but singer/songwriterly. [Havoc and Bright Lights] embodies relief, release and refuge [...] Without being florid or cosmic, she beckons to a far more graceful, honest world." [18] Sarah Rodman from The Boston Globe praised the album's "crisp, tuneful, warm, and sincere" tone, as well as the production of the album. However, she was critical on the album's songwriting stating that songs "Celebrity" and "Win and Win" were "clunkers". [22] Nick Levine from BBC Music was equally positive saying the album brought out a more "mellow [Alanis] Morissette". However, he was critical on the production saying it was "too slick". [23] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic said the album "is as soothing as a Sunday afternoon nap or a warm bath: it's music for when you know you're right where you want to be." [12] At American Songwriter , Eric Allen called the album an "intelligent and inspiring" work that has "winning results". [13] The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski found "Havoc And Bright Lights remains fearless and vibrant despite its shortcomings." [14] Elysa Gardner of USA Today said that Morissette finally has "found her bliss." [21]
However, the album did receive more scathing outcomes, mainly due to her musical style and her lyrical content, which was about spirituality and motherhood. Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine did state that Morissette's changes in music was her "best material", but said "Unfortunately, too many of the songs on Havoc lack that specificity and Morissette's inimitable POV [...] she spends most of the album sounding like she's leading a meditation." [20] Hermione Hoby from The Observer was critical towards the album. She stated "[Alanis Morissette] appears to be very happy and very into motherhood. Which is great for her, but less great for her music." She then said "For the most part these songs are entirely lacking in bite, dragging through limp soft rock and even softer sentiments." [24] Johan Wippsson of Melodic.net felt that Havoc and Bright Lights is "totally over-produced and completely lacks of any kind of soul." [25] Joseph Viney from Sputnikmusic was negative towards the album, criticizing her lyrical content (especially on the song "Celebrity"), and stating that "Not even some admittedly slick production can drag this out of the mire." [26] Hayley Avron from NME gave it 2 out of 10, resembling a negative review. Speaking of track "Woman Down", she said "The only real achievement here is an ironic one, as [...] Alanis somehow manages to make a feminist statement sound like a total affront to womankind" and stated the rest of the album was "teenage poetry, trowelled onto a bed of sift-rock cliché." [17] Simon Price from The Independent gave it a very scathing review, awarding it one star out of five. He criticized the album's softer music and change, saying "Morissette is the sort of woman who does yoga to ensure she can still gaze at her navel" while criticizing her lyrical content, production and her inclusion of a more spiritual and religious tone. [16]
Havoc and Bright Lights debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 33,000 copies in its first week. [27] This became her first top five album in the US since 2004's So-Called Chaos and her sixth top ten album in the US overall. The album also debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Rock Albums and Top Independent Albums charts respectively. [28] As of October 2015, the album has sold 92,000 copies in the United States. [29]
Internationally, the album peaked at number one in Canada, Italy, Austria and Switzerland, and at number two in the Netherlands and Germany, [30] where the album was also certified gold for shipments in excess of 100,000 copies. [31]
All lyrics are written by Alanis Morissette; all music is composed by Alanis Morissette and Guy Sigsworth
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Guardian" | Joe Chiccarelli, Guy Sigsworth | 4:18 |
2. | "Woman Down" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 3:36 |
3. | "'Til You" | Chiccarelli | 4:07 |
4. | "Celebrity" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 4:01 |
5. | "Empathy" | Chiccarelli | 4:00 |
6. | "Lens" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 4:08 |
7. | "Spiral" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 4:17 |
8. | "Numb" | Chiccarelli | 4:10 |
9. | "Havoc" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 5:53 |
10. | "Win and Win" | Chiccarelli | 5:01 |
11. | "Receive" | Chiccarelli | 4:28 |
12. | "Edge of Evolution" | Chiccarelli | 4:29 |
Total length: | 52:38 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Will You Be My Girlfriend?" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 4:09 |
14. | "Magical Child" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 5:07 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
15. | "Jekyll and Hyde" (featuring SoulEye) | Sigsworth | 2:43 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
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13. | "Big Sur" | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 4:06 |
14. | "Guru" (featuring. SoulEye) | Sigsworth | 4:06 |
15. | "Permission" | Sigsworth | 3:42 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Tantra" | Sigsworth | 5:32 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "No" | Sigsworth | 4:27 |
No. | Title | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Remain" (segue 1) | Morissette | Mike Elizondo | 2:49 |
2. | "Woman Down" | Morissette, Sigsworth | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 3:32 |
3. | "You Learn" | Morissette, Glen Ballard | Ballard | 4:45 |
4. | "Guardian" | Morissette, Sigsworth | Chiccarelli, Sigsworth | 4:59 |
5. | "Hands Clean" | Morissette | Morissette | 4:48 |
6. | "Citizen of the Planet" | Morissette, Sigsworth | Sigsworth | 4:47 |
7. | "Ironic" | Morissette, Ballard | Ballard | 4:08 |
8. | "Head over Feet" | Morissette, Ballard | Ballard | 4:58 |
9. | "You Oughta Know" | Morissette, Ballard | Ballard | 5:30 |
10. | "Numb" | Morissette, Sigsworth | Chiccarelli | 6:25 |
11. | "Hand in My Pocket" | Morissette, Ballard | Ballard | 5:15 |
12. | "Uninvited" | Morissette | Morissette, Rob Cavallo | 5:59 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "You Learn" | Morissette, Ballard | |
2. | "Guardian" | Morissette, Sigsworth | |
3. | "Ironic" | Morissette, Ballard | |
4. | "Head over Feet" | Morissette, Ballard | |
5. | "You Oughta Know" | Morissette, Ballard | |
6. | "Numb" | Morissette, Sigsworth | |
7. | "Hand in My Pocket" | Morissette, Ballard | |
8. | "Uninvited" | Morissette |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Germany (BVMI) [62] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [63] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Edition(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Japan [64] | August 22, 2012 | CD, digital download | Universal Music Group [65] | |
Austria [64] | August 24, 2012 | TBA | ||
Australia [64] | August 31, 2012 | Sony Music Entertainment | ||
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began her music career in Canada in the early 1990s with two dance-pop albums. In 1995, she released the alternative rock album Jagged Little Pill, which sold more than 33 million copies globally and propelled her to become a cultural phenomenon. Morissette won the 1996 Grammy Award for Album of the Year among other accolades, and the album was adapted into a 2018 rock musical. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has Jagged Little Pill on their 200 Definitive Albums list, and it appeared on various editions of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" guide. Its lead single, "You Oughta Know", was also included on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick on June 13, 1995. Recorded in Hollywood at Westlake with production by Glen Ballard, it is Morissette's first album to be released worldwide. It marks a significant stylistic departure from dance-pop sound of her first two efforts, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). She began work on the album after moving from her hometown Ottawa to Los Angeles, where she met Ballard. The pair had an instant connection and began co-writing and experimenting with sounds. The experimentation resulted in an alternative rock album that takes influence from post-grunge and pop rock, and features guitars, keyboards, drum machines, and harmonica. The lyrics touch upon themes of aggression and unsuccessful relationships, while Ballard introduced a pop sensibility to Morissette's angst. The title of the album is taken from a line in the first verse of the song "You Learn".
So-Called Chaos is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on May 18, 2004, through Maverick Records. It was preceded by the single "Everything" on April 13, which went on to become Morissette's lowest peaking song on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 76. The album was met with mixed reviews from critics upon release, with some calling it her most accessible record since Jagged Little Pill (1995) while others criticized the project's confusing messages and felt the singer had lost what made her a cultural icon of the '90s.
"Ironic" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released in February 1996 by Maverick and Warner Bros. as the third single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, and was produced by him. The lyrics present several unfortunate situations that are described as "ironic"; this has led to debate as to whether any of these match the accepted meaning of irony.
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is the fourth studio album and second internationally released album by singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick Records in the United States on November 3, 1998.
Under Rug Swept is the fifth studio album and third internationally released album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. Released by Maverick Records in the United States on February 26, 2002, and in the United Kingdom a day earlier, it was the first album Morissette had written and produced all on her own. It debuted at number one on charts in 12 countries, including the United States and Canada, and produced the singles "Hands Clean" and "Precious Illusions". Sales, however, did not match those of Morissette's previous two studio albums.
MTV Unplugged is the first live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick Records in the United States on November 9, 1999. It comprises songs performed by Morissette on the television program MTV Unplugged. Twelve tracks were included on the album, but Morissette also performed "Baba", "Thank U" and "Your House" during the live taping. These were later released as B-sides on the "King of Pain" single release. The first single, "That I Would Be Good", was moderately successful, and two other tracks, "King of Pain" and "You Learn" were released as singles outside North America. As of March 2012, the album has sold 673,000 copies in the U.S.
Jagged Little Pill Acoustic is a re-recorded studio album by Alanis Morissette. It is a largely acoustic retrospective version of her highly successful third album, Jagged Little Pill (1995); the songs are stripped-down versions of the originals, though producer Glen Ballard has augmented them with studio production effects to create an alternative pop album. The album was released by Maverick Records in the United States on June 13, 2005, available only at North American Starbucks outlets until July 26, 2005, when it was made available in other retail stores. This limited availability led to a dispute between Maverick Records and HMV Canada, who retaliated by removing from sale Morissette's other albums for the duration of Starbucks' exclusive month-long sale. The album's single in the U.S. was "Hand in My Pocket". The cover artwork is a sepia-toned tribute to the cover of the original Jagged Little Pill.
Allan Arthur Guy Sigsworth is an English record producer and songwriter. During his career, he has worked with many artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Imogen Heap, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian, Alanis Morissette, Eric Whitacre, Alison Moyet, and AURORA. He has also collaborated with many celebrated instrumental musicians, including Talvin Singh, Jon Hassell, and Lester Bowie. He is a member of the duo Frou Frou, with Imogen Heap.
The Collection is a greatest hits compilation album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released in the United States on 15 November 2005. It comprises material from 1995 to 2005, with some soundtrack selections and a cover of Seal's "Crazy". A limited edition release, which included a DVD, followed on 6 December 2005.
The discography of Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette comprises 10 studio albums, three live albums, six compilation albums, two extended plays, 46 singles, 12 promotional singles, six video albums, and 41 music videos. She has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide.
Flavors of Entanglement is the seventh studio album, fifth international release and last Maverick Records release by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. The album, which was originally set for an April release, came out on May 30, 2008, in Germany, Benelux, and Ireland, internationally on June 2, and in the United States on June 10. It was produced by Guy Sigsworth. Flavors won Pop Album of the Year prize at the 2009 Juno Awards. The album gets its name from a lyric in the track "Moratorium".
"Guardian" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her eighth studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights (2012). The song was written by Morissette and Guy Sigsworth, and produced by Sigsworth and Joe Chiccarelli. It is a rock song, in which Morissette promises to look after a special someone.
The Guardian Angel Tour was a concert tour by Canadian-American musician Alanis Morissette. The tour promoted her August 2012 album Havoc and Bright Lights. The tour ran from June to December 2012 and took place in Europe, North America and South America, including the countries of United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Brazil and Israel.
"Lens" is a 2012 song by Canadian-American recording artist Alanis Morissette, released as the second single from her eighth studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights. The song was written by Morissette and Guy Sigsworth, and produced by Sigsworth and Joe Chiccarelli. The song was played at most shows of Guardian Angel Tour.
"Receive" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist Alanis Morissette, released as the third single from her eighth studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights (2012). The song was written by Morissette and Guy Sigsworth, and produced by Joe Chiccarelli. It is a rock ballad about a relationship in which one person gives more than the other, and the wear it causes to the people involved.
Live at Montreux is a DVD/Blu-ray/CD release from Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette released on April 22, 2013. The DVD/Blu-ray was filmed at Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland. The concert was recorded as part of Morissette's Guardian Angel Tour, thus she performed several songs from the album Havoc and Bright Lights, which had not yet been released at the time.
Such Pretty Forks in the Road is the ninth studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on July 31, 2020, through Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers in North America, and by RCA and Sony Music in Europe. It is Morissette's first studio album in eight years, following 2012's Havoc and Bright Lights.
The Storm Before the Calm is the tenth studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released June 17, 2022, via Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers, as well as by RCA Records in Europe. Described as a meditation album, the ambient project was co-written with and produced by Dave Harrington, known for his work in the electronic music duo Darkside. The album is hosted on streaming services and the meditation app Calm.