So-Called Chaos

Last updated
So-Called Chaos
SoCalledChaos.png
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 18, 2004
Recorded2003–2004
Studio
Genre Alternative rock, pop rock [1]
Length41:05
Label Maverick
Producer
Alanis Morissette chronology
Feast on Scraps
(2002)
So-Called Chaos
(2004)
iTunes Originals – Alanis Morissette
(2004)
Singles from So-Called Chaos
  1. "Everything"
    Released: March 22, 2004
  2. "Out Is Through"
    Released: July 19, 2004
  3. "Eight Easy Steps"
    Released: October 19, 2004

So-Called Chaos is the sixth studio album (fourth released internationally) 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.

Contents

With 115,000 copies sold in its opening week, So-Called Chaos debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 and became Morissette's first international studio album not to reach the top of that chart. It failed to surpass predecessor Under Rug Swept (2002), which debuted at number-one with 215,000 first week sales. Two subsequent singles, "Out Is Through" and "Eight Easy Steps", were released in July and October respectively, but neither managed to help improve album sales and both songs failed to enter the Hot 100.

Background and release

It had been two years since Morissette released her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept . In that time she had met her then fiancé Ryan Reynolds, inspiring many of the songs she wrote for So-Called Chaos. The album found her in a more contented and relaxed state than her previous output, and her songs were brighter and happier than her more volatile works like "You Oughta Know" and "Uninvited". One reporter asked if the song "This Grudge" was based on the same person as "You Oughta Know", and Morissette replied, "Different person, same era." [2]

The first single, "Everything", was released to US radio in the spring of 2004, and was met with mixed reaction. US Adult Top 40 radio stations gave the song good airplay, but mainstream and top 40 stations were colder in their reception, and consequently it became Morissette's lowest peaking single on the Billboard Hot 100. "Everything" was included on the Totally Hits 2004, Vol. 2 compilation, and in 2006 it was featured in the film Clerks II .

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 56/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Entertainment Weekly C+ [6]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
PopMatters (unfavorable) [8]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [9]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Stylus F [12]
Yahoo! Music UK Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]

Some reviews of So-Called Chaos were positive, with many critics calling it her most accessible and mainstream record since her debut Jagged Little Pill (1995). Still, others thought she had "sold out" for the sake of sales and radio play; Rolling Stone magazine, for example, said the album "attempts to reverse the sliding record sales following [Jagged Little Pill]." [10]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number two on the Canadian albums chart with first week sales of 11,200, [14] and at number five on the US Billboard 200, selling 115,000 copies in its first week in the US and 287,000 that same week worldwide. [15] In the United States, So-Called Chaos became Morissette's first album to miss the number-one spot. It spent a week in the US top ten before falling down the chart. As of March 2012, the album has sold 474,000 copies in the US. [16] The second single outside the US was "Out Is Through", which had a poor showing in the UK. The second US single was "Eight Easy Steps", which, despite being accompanied by an elaborate music video, [17] failed to chart on the Hot 100 or cause a significant increase in sales of the album, which had already fallen off the Billboard 200. "Excuses" was released as a radio single in Brazil, where it peaked outside the top 40.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Alanis Morissette

No.TitleLength
1."Eight Easy Steps"2:52
2."Out Is Through"3:52
3."Excuses"3:32
4."Doth I Protest Too Much"4:03
5."Knees of My Bees"3:38
6."So-Called Chaos"5:03
7."Not All Me"3:58
8."This Grudge"5:07
9."Spineless"4:15
10."Everything"4:36
Enhanced content
No.TitleLength
11."Eight Easy Steps" (live from sessions@AOL) 
12."Excuses" (live from sessions@AOL) 
13."This Grudge" (acoustic) 
14."Making of So-Called Chaos" (video) 
Brazilian edition hidden track
No.TitleLength
11."Offer"4:05

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Singles

YearTitleChart positions
CAN US Hot 100 US Hot 100 Airplay US Adult Top 40 US Top 40/Pop UK AUS
2004"Everything"376754362215
"Out Is Through"5679
"Eight Easy Steps"27

Other charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for So-Called Chaos
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria) [44] Gold15,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [45] Gold50,000*
Germany (BVMI) [46] Gold100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [47] Platinum40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [48] Silver60,000^
United States474,000 [16]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. "So-Called Chaos - Alanis Morissette | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  2. ICE Magazine | archive
  3. Metacritic score
  4. AllMusic review
  5. Blender review Archived November 22, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  6. So-Called Chaos
  7. "CD: Alanis Morissette, So-Called Chaos". The Guardian . 2004-05-14. Archived from the original on 2022-10-30.
  8. PopMatters review
  9. Robert Christgau review
  10. 1 2 "Rolling Stone review". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on April 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-25.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. "Slant review". Slant Magazine . 7 May 2004.
  12. Stylus review Archived 2008-06-18 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "Yahoo! Music UK review". Archived from the original on June 10, 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. "Krall beats out Alanis on charts" [usurped] . Jam! Showbiz. May 26, 2004. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
  15. "Usher Album Remains On Top". Billboard . May 26, 2004. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
  16. 1 2 Trust, Gary. "Ask Billboard: What Are the Billboard 200's Longest-Charting Albums Ever?". Billboard . December 24, 2012.
  17. Cohen, Jonathan. "Alanis 'Steps' Back Into The Past In New Video". Billboard . August 13, 2004. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
  18. "Australiancharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  19. "Austriancharts.at – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  20. "Ultratop.be – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  21. "Ultratop.be – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  22. "Alanis Morissette Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  23. "Danishcharts.dk – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  24. "Dutchcharts.nl – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  25. "Alanis Morissette: So-Called Chaos" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  26. "Lescharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  27. "Offiziellecharts.de – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  28. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Alanis Morissette". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  29. "Italiancharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  30. "ソー・コールド・カオス" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  31. "Norwegiancharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  32. "Portuguesecharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  33. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  34. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  35. "Swedishcharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  36. "Swisscharts.com – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  37. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  38. "Alanis Morissette Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  39. "Jahreshitparade Alben 2004". austriancharts.at. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  40. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2004". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  41. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  42. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2004". hitparade.ch. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  43. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  44. "Austrian album certifications – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  45. "Brazilian album certifications – Alanis Morissette – So Called Chaos" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  46. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alanis Morissette; 'So-called Chaos')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  47. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('So Called Chaos')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  48. "British album certifications – Alanis Morissette – So-Called Chaos". British Phonographic Industry.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alanis Morissette</span> Canadian-American musician (born 1974)

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.

<i>Jagged Little Pill</i> 1995 studio album by Alanis Morissette

Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette, released on June 13, 1995, by Maverick and her first album to be released worldwide. It marked a significant stylistic departure from dance-pop sound of Morissette's first two albums, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). Morissette began work on the album after moving from her hometown Ottawa to Los Angeles, where she met producer Glen Ballard. Morissette and Ballard 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ironic (song)</span> 1996 single by Alanis Morissette

"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.

<i>Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie</i> 1998 studio album by Alanis Morissette

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.

<i>Under Rug Swept</i> 2002 studio album by Alanis Morissette

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Oughta Know</span> 1995 single by Alanis Morissette

"You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of Ottawa to Toronto, but made little progress. In Los Angeles, she met producer Glen Ballard, with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know".

<i>MTV Unplugged</i> (Alanis Morissette album) 1999 live album by Alanis Morissette

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head over Feet</span> 1996 single by Alanis Morissette

"Head over Feet" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, taken from her third studio album Jagged Little Pill (1995). Written by Alanis and Glen Ballard, and produced by Ballard, it was released as the album's fifth single in July 1996 and presented a softer sound than the previous singles from the album. "Head over Feet" talks about being best friends and lovers with someone at the same time, with Alanis thanking them for their manners, love and devotion.

<i>Jagged Little Pill Acoustic</i> 2005 studio album by Alanis Morissette

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Learn</span> 1996 single by Alanis Morissette

"You Learn" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, the album's producer. Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released the song as the album's fourth single. The lyrics state that valuable lessons are learned from poor decisions. The album title is taken from this song's line: "Swallow it down ".

<i>The Collection</i> (Alanis Morissette album) 2005 greatest hits album by Alanis Morissette

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hands Clean</span> 2002 single by Alanis Morissette

"Hands Clean" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). It was written, composed, and produced by Morissette and released as the album's lead single in January 2002. It features a shuffling, largely acoustic-rock framework. Lyrically, "Hands Clean" caused controversy, since it is reportedly the singer's recollection of a forbidden sexual relationship she shared with a much older man when she was approximately 14 years of age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eight Easy Steps</span> 2004 single by Alanis Morissette

"Eight Easy Steps" is a rock song written by Alanis Morissette for her sixth studio album, So-Called Chaos. The album's opening track, it was released in 2004 as the So-Called Chaos's third single. The song may be seen as discussing self-help, with the message that it is the "course of a lifetime", but the help that is actually "offered" in the song is tongue-in-cheek, with lines like "How to lie to yourself and thereby to everyone else" and "How to control someone to be a carbon copy of you."

<i>Jagged Little Thrill</i> 2001 album by Jagged Edge

Jagged Little Thrill is the third studio album by American R&B group Jagged Edge. It was released by So So Def and Columbia on June 26, 2001, in the United States. The album's name is a spin on Alanis Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill (1995). The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 215,000 copies in the US, outranking their previous album, J.E. Heartbreak (1999) which had peaked at number eighth on the chart; the album is the group's highest peaking album to date. However, it was not as successful as the group's previous album, though still successful; achieving Platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Jagged Little Thrill has sold 1.5 million copies in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alanis Morissette discography</span>

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.

<i>City of Angels</i> (soundtrack) 1998 soundtrack album by Various artists

City of Angels: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album for the film City of Angels, released by Warner Bros. Records on March 31, 1998.

<i>Flavors of Entanglement</i> 2008 studio album by Alanis Morissette

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".

<i>Havoc and Bright Lights</i> 2012 studio album by Alanis Morissette

Havoc and Bright Lights is the eighth 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, 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).

<i>Such Pretty Forks in the Road</i> 2020 studio album by Alanis Morissette

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.

References