Engineers: Mark Hutchins, Renato Petruzziello.

Personnel: Alanis Morissette (vocals, guitar, flute, harmonica); Joel Shearer, Nick Lashley (guitar); Joel Derouin, Laura Seaton (violin); David Campbell (viola); Erik Friedlander, Suzie Katayama (cello); Deron Johnson (keyboards, background vocals); Gary Novak (drums, percussion); Brad Dutz (percussion).

Audio Mixer: Chris Fogel.

Editor: Oscar Gaona.

Photographers: Frank Micelotta; Steven Sebring.

Arranger: David Campbell .

Often, artists embrace Unplugged as an opportunity to stroll through their back catalog. Not Alanis Morissette. Instead of concentrating on the familiar (only four songs from Jagged Little Pill are here, and neither of its sequel's hits, "Thank U" and "So Pure," are performed), Morissette uses Unplugged as a way to reintroduce Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie to an audience that largely ignored it the first time around. It's easy to see why Morissette is so intent on selling these songs. Although their meaning may be elusive at times, they're extremely personal songs, which benefit from the stripped-down arrangements and intimate surroundings. Even so, the songs require close, careful listening before they truly catch hold, and even then, they're often easier to admire than love. By closing the performance with the non-LP soundtrack contribution "Uninvited," Morissette unwittingly highlights the reason why Supposed failed to gain a large audience. Like much of that album, "Uninvited is also heavy on mood and cryptic lyrics, but the song is blessed with an indelible melody and haunting atmosphere. Compared with that song, the Supposed tunes, plus the three previously unreleased songs (including "No Pressure Over Cappucinio and "Princess Familiar"), are all intriguing but never as compelling, largely because they demand that the listener meet them on their own terms. Here, they're a bit more accessible, but it makes Unplugged just slightly less elusive than Supposed itself. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Jagged Little Pill was such a phenomenal success that the three-year wait for its sequel, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, didn't seem all that long. When Supposed was unveiled in November 1998, it was apparent that Alanis Morissette had matured -- not only was her singing measured and restrained (quite likely the byproduct of vocal lessons), but her new music was surprisingly subtle, relying on a balance of tone and lyrics instead of immediate, catchy hooks. It was an artistic progression, but one that didn't sell particularly well, especially compared with its blockbuster predecessor. Nevertheless, Morissette didn't give up on the record. She continued to push it hard, embarking on a co-headlining tour with Tori Amos in late summer 1999, during which she recorded an episode of MTV Unplugged. An accompanying album, also titled MTV Unplugged, was released early in November, exactly a year after Supposed's release. Often, artists embrace Unplugged as an opportunity to stroll through their back catalog. Not Morissette. True, she only had two albums to explore (since her first two records of teen-oriented dance-pop have been virtually disowned), but she clearly has no desire to linger in the past, if the songs on Unplugged are any indication. Still, it's striking that only four Jagged songs ("You Learn," "Head Over Feet," "Ironic," "You Oughta Know") are included on this 12-track album, which means that the majority of the record consists of Supposed material. Interestingly, neither of the hits from the album, "Thank U" and "So Pure," are performed, although the single "Joining You" is. Instead of concentrating on the familiar, Morissette uses Unplugged as a way to reintroduce Supposed's songs to an audience that largely ignored them the first time around. It's easy to see why Morissette is so intent on selling these songs. Although their meaning may be elusive at times, they're extremely personal songs, which is evident by their cryptic nature and Morissette's passionate performances. All of the newer material benefits from the stripped-down arrangements and intimate surroundings (but the cover of the Police's "King of Pain" winds up sounding misguided). Even so, the songs require close, careful listening before they truly catch hold, and even then, they're often easier to admire than love. This key difference is made apparent by comparing the Supposed songs with the Jagged tunes. While Jagged's songs could be a little clumsy, that very quality made them endearing. More importantly, they also had strong, indelible hooks and melodies -- something they shared with the non-LP soundtrack contribution, "Uninvited." By closing the performance with "Uninvited," Morissette unwittingly highlights the reason why Supposed failed to gain a large audience. Like much of that album, "Uninvited is also heavy on mood and lyrics, but the atmosphere is evocative and the song is blessed with a strong melody line. Compared with that song, the Supposed tunes and the three previously unreleased songs, including "No Pressure Over Cappucinio and "Princess Familiar," all are intriguing but never as compelling, largely because they demand that the listener meet them on their own terms. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but it makes Unplugged just slightly less elusive than Supposed itself. Which is strange -- the songs sound different and better in these arrangements, yet they never sound revelatory, which they should. Consequently, Morissette's Unplugged winds up being like most other Unplugged albums -- enjoyable, yet ultimately forgettable, and only necessary for hardcore fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Though Morissette is known for songs driven by big, hard-hitting production, her larger-than-life sound translates surprisingly well to a stripped-down, acoustic-based approach. Backed by acoustic guitar, piano, and strings (and a tasteful rhythm section), Alanis scales down the grand scale of her arrangements for a more intimate, directly communicative effect. Listening to the almost gentle version of the formerly piledriving "You Oughta Know" will provide something of a revelation for Morissette's fans. The scathing lyrics achieve an even more cathartic effect with the contrasting feel of the music, and the singer/songwriter is revealed as a folk-rocker at heart.

Her previously noted preference for the confessional mode is further underlined here by an earnest version of the Police's soul-searching plaint "King of Pain." Thankfully, Morissette has enough common sense to avoid changing it to "Queen of Pain." The unfettered swoops and glides of her vocal style have more room to flow here as well, and Morissette sounds a bird in full flight throughout.