For a grand total of seventeen years, Canadian singer-slash-songwriter Alanis Morissette has graced many an ear with her up-beat pop tunes, the most infamous of which being her 1996 US top 10 and UK top 20 hit, 'Ironic'. Lest we not forget either Alanis' whopping seven Grammy awards, which I'm sure fit quite nicely in her platinum-lined awards cabinet, including one in 1996 for Best Album of the Year with 'Jagged Little Pill,' and Best Rock Song in 1999 for 'Uninvited'. It is hoped then that her latest record, Flavors of Entanglement can live up to the expectations which have been built up from her previous successes. It is not unusual however for an experienced singer such as herself to, shall we say, 'go off the rails a bit' with latest ventures in order to reach out to new audiences and make people say “ooh, that's a bit different isn't it?” Take for example Madonna's leotard – it shocked, it appalled, but mostly it sold records, which ultimately is what all artists set out to do. Miss Morissette however is not donning clothing two-sizes-to-small for her; in fact she's doing the complete opposite. By hiring top producer Guy Sigsworth, who's worked with the likes of Bjork, Flavors of Entanglement breaks Alanis' once poptastic mould, transforming her into a down-beat rocker complete with bongos and 'parental guidance' lyrics. It seems that the once naïve popstress has now turned into a…well, an adult, using the songs as vehicles to air her somewhat depressing views on the world, and in particular, love.

The opening track is entitled 'Citizen of the Planet' and its earthy rhythms transport you into a jungle-world complete with a bongo beat. This, along with the low-sung melody makes you double-check the CD case, out of confusion that you might be listening to the Rough Guide to the Music of Mali instead. This song is a classic Sigsworth piece with Morissette's voice containing an inkling of Scandinavian slurr.

'Versions of Violence' is a song that echoes many other tracks on the album. Its lyrics and groggy beats hint at a darker side of pop, making the song nothing short of morbid. Alanis' vocal talent then adds its own harsh reality to the otherwise nonsensical lyrics, containing lines such as 'these versions of violence, sometimes subtle sometimes clear, and the ones that go unnoticed, still leave their mark once disappeared.' It's anyone's guess.

Taking things up a notch is track number seven, Moratorium. This is definitely the album's (only) standout, with Morissette's voice being both smooth and dark, quite like Belgian chocolate. Sigsworth has managed to produce quite a funky little number that adopts a classic 80's drumbeat and gets your foot a-stomping.

Track ten, named 'Tapes,' follows suit from tracks nine, 'Giggle Again for No Reason,' six, 'In Praise of the Vulnerable Man,' five, 'Not As We,' and unfortunately track two 'Underneath.' There is one major thing that they all have in common- what I call 'meh-ability.' They more-or-less follow the same crescendo line as each other, using violins and steady bass beats to create a dramatic chorus that fades quickly. Their consistency of down-troddeness is slightly frustrating, as you will find yourself waiting for some well-needed umph, but never getting it.

There is one thing for certain to say about Flavors of Entanglement, and that is it's 'different.' Whether it is 'different-good' or 'different-bad' I shall leave up to you. Alanis has created, along with Sigsworth, a new genre of pop that puts two fingers up to the definition of what it has been before. The album is very much open to your interpretation which is nothing but a positive, it does depend however on how open your mind is as the use of the first-person is quite overwhelming, making the album seem more of a biography of emotions than a mere list of songs. It seems that this time it's adult, and it's personal.