Havoc and Bright Lights - Alanis Morissette
User Score
6.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 29
  3. Negative: 5 out of 29

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  1. Mangaeyes
    Feb 18, 2013
    4
    For me, the best moments on 'Havoc and Bright Lights' come in the forms of "Guardian", "Woman Down", "Edge of Evolution" and "Receive", each one blurring commercial pop-rock with more electro-influenced sounds. However these four decent songs are positioned at the beginning and end of the album leaving a very bland, VERY Adult-Contemporary chunk of filler in the middle. In a desperate attempt to perk up 'Havoc and Bright Lights' Morissette suffocates these songs in slick, slimey production thanks to Joe Chiccarelli (Elton John, U2, Tori Amos) and Guy Sigsworth (Madonna, Britney Spears, Björk). This results in the painfully contrived "Lens" and "Celebrity", the dreary mess "'Til You" and the cringeworthy "Win and Win". It just all feels a bit too forced and a little bit lazy, lacking the spontaneous honesty that Morissette presented so well with her previous albums.… Expand
  2. BarkingPumpkin
    Oct 31, 2012
    4
    I basically agree with Sputnikmusic's take on this effort. To its credit the production is pretty good, but it really seems like Alanis is just going through the motions on this one -- we've heard the same shlocky-pop from other pop artists over the past couple decades. The track Lens is OK. This whole effort is for the diehard fan only.
  3. vladsch
    Apr 27, 2013
    2
    Alanis proved through the years to be as talented as a musician as she is a good partner in love something we can conclude embarrassingly through her excessive private life exposure in her songwritting where everybody else is always the problem, never her. Though her first solely self produced album Under Rug Swept had quite good hooks for her then assumed radio-lite-pop rock orientation, so far in the last 10 years she just released rubish and lazy work. Havoc and Bright Lights I love how the titles of her songs and albums are so pseudo intellectualized is however the worst of all. Some may think she just succeeded during her lifetime career thanks to her producers who polished her talents specially Glen Ballard however she already proved to do fine by herself and Mrs. Morissette problem here is actually lazyness to cope with her own work. If the title for her works are pompous and promising, you always happen to find out is just a fancy wrap for a cotton candy tasting like water. She should just embrace her now motherhood and save us from the baby lullabies. Better follow Kate Bush example and stay home baking cakes and taking care of your son. Your husband can pay the bills, you don't need to embarrass yourself anymore Alanis.… Expand
  4. BasaureH
    Mar 27, 2013
    4
    I can listen to it over and over, but it just doesn't hear/feel like Alanis. Most of us understand that she's no longer the woman she was ten years ago, and maybe she's grown up a lot and now she's a woman singing, but I missed the irony in the lyrics, the depth of the emotion and the simplicity of the album tone. It just feels all very charged and overblown.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
55 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 17
  3. Negative: 3 out of 17
  1. Uncut
    Sep 14, 2012
    40
    Mostly, though, Morrisette succumbs to her dual predilections for quasi-spirituality and stultifying sappiness. [Oct 2012, p.84]
  2. American Songwriter
    Sep 5, 2012
    70
    Morissette's poetic discourse of intimately describing her feelings still abounds, but is elegantly emoted here with cool restraint.
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  3. PopMatters
    Aug 30, 2012
    50
    While it may be a difficult task to get through all 12 psycho-babble-filled tune on havoc, it's not entirely a wash or without merit. Ultimately, if you're not into hearing someone use their artistic expression to vent their frustrations and contemplate fairly uneducated meanderings on the current social state, or you're not struggling with your own identity lacking the mental capacity to understand your surroundings, you need not apply.
    Read full review
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