Missundaztood

12/05/2001 7:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Dan Leroy

There's nothing wrong with escaping the teen-pop ghetto, and the lengthening shadow of Britney Spears. Escaping it by becoming Alanis Morissette, however, seems like a step sideways, instead of forward. Yet that's the path Pink has chosen on her sophomore release, trading most of the playful hip-hop and R&B of her debut for guitar-powered grooves full of angst. She's aided by 4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry, who co-wrote and produced much of the album, providing Pink several radio-ready weepers like "Lonely Girl" and prodding the tortured reminiscing of "My Vietnam." Meanwhile, R&B vet Dallas Austin chips in with a few lame rockers ("Just Like A Pill, "18 Wheeler") in a similar vein, and Steven Tyler adds a few moans to "Misery." Amidst all the teeth-gnashing, it's unsurprising the lightest cuts sound best; the first single "Get The Party Started" is irresistible dance-rock froth, and the old-school rhyming of "Respect" is also lots of fun. But fun's in short supply here, and what makes Missundaztood a missed opportunity is the use of such evident talent and individuality to create an album you could just as well call Jagged Little Pink. Isn't it ironic?