Could the new Liz Phair be any worse

Greil Marcus re: Rod Stewart iirc

Google says you're right, but I remember reading that said about Chilton many years ago.

The beginning of this thread is still so gross to me.

we'll always butthurt fans

we'll always have butthurt fans too

Are there any fervent Liz Phair fans remaining? Seems like every fan horrified by the realization that um actually she was Sheryl Crow -- that EIG represents the inevitability of recording with no money instead of an ethos -- is a dumb straight guy.

fervent FEMALE fans, I should say. I need dinner.

Seems like every fan horrified by the realization that um actually she was Sheryl Crow -- that EIG represents the inevitability of recording with no money instead of an ethos -- is a dumb straight guy.

I want to take issue with this statement, but I just haven't listened closely enough to her later albums to feel like I'd be on solid footing. (Never even heard the one that Christgau loved and everyone else compared to Avril Lavigne.) I do know that there's nothing on albums #2 and #3 that come anywhere close to "Divorce Song" or "Fuck and Run" for me--some good songs, but not close. None of which rules out me being a dumb straight guy.

Agreed on Whip-Smart but WCSE is close to her best album: a Sheryl Crow production with Liz Phair songs. I can't listen to "Divorce Song" without thinking of "Go On Ahead," "Uncle Alvarez," or at half a dozen WCSE tracks as sequels.

i.e. the continuing story of a self-aware woman who likes sex but loves her son and is trying to fit into situations she's outgrown

btw clem I'm reacting to the angst expressed at the beginning of this thread, started in 2003. I'm surprised that even in 2003 fans couldn't see that a novelty song about hot white cum was the means by which Liz Phair scored her biggest commercial coup.

oddly, i think what i find disappointing about every album after 'exile' is how confident and professional her singing sounds. what i like about 'exile' is how tuneless and weird she sounds on almost every track, like the almost drone-y tone she gets on 'flower.' i love those unexpected phrasings and random emphases: "and BOXED it up and buried it in the GROUND."

Hmm. She still has an uncertain relation to pitch up until 2005 to my ears.

I'll grab WCSE for the car tomorrow. When Scott and I did that Facebook thing, there was some interesting commentary on how severe the backlash against her was. (You just quoted one of my favourite lines from "Divorce Song"--that and "I guess I already am."

Give it another shot.

i repped for the 2003 album lots when it came out, but i can't really get into most of it anymore. i do like most of 'whip-smart.'

I was going to do ‘Funstyle,’ ‘Funnerstyle’ and 'Funnererstyle'

just... wow

I dunno, I've never known any artist ever that had more people go "I know exactly what she *should* be doing, and I will immediately stop her from doing what she *is* doing in favour of my vision" than her.

Fairly, unfairly, correctly or no, I have no idea, I only heard "Fuck and Run" by her...

I keep waiting for her to do the inevitable kids album. The press release and reviews would pretty much write themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg055XfRnzY

Ten years since the release of the eponymous album. Fabulous interview: http://noisey.vice.com/blog/the-other-liz-phair-anniversary-this-week

I remember my A&R guy was Ron Laffitte and he was like, “Well, what would you do differently?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp9PGzGroMc

Good interview! Got me to check that record out for the first time. Really baffling that so much fuss was made - it's not a dramatic shift away from whitechocolatespaceegg and despite some kind of wince-inducing production choices here and there, and a couple of plodding numbers that never find a shape ("Friend of Mine") the songwriting totally feels like vintage Liz.

"Why Can't I?" is surprisingly durable.

My favorite track from that album is Red Light Fever.

I interviewed her after this album came out and she told me she was just happy to hear her songs played at the gym.

actually, Funstyle is great.