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Liz Phair


Born: 1967
Location: New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Indie Pop
Years Active: 1991 -
Real Name: Elizabeth Phair
Meaning of the Name:
A.K.A.: Girly Sound
Way of Working: Sings her own songs

Essential Releases

Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville

Exile in Guyville (1993)

Rock oriented debut that details sex and relationships from a female perspective.

Liz Phair - Whip-Smart

Whip-Smart (1994)

Better produced, less raw second album.

Liz Phair - Whitechocolatespaceegg

Whitechocolate
spaceegg (1998)

The girl has become a woman. Deeper themes, more personal, with a focus on marriage instead of just sex.


Two albums, two decades, one similar title. Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville serves as a counterpoint to the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, creating a conversation between the swagger of 1972 and the disillusionment of 1993.

Whereas the Stones depict a chaotic, party lifestyle full of plastered-on grins that mask the weariness beneath, Guyville offers an intimate story of a woman's isolation from the rock community, the very same crowd who worshipped the Stones. Both albums are about the fearless entry to adulthood, only to be knocked back by the harsh reality.

By the end of Guyville, Phair's youthful exuberance has been worn down by repeated disappointments, exemplified by the suave charlatan Johnny Sunshine, who steals her car and kills her cat, leaving her with nothing.

While both albums show a distinct difference between decades, they also contrast the male experience with the female. Phair titled hers Exile in Guyville as a reference to her experience as a woman in the 'manly' world of rock. She is the exile, lost in the alien world of masculinity.

Essentially, outlets like Pitchfork rate Phair's seminal debut as the 4th best album of the '90s because it connected with the realities of the time. Many women, be they accountants, doctors, or mechanics, entered male-dominated environments and learned how to define themselves, on their own terms, in such roles.

Liz Phair's early output stands as a testament to such struggles, and is an account of women standing tall in a man's world. On the opening track from Guyville, '6'1', Phair sings proudly: "I kept standing 6'1 instead of 5'2." She meant every word.


Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?
70

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.
70

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.
70

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.
70

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?
60

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.
80

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.
65

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.
70

Singing

i Technical attributes.
80

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.
90

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?
60

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.
70

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.
40

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?
50

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.
60

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.
80

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards >>>

  • Grammy Award Nominee x2:

Certifications >>>

  • Exile in Guyville: Gold in the US
  • Whip-Smart: Gold in the US
  • Liz Phair: Gold in the US

Charts >>>

  • Songs from a Room: Number 2 in the UK
  • Songs of Love and Hate: Number 4 in the UK; Number 8 in Canada
  • The Future: Number 7 in Canada
  • Ten New Songs: Number 4 in Canada
  • Dear Heather: Number 5 in Canada
  • Old Ideas: Number 1 in Canada & Holland; Number 2 in Australia & UK; Number 3 in the US
  • Popular Problems: Number 1 in Canada; Number 5 in the UK
  • You Want It Darker: Number 1 in Canada; Number 2 in Australia; Number 4 in the UK

Critics >>>

  • Pitchfork: Exile in Guyville - Best Albums of the 90s: 4th
  • Rolling Stone: Exile in Guyville - 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 56th
  • Rolling Stone: Exile in Guyville - Best Albums of the 90s: 20th
  • Spin: Exile in Guyville - Best Albums of 1993: 1st

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