Liz Phair

Liz Phair, though she has continued to grow as a writer and a musician over the past decade, would still have a place in rock history were she to have quit the biz after the release of her bombshell first album, Exile In Guyville. Exile was a revelation, a 18-track opus that sounds like it was recorded where it was largely written, in the upstairs bedroom of a teenage girl in suburban Chicago.

Listeners and writers picked up most strongly on the brazen sexuality of tracks like "Fuck And Run" and "Flower," but equally striking was the unabashed pop of "Never Said" and "6'1''," the seductive riffing on "Mezmerizing," the vivid portrait of breakup on "Divorce Song," the elegant atmospheric mood set in "Stratford-On-Guy," etc. It might have announced the birth of a star, but it was her coming-out party and grand achievement at the same time.

Phair would follow up Guyville with the very good albums Whip-Smart and whitechocolatespaceegg, but though neither have embarrassing moments, really, neither comes close to her 1993 debut. That said, Phair was one of the '90s' more intriguing female singer-songwriters, and whether or not her future work ever materializes, she'll be remembered fondly, if only as that frustrated and inspired girl in the attic.

Album reviews

Liz Phair
Capitol (2003)
The self-titled disc is eliciting slams from the press for its slickness. Is it really all that bad?

whitechocolatespaceegg
Matador (1998)
Ending a long absence for marriage and maternity, whitechocolatespaceegg proves that, long past puberty, Liz Phair is a "rocker", and a far warmer and less girl-centric one than her overly intimate lyrics would imply.

Whip-Smart
Matador (1994)
1994's Whip-Smart was the album that allowed Liz Phair to become a full-fledged artist.

Exile In Guyville (Recommended)
Matador (1993)
Exile In Guyville is of-the-moment music. It's hard to imagine the album being produced by any other artist at any other time -- an accomplishment that cuts both ways.