Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville

Two CD set archive release of her 1993 album. Liz Phair is a US singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her signature guitar, which she is often seen playing (and is prominent upon the cover of her self-titled fourth album), is a Fender Duo-Sonic II. Her album Exile in Guyville was chosen as one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. This two disc set includes four previously unreleased audio tracks and a DVD with a documentary about the album's genesis. Album Description

Powerful, sad, brilliant album of someone finally speaking their mind

You know that scene in "Say Anything" where Lili Taylor plays the songs she recorded for that guy? Well this album reminds me of that, except it's real.

I remember originally hearing this album two years ago and being underwhelmed, because I didn't think it "rocked" hard enough, whatever that means. It does though, and the quiet parts sting with resigned anger and frustration. What got me to listen to the album was hearing "Never Said" again and thinking maybe I had missed something before.

Could be this time I came to the record expecting something different, but instead of being bored I hear someone bored with doing everything they can for everyone, and I can relate. The line in "Gunshy" that sums a big theme is "See-monkeys, do-monkeys, story of my life".

This album is anything but a pityfest though, with "6'1" and "F* and Run" showing strength and confidence behind Stones riffs. On that note I do see the Exile response idea, with her responding to how the Stones and men in general can see women...which is true and on behalf of myself and men everywhere I'd like to apologize.

But as far as the bonus features, the DVD adds context to the album through the man who partially inspired the album, through Brad Wood (the producer), Steve Albini, John Cusack and others. The best part by far is when different women talk about how the album changed their lives.

The bonus tracks are two good out of three. "Ant In Alaska" sounds up to anything on the album, "Say You" misses the mark completely, and I wish the "Instrumentals" track had been somewhere in the middle of the album for a transition.

A similar album could be Hole's "Live Through This" in that it's from around the same time and full of frustration, but "Exile In Guyville" is more introspective and much easier to identify with. The closest album to this is PJ Harvey's "Dry" that is equally good and filled with pain, but while PJ Harvey is still incredible Liz Phair's first try was definitely her best. As far as the comparison between this and "Exile On Main Street" though...well let's hope she tries to get that level again. September 22, 2008

She's got no love for Guyville

I have the utmost respect for Liz Phair, who has great lo-fi guitar chords and a low alto voice that's blunt and righteously grumpy. On the other hand, though, her frank sex talk disturbed me almost too much.

Notice that I said "almost." This is a great low-key album, with a cool downbeat guitar rhythm in "6'1"." Phair knows how to play great guitar rhythms, and from "Help Me Mary" to "Divorce Song," Phair probably has a cooler sense of Southern rock than Sheryl Crow. And Phair has a great sense of humor, singing bluntly in "Divorce Song" that "it's harder to be friends than lovers/And you shouldn't try to mix the two/'Cause if you do it and you're still unhappy/Then you know that the problem is you."

As for some of the other parts, well, it's a little disturbing to say the least. Sure, rap stars probably had more disturbing lyrics, but Phair gets downright dirty with the song "Flower." She sings things like "I just want your fresh young jimmy/jamming, slamming, ramming in me." To make things even creepier, she's singing this with some kid's xylophone in the background.

But in-between this collection of songs about f***-and-runs and murder plots against male artists, there are also intimate quiet bluesy songs. "Explain It To Me" is a soft guitar song with African drums in the background, while Phair murmurs, "Tell them to jump higher/Tell 'em to run farther/Make 'em measure up/Decades longer than you."

Nearly all the songs have a soft, but biting edge. Phair may play pianos at one time and rock at others, but she has an amazing variety of songs. On one hand, she's wants to expose male oppression, but on the other hand she demands sex from men. It's a strange and surreal combination, and it sometimes doesn't work, but it's a notable piece of work that deserves at least some acclaim. August 25, 2008

Overly hyped at one time, but has proved it is a classic

Those who criticize EIG for 1) Liz' admittedly sometimes flat or even off-key singing; 2) DIY lo-fi "non-professional" sound; and 3) lack of bitchin' guitar solos or hot licks etc. are totally missing the point. Yes, the early 90's indie media over-hyped this one a bit (fueling an inevitable backlash....), but this disc has lasted; while some of the "potty-mouth" shock-value has worn off (it wasn't really the point of the record anyway....just something easy for no-nothings and those who enjoy being offended to latch onto...), the songs themselves remain potent and compelling.

The entire album is suffused with an atmosphere that alternates between anger and melancholy (and after all, doesn't depression manifest itself just as often as lash-out anger in addition to weepy sadness??). The over-arching mood of the disc perfectly captures the feelings of a young woman in her 20's, caught in the in-between gray-area between lingering adolescence and true, mature adulthood; this creates a portrait of a protagonist that feels perpetually lost and bewildered by her circumstances, the path her life seems to be taking, and even by her self and her own motivations and desires.

I have long tried to figure out how a disc such as this (with its semi-lo-fi production, sometimes unwieldy singing, and fairly basic instrumental skills etc.) works so well and has such an impact. Of course, the songs are simply terrific and often pack a huge emotional wallop. The production and performances, while not "professional sounding" in some instances, are imaginative, quirky, resourceful, and totally fit the songs they serve. (As Bob Mould once said, if you just got jilted by your girlfriend and you can manage to sing on-key about the break up, you must not really be that upset by it....). While some find the lyrics overly confessional and the profanities distracting, well, all of this creates a persuasive aura of candor, emotional openness, and realism: most young adults I've known do tend to self-obsess and swear. Girls, too.

In short, the best way I can put it is like this: Liz and Brad Wood worked some sort of magical alchemy that mysteriously turned every factor that should have been a disadvantage or stumbling block into a victory as they recorded these songs and made this disc. Forget the critical indie-hype that surrounded its release, and don't get distracted by the other baggage (including the over-emphasized linkage to "Exile on Main Street."); assess and re-assess EIG on its own merits and you'll recognize a start-to-finish classic, even now 15 years later. Yes, its confusing, inconsistent, messy, sprawling, and self-contradictory; sounds to me like a good description of what its like to live life as a human being.....

We love ya', Liz. Best wishes! August 8, 2008

Lizzie's Magical Misery Tour

LIZ PHAIR "Exile in Guyville" is at best a demo disc -- mainly aimed at stoned-out hippies and 'rug munching' feminists who blame men for their problems. Maybe "Lizzie's Lezzie Laments" or "I Gotta Lotta Chips on My shoulders" would have been more appropriate album titles.

To begin with, the vocals sound like someone practicing in the bathroom -- off key, not well structured, and sloppily delivered.

The instrumental parts sound so generic, trite and un-inspired, that it's probably best that they're mixed down a bit. They remind one of summer camp sing alongs or the lame folkie-stuff they play at 'progressive' churches.

The lyrics alternate between whining about others (the first 2 songs, anmong others), to whining about being unappreciated ('Canary', [...] And Run', etc.) to generic whining (most of the other songs).

If Liz Phair is an exile in guyville, then it seems it is by her own deliberate choices.

It's obvious why she's been sidelined, and why no one (except dorky music critics) thinks she's even close to being cool. No ROCK Fan will find anything redeeming about this collection of reject-songs. They were ignored upon initial release in 1993 -- and deservedly so.
July 22, 2008

All's "Phair" in Love and War and Rock 'n Roll

"Exile in Guyville," released in 1993 on Matador records, is an excellent, groundbreaking album. It is early `90's rock `n roll at it's best, with a fresh, new sound, both quirky and powerful, exploring the timeless problems of love and life with freedom and daring. It is solid rock `n roll, anchored securely in the guitars, rhythm, bass and drums tradition going back to Elvis. But against the crunching guitar chords and tougher than tough rhythm sections, the melodies are often odd and chromatic. Phair sings with confessional honesty about self-doubt, sexuality, power, and the contradictions, disappointments and compromises inherent in life. Nothing is off limits, nothing is too intimate or personal. The only requirement seems to be that the songs be honest and unflinching, and that they succeed as music. "Guyville" hits the bullseye on both counts.

In "Canary," Phair sings about an alienated housewife who "follows all the rules" - "I come when called, I come that's all." But in "Exile" the housewife doesn't just complain, she sets the house on fire. In "Help Me Mary" Liz dreams of revenge against her abusively snide male roommates. In "F--k and Run" she's not afraid to sing "I want a boyfriend...I want a guy who makes love `cause he's in it" as another one-night stand walks out the door. Phair takes full advantage of the freedom women had by the `90's to make music as interesting as they themselves were. Gender was no longer a limitation on the range of their artistic expression. Just like the boys.

"Exile in Guyville" was a great album when it came out in 1993. It still is a great album in 2008. Liz Phair would go on to make other good records, but never again would she achieve the combination of audacity, energy, and no holds barred song writing that she demonstrated in her first album. If you don't have it, you should get it . You won't regret it. July 8, 2008

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