Part of Phair's new sound is the poppy but forgettable ("Rock Me," "Why Can't I?"), steady ballads ("Little Digger") and more fast-paced pop ("Extraordinary"). Only a handful of songs seem to be sung with anything like feeling, such as the moderately poignant "Little Digger" and the slightly eerie "Bionic Eyes."

The writing is typical pop, with lots of why-don't-you-love-me and ooh-I-love-you-so laments (with the occasional midlife crisis anthem like "Rock Me," which sounds like Demi Moore's theme song). The thumpy synthesized music is unexceptional, and after one or two listens I was bored by them. Phair's vocals often sound like they've been filtered through a metal drum, kind of metallic and lifeless.

The only deviations from pop puffery is when Phair sets out to shock. Like how? Like "Favorite" (comparing a boyfriend to frayed underpants? How flattering!) or "H.W.C.", in which a certain phrase is repeated over and over and over without lyrical purpose until it loses its shock value. There's no hidden meanings to the phrasing, no eroticism to the sex-related comments.

While other singers like Jewel have hopped onto the pop wagon, at least their offerings were passable. "Liz Phair" is ultimately forgettable when it isn't mildly embarrassing, and the lack of any standout material makes it sink.


Old-school Liz fan who loves this record   July 4, 2003
 42 out of 52 found this review helpful

I've been somewhat psycho about Liz since the week Exile in Guyville came out. I have no desire for her to release the same album over and over, so I welcome this new record for the excellent piece of pop/rock that it is. There are so, so many great vintage Liz songs here, like "It's Sweet," "Take A Look," "Little Digger" "Firewalker," "Love/Hate Transmission" and "My Bionic Eyes." Yeah yeah yeah, the Matrix songs aren't really a lot like old Liz, unless you're enough of a fan to know "Rocket Boy," or to realize that "Jealousy" and "Johnny Feelgood" are really the same kind of songs.

Indie rockers, just grow up and admit you love Styx, Cheap Trick and Journey, and allow yourself to love this record too. And don't let some cheap sexism and ageism make you proclaim that songs like "H.W.C." are stupid and embarrassing. If it had appeared on either of Liz's first two albums, it would be proclaimed a subversive masterpiece.

Don't be an indiesnob. If you like Liz Phair the album, just let yourself like it!


Isn't it Ironic? Dontcha think?   March 17, 2004
 23 out of 30 found this review helpful

You know, I could criticize Liz Phair for selling out like so many other people have done over this album, but I'm not going to do that. Liz has obviously decided that she's more interested in pursuing pop stardom than maintaining so called "indie cred". And you know what? I'm okay with that. Really. And I'm okay with people saying they like this album. Does liking Alanis Morrissette or Sheryl Crow or Britney or Avril Lavigne make one a bad person? No, of course it doesn't. It's a personal taste, that's all. And I don't feel justified in criticizing others' personal tastes.
Having said that, I hated this album as much as I adore Exile in Guyville. Exile was raw and full of heart. This album is not. I don't see it as any kind of musical evolution. I find the lyrics insipid and the music shellacked with overproduction. Again, my opinion. And it makes me sad, in a way. I also find tremendous irony in the fact that Liz apparently feels she now has to ape all the artists she opened the door for in the first place in order to succeed. Nevertheless, I wish her all the success she can handle. And I still can put on Exile in Guyville anytime and remember what was.
By the way, no one who is critical of this album is saying that Liz should make the same album over and over. The argument that she has changed as a person and her music reflects this change is not a logical one. She made a conscious decision to try to be more commercial. This fact cannot be denied, and though I have no problem with that I find the results terribly disappointing and lacking in integrity. There are plenty of ways she could have branched out as an artist, as others have mentioned. But she chose to sound like everyone else. I think that's too bad.


Hardly worth complaing about   July 2, 2003
 22 out of 29 found this review helpful

To all the people who are distraught over this album: seriously, what is wrong with you? Not only is it ridiculous to reject an artist simply because their style has evolved, it eludes me how anyone could think that "Liz Phair" is an all-out terrible album. This record - which a lot of people seem to be calling "pop" - does an excellent job of incorporating many different styles of music. You've got pop songs, rock songs, and even a couple ballads. The diversity of "Liz Phair" is impressive in itself, but what makes this album really successful is Liz Phair's slightly-perfected vocals and characteristically witty and poignant lyrics. On songs like "Take A Look," "Little Digger," and "It's Sweet," Liz Phair's talent - both vocal and literary - really shines. Even the song "HWC," which seems to be the most critically maligned track on the album, retains the wit, humor, and even grace that fans have grown to expect from Liz Phair, who has a knack for making any situation - even the most intimate and, well, messy - seem amusing, important, and utterly natural.

Some fans and critics bemoan the fact that, since the release of "Exile in Guyville," Liz Phair has moved further and further away from her indie-priestess roots. I strongly believe, however, that these are the same fans and critics who would criticize Liz Phair if she only put out albums that mimiced the alt-rock sound established on "Guyville." The easiest thing Liz Phair could have done was stick rigidly to that sound and receive great press for the rest of her career. I admire the fact that she was willing to take a risk with "Liz Phair." And regardless of how the naysayers feel, I think that risk was well worth it.


worst of 2003   November 30, 2003
 16 out of 26 found this review helpful

the reviews on this website are into 3 categories: The new liz phair fans that also picked up the new britney album this past week, the new liz phair fan pretending they liked exile in guyville, and the disgruntled indie fan who fell head over heels for exile in guyville.

I read review after review on the website, and i am ashamed. I bet that at least half of the reviewers that claimed that they liked exile in guyville AND this album are pulling your leg. I myself am a huge Liz Phair fan, and still am. I know just about every single word to Exile and Guyville, and could sing "F**K and Run" or "divorce song" perfectly off the top of my head.

this CD is trash. mindless pop. whats the point of it? there is no reason for it to exist. Liz poured out her heart and soul into exile in guyville- her honest, heartfelt lyrics over rough production. Here, we get your "everyday sane psycho" sung over forgetful, sugary pop chords. The "HWC" song is a evil scheme to regain those doubtful fans, and i fell into that ploy.

"OH, it has to GROW on you! let it GROW ON YOU!!!!" it takes awhile to get into exile in guyville. it took me 2 years to get into it... i gave it a chance. at least 10 chances. and it sucks.

if she had never made exile in guyville, this album would still be critically slammed. the fact that she made such a perfect record in the early 90's just makes it worse.