The Best of Liz Phair Compilation : What Would You Include?

To introduce someone to the best of Liz, I'd say listen to Exile. Then I'd offer suggestions from her later albums.

This list below, only from the formally released stuff (excluding GS, etc), would be a Liz Phair Retrospective in order to represent her work and style(s) at various points throughout her entire career of formal releases.

There are some omitted songs that I like better than some here--esp. the ones left off from Exile, but to me this list is a combo of the very best, other essential Liz-Phairish-Liz Phair, the best or most representative for a given album/era (hence what I included from LP), plus her most well-known songs that someone might have heard but not necessarily known who it was. The latter point addresses radio play, video play, stuff that rec'd significant-enough media attention (e.g. H.W.C. which is famous-as-infamous), and songs from albums used in moves. Not a complete "Best of," but a representative compilation.

I like all these songs with the exception of Bangladesh, which I included because it's representative of a Liz career chapter and got some media attention as representative of Funstyle. I think anyone who listens to this collection will have an understanding of what Liz's work and career has been like. Baby Got Going and Girl's Room are both fairly short, very representative IMO, and good, so I didn't choose just one between them. I don't have as high of an opinion as Whipsmart as most serious fans seem to, and maybe my opinion of WCSE is higher than most in that context.

28 songs.

6'1"
Help Me Mary
Never Said
F#*& and Run
Divorce Song
Flower
Mesmerizing
Chopsticks
Supernova
Whip-Smart
Jealousy
Johnny Feelgood
Polyester Bride
Baby Got Going
Headache
Ride
Girls' Room
Extraordinary
Why Can't I?
Love/Hate
H.W.C.
Erecting a Movie Star (comment: her best vocal IMO)
Somebody's Miracle
Everything To Me
Closer To You
Bangladesh
Satisfied
And He Slayed Her

 

I think you pretty much nailed it -- I could definitely see this collection being released to stores as a legit "essential" Liz Phair. It's maybe one or two songs heavy on Exile material, but that's just my taste.

If we're talking about the CD age, and if time allowed, I might throw in two additional tracks so that it's an even 15 on each disc -- I'd definitely want to include "Down".

Fantastic job -- I might try to create your version tonight!

We definitely need a new Liz CD...hopefully we see it in the first quarter of next year or there abouts.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIZ-PHAIR-G...7806876?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item1e86a25e9c

An original 1991 Girly Sound cassette popped up on ebay. I've never seen one of these before, photo used for the cover is also new to me.

 

I would call it whitechocolatespacegg + divorce song and stratford on guy

 

I've never seen that cover associated with the girlsound tapes -- the original tapes anyway.

Can anyone confirm the origin of this tape? Is it direct from Liz or is it simply a copy of a copy with a nice photocopied cover?

 

http://www.mesmerizingtoo.com/random.html
Not her handwriting and the artwork seen here is different.

There's other acts in the past 15 years who did their first release on CDR and fans trying to find copies are rolling the dice regarding authenticity.

 

I asked the seller if he had any knowledge that it was an original copy and he/she stated they didn't really know except that it came out of a box of 80/90s tapes.

If I had to guess, I'd say that it isn't original and is a copy of a copy...not worth $100 imo.

I wish Liz would release all of these sessions officially...she can even include a cassette tape version of it as a novelty.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIZ-PHAIR-I...231285568361?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item35d9b1b369
Look what gets a best buy only release August 5th:

1. F**k and Run
2. Never Said
3. Divorce Song
4. Supernova
5. Whip-Smart
6. Polyester Bride
7. Why Can't I?
8. Extraordinary
9. Somebody's Miracle
10. Count on My Love
11. Everything to Me

EIG:3
WS:2
WCSE:1
LP:2
SM:3

Lots of fail/missed opportunities here. The album breakdown is really odd as well. Nothing rare here that isn't a penny per album on Amazon. Jealousy is weirdly missing. Presumably F&R/Nova/WCI will have swearing intact like the albums.

Usually this product line are quickie releases done without any artists involvement, but Liz herself has had full ownership of Exile album master for at least 6-7 years. She'd have to clear the first 3 songs.

 

Bizarre comp, and almost a complete waste of time and effort. Made more depressing only by the implication that her new album (supposedly being worked on for a year now) is nowhere near being finished.

 

I don't even think a non-brickwalled version of the last 5 tracks would get me interested. Not even sure I'd buy this on vinyl. it's just something for Best Buy to have in their racks for $5.

Ryan Adams was producing as bunch of track and he's releasing an album and going on tour very soon.

 

my fave Liz Phair tracks:

-support system
-only son
-6'1"
-rock me
-fantasize
-may queen
-and he slayed her
-divorce song
-polyester bride
-go west
-johnny feelgood
-dogs of LA

(I've never heard Somebody's Miracle so there are no tracks from it)

 

Yes, the fact that Adams has recorded his own album and is going back on the road doesn't bode well for the Liz album he was supposedly producing since last August...

 

More than 100 posts in before Rock Me was finally mentioned? I wasn't checking for It's A War but I assume someone mentioned it. These are two of her very best songs!

 

I always said it, she is extremely able and while not an accomplished live performer, has carved out an area characterized by an influential and time-tested group of core songs, which need to be on this compilation. Her songs have certain melodic twists that are unique to her, part of her signature. And her lyrics often are very good, she's smart obviously and the wry 'what's give or take 9 years anyway' or 'you don't even know who Liz Phair is' are great lines in Rock Me, for example. As is the line, 'I'll bet you that cigaret in your mouth I'll make it worth your time'.

She deserved a much bigger career, but at least made it as far as she did. And yeah, she's hot, very; it's true and hard not say it. But that is not the real reason she became as well known as she did.

 

Note the Who-like intro and dynamics throughout the song. Is the title really Love/Hate? Not sure, but it's a fine song. She's talking about having to fight (not literally, or necessarily) in life in everything we do, that we all have to do that and it's part of living, the song is not about a specific political war here or there. The backing track is great, better than 95% of the name rock bands out there today, IMO. Same with Rock Me.

Pete Townshend should have written this. Instead, Liz Phair did.

 

Honestly, if they had included "Down" or "Rocket Boy" or "Don't Apologize" (or any number of other orphaned tracks from her career), I'd have picked it up just for that. But yeah, that's a pretty bad excuse for a comp. Even the cover photo looks more like some chick who sort of resembles Liz; not an iconic Liz Phair picture.

It's interesting though if she did license the Exile tracks--doesn't she own Funstyle too? How come it's not represented? (And don't say it doesn't deserve to be. If they see fit to include three tracks from Somebody's Sleeping Pill, Funstyle deserves at least four.)

 

I'm with you on "Love/Hate" (yes, that's the real name), but I really hate "Rock Me," which to me is one of the answers to the question "Where did Liz go wrong?" Hiring hit-making songwriters to craft faux "Liz Phair" tracks was a terrible idea in the first place, but after spending three albums demanding that the men in her life grow up, she starts singing the praises of young dudes? Ugh. (Don't get me started on "Favorite" or "HWC," the latter of which Liz only has herself to blame.) Take "The MATRIX" out of the Liz Phair album and restore the Michael Penn-produced tracks from comeandgetit and the iTunes-only "Insanity" and you could have a really solid album that doesn't seem to sell out everything Liz was ever about.

As for the ill-advised Best Buy CD that's coming out, here's what I would have compiled:

01. 6'1" (Exile In Guyville)
02. F*** And Run (Exile In Guyville)
03. Divorce Song (Exile In Guyville)
04. Supernova (Whip-Smart)
05. X-Ray Man (Whip-Smart)
06. Whip-Smart (Whip-Smart)
07. Stuck On an Island (What’s Up Matador comp)
08. Big Tall Man (Whitechocolatespaceegg)
09. Johnny Feelgood (Whitechocolatespaceegg)
10. Polyester Bride (Whitechocolatespaceegg)
11. Down (unreleased)
12. Why Can't I (Liz Phair)
13. Take A Look [Promo Mix] (Liz Phair [promo])
14. Insanity (iTunes Exclusive)
15. Got My Own Thing (Somebody's Miracle)
16. Why I Lie (Somebody's Miracle)
17. Can't Get Out of What I'm Into (Somebody's Miracle [Bonus Track])
18. Faith & Tenderness (Banana Republic City Sounds, Volume 2)
19. Smoke (Funstyle)
20. You Should Know Me (Funstyle)
21. And He Slayed Her (Funstyle)
22. Avalanche (Free Download, 2010)

I think this would be a fair representation of her entire career, with a few rarities sprinkled in for the die-hards. Most importantly, there should be a big sticker on the front that says: "Coming in 2015 -- an all-new Liz Phair album!"

 

Did she not write Rock Me, even the words? I still think it's a great song though, it sounds like her kind of approach. Funny how people can differ, I bought the later albums first and only got to her famous Exile on Guysville record much later and don't think it's nearly as good as her later work. Partly it's the sound/production/band. Of course she was older when singing Rock Me so the type of people she wrote about had to change and I believe she was single by this time..

Another song I like, not a rocker, is a kind of quiet ballad, recalling a friend she knew in college.

 

This interview to me really explains the shift between the early and later albums, especially from 3:00-4:00. (Charming too the way she explains it).

I'm no expert on her career, but my understanding is, in the early years, her emergence as an indie star was kind of accidental, she hadn't trained as a musician or gigged for years as most aspiring songwriters do, but Exile in Guyville came out and took off in part through praise being given in RS magazine. And WhipSmart followed it, a similar critical hit. She had a smallish following but her career was not structured in the usual way. Later, she wanted clearly to give it a more commercial basis and hence the idea surely of using a variety of producers and excellent musicians for a more glossy pop sound. There is a tension between a career that was not planned at all and one in which she needs to make choices to keep it going, that's what she is saying. At the end of the day though, it's Liz Phair at the center of it, that's who I hear in all her work.

 

"Rock Me" is a Matrix track, and Liz is the fourth person listed in the writing credits. It's well-known that high-profile artists often receive a courtesy co-write credit for songs that they contributed little or nothing to, so it's hard to say how much of that song is really Liz. Yes, Liz was single by then, but that doesn't make it less sad (to me) that she agreed to sing this song -- it still rubs against almost everything she's ever written about gender relations before or since. (Yes, plenty of male artists have sung songs about younger, compliant girls, so it could be debated whether she is claiming the "right" to do the same or sacrificing some of her integrity by doing it. But Sean, why can't female rockers do the same gross stuff that men do? Well, they can, but I don't respect the guys who do gross stuff either!)

It makes sense that if you became a fan through the self-titled album, you might find the production of Exile and Whip-Smart a little lacking, but the songwriting quality is a different matter. She hit a real low (imo) with Somebody's Miracle. I might not be your typical Liz phan (see link below), because whitechocolatespaceegg (not Exile) is my favorite album of hers, and I'll defend Funstyle to anyone who will listen.

Thanks for the clip, although it's hard to give serious consideration to a feature that calls Somebody's Miracle "her best album in years." Her following in fact was never as large (or as passionate) as it was in the wake of Exile, and it was the inability to improve on that with Whip-Smart and WCSE that led her to want to try a new, glossier direction with Liz Phair. I'm not one to knock trying new things -- and "Why Can't I" alone has probably kept her afloat financially for years -- so as a fan I'm interested in everything she does. I agree with Liz that she kind of got painted into a corner (defiant low-fi rocker) that she didn't necessarily want, and that made it unfairly difficult to change without angering the fans who really WERE defiant low-fi rock fans. (Back in the day WCSE was considered a slick sell-out; the hard-liners had no idea the "horrors" that awaited them...)

Anyway, I've written at length about Liz's career HERE, if you're interested.

 

I don't think that they put these together with the thought of compiling a super career spanning 80 minute compilation -- but we all know that. It is what it is, I guess. It'll probably be $7.99 and in a big bin with other artists with similar releases. Oh well.

In the old days, when you'd see back catalog start to reappear on the shelf of your favorite artist it likely meant that something new could be coming. Fingers crossed that that's why we're seeing this insignificant release now...maybe it's a sign of things to come.

 

I know it's just a quick, cheap comp, but geez, 11 tracks is SO skimpy. Considering Liz had to agree to the use of the tracks she owns, I wonder if she had any leverage (or the interest) in making it just a little more comprehensive. Adding four tracks (for a total of 15) could have helped immensely.

Hopefully. I was going back through my Liz "archives" and I thought that she had only been working with Ryan Adams for about a year, but that was only when the picture of the presumed track list was posted online. She's actually been working on this album since 2012 -- and I wonder if Adams (who was cranking out two or three albums a YEAR a decade ago) has the patience to work on a single project for this long. He's got his new album coming out, and I've been scanning the early articles about it, looking for any mention of the Phair album. Nothing so far.

 

She hasn't been on a major label in a good 7 years, they have no horse in the race. Her "core" catalogue owned by Capitol won't move much no matter the quality of the 2014 or 2015... album release. I would however like to see them release her post Whip Smart catalogue on vinyl with acceptable masterings.

Not even sure who would release her new album or who's paying for the sessions. She has tweeted photos of her backstage at recent DMB gigs in California and Dave owned the ATO label that release the EIG reissue. I think Funstyle was done with her money and money from uberfan/archivest/Mesmerizing webmaster Ken Lee.

Lastly, Couldn't Capitol make more money throwing together 11 rare Liz tracks onto 1 cd than they can releasing the Best Buy comp?

 

Ah-ha! "Divorce Song" is on there!!!

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that the sessions have likely been scrapped. The lack of news about the project from other Liz or Ryan Adams isn't very encouraging.

Also, in this piece about the recording of "Supernova", it states that Liz "hopes to get into the studio again soon". The lack of any concrete timeframe makes me think it'll be a while before we see a new album, since Liz tends to take her time once she is in the studio. Once the new TV season starts, her scoring duties will likely keep her busy as well.