So I’ve been listening to the new album all day and I agree that it's definitely a step in the right direction for Liz and infinitely better than the self-titled album.
The first Liz album I owned was Whip-Smart way back in '94. I fell in love with that album immediately. Eventually, I was able to get my hands on Exile In Guyville (I lived in a small town and couldn't find it anywhere for the longest time) and well, it blew my socks off. I know a lot of people say that these albums took a while to grow on them before they really "got" them. For me it was an instant, immediate thing. I thought Liz was absolutely brilliant-her voice, her lyrics, her guitar playing. The wait for WCSE was absolutely excruciating. I had no idea what to expect with that album-I'd heard "Stuck On An Island" and was quite optimistic about it. I remember putting WCSE on for the first time and just thinking, "What the fuck?!?" I honestly thought that it was her "sell-out" album at the time (I had no idea things would get much, much worse. haha). I found it to be a chore to listen to;to say the album was a disappointment for me would be a major understatement. Needless to say I was not impressed with LP but the disappointment was less intense the second time around and I admit to enjoying "Extraordinary" and "Why Can't I"-not as Liz Phair songs but as the straight up sugary pop songs they were.
Fast forward two years...I was not sure about my future as a Liz Phair fan after listening to the 5 Promosquad clips for the first time. I thought maybe it’s time to move on and be thankful for Girlysound and the first 2 albums. Now that I've heard the new album as a whole, I do think that the co-writes are the weakest tracks, marring an otherwise strong collection of songs. They just don't gel with the rest of the album. "Count On My Love" in particular sounds quite silly and inconsequential in contrast with the rest of the album. I could also live without "Lost Tonight".
There are some real gems on here: I absolutely love "Leap of Innocence"-I keep hearing this song in my head, "Wind and the Mountain"-this one took me by surprise. I think this song is amazing, "Closer to You"- so beautiful, "Table for One"-made me tear up, and "Everything (Between Us)"-who cares that Liz isn’t dropping f-bombs on this record…this song is sexier than any of her “sex” songs. On another note, I have to say that although I enjoyed "Can't Get Out Of What I'm Into" (cheesy guitars, "back to school" line and all) it really didn't belong on this album, it would've stuck out like a sore thumb. I'll be skipping over a few tracks on this album but the majority of it is solid. Yes, I wish Liz's guitar playing was more prominent on the album-but since she barely played a note on LP I guess I'm glad she's playing on this album at all, no matter how inaudible it is.
And it's so nice to actually hear her real voice again-I have to give the producers credit for that. Yeah some of the music is a tad bland but there's enough moments of inspiration on the album to keep me sticking around as a fan.
Full Version: Your thoughts on the new album?
The new single "Everything to me" is a little over produced.I still like the song but it could have been better if it was more hard edged.
Just picked it up last nigt and have only listened to it once. Will be listening to it at work all day. I do know that Table for One and Why I Lie jumped out at me. More later...
I hate to say it, but I have to disagree.
Let me start by saying this: there are songs on the new album that I like. But as an album, I think it is awful. I'll back up.
The first Liz album I bought was WCSE, followed by Whip-Smart, then Exile, then I found Girlysounds, etc, so to me, her music was getting better and better.
Kidding. I just say this to illustrate that production value (or lack thereof) is not my number one concern when listening to Liz albums. I love her lyrics. I love her voice. I love how she plays with music and does interesting things with melodies and guitar chords and whatnot. That is what sold me on her.
With "Liz Phair," yes, it was a departure from her previous work, but it was a bold step. She was saying, "Look, this is the kind of music I want to be making now and y'all can go piss up a tree." When she went for big production numbers, they were big production numbers (Extraordinary, Why Can't I?). When she wanted quiet ballads, she had quiet ballads (Little Digger, Friend of Mine). And each song, while still related to each other in one way or another, sounded different from all of the other songs on the album. You know in the first three notes (if that) what song is starting, even if you have the album on shuffle. Granted, it was not the kind of music I wanted to hear her making, but she owned the fact that she was departing from her previous style and I have to respect her for that.
This new album...blech. The chorus of "Count on My Love" sounds amazingly like the chorus from "Lost Tonight." The beginnings of "Leap of Innocence," "Stars and Planets," "Count on My Love," and "Lost Tonight" all sound remarkably similar. Oh, sorry, maybe they put a capo on the guitar for one or two of those. I don't think there is a chord structure on the album that strays far from the G-C-D-[minor chord of your choice] type structure. And her voice...she sounds like she's singing through an aluminum tunnel a lot of the time. It's like someone said to her, "Honey, enough singing low. You're a girl; you should use your head voice, not your chest voice." And every song rhymes. I know most songs rhyme, but hers didn't always. And if they did, they weren't necessarily so obvious about it. Without looking at the lyrics, I can guess what they are going to be half of the time -- it's like country music. So what it all ads up to is an album that would be nice background music at a dinner party for thirty-somethings who wish they were still in their early twenties. Soft, easy-listening pop that you can very easily tune out and you hardly notice when it switches from one song to the next.
I will say this: her lyrics on this album are a marked improvement over the lyrics on "Liz Phair." If you actually take the time to listen to what she is saying, the songs do have a nice, evil, sardonic undertone -- picking on her teeny-bopper contemporaries, etc. And I will say that "Table for One" is brilliant. I will even happily say that I enjoy the lyrics for "Everything To Me," including the chorus that is being quoted in every review as the sure sign that she's lost her poetic touch -- I think it is completely valid to ask a partner if he/she really knows you after you've spent a long time together. But the overall sound of this album is literally making it hard for me to listen to enough times to get to know the lyrics (though I have listened to it 3 times all the way through already).
I'm disappointed. I heard a song or two floating around and I had such high hopes for this album. Like I said, "Table for One" is brilliant. "Closer to You" had me in tears at the acoustic concert when I saw her in August. But as an album, I find it dull and lifeless. It feels like she wanted to be really personal and introspective on this album (based on lyrics and some of her melodies), but they took a couple of the tunes and said, "Let's rock this one up a bit," or "Nobody wants an entirely sappy album; can we make this one an empowment ballad by adding heavy percussion?" I respected the bold step she took with "Liz Phair," even if I didn't like all of the music on it. This album is nowhere near bold in any direction -- it smacks of production compromises made all over the place, or, if this is how Liz wanted her songs to sound, then I'd have to ask if she's having some self-confidence issues regarding her music following her last album. And for that, I would call it her sell-out album.
I'm sorry, Liz. You know I love you. You are the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I think you are an amazing, strong, beautiful woman who has the potential to write some of the best songs ever written. I see glimmers of that talent in this album, like I saw them in the last album, but I think you could do better. Have fun with your guitar like you used to. Tell the people who think having Dino play on every song would be a better idea to go piss up a tree. Sing low if you want to sing low. Play your guitar the way you want to play it. If a major label doesn't want to put that album out, put it out yourself. Take a look around this board -- there are thousands of people who would go see you and your guitar doing solo shows of really quality music whether or not you had a major label behind you. I dunno. I guess I just want to see you making music that should be made instead of the music you or they think will sell.
Oh, and somebody should revoke Dino's producer privileges.
Let me start by saying this: there are songs on the new album that I like. But as an album, I think it is awful. I'll back up.
The first Liz album I bought was WCSE, followed by Whip-Smart, then Exile, then I found Girlysounds, etc, so to me, her music was getting better and better.
Kidding. I just say this to illustrate that production value (or lack thereof) is not my number one concern when listening to Liz albums. I love her lyrics. I love her voice. I love how she plays with music and does interesting things with melodies and guitar chords and whatnot. That is what sold me on her.With "Liz Phair," yes, it was a departure from her previous work, but it was a bold step. She was saying, "Look, this is the kind of music I want to be making now and y'all can go piss up a tree." When she went for big production numbers, they were big production numbers (Extraordinary, Why Can't I?). When she wanted quiet ballads, she had quiet ballads (Little Digger, Friend of Mine). And each song, while still related to each other in one way or another, sounded different from all of the other songs on the album. You know in the first three notes (if that) what song is starting, even if you have the album on shuffle. Granted, it was not the kind of music I wanted to hear her making, but she owned the fact that she was departing from her previous style and I have to respect her for that.
This new album...blech. The chorus of "Count on My Love" sounds amazingly like the chorus from "Lost Tonight." The beginnings of "Leap of Innocence," "Stars and Planets," "Count on My Love," and "Lost Tonight" all sound remarkably similar. Oh, sorry, maybe they put a capo on the guitar for one or two of those. I don't think there is a chord structure on the album that strays far from the G-C-D-[minor chord of your choice] type structure. And her voice...she sounds like she's singing through an aluminum tunnel a lot of the time. It's like someone said to her, "Honey, enough singing low. You're a girl; you should use your head voice, not your chest voice." And every song rhymes. I know most songs rhyme, but hers didn't always. And if they did, they weren't necessarily so obvious about it. Without looking at the lyrics, I can guess what they are going to be half of the time -- it's like country music. So what it all ads up to is an album that would be nice background music at a dinner party for thirty-somethings who wish they were still in their early twenties. Soft, easy-listening pop that you can very easily tune out and you hardly notice when it switches from one song to the next.
I will say this: her lyrics on this album are a marked improvement over the lyrics on "Liz Phair." If you actually take the time to listen to what she is saying, the songs do have a nice, evil, sardonic undertone -- picking on her teeny-bopper contemporaries, etc. And I will say that "Table for One" is brilliant. I will even happily say that I enjoy the lyrics for "Everything To Me," including the chorus that is being quoted in every review as the sure sign that she's lost her poetic touch -- I think it is completely valid to ask a partner if he/she really knows you after you've spent a long time together. But the overall sound of this album is literally making it hard for me to listen to enough times to get to know the lyrics (though I have listened to it 3 times all the way through already).
I'm disappointed. I heard a song or two floating around and I had such high hopes for this album. Like I said, "Table for One" is brilliant. "Closer to You" had me in tears at the acoustic concert when I saw her in August. But as an album, I find it dull and lifeless. It feels like she wanted to be really personal and introspective on this album (based on lyrics and some of her melodies), but they took a couple of the tunes and said, "Let's rock this one up a bit," or "Nobody wants an entirely sappy album; can we make this one an empowment ballad by adding heavy percussion?" I respected the bold step she took with "Liz Phair," even if I didn't like all of the music on it. This album is nowhere near bold in any direction -- it smacks of production compromises made all over the place, or, if this is how Liz wanted her songs to sound, then I'd have to ask if she's having some self-confidence issues regarding her music following her last album. And for that, I would call it her sell-out album.
I'm sorry, Liz. You know I love you. You are the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I think you are an amazing, strong, beautiful woman who has the potential to write some of the best songs ever written. I see glimmers of that talent in this album, like I saw them in the last album, but I think you could do better. Have fun with your guitar like you used to. Tell the people who think having Dino play on every song would be a better idea to go piss up a tree. Sing low if you want to sing low. Play your guitar the way you want to play it. If a major label doesn't want to put that album out, put it out yourself. Take a look around this board -- there are thousands of people who would go see you and your guitar doing solo shows of really quality music whether or not you had a major label behind you. I dunno. I guess I just want to see you making music that should be made instead of the music you or they think will sell.
Oh, and somebody should revoke Dino's producer privileges.
What?
Dino does kind of suck, I don't like anything he does, and I really hate his hair. A lot, passionately.
My thoughts: A+. I wasn't disappointed at all. I love the positive, happy, wholesome sound in Liz's voice and this is a good cd to crank when you need a reminder to just relax and enjoy the ride of life.
Wind in The Mountain might be my favorite, but close. Closer to You is way up there. Table for One is amazing too. Leap of Innocence and Stars and Planets rank high too. Got My Own Thing is another one.
Count on my Love, in my opinion isn't so bad, I've had it in my head a few times. Everything (between us) and Lost Tonight have been the two I've forgotten about already, Everything to Me is as bland as an hour old, dried up baked potato, and Giving It All To You is a solid closing song-I love it.
I love Somebody's Miracle, too.
LOVE LOVE LOVE YAY
My thoughts: A+. I wasn't disappointed at all. I love the positive, happy, wholesome sound in Liz's voice and this is a good cd to crank when you need a reminder to just relax and enjoy the ride of life.
Wind in The Mountain might be my favorite, but close. Closer to You is way up there. Table for One is amazing too. Leap of Innocence and Stars and Planets rank high too. Got My Own Thing is another one.
Count on my Love, in my opinion isn't so bad, I've had it in my head a few times. Everything (between us) and Lost Tonight have been the two I've forgotten about already, Everything to Me is as bland as an hour old, dried up baked potato, and Giving It All To You is a solid closing song-I love it.
I love Somebody's Miracle, too.
LOVE LOVE LOVE YAY
i liked it. the songs were easy to relate to. However, in some of the songs i sensed some loneliness. 
But if you put on some heavy-duty headphones and turn it up real loud, you feel like you are inside the music. No... I'm not smoking anything...
But if you put on some heavy-duty headphones and turn it up real loud, you feel like you are inside the music. No... I'm not smoking anything...
LOVE it. I knew I would do and I do. Not disappointed one bit. It's sunny, catchy, beautiful, epic, thoughtful and personal. The best new album to be released this year.
THANK YOU LIZ.
Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
THANK YOU LIZ.
Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
All told this is a thoroughly average album. It is not a steaming pile of crap as some would have you believe, nor is it a great album as a surprisingly large number of people would have you believe.
I was glad to learn that indeed Everything to Me was unique in it's crappiness and was not surrounded by 5 more just like it on this album.
I was also happily surprised to find two songs that I will gladly add to my shortlist of Liz favorites.
Lazy Dreamer is the standout track of SM. It is the only song that is musically interesting. However, ironically, I don't find the song to have a unique sound. As a matter of fact I think it sounds like something that could have been released by one of REM's and 10000 Maniacs fellow Athens, GA bands, circa 1988. This song truly represents a departure for Liz as it features a pretty, lush sound that she is not necessarily known for.
The other favorite is Table for One. A simple ballad that packs more punch than any of the other ROM-COM ready songs on this album.
The other 11 songs on the album, unfortunately are all too average sounding and frankly don't have anything to them that would allow one to elevate or denigrate them. Purely average.
On it's own, this album rates 2 stars, or maybe a grade of C or a ranking of 5 out of 10. It is just so plain.
Compared to the rest of Liz's work, it is clearly at the bottom.
I was glad to learn that indeed Everything to Me was unique in it's crappiness and was not surrounded by 5 more just like it on this album.
I was also happily surprised to find two songs that I will gladly add to my shortlist of Liz favorites.
Lazy Dreamer is the standout track of SM. It is the only song that is musically interesting. However, ironically, I don't find the song to have a unique sound. As a matter of fact I think it sounds like something that could have been released by one of REM's and 10000 Maniacs fellow Athens, GA bands, circa 1988. This song truly represents a departure for Liz as it features a pretty, lush sound that she is not necessarily known for.
The other favorite is Table for One. A simple ballad that packs more punch than any of the other ROM-COM ready songs on this album.
The other 11 songs on the album, unfortunately are all too average sounding and frankly don't have anything to them that would allow one to elevate or denigrate them. Purely average.
On it's own, this album rates 2 stars, or maybe a grade of C or a ranking of 5 out of 10. It is just so plain.
Compared to the rest of Liz's work, it is clearly at the bottom.
I hate to do this to you, rt6970, but:
MissKitty's summary of the album and its sound is pretty much all anyone needs to say (about the album and its sound -- there are larger issues at hand that we could argue about ad nauseum). I am in complete agreement (well, "Closer to You" could never make me cry, and I still don't think there's any excuse for "Everything to Me"). You totally nailed it on the music when you said:
The chorus of "Count on My Love" sounds amazingly like the chorus from "Lost Tonight." The beginnings of "Leap of Innocence," "Stars and Planets," "Count on My Love," and "Lost Tonight" all sound remarkably similar. Oh, sorry, maybe they put a capo on the guitar for one or two of those. I don't think there is a chord structure on the album that strays far from the G-C-D-[minor chord of your choice] type structure. And her voice...she sounds like she's singing through an aluminum tunnel a lot of the time. It's like someone said to her, "Honey, enough singing low. You're a girl; you should use your head voice, not your chest voice." And every song rhymes. I know most songs rhyme, but hers didn't always. And if they did, they weren't necessarily so obvious about it. Without looking at the lyrics, I can guess what they are going to be half of the time -- it's like country music. So what it all ads up to is an album that would be nice background music at a dinner party for thirty-somethings who wish they were still in their early twenties. Soft, easy-listening pop that you can very easily tune out and you hardly notice when it switches from one song to the next.
This type of music is, obviously, fine for a lot of people, but for those of us who expect more, I can't imagine anyone describing it more succinctly. Thanks!
MissKitty's summary of the album and its sound is pretty much all anyone needs to say (about the album and its sound -- there are larger issues at hand that we could argue about ad nauseum). I am in complete agreement (well, "Closer to You" could never make me cry, and I still don't think there's any excuse for "Everything to Me"). You totally nailed it on the music when you said:
The chorus of "Count on My Love" sounds amazingly like the chorus from "Lost Tonight." The beginnings of "Leap of Innocence," "Stars and Planets," "Count on My Love," and "Lost Tonight" all sound remarkably similar. Oh, sorry, maybe they put a capo on the guitar for one or two of those. I don't think there is a chord structure on the album that strays far from the G-C-D-[minor chord of your choice] type structure. And her voice...she sounds like she's singing through an aluminum tunnel a lot of the time. It's like someone said to her, "Honey, enough singing low. You're a girl; you should use your head voice, not your chest voice." And every song rhymes. I know most songs rhyme, but hers didn't always. And if they did, they weren't necessarily so obvious about it. Without looking at the lyrics, I can guess what they are going to be half of the time -- it's like country music. So what it all ads up to is an album that would be nice background music at a dinner party for thirty-somethings who wish they were still in their early twenties. Soft, easy-listening pop that you can very easily tune out and you hardly notice when it switches from one song to the next.
This type of music is, obviously, fine for a lot of people, but for those of us who expect more, I can't imagine anyone describing it more succinctly. Thanks!
Don't worry about me, JE. I think what you quoted from MissKitty ultimately is, at heart, exactly what I think about Somebody's Miracle.
In the final analysis, this is background music that one can have on while one is doing something else. Like reading a magazine, or doing a crossword, or doing housework, or eating dinner. Tantamount to white noise playing when one is trying to get to sleep.
Somebody's Miracle is so blindingly ordinary that it makes one sad to see a once great artist just go out like that. At least the self titled album, whatever ones opinion of it (and mine was and still is positive) had the temerity to mess with our perception of Liz. This new one is just pabulum.
And now I have fast-forwarded twice through Liz's TV performances. The Carson Daly performance was just as bad as on Leno. Maybe if Liz spent less time trying to look coquettish and spent more time actually rehearsing her vocals, maybe I would cut her some slack. Oh well.
I still do like the two songs I mentioned, and will give them their fair share of play on my MP3.
The rest, are just so much background noise. Something for the Solar's and Kiddo's of the world to listen to when they are shopping at Walmart for clothes, groceries, bullets, etc.
Don't mean to get personal, but Kiddo did call me a retard, and Solar insists on trashing EIG.
And I know their argument is that Liz has changed, and "grown up". If this is the end result of "growing up" then I must say that maturation is highly over-rated. Of course that "growing up" argument is just so much trash. It isn't growing up to sell ones talent short and go for the soft, easy option of pandering to what is considered "the mainstream". That isn't growing up, that is giving up.
I allowed for one commercial experiment, and I enjoyed it. I guess defending the self-titled album just used up all my goodwill and apologist powers.
In the final analysis, this is background music that one can have on while one is doing something else. Like reading a magazine, or doing a crossword, or doing housework, or eating dinner. Tantamount to white noise playing when one is trying to get to sleep.
Somebody's Miracle is so blindingly ordinary that it makes one sad to see a once great artist just go out like that. At least the self titled album, whatever ones opinion of it (and mine was and still is positive) had the temerity to mess with our perception of Liz. This new one is just pabulum.
And now I have fast-forwarded twice through Liz's TV performances. The Carson Daly performance was just as bad as on Leno. Maybe if Liz spent less time trying to look coquettish and spent more time actually rehearsing her vocals, maybe I would cut her some slack. Oh well.
I still do like the two songs I mentioned, and will give them their fair share of play on my MP3.
The rest, are just so much background noise. Something for the Solar's and Kiddo's of the world to listen to when they are shopping at Walmart for clothes, groceries, bullets, etc.
Don't mean to get personal, but Kiddo did call me a retard, and Solar insists on trashing EIG.
And I know their argument is that Liz has changed, and "grown up". If this is the end result of "growing up" then I must say that maturation is highly over-rated. Of course that "growing up" argument is just so much trash. It isn't growing up to sell ones talent short and go for the soft, easy option of pandering to what is considered "the mainstream". That isn't growing up, that is giving up.
I allowed for one commercial experiment, and I enjoyed it. I guess defending the self-titled album just used up all my goodwill and apologist powers.
QUOTE(rt6970 @ Oct 5 2005, 10:11 PM)
Whatever, this album blows and deep down everyone knows it.
[right][snapback]47320[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47320[/snapback][/right]
That is your opinion. Please don't tell me what I think. Everyone is coming on here telling people what they should think of the CD. The apologists are saying that there is no way you can't like it and the haters are saying there is no way you can. It is possible for someone to enjoy or hate the album. Their choice. Say that you hate the album all you want I don't care but don't tell other people what they like or how they "really" feel. You are in no way the biggest offender and I am sorry that I am replying to your post because there are a lot of people on the other side being much worse but this was just the first post I saw that did what I am discussing.
QUOTE(BB2 @ Oct 5 2005, 10:27 PM)
That is your opinion. Please don't tell me what I think. Everyone is coming on here telling people what they should think of the CD. The apologists are saying that there is no way you can't like it and the haters are saying there is no way you can. It is possible for someone to enjoy or hate the album. Their choice. Say that you hate the album all you want I don't care but don't tell other people what they like or how they "really" feel. You are in no way the biggest offender and I am sorry that I am replying to your post because there are a lot of people on the other side being much worse but this was just the first post I saw that did what I am discussing.
[right][snapback]47322[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47322[/snapback][/right]
BB2, you are correct. That was childish and stupid of me to make such a broad generalization.
I guess I was still smarting from being called a retard by Kiddo on another thread.
That is not an excuse for my silly remark, but it is why I said it. One can only take being insulted so far. But being condescending to others is not the answer.
Apologies to all.
QUOTE(rt6970 @ Oct 5 2005, 10:32 PM)
BB2, you are correct. That was childish and stupid of me to make such a broad generalization.
I guess I was still smarting from being called a retard by Kiddo on another thread.
That is not an excuse for my silly remark, but it is why I said it. One can only take being insulted so far. But being condescending to others is not the answer.
Apologies to all.
[right][snapback]47324[/snapback][/right]
I guess I was still smarting from being called a retard by Kiddo on another thread.
That is not an excuse for my silly remark, but it is why I said it. One can only take being insulted so far. But being condescending to others is not the answer.
Apologies to all.
[right][snapback]47324[/snapback][/right]
Thank you.
I understand. You were annoyed with others and with having an album that you anticipated not live up to expectations. No problems.
QUOTE(MissKitty @ Oct 5 2005, 03:40 PM)
With "Liz Phair," yes, it was a departure from her previous work, but it was a bold step. She was saying, "Look, this is the kind of music I want to be making now and y'all can go piss up a tree." When she went for big production numbers, they were big production numbers (Extraordinary, Why Can't I?). When she wanted quiet ballads, she had quiet ballads (Little Digger, Friend of Mine). And each song, while still related to each other in one way or another, sounded different from all of the other songs on the album. You know in the first three notes (if that) what song is starting, even if you have the album on shuffle. Granted, it was not the kind of music I wanted to hear her making, but she owned the fact that she was departing from her previous style and I have to respect her for that.
[right][snapback]47169[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47169[/snapback][/right]
I don't think "Liz Phair" was the kind of music she wanted to be making. Remember, she tried to get dropped from Capitol, they said no. She completed an album with Michael Penn, Capitol didn't seem enthusiastic about it and the only way for her to get more money to keep recording was if she agreed to work with the Matrix.
Of course it sounded bold of her make it out to be some kind of act of empowerment-"this is who I am now"- but to me that record reeks of compromise. I really think "Somebody's Miracle" is closer to the record Liz had intended to make after WCSE.
I think SM is intended to be a subtle, mellow album. I like the fact that most of the songs kind of blend together- the only songs that feel out of place to me are the co-writes, which I feel are the only compromises Liz made on this album (gotta have some singles to keep Capitol happy).
QUOTE(rt6970 @ Oct 5 2005, 11:11 PM)
And I know their argument is that Liz has changed, and "grown up". If this is the end result of "growing up" then I must say that maturation is highly over-rated. Of course that "growing up" argument is just so much trash. It isn't growing up to sell ones talent short and go for the soft, easy option of pandering to what is considered "the mainstream". That isn't growing up, that is giving up.
I allowed for one commercial experiment, and I enjoyed it. I guess defending the self-titled album just used up all my goodwill and apologist powers.
[right][snapback]47320[/snapback][/right]
Minus the cowrites I don't hear anything very mainstream about SM....
I just picked up the album from FYE...
SOMEBODY'S MIRACLE, you say???
NO.
SOMEBODY'S EARACHE.
I'll tell you whose... MINE.
This album isn't that great. Not only are the lyrics horrid, all of the songs sound the same. I've been letting it play over and over for a while now... did the song change yet?! All I hear is cheesy, polished pop music. I do find myself tapping my foot to this music, but I do the same thing when I pop in my 'Metamorphosis'- Hilary Duff CD. I do agree with everyone's admiration with 'Lazy Dreamer'. It's an okay song and I like the different guitar sounds in it. 'Giving It All To You' is probably my least favorite song, though it does make me wanna bounce around and sing it. The lyrics make me laugh... not a very good sign with me. My personal favorite is 'Closer To You'. I can't stop going back to it. In my opinion, it's a very pretty song and I like the way her voice sounds. And what is this... "We all shine, shine, shine?" You're kidding me, right? I can see where the lyrics are going though. It's about musicians and whatnot, no? I believe so... Fine choice in a song... cept not really. 'Wind And The Mountain'... wow. No words. What's going on here?! OOOOH I KNOW! It sounds like every other song and the lyrics are bad!
I can't exactly see myself putting on my headphones to my iPod, going STRAIGHT to this album and listening to it, loving every second of it. But I can see myself driving in the car, bouncing along and singing to some of these songs. Overall, it's not as bad as I expected. I was honestly prepared for the worst. The beat is pretty okay because like I said, I could bounce around to this. But I'm not too fond of the lyrics. I never thought I'd say this but I like 'Liz Phair' better than this. Nor do I like her voice on this album. Eh.
The entire album as a whole makes me squint my eyes and raise a brow as if to say, "What the fuck is going on!?!"
So to sum it up, I don't know which song is which. I'm not much of a fan of that kind of album... I like a little variety.
SOMEBODY'S MIRACLE, you say???
NO.
SOMEBODY'S EARACHE.
I'll tell you whose... MINE.
This album isn't that great. Not only are the lyrics horrid, all of the songs sound the same. I've been letting it play over and over for a while now... did the song change yet?! All I hear is cheesy, polished pop music. I do find myself tapping my foot to this music, but I do the same thing when I pop in my 'Metamorphosis'- Hilary Duff CD. I do agree with everyone's admiration with 'Lazy Dreamer'. It's an okay song and I like the different guitar sounds in it. 'Giving It All To You' is probably my least favorite song, though it does make me wanna bounce around and sing it. The lyrics make me laugh... not a very good sign with me. My personal favorite is 'Closer To You'. I can't stop going back to it. In my opinion, it's a very pretty song and I like the way her voice sounds. And what is this... "We all shine, shine, shine?" You're kidding me, right? I can see where the lyrics are going though. It's about musicians and whatnot, no? I believe so... Fine choice in a song... cept not really. 'Wind And The Mountain'... wow. No words. What's going on here?! OOOOH I KNOW! It sounds like every other song and the lyrics are bad!
I can't exactly see myself putting on my headphones to my iPod, going STRAIGHT to this album and listening to it, loving every second of it. But I can see myself driving in the car, bouncing along and singing to some of these songs. Overall, it's not as bad as I expected. I was honestly prepared for the worst. The beat is pretty okay because like I said, I could bounce around to this. But I'm not too fond of the lyrics. I never thought I'd say this but I like 'Liz Phair' better than this. Nor do I like her voice on this album. Eh.
The entire album as a whole makes me squint my eyes and raise a brow as if to say, "What the fuck is going on!?!"
So to sum it up, I don't know which song is which. I'm not much of a fan of that kind of album... I like a little variety.
I love "Closer to you". I like "Leap of innocence", "Table for one" and "Wind in the mountain"
The rest doesn't do a single thing for me.
The rest doesn't do a single thing for me.
QUOTE(jivafox @ Oct 5 2005, 02:27 PM)
LOVE it. I knew I would do and I do. Not disappointed one bit. It's sunny, catchy, beautiful, epic, thoughtful and personal. The best new album to be released this year.
THANK YOU LIZ.
Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
[right][snapback]47210[/snapback][/right]
THANK YOU LIZ.
Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
[right][snapback]47210[/snapback][/right]
If you love it so much why so eager to move on?
And this album is not the years best. Not by a long shot.
I think it's harder for SM to get to me because most of my favourite artists all have had new albums out this year, great new albums, so SM hasn't had as good a chance as it might have had.
Maybe I'll give it another spin soon.
Maybe I'll give it another spin soon.
QUOTE(LightYears @ Oct 6 2005, 07:35 PM)
I think it's harder for SM to get to me because most of my favourite artists all have had new albums out this year, great new albums, so SM hasn't had as good a chance as it might have had.
Maybe I'll give it another spin soon.
[right][snapback]47413[/snapback][/right]
Maybe I'll give it another spin soon.
[right][snapback]47413[/snapback][/right]
I think I'm making excuses for it. But I'll give it another listen soon. I'll make myself.
umm, why are you quoting youself?
i've been liking it. so much easier when you just have mp3s. you can choose what to play. it's definitely one of those that would work better through mixtape collections.
dammit, i wonder when my cave's gonna have sm available to me.
i've been liking it. so much easier when you just have mp3s. you can choose what to play. it's definitely one of those that would work better through mixtape collections.
dammit, i wonder when my cave's gonna have sm available to me.
It's gonna take fucking ages to arrive on my doorstep through play.com
I was actually thinking that some of the songs from "Comeandgetit" would sound great on this album in place of the songs I don't care for. I'm almost tempted to burn an alternate version of SM so that I don't have to keep skipping over songs like "Count On My Love"...
The whole cd is growing on me. I am even stating to like Lazy Dreamer.
this cd is miles above liz phair (which i loved surprisingly) i'd have to say somebody's miracle is my second favorite liz cd. whitechocolatespacegg being my favorite. whip-smart falls behind somebody's miracle. and exile lags behind to be left in last place (figures).
QUOTE(shmoopy @ Oct 6 2005, 02:03 PM)
I was actually thinking that some of the songs from "Comeandgetit" would sound great on this album in place of the songs I don't care for. I'm almost tempted to burn an alternate version of SM so that I don't have to keep skipping over songs like "Count On My Love"...
[right][snapback]47435[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47435[/snapback][/right]
I have been thinking Bouncer's Conversation and Shallow Opportunities(sp) should be on the CD since I first heard it. Those two would be perfect for this CD. The other three fit well on SM but not as good as the two mentioned even though Jeremy Engle is the best song on there.
I've heard every single thing there is
except comeandgetit.
=(
mine won't work, I bought my selftitled cd two years two late. hahahaha
except comeandgetit.
=(
mine won't work, I bought my selftitled cd two years two late. hahahaha
Thank you, Miss Kitty.
I love the new album.
i personally think that miss kitty is off the mark. could it be personal? could be it a let down to her own expectations? still stinging from what liz phair supossidly did to her fans on liz phair? it's possible that it's all of the above. it's also possible that it's her opinion based on hearing it and not being impressed. whatever it is i'm not buying it. missy kitty explained herslef real nice and gave a lot of exmaples, which i give her props for. but i'm still not buying it.
is it because i myself heard it and found out that i like it? could be. is it because i'm a phair phreak and love everything she does even if it was a cd she recorded while taking a piss or shit? doubtful. i'm not that gushing. i'm too much of realist for that to be the case. what i think it is has to do with is the music. simply put it's the best music she's done in years. she's finally learned what she's been trying to do since day one. the art of crafting a good and original pop song. face it: no one else could do this recoed. if someone else released somebody's miracle it wouldn't be the same. this is all liz. love or hate it.
i'm listening to everything (between us) and it's one of the best little college/alt.rock pop song that's been put out this year. the problem many people may have with the "new" liz is they found out the truth. the "new" liz is the same liz that we've seen before. the only difference is that we all found that underneath it all liz is a pop artist. she wasn't in the beginning because she didn't know how to be a pop artist. she didn't know really how to do anything in the beginning. she was a learning as she went along.
and that's one of the reasons that we loved. but once we found out that she was trying to be a pop artist who has hit songs on the radio we were shocked. how could our dear liz who railed against the corporate machine/record industry who never caved in suddenly start shilling for the record company? well she wasn't railing against the industry. face it. exiles was a fluke.
she had something to say because she all these feelings pent up in her. she let it out and thus became exile. but once exile grew to become the biggest selling cd ever for an indie recrod she got a taste of fame. she found out she wanted more of it. only she didn't know how to do it. she was still learning her craft at the time. it was only a matter of time though that she would finally reach for the big time. the only way for fans of liz and her indie ways to be completely sastified was for exile not to have the impact it did.
maybe the new music on somebody's miracle sucks and the cd is atrocious, but i'm not hearing it. i'm just not hearing it in these batch of songs. not every song is pure genius, but by god is this her best stuff in years. maybe my ears are broken.
p.s. damn!!! another long post. well i have a lot to say on this subject.
is it because i myself heard it and found out that i like it? could be. is it because i'm a phair phreak and love everything she does even if it was a cd she recorded while taking a piss or shit? doubtful. i'm not that gushing. i'm too much of realist for that to be the case. what i think it is has to do with is the music. simply put it's the best music she's done in years. she's finally learned what she's been trying to do since day one. the art of crafting a good and original pop song. face it: no one else could do this recoed. if someone else released somebody's miracle it wouldn't be the same. this is all liz. love or hate it.
i'm listening to everything (between us) and it's one of the best little college/alt.rock pop song that's been put out this year. the problem many people may have with the "new" liz is they found out the truth. the "new" liz is the same liz that we've seen before. the only difference is that we all found that underneath it all liz is a pop artist. she wasn't in the beginning because she didn't know how to be a pop artist. she didn't know really how to do anything in the beginning. she was a learning as she went along.
and that's one of the reasons that we loved. but once we found out that she was trying to be a pop artist who has hit songs on the radio we were shocked. how could our dear liz who railed against the corporate machine/record industry who never caved in suddenly start shilling for the record company? well she wasn't railing against the industry. face it. exiles was a fluke.
she had something to say because she all these feelings pent up in her. she let it out and thus became exile. but once exile grew to become the biggest selling cd ever for an indie recrod she got a taste of fame. she found out she wanted more of it. only she didn't know how to do it. she was still learning her craft at the time. it was only a matter of time though that she would finally reach for the big time. the only way for fans of liz and her indie ways to be completely sastified was for exile not to have the impact it did.
maybe the new music on somebody's miracle sucks and the cd is atrocious, but i'm not hearing it. i'm just not hearing it in these batch of songs. not every song is pure genius, but by god is this her best stuff in years. maybe my ears are broken.
p.s. damn!!! another long post. well i have a lot to say on this subject.
Well, there's certainly no accounting for taste, is there?
That has got to be one of the craziest posts I've ever read on here.
And you're talking to a guy who knows a thing or two about crazy posts.
That has got to be one of the craziest posts I've ever read on here.
And you're talking to a guy who knows a thing or two about crazy posts.
we_left_yeserday, I think you're way off the mark on that one. I really don't see "Somebody's Miracle" being a pop album, save for the co-written tracks, all of which continue to ruin the continuity of the album for me. I think those were tacked on to be the singles like the Matrix tracks on the last album.
Liz has had a strange career as a musician- she has done and said a lot of things that are very contradictory over the years. After all the hype over "Whip-Smart" she cancelled a tour and at times seemed really indifferent to the fame that had been thrust upon her. At times she seemd to enjoy all of the attention, at other times it seemd like she was almost trying to sabotage her career.
Between WCSE and Liz Phair, she was trying to get dropped by Capitol. The whole pop crossover concept was never something she had intended to do when she started recording that 4th record.
But whatever you want to think....
Liz has had a strange career as a musician- she has done and said a lot of things that are very contradictory over the years. After all the hype over "Whip-Smart" she cancelled a tour and at times seemed really indifferent to the fame that had been thrust upon her. At times she seemd to enjoy all of the attention, at other times it seemd like she was almost trying to sabotage her career.
Between WCSE and Liz Phair, she was trying to get dropped by Capitol. The whole pop crossover concept was never something she had intended to do when she started recording that 4th record.
But whatever you want to think....
i actually grew up during the greastest musical revolution (in my opinion). that of the college rock scene of the 80's. i ws there when liz was being played on 120 minutes. i was there for all of that great music and still listen to a lot of it. hell my favorite artist haven't been popular since 89 and even then they weren't huge supsterstars. yeah, i love new bohemians, and i proud of it. i listen to a bit of everything. i am not into pop much at all. and don't get me started on rap. of course i don't like indie music or the indie scene much.
a bit too hypocritical for my taste. odd though that you would say that about me jeremy considering that there really isn't good coming out of music latetly. have you not heard new order's waiting for the sirens' call.? or martha wanwright's mathra wainwright? what about ben fold's songs for silverman? all great examples of great music to come out this year alone. music hasn't died. you just got to look for it. now i would never think that liz phair is better than whitechocolatespaceegg. but somebody's miracle.is definitely her second best disc.
a bit too hypocritical for my taste. odd though that you would say that about me jeremy considering that there really isn't good coming out of music latetly. have you not heard new order's waiting for the sirens' call.? or martha wanwright's mathra wainwright? what about ben fold's songs for silverman? all great examples of great music to come out this year alone. music hasn't died. you just got to look for it. now i would never think that liz phair is better than whitechocolatespaceegg. but somebody's miracle.is definitely her second best disc.
QUOTE(we left yesterday @ Oct 6 2005, 05:42 PM)
odd though that you would say that about me jeremy considering that there really isn't good coming out of music latetly. have you not heard new order's waiting for the sirens' call.? or martha wanwright's mathra wainwright? what about ben fold's songs for silverman? all great examples of great music to come out this year alone. music hasn't died. you just got to look for it. now i would never think that liz phair is better than whitechocolatespaceegg. but somebody's miracle.is definitely her second best disc.
[right][snapback]47518[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47518[/snapback][/right]
Now that I've met you, would you object to never responding to each other's posts again?
QUOTE(shmoopy @ Oct 6 2005, 10:36 PM)
we_left_yeserday, I think you're way off the mark on that one. I really don't see "Somebody's Miracle" being a pop album, save for the co-written tracks, all of which continue to ruin the continuity of the album for me. I think those were tacked on to be the singles like the Matrix tracks on the last album.
Liz has had a strange career as a musician- she has done and said a lot of things that are very contradictory over the years. After all the hype over "Whip-Smart" she cancelled a tour and at times seemed really indifferent to the fame that had been thrust upon her. At times she seemd to enjoy all of the attention, at other times it seemd like she was almost trying to sabotage her career.
Between WCSE and Liz Phair, she was trying to get dropped by Capitol. The whole pop crossover concept was never something she had intended to do when she started recording that 4th record.
But whatever you want to think....
[right][snapback]47516[/snapback][/right]
Liz has had a strange career as a musician- she has done and said a lot of things that are very contradictory over the years. After all the hype over "Whip-Smart" she cancelled a tour and at times seemed really indifferent to the fame that had been thrust upon her. At times she seemd to enjoy all of the attention, at other times it seemd like she was almost trying to sabotage her career.
Between WCSE and Liz Phair, she was trying to get dropped by Capitol. The whole pop crossover concept was never something she had intended to do when she started recording that 4th record.
But whatever you want to think....
[right][snapback]47516[/snapback][/right]
i don't think it's pop in the convential sense, but it's still a bit of a pop record. albeit a college /alt. rock pop record. along the same vein as abra moore's strangest places or 10,000 maniacs in my tribe/our time in eden.
QUOTE(JeremyEngle @ Oct 6 2005, 10:44 PM)
Now that I've met you, would you object to never responding to each other's posts again?
[right][snapback]47519[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47519[/snapback][/right]
why???? did i do something that i wasn't supposed to. i didn't mean to. it's a message board and people repsond to each other. sorry if it bothered you. i like what i like. can't help it.
I just love the fact that love it or hate it, Liz's work gets so much response.
But I do have to add that if you hate it you must be a big poopyhead.
QUOTE(phairphreak @ Oct 6 2005, 11:49 PM)
But I do have to add that if you hate it you must be a big poopyhead.
[right][snapback]47522[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47522[/snapback][/right]
you never cease to bore me
listening to stars and planets.........
for some reason i keep thinking i'm gonna hear the following lines in the song:
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated.
for some reason i keep thinking i'm gonna hear the following lines in the song:
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated.
I LOVE the whatever its called, the pattern of delivery. Seems so unique to me.
That's my GMail signature. LOL.
I don't really know what to say about the new record - It is OK - I like a few tunes and its not that any of it is bad - its just pretty boring. I guess the bottom line is that it appears Liz may have turned into Sheryl Crow? There's just nothin that sets it apart and it ranks a 0 on the "edge" scale. I pray to god no duets with Celine Dion are in the works.
My advice - check out the following bands
Stars
The Arcade Fire
Metric
My advice - check out the following bands
Stars
The Arcade Fire
Metric
I really don't see where all the the Sheryl Crow comparisons are coming from... It's a mellow album, I believe she intended it to be that way.
metric's second album kinda sucks.
what is all this buzz about the arcade fire?! are they really that great?!
I wanna die alone with my sympathy deep inside me ................. (?)
QUOTE(wirewalker @ Oct 6 2005, 09:19 PM)
I wanna die alone with my sympathy deep inside me ................. (?)
[right][snapback]47552[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]47552[/snapback][/right]
"Oh, i wanna die alone, with my sympathy beside me..."
QUOTE(MissKitty @ Oct 5 2005, 01:40 PM)
I hate to say it, but I have to disagree.
Let me start by saying this: there are songs on the new album that I like. But as an album, I think it is awful. I'll back up.
The first Liz album I bought was WCSE, followed by Whip-Smart, then Exile, then I found Girlysounds, etc, so to me, her music was getting better and better. Kidding. I just say this to illustrate that production value (or lack thereof) is not my number one concern when listening to Liz albums. I love her lyrics. I love her voice. I love how she plays with music and does interesting things with melodies and guitar chords and whatnot. That is what sold me on her.
With "Liz Phair," yes, it was a departure from her previous work, but it was a bold step. She was saying, "Look, this is the kind of music I want to be making now and y'all can go piss up a tree." When she went for big production numbers, they were big production numbers (Extraordinary, Why Can't I?). When she wanted quiet ballads, she had quiet ballads (Little Digger, Friend of Mine). And each song, while still related to each other in one way or another, sounded different from all of the other songs on the album. You know in the first three notes (if that) what song is starting, even if you have the album on shuffle. Granted, it was not the kind of music I wanted to hear her making, but she owned the fact that she was departing from her previous style and I have to respect her for that.
This new album...blech. The chorus of "Count on My Love" sounds amazingly like the chorus from "Lost Tonight." The beginnings of "Leap of Innocence," "Stars and Planets," "Count on My Love," and "Lost Tonight" all sound remarkably similar. Oh, sorry, maybe they put a capo on the guitar for one or two of those. I don't think there is a chord structure on the album that strays far from the G-C-D-[minor chord of your choice] type structure. And her voice...she sounds like she's singing through an aluminum tunnel a lot of the time. It's like someone said to her, "Honey, enough singing low. You're a girl; you should use your head voice, not your chest voice." And every song rhymes. I know most songs rhyme, but hers didn't always. And if they did, they weren't necessarily so obvious about it. Without looking at the lyrics, I can guess what they are going to be half of the time -- it's like country music. So what it all ads up to is an album that would be nice background music at a dinner party for thirty-somethings who wish they were still in their early twenties. Soft, easy-listening pop that you can very easily tune out and you hardly notice when it switches from one song to the next.
I will say this: her lyrics on this album are a marked improvement over the lyrics on "Liz Phair." If you actually take the time to listen to what she is saying, the songs do have a nice, evil, sardonic undertone -- picking on her teeny-bopper contemporaries, etc. And I will say that "Table for One" is brilliant. I will even happily say that I enjoy the lyrics for "Everything To Me," including the chorus that is being quoted in every review as the sure sign that she's lost her poetic touch -- I think it is completely valid to ask a partner if he/she really knows you after you've spent a long time together. But the overall sound of this album is literally making it hard for me to listen to enough times to get to know the lyrics (though I have listened to it 3 times all the way through already).
I'm disappointed. I heard a song or two floating around and I had such high hopes for this album. Like I said, "Table for One" is brilliant. "Closer to You" had me in tears at the acoustic concert when I saw her in August. But as an album, I find it dull and lifeless. It feels like she wanted to be really personal and introspective on this album (based on lyrics and some of her melodies), but they took a couple of the tunes and said, "Let's rock this one up a bit," or "Nobody wants an entirely sappy album; can we make this one an empowment ballad by adding heavy percussion?" I respected the bold step she took with "Liz Phair," even if I didn't like all of the music on it. This album is nowhere near bold in any direction -- it smacks of production compromises made all over the place, or, if this is how Liz wanted her songs to sound, then I'd have to ask if she's having some self-confidence issues regarding her music following her last album. And for that, I would call it her sell-out album.
I'm sorry, Liz. You know I love you. You are the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I think you are an amazing, strong, beautiful woman who has the potential to write some of the best songs ever written. I see glimmers of that talent in this album, like I saw them in the last album, but I think you could do better. Have fun with your guitar like you used to. Tell the people who think having Dino play on every song would be a better idea to go piss up a tree. Sing low if you want to sing low. Play your guitar the way you want to play it. If a major label doesn't want to put that album out, put it out yourself. Take a look around this board -- there are thousands of people who would go see you and your guitar doing solo shows of really quality music whether or not you had a major label behind you. I dunno. I guess I just want to see you making music that should be made instead of the music you or they think will sell.
Oh, and somebody should revoke Dino's producer privileges.
[right][snapback]47169[/snapback][/right]
Let me start by saying this: there are songs on the new album that I like. But as an album, I think it is awful. I'll back up.
The first Liz album I bought was WCSE, followed by Whip-Smart, then Exile, then I found Girlysounds, etc, so to me, her music was getting better and better.
Kidding. I just say this to illustrate that production value (or lack thereof) is not my number one concern when listening to Liz albums. I love her lyrics. I love her voice. I love how she plays with music and does interesting things with melodies and guitar chords and whatnot. That is what sold me on her.With "Liz Phair," yes, it was a departure from her previous work, but it was a bold step. She was saying, "Look, this is the kind of music I want to be making now and y'all can go piss up a tree." When she went for big production numbers, they were big production numbers (Extraordinary, Why Can't I?). When she wanted quiet ballads, she had quiet ballads (Little Digger, Friend of Mine). And each song, while still related to each other in one way or another, sounded different from all of the other songs on the album. You know in the first three notes (if that) what song is starting, even if you have the album on shuffle. Granted, it was not the kind of music I wanted to hear her making, but she owned the fact that she was departing from her previous style and I have to respect her for that.
This new album...blech. The chorus of "Count on My Love" sounds amazingly like the chorus from "Lost Tonight." The beginnings of "Leap of Innocence," "Stars and Planets," "Count on My Love," and "Lost Tonight" all sound remarkably similar. Oh, sorry, maybe they put a capo on the guitar for one or two of those. I don't think there is a chord structure on the album that strays far from the G-C-D-[minor chord of your choice] type structure. And her voice...she sounds like she's singing through an aluminum tunnel a lot of the time. It's like someone said to her, "Honey, enough singing low. You're a girl; you should use your head voice, not your chest voice." And every song rhymes. I know most songs rhyme, but hers didn't always. And if they did, they weren't necessarily so obvious about it. Without looking at the lyrics, I can guess what they are going to be half of the time -- it's like country music. So what it all ads up to is an album that would be nice background music at a dinner party for thirty-somethings who wish they were still in their early twenties. Soft, easy-listening pop that you can very easily tune out and you hardly notice when it switches from one song to the next.
I will say this: her lyrics on this album are a marked improvement over the lyrics on "Liz Phair." If you actually take the time to listen to what she is saying, the songs do have a nice, evil, sardonic undertone -- picking on her teeny-bopper contemporaries, etc. And I will say that "Table for One" is brilliant. I will even happily say that I enjoy the lyrics for "Everything To Me," including the chorus that is being quoted in every review as the sure sign that she's lost her poetic touch -- I think it is completely valid to ask a partner if he/she really knows you after you've spent a long time together. But the overall sound of this album is literally making it hard for me to listen to enough times to get to know the lyrics (though I have listened to it 3 times all the way through already).
I'm disappointed. I heard a song or two floating around and I had such high hopes for this album. Like I said, "Table for One" is brilliant. "Closer to You" had me in tears at the acoustic concert when I saw her in August. But as an album, I find it dull and lifeless. It feels like she wanted to be really personal and introspective on this album (based on lyrics and some of her melodies), but they took a couple of the tunes and said, "Let's rock this one up a bit," or "Nobody wants an entirely sappy album; can we make this one an empowment ballad by adding heavy percussion?" I respected the bold step she took with "Liz Phair," even if I didn't like all of the music on it. This album is nowhere near bold in any direction -- it smacks of production compromises made all over the place, or, if this is how Liz wanted her songs to sound, then I'd have to ask if she's having some self-confidence issues regarding her music following her last album. And for that, I would call it her sell-out album.
I'm sorry, Liz. You know I love you. You are the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I think you are an amazing, strong, beautiful woman who has the potential to write some of the best songs ever written. I see glimmers of that talent in this album, like I saw them in the last album, but I think you could do better. Have fun with your guitar like you used to. Tell the people who think having Dino play on every song would be a better idea to go piss up a tree. Sing low if you want to sing low. Play your guitar the way you want to play it. If a major label doesn't want to put that album out, put it out yourself. Take a look around this board -- there are thousands of people who would go see you and your guitar doing solo shows of really quality music whether or not you had a major label behind you. I dunno. I guess I just want to see you making music that should be made instead of the music you or they think will sell.
Oh, and somebody should revoke Dino's producer privileges.
[right][snapback]47169[/snapback][/right]
So, how do you really feel? You can let it all out. haha Personally, I love the new album. I do however, wholedeartly agree with your comments regarding Dino. This statement begs to be highlighted.
QUOTE
Tell the people who think having Dino play on every song would be a better idea to go piss up a tree.
Listen up Liz. We know you love him, and he loves you and all that - but he's mucking things up.
I can only add: Dino, put the guitar down where I can see it, put your hands up in the air, and back slowly away from the stage*, the studio and whereever else Liz is performing - and - don't say another word about it or try anything funny, cuz I will come find you.
P.S. There are acutally 2 songs I don't like that much.
1) Wind In The Mountain
2) Closer to You
*Scratch that. Run like the wind [in the mountain]!
QUOTE
I'm sorry, Liz. You know I love you. You are the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. I think you are an amazing, strong, beautiful woman who has the potential to write some of the best songs ever written. I see glimmers of that talent in this album, like I saw them in the last album, but I think you could do better. Have fun with your guitar like you used to. Tell the people who think having Dino play on every song would be a better idea to go piss up a tree. Sing low if you want to sing low. Play your guitar the way you want to play it. If a major label doesn't want to put that album out, put it out yourself. Take a look around this board -- there are thousands of people who would go see you and your guitar doing solo shows of really quality music whether or not you had a major label behind you. I dunno. I guess I just want to see you making music that should be made instead of the music you or they think will sell.
[FONT=Arial]
I think you may have stumbled onto the problem. When an artist is so talented anything less than being immaculate is a huge dissappointment. I wouldn't call this album perfect (there are some waivering vocals and, as you pointed out, a FEW cheezy lyrics) but I do like it a lot. I hated the songs on the last album that Liz didn't have a hand in writing. But, she did give us My Bionic Eyes, Firewalker, and Love/Hate. I guess I don't have a problem with poppish tunes. It's kind of like people hating rap just because it's rap. If it's good, I like it. I really like Count On My Love, Stars and Planets, and Got My Own Thing. I am warming up to this album quickly. As far as the more introspective songs go Somebody's Miracle, Wind and the Mountain, and Table For One are painfully beautiful. As for her musical choices (you seem more of an expert on this than I am, but) I thought there was a good deal of variety. She gets a little Bonnie Raittish in Got My Own Thing, Lazy Dreamer sounds like it's straight from the eighties, and there is a flamenco flair to a couple of the songs. I think this album is on par with Whitechocolatespaceegg, certainly better than Liz Phair (an unfortunate name for her worst album), and better than Whipsmart. I miss the raunchiness of 'Guyville, but I guess she's growing up, or maybe her son is.
And, yes, thank you Liz, this album picked me up today and I'm sure it will for years to come.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.