QUOTE(JeremyEngle @ Aug 26 2005, 01:42 PM)
Okay, rt6970. You're right about "DeRo" and his 'personal attack'. He probably could have worded it better. I still agree with everything he had to say about her last album and about "Everything to Me" and "Somebody's Miracle" -- my opinion about that stuff isn't going to change. I suppose the difference between you and me, at this point, is that while we both agree that the singles -- the 'co-writes', whatever you want to call them -- on her new album blow chunks (unless you've gone back on your word), I don't have a problem with calling it as I see it whereas you, the self-proclaimed World's Biggest Liz Phair Apologist, would prefer not to say anything at all rather than say something mean. Or you'd rather talk about her legs. Which is cool, of course. I just don't get the shock and horror expressed on here whenever someone criticizes the schlock. What do you expect people to say?
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Jeremy Engle, all rhetoric aside, I know that I can't change your opinion, and I would never presume to think that I could. I hope you feel the same in regards to me.
Admittedly I always seem to have a smart remark to throw in whenever you view your opinions, or more to the point when you reference others who share your opinion. I have only been smart alecky because I wonder why you feel the need to bolster your view with those of others. It kind of comes off as a "see, I told you so" attitude. You are an intelligent person who expresses himself clearly and concisely. You don't need the opinions of others, least of all rock critic hacks like Derogatis, to bolster your argument.
Also, I don't express horror and shock that people will criticize the new stuff, or the old stuff for that matter. I fnd nothing shocking about the bad reviews that latter day Liz Phair has gotten. I do tend to find these opinions unoriginal and overused. I find this view to be tiresome because I believe, when criticizing an art form, be it negatively or positively, one should criticize the work at hand and not base their review on a juxtaposition of the work at hand with the artists prior work, or with the work of their contemporaries.
Exile in Guyville should be judged on it's own, LIz Phair on it's own, Somebody's Miracle on it's own. To base your criticism largely on how it compares to previous work inherently implies that the latter work is inferior to begin with. But that is my opinion.
Calling it as you see it? Yes, you do. So do I. I think the real difference between us is that you cannot comprehend that, the way I see it, Liz Phair was a great pop album, one that Liz always had in her. I think you cannot accept that there are people out there who loved Liz Phair and thought it was a great album. For the most part it seems that you see the fans of Liz Phair and Somebody's Miracle as simply pop-music loving rubes who feed off the commercial pabulum that the music industry spoon feeds them. Your sarcastic reply's to a few positive posts regarding Somebody's Miracle bear this out. Unless, that is, you are truly fond of exclaiming "OHMYGOD!" to show your approval. In which case, apologies all around.
I do find it interesting that you hold me to task as someone who would rather say nothing than be mean. In this case you are right, I do not feel the need to be mean, certainly not unnecessarily. But that doesn't mean I have never been critical. I have written posts here that are responses to things I don't agree with, and at the same time are not flattering to Liz Phair (the artist,that is, not the album). Most specifically I have challenged the idea that Liz is an awesome guitarist. I don't believe this for a second and have said so. At best I rank her capable. But I didn't feel the need to be a jerk about it. If that doesn't meet your standards of how to criticize, then that will just have to be the case.
The new stuff blowing chunks: Yes, Somebody's Miracle represent the weakest batch of songs of her career. I haven't changed my position. I seem to remember though, at the time Promosquad posted these songs, that you "dared" me to disagree that these songs sucked. As if there is no possible way anyone could have enjoyed them. That time, I did agree with you, but I wonder, what if I hadn't? Would you have been able to accept that I thought they were great?
Liz's legs: I could talk for days about her legs. On this matter I admit to being exceptionally shallow. The woman is gorgeous and she turns me on. But hey, it could be worse, I could be one of those people who interpret every glance from Liz in my direction as some type of "connection" made.
I am glad you too found Derogatis to be out of line with his crack about Liz's self-esteem and intelligence. It was uncalled for. Also, my response about that shows that I can be mean (when it is so clearly called for) doesn't it?