Modeled after The Rolling Stones' 1972 album "Exile on Main St.", "Exile in Guyville" rolls out the red carpet for the arrival of the new indie/grunge queen Liz Phair. This exemplary debut comes fresh out of the alternative rock sensation in the early 90s, but is also more engaging, and alot fresher, than the rest of that pack.
Virtually a nobody in the music underground of Chicago, this album was a long-time coming for Phair, as she was penning some of the sharpest songs in rock (which were later included in her Girlysound cassette tape). And the songwriting is just as exceptional here, bringing to light themes so bold and unapologetic they not only break the mold, but they also are brutally honest that there is no other option but to agree with Liz. The most surprising fact about this album is the fact that this is a debut, but yet it's written from a woman whose wisdom is far ahead of her age. And then there's the keen production skills of producer Brad Wood, who brings different layers to an otherwise low-key product. The songs, whether they be long instrumental pieces like "Canary" and "Shatter", or short and sweet like "Glory" and "Help Me Mary", they all maintain an easy flow and retain high quality. Despite a raw and ungarbled texture, the overall mood of this album still feels light in spite of its thick messages. Then again, this album's variety is also what makes it so exceptional: songs that carry a deep meaning like "Divorce Song" and "Fuck and Run", fit just fine with more light-hearted tunes like the wonderfully explicit "Flower" and the closing track "Strange Loop". There's such a strong sense of unity here, something rather hard to find in alternative music. And even Liz Phair's undeveloped singing voice doesn't hinder the album, it actually ends up enhancing it. It strengthens the trashy thrill of this set as a whole, and it helps the music match its honest lyrics.
From start to finish, "Exile in Guyville" is a gargantuan indie record whose hooks are instantly edible, there's no effort needed to fully enjoy this fine slice of music. A monster-sized debut like this proves Liz Phair to be a musician, not a typical artist. She penned the songs here, she plays the guitars; this album is a product of her musical and lyrical imagination. She may never be able to match this record again in her career, but in all honesty, not that many could.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. 6'1" 2. Help Me Mary 3. Glory
4. Dance of the Seven Veils5. Never Said 6. Soar Star Joe
7. Explain It to Me 8. Canary 9. Mesmerizing
10. Fuck and Run 11. Girls! Girls! Girls! 12. Divorce Song
13. Shatter 14. Flower 15. Johnny Sunshine
16. Gunshy 17. Stratford-on-Guy 18. Strange Loop
No comments:
Post a Comment