Liz Phair-"Funstyle" Review

All Liz ever wanted was a tad bit of success. While she was very critically acclaimed as 90s indie queen, sales proved that the general populous wasn’t too fond of her. When she turned mainstream in 2003, she only faced backlash, and once again she went by mostly unnoticed by the mainstream. All this frustration came to its breaking point in 2008, when even Capitol records admitted they didn’t know how to turn Liz into a commodity. At this point in her career, Liz is fed up, both with the mainstream and the music industry. A record as scattered as “Funstyle” was the inevitable result.

As pointed out in the comedic closing track “U Hate It”, and the equally as humorous “Bollywood” (in which she raps like a certified MILF), Liz has been burned by the protocol and practice of record companies for years, even dating back to her “Exile” days. Since playing by the rules didn’t work, Liz has thrown caution to the wind, and instead is living on her own terms. So she’s free to do whatever she wants this time around. She can incorporate dance-pop (never before seen on a Phair album), hip-hop, rap, bluesy rock, and “Somebody’s Miracle” type soft rock all in the same record with no hesitation. However, with all this freedom, Liz also points out this album’s main flaw: the ambition is better than the music. Mostly, “Funstyle” is a wild assortment of sounds that should never be on one album alone. This is definitely the most fearless effort we have seen from Liz so far, as she goes way beyond her norm. In comparison, “Exile” was coy, as it was so focused and assured, it didn’t necessarily aim to break the mold (even though it eventually did). Here, this is Liz’s full intention, to not let anyone’s expectations govern her music. If she wants to speak vocals with a song playing beneath her, if she wants to hit notes that no-one thought she was capable of, hell, if she wants to rap and spit insults at her former record label, she can do it because there’s no one that can tell not to. After 17 years in the business, Liz has finally been able to benefit from her skills as a controversy-starter. Her apt songwriting is still present, as it always will be, and she will never be mainstream-friendly, but this time around, “Funstyle” is a refreshing listen.

Long-time fans looking for “Exile part 2” will continue to be disappointed, and those who don’t like Phair will have even more of an argument for doing so, and a musician as keen as Liz knows this. So this time she’s not afraid to fail, and she’s becoming even more appealing because of it. No matter what direction Liz chooses, she will always retain her humanity, and she will continue to break the mold as long as she keeps making music. “Funstyle” is exactly what it promises, it’s just fun and comedic music, from a veteran (or rather, survivor) of the music industry who is now on her way to once again be unafraid of taking risks. There will never be another “Exile in Guyville”, but “Funstyle” is an enjoyable listen at the same time.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Smoke                  2. Bollywood           3. You Should Know Me
4. Miss September 5. My My                   6. Oh, Bangladesh
7. Bang! Bang!         8. Beat is Up             9. And He Slayed Her
10. Satisfied          11. U Hate It