Maybe “You Should Know Me” is something the die-hard Liz Phair fans are holding out for, but it’s a downer after hearing Phair stick it to convention. ", "Funstyle Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More", "Liz Phair: Funstyle | Music | MusicalWork Review", "Liz Phair's 'Funstyle': Interesting, even to hate - latimes.com", "Liz Phair's "Funstyle": Great, When It's Not Shit", "Liz Phair: Somebody's Miracle Album Review - Pitchfork", "Liz Phair: Liz Phair Album Review - Pitchfork", Girly Sound: Yo Yo Buddy Yup Yup Word to Ya Muthuh, The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Funstyle&oldid=1000436792, Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users, Short description is different from Wikidata, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 January 2021, at 02:56. Liz fought with her management to release "Bollywood." [15][16] The A.V. Land of Talk break the odds in SLC (9/26), Album Review: Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz, King Crimson's Robert Fripp and Wife Toyah Unveil Cheerleader Rendition of Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell": Watch, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Share Inauguration Playlist: Kendrick Lamar, MF DOOM, Tame Impala, Ronnie Spector Issues Statement on Death of Abusive Ex-Husband Phil Spector, New Radicals to Reunite for Joe Biden's Inaugural Parade, The Decemberists' The King Is Dead and the End of the Americana Craze. Girly-Sound is also the name Shane 08:04 03. But then it wheels wildly off track with a foray into acoustic sympathetic sap. Then there is Girlysound, the collection of b-sides and rarities. This just sounds like something she would have done years ago and does nothing to help her plight in finding a new sound, nor does it fit with her first two tracks. Liz Phair’s indelible, essential debut album has been reissued with three crucial bedroom tapes that further define the innovative and unselfconscious songwriting from early in her career. (She also remade songs from both for the LPs.) Other reviewers were far more critical of the album, however. Some reviews of the album were complimentary. There are some songs like “My My”, which is catchy, well-written, and honest, and”Bang! [2], Funstyle has received mixed reviews from music critics. As of July 2010, the album had sold 433,000 copies. If only all of Funstyle was made with the same acuteness of these songs. Club's Michaelangelo Matos was equally negative, stating that the tongue-in-cheek songs "aren't especially listenable" and "the seven straighter songs those experiments surround have just as little to recommend them."[7]. I'll keep sending you postcards. (Said fight actually inspired another similar song, "U Hate It.") "[5] Notably, however, Pitchfork gave Funstyle a higher rating than either of Liz Phair's preceding two albums. Reviewing website Metacritic gave the album a score of 51 out of 100, which indicates "mixed or average reviews". Her 1993 debut studio album Exile in Guyville was released to acclaim; it has been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Liz Phair (2003) Comeandgetit (2003; EP) Somebody's Miracle (2005) Funstyle (2010) Girlysound (2010; bonus compilation disc of demo songs to accompany the physical release of Funstyle) She's also famous for the Girly Sound (or Girlysound) tapes, which contain Liz's pre-1993 lo-fi demos. Girly-Sound is the name under which singer-songwriter Liz Phair recorded three self-produced cassettes in 1991. It’s too inconsistent to make it anything but mediocre. Elizabeth Clark “Liz” Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.. She began her career in the early 1990s by self-releasing audio cassettes under the name Girly Sound, before signing with the independent record label Matador Records. Love them, or hate them, but don't mistake them for anything other than an entirely personal, un-tethered-from-the-machine, free for all view of the world, refracted through my own crazy lens. Phair is obviously no stranger to criticism; her self-titled fourth album was blasted by fans and critics alike for “selling out.” Her next album, Somebody’s Miracle, fared only a little better. Funstyle takes everything you know about Liz Phair, mixes it up with oil and vinegar and hopes that something tasteful will come out of the mix. Phair began production on the album with Michael Penn. But that vague knowledge is useless in this case. However, and it’s a big however, the packaging is cheap and shoddy. Liz Phair caused a commotion but its placid, 2005 sequel Somebody’s Miracle was so uneventful it passed largely unnoticed. This was Phair's lowest charting album since 1993's Exile in Guyville at #196. There’s a lot to process here, and that’s part of the problem. Though a consummate songwriter, Liz Phair is best known for her pre-Lilith feminist leanings. It’s strange to hear how pre-Exile in Guysville Phair compares to Funstyle. Yes, I rapped one of them. Funstyle is the sixth album by Liz Phair, independently released on her official website on July 3, 2010 (see 2010 in music) by Phair. Juvenilia is an EP released by American singer-songwriter Liz Phair in August 1995. But let’s get to the current record first. Prior to signing with Matador, Phair had a reputation on the groovy fanzine circuit owing to her home-made Girly Sound cassettes, actual samples of which can be heard on the Juvenilia mini-album. Her new-found sound is exciting and hopeful; her old sound is still apparent for her fans– but there needed to be a choice made somewhere before this album was produced. "Dance of the Seven Veils" send you into a fit of nervous … Liz Phair is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Liz Phair, released June 24, 2003 on Capitol Records. Ultimately, Liz won. and "Extraordinary" were released as singles. This item: Girly-Sound To Guyville: The 25th Anniversary Box Set by Liz Phair Vinyl $96.46 Only 4 left in stock - order soon. Same goes for “Satisfied” and “He Slayed Her” – the former with Dave Matthews on board. These songs aren’t bad. Liz Phair, Category: Artist, Albums: Girly-Sound To Guyville: The 25th Anniversary Box Set, Girly-Sound To Guyville: The 25th Anniversary Box Set (The Girly-Sound Tapes), Funstyle, Somebody's Miracle, Liz Phair, Singles: Good Side, Live @ Yahoo! The lyrics that appear on Phair's arm on the album cover are partial lyrics to the songs "Satisfied", "Bang! Her sound developed at the turn of the century into something more akin to pop or adult contemporary. Funstyle was Phair's first album after leaving Capitol Records. Liz Phair (2003) Comeandgetit (2003; EP) Somebody's Miracle (2005) Funstyle (2010) Girlysound (2010; bonus compilation disc of demo songs to accompany the physical release of Funstyle) She's also famous for the Girly Sound (or Girlysound) tapes, which contain Liz's pre-1993 lo-fi demos. It includes a bonus disc containing ten songs from her famed Girly-Sound tapes. Six Dick Pimp 11:26 04. "Fuck or Die" Does "Flower" make you blush? This is a missed opportunity. He heard my Girly-Sound tapes, and I was stuck living at home. I'm as surprised as you are. About Liz Phair. It’s not that Phair has gone in a new direction; it’s that she has done so with a lot of inconsistency. It has some rough edges, but it's far more interesting than the two prior albums, both the industry's idea of what a Liz Phair album should sound … She could have gone one way or the other, but she picked the middle ground, which just doesn’t work in this situation. She releases her off-the-wall, weird fireback Funstyle, packaged with Girlysound, a collection of rarities and demos that predate her 1993 debut Exile in Guysville. The cassettes were later made available as bootlegs, some songs saw official releases, and the tapes were released in their entirety in 2018. [14] Shop for Vinyl, CDs and more from Liz Phair at the Discogs Marketplace. Liz Phair (2003) Comeandgetit (2003; EP) Somebody's Miracle (2005) Funstyle (2010) Girlysound (2010; bonus compilation disc of demo songs to accompany the physical release of Funstyle) She's also famous for the Girly Sound (or Girlysound) tapes, which contain Liz's pre-1993 lo-fi demos. Liz Phair began her career in the early 1990s by self-releasing audio cassettes under the name Girly Sound, before signing with the independent record label Matador Records. Pitchfork awarded the album 2.6 out of 10, called it "baffling," and stated that the album was ultimately "a shrewd way to lower expectations. Explore releases from Liz Phair at Discogs. The next song, “Bollywood”, speaks for itself: Phair raps (yes, raps) over a Bollywood beat and digresses her progression over her career. But here is the thing you need to know about these songs and the ones coming next: These are all me. I like the braveness she exuded by leaving her label, and I understand the consequences of branching out from her genre when it garnered criticism before. Liz Phair debuted at #27 on the Billboard 200. If you’re going to say “Fuck you” to the tired conventions of the old Liz Phair, at least do so with more style and conviction instead of the hodgepodge of genres that make up this unbalanced album. referencing Funstyle, 2xCD, Album, RSV 028 Savaged by a lot of critics, especially younger Pitchfork-esque writers who found it profoundly uncool. It works individually but not as a whole. I just wish she really went balls out and committed herself to one particular sound and movement. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate what Phair is doing here on Funstyle— she’s just gone about it the wrong way. Speaking of this album, Phair posted the following message on her website: How To Like It. This is my journey. Growing out of the American underground of the late '80s, Liz Phair fused lo-fi indie rock production techniques with the sensibility and structure of classic singer/songwriters. Photo by Elizabeth Weinberg Music News Liz Phair Liz Phair is releasing her new album next year after signing with the relaunched Chrysalis Records. She was a cornerstone in the underground early '90s indie rock movement for her songcraft and DIY ethics. Following Whip-Smart, Phair released Juvenilia, a collection of some early Girly Sound tracks and several B-sides, including her cover of the 1980 song by The Vapors, "Turning Japanese." All tracks are written by Liz Phair, except where noted. "Why Can't I?" They prove that Phair can move in a new direction, regardless of what her label (or ex-label says). These songs lost me my management, my record deal and a lot of nights of sleep. Contrary to what many reviews have said, it’s not… bad. The label put out an … You were never supposed to hear these songs. Keep Circulating the Tapes: Aside from Juvenilia and the upcoming Girlysound disc, Liz's pre-1993 demos can only be found on the Girly Sound bootlegs. Nothing really stands out in these sparse recordings, except for the involved “Love Song” and “Don’t Hold Your Breath”, but I guess it gives inquisitive Phair fans something to gnash their teeth on, should her new concept not appeal to them. “Funstyle” was Liz Phair’s sixth studio album. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Bang!” which is a slinky, low-key song with electronic moodiness that suits Phair’s sincere vocals and provides a fitting bridge between the new and old. Liz Phair has returned from a five-year musical hiatus with Funstyle, an album that possesses a buttload of ammunition against the music industry and her … "[13] They are just anemic, so-so tracks on an album that should be so much more than that. Exile in Guyville, her gold-selling debut album, was enthusiastically praised upon its 1993 release, and spawned a rash of imitators during the following years, particularly American female singer/songwriters. For example, the opener “Smoke” starts with a lot of “fuck the industry” sarcastic voice-overs against a catchy, electronic mash-up beat. I found myself really liking a lot of the songs in which she stretched herself and thought outside the box, taking the time to explore new genres and sounds. Liz Phair has returned from a five-year musical hiatus with Funstyle, an album that possesses a buttload of ammunition against the music industry and her ex-label Capitol Records. And that’s the problem with Funstyle. The music is so good, the remastering very clear, and the inclusion of the Girly Sound tapes with Exile in one package creates a wonderful insight into Liz’s creative process. 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