Reviews (page 4 of 8)
This is #day447 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about almost an hour of generic female yet so unapologetically '90s indie rock/singer-songwriter shit? I've nothing else to add except... are we really sure this is an essential listen? This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day448.
Some of this wasn’t bad but I didn’t really warm to her voice.
Stripped down and sharp.
Not what I was expecting from the description. Unlikely to relisten but not bad. 3.
Not entirely for me, but a really interesting listen. A couple songs like 6'1" and Girls! Girls! Girls! don't do a whole lot for me. It feels a little lo-fi without being difficult to listen to. Nice guitar, her vocals are usually great if a bit monotone.
Brash, unapologetic, and sometimes still genuinely shocking more than three decades later. Phair's deadpan vocals suit these lackadaisical songs perfectly, sometimes coming off as sarcastic, sometimes indifferent, and oftentimes both. Similarly the lyrics range from obviously confrontational to subtly angry. These topics have been explored in indie rock since, but in 1993 the genre was even more of a boy's club than it is now, making the album feel all that more impressive. And that indie rock - mostly of the slacker variety - is the heart of this album, but there's a lot of experimentation within the genre here too. That makes the pure rockers - "6' 1", "Fuck and Run," "Divorce Song" - hit even harder. But of course the experimental songs are important too; this album wouldn't be the same without "Flower."
My first thought was a poor man’s PJ Harvey but then this continued to grow on me. Really solid album with some interesting tacks.
Phair’s delivery is inviting, but it’s the smart writing that really pulls me in. Both “6’1”” and “The Divorce Song” are incredible. A good break-up song is dang relatable!
I don’t like talk-singing through an album when guys do it, and now I know that I don’t like it when women do it either. I’m sure Liz Phair can sing — you hear it sometimes on this album — but it’s mostly talk-singing of lyrics that don’t scan. I think she sings out of her range on the low end. Also, not a big fan of angry songs about angry sex. This album is creative, I’ll give it that. But I can’t give it more than a 3 — it is perhaps a 2. But I’ll stick with three for now.
Rock, 1993 -> 2
Angsty boring 90s teenager rock. Like it. Best Track: Never Said
Exile in Guyville was a bit of a phenomenon back in 1993. I remember all the buzz and seeing all the reviews, and it making the best of lists that year. I never listened to it, one because I broke my leg that summer, so I wasn’t out and about that much, and also because you paid for music back then. I only had so much disposable income for music, so Liz Phair, while buzzy and intriguing, didn’t qualify for purchase to me. I’d always heard the Exile in Guyville was kind of her answer to the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St., which is, arguably, the Stones’ best album. I’m more partial to Sticky Fingers, but Exile on Main St. is incredible. Turns out, it wasn’t a song-by-song reply, but Phair did want the songs to kind of mimic the pacing of Exile on Main St. Exile in Guyville is a double album, and for a debut, that’s ballsy, but Phair was ballsy. She was recording music in her bedroom, making her own cassette mix tapes and handing them out around Chicago. Then, a miracle happens, she gets signed to Matador Records. The music is very indie rock, almost what you’d think of as indie rock. Very raw, not overly produced. The songs really shine, though. Phair doesn’t have a great voice, but she sounds authentic, which really makes you feel the emotion in the songs. There were moments when I was listening to this album and I thought, "This could have been a Stones’ song." The album is about a young woman making her way through her 20’s in 1990’s Chicago. Which I wouldn’t have been able to understand as an 18-year-old kid with a broken leg. Now, as a 50-something old man, I still barely understand, but Phair conveys the joy, the sadness, the heartbreak so well, you get what she went through in that time. I think this is an important album maybe more for women to listen to, but I really enjoyed it. There are some great songs on here, though, as with most double albums, you wonder if it couldn’t have been a little better with a few songs cut. Whether it’s a must-listen before you die, I’m not sure, but if you grew up when it exploded on the scene like I did, check it out. I'm glad I did. I see what the hub-bub was about.
interesting album overall, very different, but not my cuppa
90’s romcom royalty free background music to when the chick just had the dude breakup with her and she now hates him but also keeps seeing things that remind her of him so she is driving in the rain screaming in her car to these songs but also feels trapped because of how shitty this music is.
I remember when this came out, it received quite a bit of critical acclaim. Never listened to it until now. I like her sound! Enjoyed. Four stars
3.5
3.41
Really surprised by this record, have come back to it a lot since my first spin
I found this a slog. It was fine.
Dragged
Some albums showcase artists that are great songwriters and musicians. Some show a lot of musical talent but not great writing. Some have great writing, but are lacking in musical ability. Some have none of the above. I think this album is in the third category- Phair clearly can write and has ideas for songs, but the execution is not all that impressive. Despite her writing talent, Phair's not super vocally strong or a musical virtuoso. It's more in line with Kurt Cobain than Prince. I don't think you'll find many people talk down Cobain's presence and impact, nor should they about Phair. Both will give it to you raw and unashamedly (phrasing!). Funnily enough, I assume Cobain was a big fan of this album. For me, though, it falls a little flat. While there was plenty on here to like, a lot of it just felt meh and muddled. Listening to the whole album was kind of like walking in mud to get to solid ground. Portions dragged at times before showing me something I thought was fully good. There was value to those muddy portions, but they were harder to get through. I think it goes back to how Phair seems to have good concepts of what she wants to do, just maybe falling short of executing to a higher level. It works for the toned down vibe, but gives it that muddy aspect for me. Perhaps it's even more a fault of the style than the execution. The length probably contributed as well, as listening to it took an hour, maybe a d- erm, 56 minutes. I can't help but compare this to Jagged Little Pill, which came out only a couple years later. In both, the artists powerfully stated a woman's perspective on life, love/sex, and personal reality that was often overlooked or downplayed in media/music. Phair's effort is more indie, sounding closer to a bedroom-studio recording than a polished album. Morrissette went more grunge and pop, but with a more refined sound result. Both succeeded in presenting their perspectives, having a widespread impact with their albums that persist today. What it all boils down to is that I found this album mostly OK-to-good. I thought the writing was the best part, but different execution could've made it better. Listening now probably has an impact on that, as it feels much more appropriately placed being a debut album in the early 90s. It makes sense on this list, even if I wouldn't consider it great. Overall: 3.2/5
Meh
Interesting one.
So, this is a song by song response to Rolling Stones' al- 😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴 Oh, sorry, where were I? Ah, right, Rolling Stones. So, this is supposed to be a feminis- 😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴 Staying awake has never been this hard
Soft and okay
#151/1001. Can’t sayI knew too much about Liz. The first few songs didn’t really speak to me, generic songs in a way I think has been done hundreds of times. But then the album grows, has some great tunes and moments, quiet and loud, simple and less simple meditative instrumentations. The simplicity works here and I’m interested in listening more. What else could a first listen achieve?
The album isn’t for me really. I can appreciate the songs are good, I just could t get on with it, it didn’t really captivate me, just felt a bit bland and samey. Her voice can grate a bit as well. Had never heard of this artist before and probably wouldn’t seek her out again. Favourite track: Divorce Song
10/10
Skrål. Tidvis interessant men vokalen er så dårlig at det blir bare ubehagelig for meg. Høres ofte ut som et ungdomsskoleband.
I remember lots of Liz’s stuff in the 90s but I wasn’t familiar with this album. It’s like a singer-songwriter version of angry 90’s chick music. Good but not great.
Favorite Track: Fuck and Run
This was fucking awful. I did not need to hear this before I die.
I honestly don’t understand what people see in this album. I’m not someone who cares much about vocal skill, but I just can’t stand her voice or the way she sings. I tried to listen to the whole album, but I couldn’t get past three songs. For the first time ever, I’m giving an album a 1 out of 10.
So I meant to spend the afternoon listening to music but found myself on a date. One of her nipples was exposed so it took some time until I could focus on what she was saying. I must say her voice was unenthusiastic and was getting on my nerves so it meant I'd spend the next hour pulling all my energy to listen to her stories. She talked about this one guy which she wanted talk him out of the business because it went south. Eventually she killed the guy. I was shocked of course, only to find out that she didn't talk about herself but about some other people's stories in order to get my attention. I wasn't in the mood for all the sad stories so ended the date early. When I got home she left a message on my answering machine saying that the stories were references to some guys who fled and were living on Main Street. We didn't meet again. I found it too involving thinking about 4 layers of references all the time. But one year later I met a great girl, she was more enthusiastic and told me all she wanted to do is have some fun. I loved her, but her voice always reminded me of this strange date. After all this strange date influenced some other women, so I somehow adore her, but wouldn't want to spend another date with.
Ok
surprisingly fun
pretty cool
Low-fi indie. Interesting but not compelling.
Fun indie rock.
never heard of this woman and probably wouldn’t listen again
A very confrontational yet resigned album; horny but lazy, insisting on freedom and complaining about boredom, angry but constantly shrugging about it. I didn’t love it but I did like it and can see how it connected with so many people. Kind of a shame that her career never quite became what this album promised. Best song: Divorce Song
there’s no way for me to really talk about this album in a normal way. i wish i could articulate what i find so brilliant about it—what about the structure of the songs, the lyrics, her delivery, the insistent strum of the guitar, the production which is lo-fi without becoming compressed or thin (begrudging shout-out to my ex tumblr mutual’s dad for that), etc. there are so many lines on this album that raise all the hair on my arms and the back of my neck every time i hear them. all i know is that i’m clean as a whistle, baby… something that always strikes me is the way liz phair sometimes purposely sings just below her own register, which renders her voice deceptively quiet, folded in on itself, seething. to call anything (especially anything written by a woman) “confessional” feels so trite but this particular affect that she adopts does lend itself to an impression of hushedness, everything made immense and urgent for having been conveyed in low tones. i'm there with her in everything, pressed up against the feeling of it, regardless of whether i relate to it personally or not. the only song i don't really care about it the final one. i always forget about it for some reason. fav tracks: flower; divorce song; never said; fuck and run; canary; gunshy; shatter; mesmerizing; 6’1”
I think I didn’t appreciate this album as much when I was younger and I’m glad I revisited. There’s a lot more variety in the sounds of these songs than I remember and they range from emphatic, energetic earworms (“Never Said”, “Divorce Song”) to hypnotic meditations (“Shatter”, “Flower”). (The latter actually remind me a bit of the Velvet Underground for their drone-like single-chord construction.) Her lyrics a delivery are arresting in their straightforwardness which makes it very engaging. There’s something familiar and relatable about the way this album feels, while simultaneously sounding unlike anything else.
I bet every lesbian in 1993 was foaming at the mouth for this
Who? Wikipedia says the music genre is Indie Rock / Lo-Fi, and of the two I say that lo-Fi is the most apt. Her singing is so miserable, (and so are the songs), that she should hook up with Morrissey.
gatekeep gaslight girlboss
not my fave album but a truly worthy addition to the list. i don't love liz's vaguely atonal singing style but i do appreciate her massive impact on music today (especially for other female singer/songwriters). she was doing weird horny stuff before it was cool. go crazy liz!!!
i enjoyed this one overall. liz is not my favorite singer by any stretch but these songs are varied and interesting. that said, there sure are a lot of them and the album starts to wear out its welcome about halfway through. her 2003 self-titled album is still my favorite. favorites: 6'1", dance of the seven veils, never said, canary, fuck and run
I really hated this. Did not get the appeal at all.
I feel transported into one of the better Dawson’s Creek episodes.
Hadn’t heard this one before. I enjoyed it but I listen to so many albums that scratch this itch that I don’t think I’ll end up revisiting it.
This came out 32 years ago. I haven’t heard it in 20 years. Somehow makes more sense in 2025 with Soccer Mommy, boygenius, Snail Mail, Wednesday etc.
The peaks can be quite high for the album, with her demo-like guitar riffs and funny, incisive lines cutting at what it is to Liz in Guysville. Sometimes those peaks wash out in the whole album, which gets a little lost in the concept and the response to the Stones (I wish Phair’s track-by-track Spotify playlist made me appreciate this album relative to Exile on Main Street, but it very, very much did not; I’m not sure how much the conceit was real or for show, but it doesn’t much matter in comparison now). Peaks: 6’1”, Soap Star Joe, Explain It To Me Pits: Glory, Canary, Stratford-on-Guy, Shatter
This is pretty wild for 93 it gives me Courtney Barnett vibes
Guys
I actually listened to this album not that long ago. I don't really find myself getting into Liz Phair at all. A few of the songs are really good, but I'm not the target audience for this. 2/5.
Promising, but overall bland
Such a great record. Great, Stonesy guitar licks. Perfect 90s slacker attitude and delivery. Self-effacing, honest, funny, and sometimes shockingly vulgar lyrics. It all comes together in a terrific indie rock package.
first listen i like the rawness of it
I had often heard of but never heard Liz Phair. Her voice isn't perfect but it is a perfect fit for her lyrics, raw and powerful. I listened to this one three times, trying to get the feeling and meaning, and it was worthwhile.
not keen
For as much 90s indie that I’ve listened to, I really should have listened to Exile in Guyville much sooner. Very solid indie rock album. It has the potential to be bumped up to 5 stars on repeat listens
Does it make me a bad woman/feminist that I didn't really care for this album? If I had more time I might give it another listen, but I've got a new album to listen to today so it probably won't happen.
Such a seminal album that hit the Chicago music scene in my era.
Very whiny voice without great music either.
Woman. Walkman. Coffee shop. Seattle. Doesn’t know she’s a lesbian yet.
I know she was huge and won grammys and all but this album sounds amateur and sloppy. Album closer was really grating in particular.
The songs are meh, feels like she is kind of a monotonous singer and the hooks aren’t memorable, tries to squeeze a lot of density into each song but it then just feels disorienting. Whatever 1993 moment this arrived in, i guess you had to be there. Mostly indifferent more than hate, also i didn’t finish it so I’ll give a 2 because i liked some of the guitar tones.
Repeat listen
I'm kind of surprised that I've never heard of her before, she had some fun songs
enjoyed this. The early nineties American indie rock sound in a can. A slightly shortage over 18 tracks of memorable tunes, but a solid 3.
LOVE LizPhair!! Loved her so much when she came out, everyone was floored bc she was (kind of) matching Exile on Main st track for track and laid a strong feminist backbone in indie rock. This record for me is clever, cheeky, fun, funny and still so much fun to listen to. This was her debut! Hopefully Whipsmart will show up on this list too, it also kicks a**. Heartfelt 4.5-5 for Guyville
Uninspiring musically. Dull droning vocals. I find her annoyingly vulgar and tries too hard to be edgy.
This was good, but not as much as I remember back in the day.
Hell yeah. Is there a more 90s album on this list? Or one that touches more musical to chat nes of the era - a little lofi, a little Lilith/riot girl, a little straight "alternative". It works because the songs are great. Hooks abound. The fanciful bits of production all work. Ultimately - this album feels full of life.
It was ok
1.5
intense. in a style i can only describe as courtney love meets tori amos. good album.
Starts off as a complete 5/5 classic, but the back half wasn't quite as strong IMO. Still a solid album and I can understand while it is so historically lauded. 4.5/5
Not really my thing but I felt it growing on me through my second listen and added a decent number of songs. Putting 4 cuz I think it’ll grow to a 4 and I don’t wanna regret.
Indie female 90’s rock
90’s light punk
Glad this album was suggested. I've never explored Phair's music before. Girl power all the way. Songs are paired down to the bare minimum using only her voice and a single instrument but they could easily be paired with a full band to produce a bombast. Good job Liz.
been meaning to listen to this for a while now, but turns out i actually don’t like it very much…. :(
Thoughts: 1. I should NOT have been listening to this when I was 13. 2. Liz Phair could’ve been an all-time icon if she hadn’t tried to become a pop star, bless her heart. She still has so much goodwill from this album, though. I feel like anyone who knows her knows her from this album and her failed pop career. No one knows her from her mini pop hit.
- estilo bem da época, até o tipo de composição e letra, meio grunge, folk e punk - tem músicas bem legais, mas no geral parece um lugar comum, talvez por ser um estilo saturado hoje em dia - foi lançado no auge do grunge então faz muito sentido pra época e provavelmente foi muito influente também
This is fine. Her voice isn’t great. Album is too long. 2.5 to 2.75.
She was great, one of the best in nineties. Love her naked covers
It was fine. Not my fav.
Its okay - nothing really stands out.
Honestly a pretty enjoyable album. Maybe not one that'll ever be in a discussion about the best albums ever, but definitely a solid album that's an enjoyable listen.
Kultni album koji meni nikad pa ni sad nije do kraja sjeo
This started off pretty good. It didn't really get bad but it's pretty long and just was too much by the end.
Liz iw what you want to be still in 2025
I can imagine some of these songs being in an indie movie. Sneering voice, monotonous tone. Sounds kinda like Barrett Wilbert Weed? I like the lyrics, makes you think.
The apathetic nonchalant pop punk feminist we all needed. Like Hole, but bearable. She had some rockers in here, some stripped down slow ones too. I thought the album was honest and catchy.
I kinda thought this was going to be some fairly stereotypical 90s riot grrl, which I don't have a problem with but it's a derivative sound. What I heard greatly surprised me.
I'll have to come back to this and give it more time. 3.5 rounded down for now.
Un disco interesante de indie rock que se caracteriza por tener unos riffs de guitarra poderosos y, en ciertas ocasiones, algo más pausados. Se nota que salió en los 90 por la fuerte influencia del rock alternativo y su excesiva duración en plena edad dorada del CD. 3/5
Liz Phair’s 𝘌𝘹𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘶𝘺𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦 doesn’t always live up to its towering reputation. Her voice may be unpolished, but that’s part of the indie ethos, and when the lo-fi edge hits, it works beautifully. Still, too much of the record drifts into generic territory, leaving only half of it truly compelling.
je ne suis pas le public cible décidemment
Quited liked this as a concept. It certainly makes you stop and think. Previous album was 'aftermath' by the stones. And with its misogynistic leanings this album seemed a timely antidote. Although musically it does not quite carry it off.
Dosta dobar album, jako raznovrsan, ima i bržih i sporijih pjesama. Puno zanimljivih melodija i ritmova, jako dobri instrumentali. Dobar glas, onako opušten, super za vibeanje
not used to listening to this type of music. felt old-school which was kinda cool. i added one song from it to my playlist as it had really nice music (Stratford-on-guy).
Restrained and raw. Fuck and Run is the easy standout for me. A bit long but easy to listen to.
I think Liz Phair is underrated. This is a witty and acerbic record like all of her work. The songs are stripped pretty far down and remain good rock and rollers. She deserves more credit but I don't think this is her best album so not perfect.
So she must have been a Lucinda Williams fan right? This album marries 90s alt rock well with Lucinda Williams like vocals and packs a punch. This is not a woman I’d ever want to be on the wrong side of. Album was a little long in my opinion but Liz Phair clearly had a lot to say! Personally I had a hard time hearing the connections to the Exile on Main St tracks she says she’s responding to.
I think the problem with this album is that it has aged very poorly. At the time I can well see how this would be seen as an ambitious, bold album in a genre dominated by men. 30 years later the lyrics read like an 'edgy' tumblr post of someone who discovered feminism 15 minutes ago. Shame as I was very curious about this one.
Listen one: I don’t get this. I want drums and dirtier mix and I think I would love it. It really is just missing something. Songwriting is good but it feels empty and is boring to me. Feeling a high two to a light three. Liam told me to try again. Listen two: it’s still not clicking. It’s better than I originally gave it credit for and I think lyrically this is phenomenal but there’s just something about it that I haven’t broken through yet. My best guess is that I want it to be louder and big bander than it is. My wife made a fair point that I would love this if it was Tom Waits and that is making me want to give it one more go. I’ll adjust the rating if it does it for me but I’m still feeling a high 3 on this.
Gotta listen to this alone in your bedroom a couple of times. This record is very intimate and I really like this one, it definitely influenced quite a bit of indie music after it like Car Seat Headrest and Soccer Mommy. There’s a ton of songs on here and I like just about every single one. Never Said is such a 90s song, love it and get why it’s the single, but it’s the combo of Fuck and Run and Girls! Girls! Girls! Right in the middle of the record that really does it for me. I’m gonna have to drop a 5 on this one, I know I’m going to keep coming back to this when I’m alone and no one can judge me. 5/5
3.5 stars
Just okay
One of the greatest records albums of the 90s, incredible song after incredible song. Liz rode an incredible wave of inspiration that populated her first three records with great songs, but most of the best ones are here. Everything after that is garbage and it honestly one of the most shocking drop offs of any artist I can think of. Anyway, she gets a free pass for this record alone. I guess if you weren’t around in the 90s, you can’t understand what this record meant to people and how revolutionary it was. Read a book, y’all
Not for me. "Indy" vocals are, in my opinion, generally terrible. This is just that. Crappy over-drive, 4 chord, guitar parts are what this is made out of. Won't listen again and wish I didn't this time.
Great album! The lo-fi vibe and sparse, unadorned guitar lines remind me of the Velvet Underground. (Even Liz's singing style is sometimes reminiscent of Lou Reed.) The album mixes punk grit with jangly indie rock, and the result is wonderful. I'm glad this is on the list and inspired me to re-listen. 4 stars.
A much deeper and darker version of Liz Phair than "Why Can't I?" - it didn't really stand out as anything special but it was enjoyable, mellow rock
This is a rare album that gets better as it goes on. It starts off very punk, but as it progresses, the lo-fi elements really come into play. A ton of female empowerment and reality from a woman's perspective that is really important even in situations relatively innocuous. Soap Star Joe - great song mocking the typical local idiots that think they're hot shit. Divorce Song - Great song about Shatter - wow, there's that lo-fi sound. Very entrancing. Flower - another great sound, really letting loose, basically objectifying some guy she wants to sleep with. It's funny how much this one sticks out but there are so many songs with rock stars saying the same type of stuff about young ladies. I'm fine with it, and think it's great to have a song that shows these thoughts go both ways sometimes. Expressing these inner thoughts is great. I'm a bit surprised with how uneasy I was during the first couple of tracks, and then how much I was enjoying it as it progressed. It's an hour long album and it was an awesome album with a lot of depth and nuance. Really stands on its own in terms of sound and expression. I can only imagine that many people try to compare this to No Doubt, but this album is much deeper and intricate than No Doubt, who is more of your proper punk band.
Had somehow never heard of her, although I do listen to stuff that was clearly influenced by her. Particularly enjoyed "6'1" and "Never Said"
I do NOT know how this make Rolling Stones Top 500? A what seems like an endless listing of tracks delivered in a dreary unwavering monotone without a single hook to be heard. It's like she tried to capture the magic of Jagged Little Pill but failed miserably. The only redeeming feature are the lyrics and if that's the only attraction you may as well read poetry instead.
Clever songwriting, pretty sarcastic. I feel like the lyrics would hit more if I were a woman, or at least someone interested in men. Yea I mean that was fine. Slacker rock just isn't really my thing.
A really wonderful, catchy, intimate record. Liz Phair doesn’t hold back. This is a very special album.
I've always wanted to listen to this album and wanted to do this right so I listened to Exile in Main St. before this album. Meh, not necessary, saw the lunk but oh boy, Liz Phair did great. Grungey album in which she says quite a few things women wants to say about scum men we find in the way. Although with Sabrina Carpenter in mainstream now, it might not feel so much of a shock factor. But it was a good album and made me realise the criticism when Liz release "why cantI" for romcoms in early 2000s. 4/5
This album cover used to frighten me when I was 12. I couldn't pronounce the name of the record back then. The combination of the words Exile and Guyville (which isn't even a word) clashed too harshly on my tongue. I didn't realize it was a rather explicit cover until years later, but here I am now. The only thing left to judge is the music and I have to say: I'm overall impressed. I read that Liz said that it was a direct response to The Stones' Exile On Main Street, and while I don't think it compares from direct track to track, the pacing feels similar. Maybe that's why I enjoy it. While it may not be explosive all the time, its relaxed lo-fi style takes clever shape. The real explosiveness is in the lyrics which ring honesty and humor alike. How did Matador have GBV, Pavement and Liz Phair at the same time? That's insane. Long Live Matador, this is great (8/10, 5/5 on this scale)
Terrible singing, bad instrumentals, generic sound on every song. Just a waste of an hour.
A lot of nostalgia for me here, which pushes this up to 4 stars. I owned all of Liz Phair's first four albums, and in truth I would only go back to 1 or 2 songs on each. And my huge teenage crush on her certainly played a role in my devotion. I probably don't need to listen to this all the way through again but thx for the memoreez.
Sure, probably worth listening to before I die.
I’m always going to support a woman who curses and talks about real issues women face in their every day life. Especially in the time it was. But the vocals are lazy, the mix is just OK, and most of the songs are uninteresting and don’t stand out on their own.
Очень такая сингер-сонграйтерская вещь, где я чувствую что Лиз Фэр именно больше сонграйтер, чем исполнитель. Она красиво бренчит на электрогитаре, словно на акустической, и в целом у альбома такой приятный саунд "подростковой драмы" из 90-х. Но вот сам вокал Лиз тут очень на любителя, по-моему, где её нарочито безэмоциональная вокальная подача (что порой идёт в яркий контраст с самоописанием как фри спирита в некоторых песнях) немного мешает мне полностью сконнектиться, но есть моменты, где она и работает (Divorce Song, например). И мини-вкрапления блюза тоже было приятно слышать, они определённо входят в музыкальные хайлайты альбома для меня. Интереснее всего в плане чисто музыки для меня будет трек Shatter, как самый мрачно звучащий на альбоме, он действительно выделяет оттуда прям. Ну и Never Said тоже понятно почему сделали синглом, раз уж даже я его опознал откуда-то из прошлого. Тем не менее, 18 треков на 56 минут это немножко ту мач, ближе к концу начал уже уставать немного. Любимые песни: Never Said Mesmerizing Divorce Song Shatter Johnny Sunshine Stratford-on-Guy Общий балл: 3/5
Not much to say about this one. It's not bad, but there really isn't anything that catches the ear. Next one please...
I honestly started to wonder why this album is on the list. The songs are boring, the sound is bad, and nothing about it caught my interest.
The album before this one was The Go-Go's "Beauty And The Beat" and I feel like the same pondering goes here; "I get that for journalists it's important to differentiate for the listener, but these labels have just grabbed so hard!" This is pop music from a singer/songwriter who decided to use electric guitar instead of acoustic, that's it. I mean "critical acclaim for its ability to combine indie rock and lo-fi music" for fux sakes! This sounds like another Sheryl Crow or K.D. Lang to me, no offense ment to either of these artists, this is just music I've absolutely no interest in. I mean Bob Dylan and all the rests of the Country/Folk cvnts can fvck right off too. I'm getting quite irate with this damn list of "music to hear before you die", it seems more and more it's about the sales achieved and not the music captured. I've said on multiple occasions that I don't care for lyrics, which means lots of these records have been utterly pointless exercises in literary examination and makes me feel like many music journalists concentrate on the text instead of the actual music. Vocals can be a strong instrument, while the contextual part of them doesn't have to mean a thing and still aurally important.
Not much of a singer
I read plenty about this at the time and wanted to check it ou but funds were short and I didn't know anyone to tape it off. Then time moves on and the moment passes. A shame because I would have really loved it. I like it plenty now. I don't understand the one star reviewer justifying their review with the statement: "It's like a teenage girl singing her inner monologue."
Pretty good. Not totally into it, but the music is still really good. Seems like it deserves more than a 3.
quite literally made my ears bleed😍 seriously wth is this it feels like the album of a 14 year old girl in her emo phase that her daddy paid to release bc it is absolutely dreadful
Didn’t really liked the album
3.6 I'll preface this by saying if I was a teenage girl in the early 90s I reckon I would have been *obsessed*. But I am not and I wasn't. One of those albums where I had to go back and relisten after reading up on it after first run-through. Obviously I was missing something. And I think was, but only a bit. I think the vocals are quite weak, but they're not disimilar to other lo-fi/punk bands that I like, so maybe I'm being too harsh. The run time goes on far too long, but on the flipside it's a response to album that also does. My score reflects it's importance, and the fact that it certainly deserves to be on this list. Musically it's no more than a 3*, but credit due where it's due.
A pretty fun listen. Liz Phair has a very engaging ability to tell a story or just let her emotions out. Apparently this is a song-for-song response to a Rolling Stones album?? Anyways I’m not sure what I like more, the very heartfelt ballads or the more humorous, edgy songs. You can kinda split them evenly into the two buckets. I think “Canary” is my favorite of the more serious songs, especially for its piano instrumental. “Flower” is my favorite of the more boisterous songs, I think Liz is leaning into the male fantasy projected onto her and singing these lyrics with some level of cynicism. Most of all, this whole project sounds like it was made in the early 2020’s and could land on any number of Spotify indie alt girl playlists. That’s the really impressive part! 3/5
Nah...
begon redelijk goed en dan puddinggewijs in elkaar gestort... gemiste kans
This is a 5 based on lyrics alone. She skewers so many subjects; the music business and misogyny in many forms. When I first heard this album, I was like hell yea, rock n roll for women! I wish it wasn’t still cutting edge, but we’re back to the Stepford Wives as a norm. She’s a voice I can relate to and hope she’s inspiring young women to be honest and gritty instead of fake and pretty!
2] Feminism, horrible vocals or plain out talking (Like modern lovers). Some melodies were nice, but bad lyrics killed it. +Mesmerizing +Glory
4 of the 21 songs were not available to hear. Didn't care for monotonal singing but I did like the song Divorce.
Gloomy and moody but didn't float my boat.
How is this so high on The Rolling Stones list?! I mean it’s not the worst thing I have ever heard but it is no where near the best either. It’s like if The Breeders were bored and ignored. The constant guitar riff that is consistently in like every song go annoying after like 3 songs. Her voice started to become like nails on chalk the longer it went on with how bored she sounds. I don’t know if it’s because she can’t sing or just genuinely didn’t want to make this album. I liked the song where she talks about being a blowjob queen and fucking dogs or some shit idk. 2/10
Buy on vinyl
Just so angsty and the singing is kinda annoying. Sounds like something a 12 year old would listen to and think it's deep. Its like a 90s version of Olivia Rodrigo.
My girl Liz can be as revolutionary as she wants but I cannot deal with this.
Not my jam
Better message than music
Not a big fan of this female singer songwriter style. And the whole bit about it being a response to Exile on Main Street makes it that much weaker.
Raw Power. Intimate. Vibe of early Nirvana (same time), so very innovative for the time. It would sit good with people in it's teens, 20s. Sadly, I discovered this now. I liked it, listened two times. Maybe will listen again. 3 stars Liz.
I wasn't really feeling this one. I was expecting more energy from her.
Simply a great album!
Suena a opera-rock. Claramente conceptual y tedioso a ratos. Es la equivalencia a la banda sonora de una pelicula de A24
Classic 90s alternative record. Never loved it but don’t hate it.
Disturbing lyrics. Her other stuff was better.
Nope
I think this album might be the one that needed the most listenings before I could write a review. Being a slacker rock record, the first listening felt a bit stale and flat, but with more and more listenings, I started to understand it and liking it. Liz Phair may not be an incredible singer that do crazy things with her voice, but she has a great attitude, a pleasent vocal timbre, and most importantly, she has a lot to say, telling her experiences and stories through the lyrics of the songs. In terms of instrumentation, being slacker rock, they don't do anything very fancy, giving the singer all the prominence. But they do have enough variation to not make all the songs feel like they are the same. A great example would be 'Canary', which instead of guitars, bass and drums, only features a piano that gives the song a great and deep atmosphere. I'm glad I gave this project these many tries. If I didn't, I would have given it a 3 stars, call it bland and call it a day, missing a lot of what the tracks have to offer. Now, I'm giving it 4 stars.
I've heard this one many times over the years. It has some good moments and some not so good. Her voice is not great and the musicianship is average, but there are definitely some sharp lyrics.
I didn’t like/understand this record growing up but now I cannot deny its impact and greatness.
I’ve heard of Liz Phair before but never heard her stuff. I hated it at first, ready to move on and give it a 2. I have it another listen while on a walk and I got it. I can hear the influence it had on Sheryl Crow’s best album (the self-titled one) This album could have been half the length and been better.
The concept is better than the product. The monotonous flat vocals make this album a drag.
I was kinda busy in 1993, and missed this. But I do remember the wave of new female artists in the 90s, with an edge in their voice, taking over airwaves and CD sales. Liz Phair was at the front of this pack. It's a great album. If you were to hear just one song, perhaps a hit such as "Never Again," it sounds GOOD. But the real strength is in how her lo-fi-yet-energetic sound is carried over an entire album with a variety of moods. The sum is greater than the parts. There are enough songs to make it a bit uneven. Whether by sound or subject matter, I can't buy into everything. But having missed this 30 some years ago, songs like "Never Said," "Explain it To Me," "Mesmerizing," and many more are worth the return. "F** and Run," with its provocative (and even misdirecting) title, is really a heartfelt song lamenting the "state of affairs" in her life. Songs like "Johnny Sunshine" and "Gunshy" are experimental and hypnotic, pulled off well, as the album closes.
This album surprised me. I had heard of Liz Phair, but back in the 90s access was still a big issue. As a result, I don't believe I ever heard this album. The sound and production value are great, and Liz's songwriting is tight, playful, and confrontational in a very accessible way. Obviously, she was taking on big issues, but the music doesn't come across as a string of complaints. Really good writing and execution.
Love!
“I want all that stupid old shit/like letters and sodas.” It's like having an extremely candid conversation with a close friend. Her writing is sharp, honest, often funny, sometimes truly heart wrenching. And what an ear for melody. The track list is long but it's absolutely stacked. It's been a minute since I listened to this one, but I'm as taken with it as I was the first time. Thanks Liz.
I like this album. Now that I listen to it, I can understand why everyone was so angry with her mainstream swing. The differences are night and day, and she's so much more interesting this way.
Chicago
Not sure where the lofi is but very good.
She's scrappy.
Too lo-fi for my tastes but I can respect it
I think this is a case of coming to an album at the wrong time (wrong era in history, wrong phase of life, both?). Exile in Guyville is an iconic indie record I always heard about but never listened to til now. Unfortunately, my first introduction to Liz Phair was her very bland 2003 single Why Can’t I? It used to play on heavy rotation at the cafe I worked at in high school and I wasn’t impressed. I knew she had a past as a cool indie chick but I never bothered to dig deeper. Now that I have… it’s ok. It has an appealing lo-fi sound and I can understand why this was so formative and influential. I preferred the album when I wasn’t listening to the lyrics. I’m glad people feel seen by her particular brand of confessional frankness. Her experiences don’t really resonate with me, but I get that this can be very personal to people. I think at the time it must have been exciting and important to hear a woman sing with such raw honesty about sex and relationships.
A tiny part of me wishes I was in a place where I could better understand this album... but the rest of me is quite glad that I'm not. You can feel the anger and bitterness and frustration on ever single song of this record. If you were in that state of mind as a listener, I bet it would be very cathartic and validating... but i'm just not in that place right now. I get it from a distance... Men are trash and dating is fucking awful. Hard to disagree with that. But I don't feel in it in the way she is feeling it and that leaves me feeling disconnected from the album. I really respect how personal and direct and specific the lyrics on these songs are. It feels like I'm reading her diary. I can also image how wild this would have been in 93 to hear a woman being so blunt and honest about dating and sex. I bet without this album, there's no Jagged little pill. Hard not to see this as an influence on Alannis. And really this thing influenced a shit ton of female singer songwriters. I hear this in mitski and many more, which is really cool. An issue i have with the album, separate from my disconnect, is it's a bit long and instrumentally monotonous? The lyrics are the star here, i get that. But i find the instrumentals often very similar. And the production has that shiny REM alt rock vibe that lacks grit - i'm not a fan of it. I don't think this would bother me at all if i was more connected with the storytelling. I do think though she coulda cut a few tracks... 14 woulda been enough. Overall... this lands at about a 2.5. I respect it, but i don't connect with it strongly. I'm probably going to round down because ultimately it's just not for me. Songs I liked.... Fuck and Run - heck of a refrain, great alt rock track Flowers - graphic minimalist acapella track - very interesting Canary - bleak little piano song, i dig it - a good change of pace Soap Star Joe - good little bitter driving rock track
Kinda boring and not particularly good, one might even call it bad actually
Felt like going to a Highschool’s musical on day 2 when the B team was singing.
If this was released today, it would 100% be recommended to me by Spotify in the release radar.
Eh
So this is what it would have sounded like if my high school garage band made it.
Not very enjoyable
This is the 159th album I’m rating. One of the best album names of all time up there with Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. By the way I just listened to Pictures at an Exhibition and it wasn't as good as Pictures at an Exhibition but it was still good. Adding to my Playlist - 6'1", Help me, Mary, Glory, Dance of the Seven Veils, Never Said, Soap Star Joe, Explain it to me, Canary, Mesmerizing, Fuck and Run, Girls! Girls! Girls!, Divorce Song, Shatter, Flower, Johnny Sunshine, Gunshy, Stratford-on-Guy, and Strange Loop?. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. 6'1" - I am very disappointed. I saw this was the 56th best album of all time and I was expecting more. Also, I just now realized she's naked. Nevermind I just relistened to it and I’ll add it. Help me, Mary - Sounds like Lucinda Williams but a little worse. Flower - This is fantastic. One of the best songs I’ve heard in a while. Johnny Sunshine - This song is great too. The end of this album is great. Gunshy - Great song after great song. All in all I liked 18/18 songs. Felt like the Ramones in the way that it was good in an annoying way mainly from the voice.
So when I first started the album I didn’t care for it. The first for songs I found told me be grating and I didn’t enjoy Liz’s voice. What slowly started to win me over was the guitar playing. She must be like a prodigy or a virtuoso cause that’s the real highlight for me is how good the guitar playing is. I still struggled with a vast majority of the album cause this is a packed album with 18 songs. The two that really blew me away though and earned my respect was “Shatter” “flower” and “Johnny sunshine”. I think those three songs were my favorite on the album and flower especially is super weird and fun sonically. I don’t think that this album is really for me even though I found things I liked. But that being said Liz is super talented and I’d be excited to see another of her albums come up on this list.
I've always enjoyed this record even if it's made to feel important rather than good, there are too many good to great tracks on this to not like it I just think the talk about it can be exhausting, just listen and enjoy.
I loved this!
I would definitely listen to this in exile
I wanted to like this album but I just couldn't grasp my head around it. Every song was painful; I wanted to slit my wrists.
Not for me
This started out ok as she kind of reminded me of like Edie Brickell a little, then it went off the rails hence the score.
Not the best not the worst. She fits right in the middle.
I can appreciate the lyrics and what she’s trying to do with them. But that’s it. The stripped down, intimate feel for this album made it more painful cause it just spotlighted her voice even more. I do not like her voice. No me gusta. Bleh. Also it’s almost an hour, that’s just not necessary.
now I remember why I never listened to Liz Phair. enjoy her guitar & music, but her vocals & lyrics don't do anything for me. I'll take another pass
I've really only heard "Why Can't I" from Liz Phair, so I didn't know what to expect from a full record. And I certainly didn't expect such a strong, DIY indie record! With hardly any drums! And such sharp lyricism! Yeah this really took me by surprise in the best way, I thoroughly enjoyed the minimal instruments. And Phair's guitar playing was especially impressive. She adds so much texture and detail to the simplest progressions, and the stripped-back arrangements help that extra dimensionality shine. This rocked, but not entirely out loud.
This was not as bad as I was expecting it to be.
Did not connect with this album at all. I kept almost getting into a groove, then something off about the songs would hit and I was left unsatisfied. As if there's one part that's out of tune or sounds wrong in every song. Very unfinished
Cool instrumentals but bland vocals. Some songs are unique and have energy but many were the same monotonous slur of words. 6.5/10
Starts off with pretty standard indie coffeehouse rage girl songs. Not terrible, but I've heard thousands of these songs growing up in Northern California. It gets better, but I dunno, I'm not sure how this album constantly gets rated as one of the best albums of the 90's or even on top 500 albums of all time lists. *shrug* Guess it's just not appealing to me. 2.53/5 stars = 3 stars.
Interesting enough, but not really my style. Sort of a extra musical slam poetry album.
New artist new album first listen for me. Nice one!
6/10 Pretty good, actually. But 15mins too long - why is it so hard for artists to know when to stop? Enjoyed the lofi-ness of it all, although feels a little dated now. Lyrically, pfft, don't know - I can't really relate.
Cool.
Phew I was able to make it through this entire album. I was surprised that every song in this album sounded off tune, along with the prostitution sounding lyrics, I have no idea how this was approved. No wonder the cover was basically a half-naked person.
At first, Liz's monotonous delivery and sparse instrumentals suggest a snoozy record; however once the record picks up steam, this facade soon fades. Beneath the droll tone, Liz provides energetic, clever, and direct lyrics with wonderful backing that makes the overall record incredibly enjoyable. The influence is incredibly visible on indie even 30 plus years later
This album could've seriously been a prompt. I don't know if im missing the point here, maybe the reason this sounds so generic and uninspired to me is because this is the epitome of this style of music and every other rendition I've heard is just more of the same.. anyways, this was painful to listen to.
People love this album, but I am just not its demographic. It's very sexually charged from the young female perspective and the music isn't good enough to extend the olive branch for me to want to listen to this view point for kore than a couple songs. I just find most of the GenX music rock pretty boring. I'll probably add 6'1" to my list, it's the song I most recognized and enjoyed.
Better than some, but mid AF.
At first it was nothing special to me but it kind of grew on me...
Whatever
Not bad for a first album. Not sure I'll be searching out any more though. Fair tunes, good lyrics. Vocal performance not the best. In fact she basically can't sing and has no cute idiosyncrasies to sweeten the pill. Sounds like she's smoked 40 Rothman's a day since she was 14. Liked it more on second listen. 3½
👍
low voice
3.1
beautifully crafted - wry, raw, provocative and powerful
I want to say something clever, like how groundbreaking the social commentary is or that the political incandescence of this album burns with the rage of a thousand stars... ...but I can't think of a better way to describe this record than "it's like eating dry bread. It's bland, and doesn't excite any of my senses, but sometimes I eat it anyway"
This was a great album. Will definitely be listening again. Had a really strong 90s grunge/indie sound to it.
I had never listened to a Liz Phair album all the way through, but it definitely influenced a lot of the music I listen to.
Missade detta 93, men det hade jag nog kunnat gilla tillsammans med Julianna Hatfield och Lemonheads
Fuck and Run, and Flowers were probably the best songs here on an otherwise meh album. Mid-2.
Gotta say, the opening vocals on here were among the worst I've heard in recent memory. But the album improved from there. This has a certain energy to it that can be seen in modern(ish) indie acts such as Soccer Mommy. While this is a rather long album, and it felt that way, I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than I expected (hence waiting so long to listen to it). I don't really have specifics to comment on, but I imagine I'll be back for more here. Really enjoyed the calm energy of Explain it to Me and Stratford-On-Guy. This is a low 4 for me.
Don't expect to like this very much. Canary felt like a Brian Eno Airport song -- really pretty. Didn't like this very much.
Her voice is terrible it sounds like she wants to be too cool for school and not try to sing. This album was annoying because there would be a couple songs in a row that were decent but then would be followed but completely awful songs. Was not a fan, keeps my streak of 2 stars going up to 6 in a row
This album randomly reminds me of early Blink-182. Not my favorite era but certainly not bad and the songs, while sounding a bit off, kinda work in a weird way. Flower is a fun one. She's got quite the mouth on her! Little too long for me to bump it up but its a meh 3.
This was certainly an album. Not unpleasant, enjoyable at times, but never became something great.
A bit bland, but alright. Nice 90's vibe
Some of the songs have some nice music but she's not a great singer. Other songs are slow and boring.
I wanted to like this but I just can’t. Too bad her later single ‘why can’t I’ wasn’t on this album!
im surprised i didn't stumble across this one sooner, with my penchant for sad girls. very interesting, very 90s. i didn't dislike it.
I'd give this 3.5 stars, personally, as I don't personally feel this album has stood the test of time. However, I admit I was never a fan of the sound of the 90's female alt-rock. I support the voice it was giving to women and the empowerment of its fans, but I have never liked the voices or the actual music. However, reading a lot of reviews about this album, I know it was powerful for a lot of people, and I can understand that and how the lyrics, that almost seem to me like they are used for shock value, would actually have been very significant at the time.
lyrics are so bad i cant even believe how this is so high rated. she writes like a b tier rapper
When Exile in Guyville landed in 1993, it hit like a dirty secret passed in a college dorm hallway—raw, unfiltered, and absolutely unafraid. Liz Phair didn’t just break the mold; she bulldozed through the indie rock boys’ club with lo-fi production, unvarnished guitar work, and lyrics that read like ripped diary pages soaked in sex, self-doubt, and defiance. Her monotone drawl—occasionally pierced by a flicker of vibrato—isn’t traditionally “good,” but it’s gripping in its honesty, like a voicemail you shouldn’t be hearing. The highlights are messy gems: “Glory” recalls early Elliott Smith in its haunted brevity, “Never Said” sounds like a grimy Sheryl Crow track with a killer hook, “Canary” slows things down with a fragile piano ballad, and “Gunshy” features her most tuneful singing. But it’s the more infamous cuts—“Dance of the Seven Veils,” where she drops the c-bomb twice over folky strumming; “F-ck and Run,” which might be charming until she sings “even when I was 12”; and “Flower,” which still shocks with its NSFW poetry—that mark Phair as a singular voice in '90s alt-rock. It’s not always comfortable listening, but that’s the point—this is an album that feels like slapping someone and hugging them in the same breath.
I’m mixed on a lot of 90s music and Liz Phair just isn’t my jam.
3/5
In my mind, this is the quintessential fem-slacker album. At first listen, 20 stripped down mid-tempo tracks could come off as boring, but over time the subtleties of each track (and, especially the lyrics) grow on you.
Its hard to judge this one based on what it was in 1993. Overall this is just alright. Nothing I need to listen to before I die. Its fine.
Rocking good songs
ok. not my taste and her voice seems almost intentionally off-key in some songs
2.5 - decent but got a little too samey
I love this album. One of the best.
Yep, this one definitely lives up to the hype. Love it!
Her vocals are incredible. Very unique. The sound of the music is typical to basic rock but her voice makes them stand out amongst all the female singers from the same genre.
Too long for my taste.
Just couldn’t get into this.
Dont get it, never thought she was more than meh
More "woman-as-a-relational-object" 90's feminism. Some interesting songwriting hamstrung by content; extremely funny to hear Liz Phair say "I just want your fresh young jimmy / Jamming, slamming, ramming in me"
I don't think I'm the target audience here
It’s lo-fi, raw, and very, very early ‘90s sounding. There’s clearly a clever, confident, and disaffected voice here, but it feels more observational than emotional. Nothing wrong with it, just a very well-executed shrug. Spins: 1 Playlist Additoins: - Never Said - Fuck And Run
Overly repetitive but a couple good songs
I didn't know much about Liz Phair going in but I enjoyed this. This album stood out, which is impressive because a lot of great alternative albums came out in the 90's. I was surprised to see this didn't particularly well during it's release, although it's impact seems to still be potent.
The story about the album is more interesting than the content itself. An album that is written in response of a Rolling Stones album that dares to be sexual and bold? I wish it had more variety 3/5 https://youtube.com/shorts/ZJITQY2EHNU
I really wanted to like this but there wasn't anything that really stood out. No bad tracks, but no really good tracks.
9/10 Pretty taken aback by the year this came out, 1993 and it still feels extremely modern
Never Said slaps, I like the vibes in general
This wasn't what I expected at all; I thought it would be indie folk-ish, but turned out to be grungier and rawer than I expected - that's a good thing - this was a great listen. My only minor complaint would be that I felt the album could afford to be a little shorter.
Another album that I liked but didn’t find any song that I loved. Wouldn’t mind if someone put this on but I’d never seek it out. 3/5
I dug it - the early 90s indie-rock vibes are solid, and the songs are all well written and some are pretty funny/insightful - especially the apparently eternal truths about men and women dating ("Fuck and Run" seemed oddly relevant even though it was written in a pre-dating app world).
very surprised to know i already knew one of her songs. great album, really enjoyed the overall vibe. my favorite ones were: 6'1", Dance of the Seven Veils and Johnny Sunshine
Meh
I knew Liz Phair was involved in Lilith Fair and for some reason I’d imagined she was some willowy sensitive singer-songwriter Reader, I was not correct! This was a great scuzzy slap in the face of a record. Uncompromising lyrics, some lo fi guitar, good stuff!
She had me at “Fuck and Run”.
Some good songs but her voice grates me a lot
Прикольно, вокал приятный, мотивы не слишком скучные, хотя я особо не вслушиваясь в текст и слушаю на фоне. Весь альбом не прослушала
immediately thought of courtney barnett
Liz wants to be your blowjob queen and fuck you till your dick turns blue but she is absolutely not here for your shit.
Greit nok I guess
The debut is not as snarly or speedy as I imagined it would be. More of that comes on the second album. But Exile’s wit and attitude are diamond-sharp, and “Fuck and Run” and “Divorce Song” are still savage enough to make me suck in my breath with a wince. She’s fun. That voice like “molten tar glurping out of a drum with evil on its mind.” (Douglas Adams) A little scary.
Doesn't do enough for me to want to listen to it again, but doesn't put me off enough to give it any lower than 3.
At first I was like... Eh... Than I was like... Oh? And then it was all like yesssiirrr... But then it crept back into suurree... Over all some absolute gems. 3.5
Really cool idea for an album. While it was fun to listen to I can't say I'm wanting to listen to it again right away. Never heard of Liz but I have mad respect and I love discovering these things through my ignorance of them.
Wow, a new-to-me first listen five star. The balance between the angry lyrics and disaffected delivery is perfect.
This was disappointing. Nothing struck me as interesting. Couple of songs kinda rocked but not impressed. Expected more. Perhaps it’s the “shocking” lyrics that got her noticed as well as the nipple on the cover. So edgy.
I actually liked this. I almost did 4 stars
Exile in Guyville didn’t start off great. Not digging the vocals. This same thought carried through song 4. I do like Never Said. Where was this same energy in the first four songs? The songs directly after Never Said were more tolerable. Well, until Canary. Lost me again. I get Liz Phair is trying to do this sparse type sound but it’s just not working for me. This sounds like a demo tape and not actual sussed out material. I’m just perplexed by this album. The only song I like is Never Said. The rest of it is extremely forgettable and, quite frankly, annoying. I want this listening experience banished out of my head. This is a 1 rating. 1/5
It was ok. Not a big fan of bands like Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail and Lucy Dacus to name a few but Liz Phair has obviously inspired lots of these current bands. For me this album is a 2.5 but giving it a three because it will most likely get better with more spins.
Sometimes, listening to the albums the algorithm deems worthy of my time, I stumble upon a work so interesting that it makes me wish I was alive or at least of discerning age to fully appreciate it in its year of release but then I think that if that were the case I'd be old as shit or at least a few years older and that I don't like. Anyway, this is a cool album.
Absolutely loved this, definitely a new favourite album. Highlights for me were, ‘Canary’ and ‘Strange Loop’
Not too memorable for me.
Is it just me or she out of tune?
The music started good. Then she started to sing and things went south. She sings off key and out of tone.
Liz Phair has a lot to say about things I have no perspective on, being male, old and nit American. So instead I mildly vibed to her low fi indie noodlings. It was ok.
This is peak 1993 American grunge/lo-fi. You can tell where subsequent acts like Snail Mail, boygenius, and Courtney Barnett got their inspiration. Courtney Love pilfered a lot as did more slick acts like Alanis Morrisette and even Sheryl Crow. But that doesn't mean that I liked this album. It's of its time and place, and that makes it an interesting and groundbreaking album. It's a historical curiosity. Glad I listened but never again.
AN enjoyable first listen, need to listen again really to give it a 4.
Intense, definitely has an "indie" sound. I've never understood the love for this record, thouggh."Fuck and Run," "Never Said," and "Canary" stand out. The whole thing is clever and hass a very cool basement-dwelling lofi sonic quality. Dismal though, there's no relief. It's all awash in disappointment bitterness and existential dread.
Meh.
Liz Phair is one of those artists who can never seem to top their debut, let alone match it, in terms of either sales or critical acclaim. it's a statement so confrontational that it seemed to have the unintentional effect of pigeonholing Phair to a place she never had any business being pigeonholed to, culminating in her dismal self-titled album where she was being marketed as an alternative to Avril Lavigne, a far cry from the musical and emotional maturity displayed here on her debut. most of the ink spilled over Guyville concerns its famously crass and sexual lyricism, which is obviously a big selling point, but the music itself points heavily towards the future of alternative and indie rock, especially of the female-fronted variety. this definitely puts the music of your Mitskis and Lucy Dacuses into a clearer context! I'll definitely be returning to this to really get a fuller picture of just what Phair is talking about on each of these 18(!) songs; it's a lot to sift through, especially on a first listen, but I'd happily listen to this quite a few more times. light 8/10.
Ei kolahda, en ymmärrä.
Pretty good and very consistent, would listen again. Favorite track: probably "Never Said"
A little annoying at times, but not bad overall.
Knew her name, but this album was a discovery for more - favourite some was Mesmerising - but will come back for others too
TIL Phair wrote the album as a track-by-track response to Exile On Main Street.
It sounds interesting, kind of a mix between folk and grunge, like a mix between hole and Joan Baez, sounds kind of like a watered down Alanis Morrisette, just not my cup of tea. Sounds a bit too repetitive and lacks innovation
This one sucked in my opinion. Like the music itself was fine but her voice is awful she’s always flat I really didn’t enjoy this
Debut album. Indie / Lo Fi / Grunge. Not a fan of her voice. Clanky music. Poor production. Some good lyrics but also some awful too. Explain It To Me is terrible with a grating sound. Girls! Girls! Girls! Awful monotonous bilge. Tracy Chapman did female angst so much better. No redeeming track on this album. The one and only time I'll ever listen.
Liz Phair’s 1993 debut, *Exile in Guyville*, stands as a landmark release and remains one of the definitive blueprints for what a female rock album should sound like, delivering a raw, conversational, and unapologetically honest perspective on sex, relationships, and power dynamics. The album's lo-fi grit, casual swagger, and deeply intimate lyrical content—a direct response to The Rolling Stones’ *Exile on Main St.*—established a new standard for authentic, guitar-driven songwriting that prioritized wit and vulnerability over polished commercial sheen.
Not bad
Musically really good, but unfortunately it was ruined by liz chair inability to sing.
Is she singing off-key? Lol. Or is it some 'singning-in-the-shower-or-yard' style that I didn't get? Looks like she wasn't even trying to sing something properly and with soul in it. Sounds a bit like bard/author music, and I usually like it, but not this time. It was really hard to listen even 5 tracks and there are 18. Very strange music, can't recommend.
Take a trip to Guyville for the hookup culture
Solid, fun album - can see how it lays the groundwork for a lot of other 90s/2000s female artists. Liz Phair is a super talented songwriter; less great as a singer herself though. Enjoyed listening.
Absolutely dynamite! How have I never heard of her?
Cool to learn about Liz Phair - heard the name many times but hadn't heard any of this. The homage to Exile is cool too. Not really for me but did enjoy Soap Star Joe, reminded me the most of Exile.
I liked this pretty consistently throughout. Nice variation of song structure and dynamics. This type of melodic and confessional songwriting sometimes feel a little predictable musically but she surprised just enough to keep this feeling fresh throughout. On the whole, I compare this album favorably to others of its time. It more effectively and interestingly captures the ethos bands like pavement ere going for (loose vibe, disaffected attitude, edgy 90s slackerism) because the songs feel more intentional and also more personal. The raw emotion in her songwriting and voice makes it easier to connect to her on a human level. Plus pretty catchy. I especially liked glory, never said and dance of the seven veils and fuck and run. Album probably would have been better at 12 or so songs, but I think it was pretty consistently good (if maybe only great a few times)