Liz Phair (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Liz Phair
Type = Album
Artist = Liz Phair


Released = June 24 2003
Recorded =
Genre = Pop rock
Length = 50:14
Label = Capitol
CDP 7243 5 22084 0 1
Producer = The Matrix
Michael Penn
Liz Phair
R. Walt Vincent
Reviews =
*"Allmusic" Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3zeyxd0b4ola~T1 link]
*Pitchfork (0.0/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/20833/Liz_Phair_Liz_Phair 06/25/03]
*Robert Christgau (A) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=818&name=Liz+Phair link]
*"Slant Magazine" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=303 link]
Last album = "whitechocolate
spaceegg"
(1998)
This album = "Liz Phair"
(2003)
Next album = "Comeandgetit"
(2003) |

"Liz Phair" is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Liz Phair, released June 24, 2003. "Why Can't I?" and "Extraordinary" were released as singles. Phair began production on the album with Michael Penn, but some of his work was scrapped for that of songwriting hitmakers The Matrix, who contributed four tracks. With this album, Phair appeared to be making a bid for commercial success, but its sales (about 429,000 copies) were similar to that of its predecessors.

Production

Initially, Phair worked on tracks for the album with songwriter Michael Penn as the producer, but the finished album received a lukewarm reception from Capitol, her label. Having already exhausted the recording budget, label president Andy Slater offered Phair more money to record if Phair agreed to work on possible singles with the production team known as The Matrix. The Matrix was known primarily for producing glossy hits for pop and rock singers such as Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, and Hilary Duff. Phair ultimately collaborated with The Matrix on four songs: "Why Can't I?", "Extraordinary", "Favorite", and "Rock Me".

Critical reception

Though her eponymous album took her higher in the charts than she had ever been previously, and introduced her to a mainstream audience for the first time, success brought about a strong backlash from critics and disappointed fans of her earlier work. Many decried her for "selling out", and she became a "piñata for critics." [David Carr, "The New York Times", August 2, 2005, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/arts/music/02phai.html] "The New York Times"' Meghan O'Rourke titled her review of the album "Liz Phair's Exile in Avril-ville", and complained that Phair "gushes like a teenager" and had "committed an embarrassing form of career suicide." [Meghan O'Rourke, "The New York Times", June 22, 2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/arts/music/22OROU.html]

Track listing

"All songs by Liz Phair, unless otherwise noted."

#"Extraordinary" (Phair, Christy, Edwards, Spock) – 3:25
#"Red Light Fever" (Phair, Clark) – 4:52
#"Why Can't I" (Phair, Christy, Edwards, Spock) – 3:28
#"It's Sweet" – 2:55
#"Rock Me" (Phair, Christy, Edwards, Spock) – 3:21
#"Take a Look" – 3:29
#"Little Digger" – 3:36
#"Firewalker" – 4:29
#"Favorite" (Phair, Christy, Edwards, Spock) – 3:24
#"Love/Hate" – 3:43
#"H.W.C." – 2:56
#"My Bionic Eyes" – 3:52
#"Friend of Mine" – 3:44
#"Good Love Never Dies" – 3:00

amples

Personnel

*Liz Phair - guitar, vocals, sampling
*Jebin Bruni - keyboards
*Mario Calire - drums
*Lenny Castro - percussion
*Matt Chamberlain - drums
*Alison Clark - background vocals
*Mike Elizondo - bass
*Victor Indrizzo - drums
*Corky James - guitar, bass
*Buddy Judge - guitar, electric guitar, background vocals
*Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums
*The Matrix - vocals
*Wendy Melvoin - bass, guitar
*Michael Penn - bass, guitar, background vocals, sampling
*John Sands - drums
*David Sutton - bass
*R. Walt Vincent - bass, guitar, harmonica, electric guitar, background vocals, Wurlitzer
*Patrick Warren - piano, keyboards
*The Wizardz of Oz - vocals
*Pete Yorn - guitar, drums

Production

*Producers: The Matrix, Michael Penn, R. Walt Vincent
*Engineers: Doug Boehm, Ryan Freeland, The Matrix, Michael Penn, R. Walt Vincent, Howard Willing
*Assistant engineer: Kevin Meeker
*Mixing: Serban Ghenea, Tom Lord-Alge
*Mastering: Ted Jensen, Eddy Schreyer
*Assistant: Mike Glines, Andrew Nast
*Arranger: The Matrix
*Drum Recordings: Krish Sharma
*Design: Eric Roinestad
*Art Direction: Eric Roinestad
*Photography: Phil Poynter

Charts

Album

Singles

References