From: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org (support-system-digest) To: support-system-digest@smoe.org Subject: support-system-digest V8 #134 Reply-To: support-system@smoe.org Sender: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk support-system-digest Thursday, October 13 2005 Volume 08 : Number 134 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [support-system] Somebody's Miracle reviews (Daily Iowan / Florida Times-Union) [Kenneth Lee Subject: [support-system] Somebody's Miracle reviews (Daily Iowan / Florida Times-Union) From The Daily Iowan: (http://www.dailyiowan.com/media/paper599/news/2005/10/12/Arts/PhairLy.Faking.It-1017417.shtml) Phair-ly faking it CD review - Liz Phair - "Somebody's Miracle" By Louis Virtel *1/2 out of **** Former indie-rock champion Liz Phair survived 2003's onslaught of disgust and confusion from both critics and fans for her self-titled fourth album, her infamous foray into TRL-style pop-rock. She insisted that her own artistic renaissance and comfortable stature as a single mother led her to creating the bouncier material, which would have been an acceptable reason if such singles as "Why Can't I" and "Extraordinary" didn't sound like glossy Michelle Branch throwaways. Two years later, Phair remains determined to play the top-40 game, and even if she can't make a single peak anywhere near 40, she will amp up those guitars, get that nose job, and strain relentlessly to hit high notes. In other words, she is going to continue to record her identity crisis at any expense and pass it off as creative soul-searching. "Somebody's Miracle", released Oct. 4, chronicles the second chapter of the identity crisis, this time pitched at a more adult contemporary crowd. The album is awash in revved instrumentation polished to a bland, uninspired finish. Starting with "Leap of Innocence", a track drenched with trite lyrics ("I wanted you to know that I feel bad / for not making our dreams come true / We had so many dreams, me and you") and ending with the equally trite "Giving It All to You", her wilting voice wafts into the land-mine subtlety of scrubbed guitars and drum loops that pack more boom than 11 of her voices. Phair's prior album at least offered personality to soften the blow (whether or not that personality was a marketed calculation) and a frankness reminiscent of "Exile in Guyville", her watershed 1993 debut album. Twelve years out of Guyville and two years into a "Desperate Housewives" version of suburbia, her frankness takes a back seat to banal sentimentalism, exemplified on tracks on which she coos you can "Count on My Love" and similarly get "Lost Tonight" with her. Lost we are. It's not hard to imagine that early in her career, when dejected candor was the name of the game, she would have mocked the artificiality of her current persona. And artificial remains the best word to describe the sheen of her current work, whether it be in the po-faced cuteness of "Everything to Me" or the wanton whimsicality of "Somebody's Miracle". There's catchiness, but despite the grand sound of it all, it's pretty forgettable and more than a little disappointing. Phair redeems herself in fleeting moments where that deadpan sarcasm whips back into her lyrics, namely in "Got My Own Thing" ("I'd love to help / Give you enough rope to hang yourself / And I hope you're swinging this way too") and in a telling line during "Stars and Planets" where she snaps, "You're in a fashion-entertainment affiliated / Listener-rated / Pamplona race to see who / Makes it to the Grammys." And there it is, the concession that she acknowledges herself as a runner in a madcap race for mainstream recognition and not much else. "Somebody's Miracle" stings as another lesson that Phair's best work happens when she lets her sardonic snarl make its own waves without the distraction of overbearing instrumentation. The scattershot wit on "Somebody's Miracle" stands as evidence that she plans to keep at least some part of the savvy wickedness of her former self. At this point, any part of that self acts as a beacon of hope for the bleak outlook of her fate as a viable artist. ***** From The Florida Times-Union: (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100505/lif_19946492.shtml) By JEFF VRABEL, The Times-Union Liz Phair continues gleefully indulging herself in shameless Avril-pop on "Somebody's Miracle" (0 stars). Like its startling self-titled predecessor, which kicked off that tiresome credibility debate, it's OK and quickly forgettable. - -Ken kenmlee@ix.netcom.com MeSmErIzInG - AnOtHeR LiZ PhAiR WeBsItE http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 11:52:18 -0500 From: "Michael Kaufmann" Subject: [support-system] Re: support-system-digest V8 #133 I'm glad a lister finally piped into to these "professional" opinions. They all sound like they read the earlier reviewers in order to form their views. I'm with Chris. Most don't hear what's going on and the fact that Liz is finding a way to marry her quirkiness to pop format. Maybe not as successfully as everyone would like, but much better than she had in the previous LP cd. Notice she didn't even have to split herself into a subrosa download (as with comeandgetit) to still offer something for the diehards. She's put our offerings on the actual cd this time (and the download is merely a marketing tool--annoying and wrong but not as annoying and wrong as forcing most everything underground as in the last). Not that everything's perfect (the titles seem awfully tame), but it's closer to what might work for everyone (fans, music execs, liz, etc.). Lost Dreamer, Leap of Innocence, and Closer to You are all strong (even prime) Liz. "I saw John.." is a typical liz opening, as is her retailing about her highliving past. What's different here is a more muted response of middle age to the waste entailed by the fun of the past--it was fun but it doesn't last ("just like love in CA" ouch). I think the wiser and sadder view is part of what sours the reviewers. She's not that wild child anymore and the songs reflect it--though here she mourns herself for it, wanting some of that spirit back so she can make a new "leap of innocence." The other (and probably more deadly in reviewing terms) aspect that comes out is a more open sentimental vein. In the past she's always veiled that with a bitter toughness--as in Fuck and Run, which sings of the male carelessness but wishes for "sodas and letters and all that old shit" (or however it goes). Now she's just hoping for that openly in "somebody's miracle," obviously wishing for a miracle of her own (and not just of the pop princess variety as all the reviewers delight in twisting it as). "Lazy Dreamer" sounds like another version of "redlight fever," here sounding more like a reluctant friend than lover, still stuck at the light. Closer to You is the clear winner. Pure liz--but in her new incarnation. I also hear reminiscences of past production at time as well, and think overall she's been better able to tell her producers what she should sound like (or they've been better at it or whatever). I hear snatches of cinco de mayo at times, bits from divorce song, something from big tall man. I can't recall now which songs brought those to mind--maybe "lost tonight"--but in any case I well pleased, much more than I figured when hearing the clips initially offered. And for the first time in awhile I'm ready to hear what she might come up with next. MIke >>C. DeLisle Wrote: Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 11:45:36 -0400 From: "Chris DeLisle" Subject: [support-system] review(s) and thoughts on "Somebody's Miracle" it's hard to stomach all of these reviews. i don't believe a word in much of any of them. first, my two criticisms: 1) they didn't get the first single right...again. 3rd record in a row. i would have chosen "Giving It All To You." 2) "Leap Of Innocence" isn't the best song to lead the record off with. i would have started off with "Stars And Planets" or "Why I Lie." i think "Giving It All To You" could also have been a good opener, but it's a better closer. now, everything i think is great about the record. 1) "Giving It All To You" is a great pop song through and through. i don't understand how you can't enjoy this song. 2) "Why I Lie" is like the daughter of "Never Said." there's a link there, from the Stonesy sound to the coyness of the lyrics. 3) "Count On My Love" has, possibly, the most joyous refrain that Liz has ever come up with. that also wouldn't have been a poor choice for a single. 4) the trio of ballads ~ "Everything To Me," "Closer To You" and "Why I Lie" ~ sound like they were written in a similar vein to the COMEANDGETIT EP's "Fine Again." it sounds like a singer-songwriter ballad from the early 70's. Rod Stewart should have covered them back then. (not now, of course, though.) 5) "Lost Tonight" has a keyboard part right outside of Tony Banks' repertoire (from Genesis). it sounds like it came out of one of their 1970's albums with Peter Gabriel. 6) i'm not necessarily a huge fan of the first half of "Wind And The Mountain" (not to say that it's terrible), but from 3:08 to the end of the song, it's some of her best music on the whole record. probably a good show closer. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 13:03:17 +1000 From: "Derek McGough" Subject: [support-system] Billboard Chart debut Hi there, "Somebody's Miracle" has entered the Billboard Top 200 at #46. "Liz Phair" and "Whip Smart" both peaked at #27 and "WCSE" topped out at #35. I don't have first week nuimbers sorry. After all the comparisons to her in reviews, I feel I should mention that Sheryl Crow's "Wildflower" is in the Top 10 after entering at #2 last week. "Everything To Me" is at #32 on the Adult Top 40 chart. Regards Derek ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 20:28:55 -0700 From: Kenneth Lee Subject: [support-system] Somebody's Miracle reviews (Smoky Mountain News / Richmond Times-Dispatch) From Smoky Mountain News: (http://www.smokymountainnews.com/issues/10_05/10_12_05/art_recdiv.html) Liz Phair | "Somebody's Miracle" Somewhere along the line Liz Phair grew up, resolved some personal issues and maybe even went to anger management classes - which kind of sucks, because she was always a reliable source of bitterness, providing a prime soundtrack for quick exits made following any given relationship's latest screaming match or silent episode of suffering. However, her transition and growth has hatched a personally unrivaled musicality. What was stripped down has become more radio-friendly and not necessarily in a bad way. It's catchy as all get out in a self-titled Sheryl Crow kind of way (not entirely a coincidence as Sheryl has worked out of the same Village Recording Studios where "Somebody's Miracle" came about). Particularly worth noting are Dino Meneghin's guitar work and tracks "Wind and the Mountain", "Why I Lie", and "Everything (Between Us)." ***** From The Richmond Times-Dispatch: (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767503096&path=!weekend!music&s=1045855936364) Liz Phair tries, but cohesiveness just isn't there BY MELISSA RUGGIERI TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Liz Phair Title: "Somebody's Miracle" Label: Capitol Highlights: "Everything To Me," "Why I Lie," "Giving It All To You" Grade: C+ Here's the thing about Liz Phair: She can't really sing, yet there is something strangely alluring about her. For many men, that allure might have something to do with her Valley Girl looks and ultra-short skirts. For everyone else, maybe it's her quirky phrasing or that she sings about pulling a bottle of vodka out of the wall and replacing it with Jim Beam and other odd diary ramblings. When she "went pop" with 2003's self-titled reinvention, Phair was slammed by most critics and longtime fans for seemingly abandoning the indie cred she established with 1993's debut, "Exile in Guyville". And so what if she did? What is the problem with wanting to be popular and successful in a mainstream market, or for that matter, being able to comfortably pay the mortgage for a few years? Not a thing. And songs such as "Extraordinary" and even the grossly overplayed soundtrack to every WB series, "Why Can't I", proved that Phair didn't ditch anything -- she just added some polish. Because that 2003 turning point was so well-crafted, it makes this, her fifth release, that much more of a disappointment. The first single, "Everything to Me", picks up where Sheryl Crow left her pulse, but, on the opening verses especially, you can practically hear the Auto-Tune scrambling to keep Phair in pitch. The rest of the album is a directionless collection of midtempo, guitar-focused pop with the occasional dollop of strings (courtesy of Beck's dad, David Campbell) and Phair's admittedly interesting lyrics. The exceptions to the doldrums are "Why I Lie", a nifty Rolling Stones ripoff (ironic, considering Phair covers the band's "Mother's Little Helper" on the "Desperate Housewives" soundtrack), and the pert album closer, "Giving It All To You." Why this one wasn't bumped up the track listing is a mystery -- surely many listeners will have tired of the album before reaching its end. It's too bad Phair couldn't sustain the cohesiveness of her last effort, but as long as she continues to look like a hot divorcee, she'll always have a fan club. - -Ken kenmlee@ix.netcom.com MeSmErIzInG - AnOtHeR LiZ PhAiR WeBsItE http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/ ------------------------------ End of support-system-digest V8 #134 ************************************