From: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org (support-system-digest) To: support-system-digest@smoe.org Subject: support-system-digest V8 #160 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 Saturday, November 12 2005 Volume 08 : Number 160 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [support-system] fillmore show [Lani Rosen ] Re: [support-system] Liz at the Fillmore [Kenneth Lee Subject: [support-system] fillmore show I was at the fillmore too - do you guys who were there think it was extra short because her head was bothering her? I found it to be a really short show! also, she only played one new song - do you guys find that strange? to not even play the single thats out? one more thiing of note- she definitely did not follow the set list at all, she was calling songs to her band the entire night. and, she didn't introduce them either. I loved the show, but it left me wanting more!!!!! Lani ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:56:40 -0800 From: Kenneth Lee Subject: Re: [support-system] Liz at the Fillmore Emil Breton wrote: >Kenneth, have you nothing further to say about your >encounter with Liz? Did she freak out and run away? No, she stopped and chatted with me for a bit. >Did you shake hands? I heard a nasty rumor that Liz >has really big, gross man-claws, just like that >episode of Seinfeld. Care to dispel that? No, didn't shake her hand because they were holding some CDs I gave her. More on that some day. The conversation went like this: I introduced myself. She said she was glad to finally meet me and complimented me on Mesmerizing. An interview will be forthcoming. Katie wrote: >Oh! Do tell more! Any pictures?! ;) >I'm so happy for you! No pictures. - -Ken kenmlee@ix.netcom.com MeSmErIzInG - AnOtHeR LiZ PhAiR WeBsItE http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 22:26:41 -0500 From: Jase Subject: [support-system] Liz on A&E's Breakfast with the Arts Liz will be appearing on A&E's Breakfast with the Arts on Sunday morning. The show airs at 8:00 am. Cheers, Jase ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:31:07 -0800 From: Kenneth Lee Subject: [support-system] Somebody's Miracle review (UKMIX) From UKMIX: (http://www.ukmix.org/reviews/release.php?release_id=8687) Liz Phair "Somebody's Miracle" 4 stars Review by Lynx Liz Phair may never make another smart-sexy classic like "Exile in Guyville", but two years ago, when the former indie vixen took a shot at teen pop, lots of old-time devotees, especially those of the graying male variety, were apoplectic about her new direction. For starters, "Somebody's Miracle" reasserts Phair as a confident songwriter. Sure, there is a cheesy line or two ("Each frog has a prince that's waiting inside of him") that could have been written by an intern at her record label's headquarters, but for the most part, the songs are confessional and from the heart. Perhaps the biggest complaint about Liz Phair was that she teamed up with The Matrix (known for his work for Avril Lavigne) for songwriting partnership, which in turn produced the plain-as-bread "Why Can't I" and "Extraordinary". Neither were bad pop songs, but they left no room for imagination, something Phair has done so well in the past and has won over fans (see "Flower" and "Divorce Song"). On "Somebody's Miracle", it's Phair who is given writing credits for most of the tunes, and it's a relief. Her honesty is greatly appreciated and heartfelt on "Table For One" and "Closer To You", while the mainstream title track carries more weight than just another song you listen to on the radio. This may not be a timeless album that you'll keep going back to when you think about Liz Phair, but it signifies a point Phair's reached in her career - having fun and not caring about her past glories. - -Ken kenmlee@ix.netcom.com MeSmErIzInG - AnOtHeR LiZ PhAiR WeBsItE http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:48:30 -0800 From: Kenneth Lee Subject: [support-system] Somebody's Miracle review (AudioXposure) From AudioXposure: (http://www.audioxposure.com/artists/reviews/lizphair.htm) Liz Phair "Somebody's Miracle" Capitol Records AN OPEN LETTER FROM IRIS: As one of indie rock's most celebrated icons, Liz Phair has created a standard for herself that I'm sure she is struggling to live up to with her second pop album release. But I don't want this to be like every other review. I know her fans, both old and new, are going to have mixed feelings about "Somebody's Miracle", but for me, I applaud Ms. Phair. She has an album on a prestigious music magazine's list of best albums of all time, she tours despite being a mom, and she even performed at this year's waning Lollapalooza in her hometown. She is also fabulously attractive, which is ironic because in today's corporate music world, the beautiful people are the ones that tend to sing for MTV. Writing music is difficult, but writing indie rock music I think is an accomplishment that is seemingly overlooked. The hipster audience is far more critical about their music than any other format. As soon as a band submits a song that is radio-worthy, that said band has lost their fantastic underground roots and elite status among indie rock fans. They will whine and complain that their favorite artist has sold out, writing music for the masses, conforming to society and moving away from writing music for the music and instead for the money. And if artists have to "sell-out" in order to make a buck, and in that process they lose a fan base, then something is wrong. I write this message to you because I saw something this weekend, and it changed my perspective on many of the 'Liz Phair' issues: I saw her in concert... again. However, this show was post the release of "Somebody's Miracle", out October 4th. I was interested to see how the audience, her fans, would respond to her playing her new pop tunes live. Never, in all of the concerts that I have been to (and I am quite seasoned), have I seen an audience like I saw at her show. And honestly, I don't think Liz expected it either. Present were her oldest fans and the teenagers who listen to the radio. She blushed while we sang along to every single one of her songs, throwing punches in the air as if we were at a punk rock concert and even joining her while she played tracks from her first self-titled pop album. I was dancing more to her music than I have at dance-pop shows. I even danced with a stranger and we smiled at each other because we connected over something that we both loved without even speaking to each other: her music. Someone requested a song and Liz didn't even remember how it went, and asked the fan to come up on stage with her to help with the song. Even guys were bellowing out asking Liz to have their children, along with singing their favorites. These fans were truly in love with everything that has to do with Liz Phair. With that being said... CD REVIEW One thing that fans of Liz Phair, and anyone for that matter, need to realize is that people grow up, they move on. She's still somebody's blow job queen, however, there is no more fuck and run: she's a mom; mom's can't do that. Music style can change too, and in this case, it has. Once the indie rock idol, breaking the steadfast male dominance of the genre, the pretty girl who doesn't sing pretty girl music, Liz stood tall and wrote a self-titled pop album. "Somebody's Miracle" can be said to be the follow-up to this record, when in reality "Somebody's Miracle" is her sixth release. The blend of catchy radio-friendly pop tunes and her indie rock roots really come together on "Somebody's Miracle". Her off-key voice comes alive on tracks, proving that even though some might believe she has conformed to the glitz and glamour of the American pop queen, she will always be a rock princess. The title track "Everything To Me" is the first single and ten times more mature than any of her earlier releases, musically and lyrically. The uplifting positive characteristics of this track pave the mood of the record, which is good since millions are going to be exposed to it thanks to airplay. "Lazy Dreamer" is another core track that has potential to be big, due in part to a rockin', bass-heavy melody with a candy-coated hook, that I can see winning the ears of many pop fans and the hearts back of lost Phair believers. "Leap of Innocence" and "Table For One", while both audibly different, are also very strong tracks that embrace her deep vocals, revive her early acoustic-focused gems, and help keep the record from being branded as totally pop. I chuckled at the extreme similarity of "Got My Own Thing" to that of "Ooh Boy" by Real McCoy, however, there could be underlying humor to the intentions of that and the implications of originality in the track title, or I could totally be reading into that way too much. Either way, "Somebody's Miracle" really captures the current Liz Phair. Sometimes artists release albums that just aren't up to par with the rest of their library, and that's okay, they usually realize it and admit their faults. Some people believe this is an apology for her earlier record-flop. I don't even see a reason to apologize; she writes fantastic music, it's expressive, catchy and celebrated by her fans when she performs it live. She is a beautiful black sheep to pop music and an established sweetheart amongst the indie rock legends, and for her, this record is a keystone for bridging the gap that so many people believe exist between her roots and recent work, and I think she did a fantastic job. - - Iris Karasick - -Ken kenmlee@ix.netcom.com MeSmErIzInG - AnOtHeR LiZ PhAiR WeBsItE http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/ ------------------------------ End of support-system-digest V8 #160 ************************************