Album Name: Liz Phair
Artist: Liz Phair
Year/Label: 2003 / Capitol
[Buy at Amazon]
Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds
(I wrote this review as I was listening to it for the first time)
There are so many things wrong with this CD and I haven’t heard a note yet, I put it into my computer and it highjacked my system. It shows a splash screen, which says, “Need More Liz?” Well, I don’t know I haven’t heard it yet! But I clicked on it. Just to give you a play-by-play of what to expect if you decide to get this CD.
It opens up Microsoft Internet Explorer, which is NOT my browser of choice (nor my default browser), then takes me to a page where I can download her Internet EP. I download it (and because it’s IE it puts it in some random mystery folder and I know I’ll never find it. So I do the right click thing and download it into my music folder).
Whew, that’s done, now I tell it to play it and it opens up Windows Media player (again, not my first choice in listening software). Then WMP tells me that I must first update my software so that it can report it to Microsoft and give me a unique identifier YUK! I hate Spyware. But I click OK. So now it wants my email address! So they can send me Spam? Again YUK!
So all this and already I’m ticked.
I must also confess, I was never a huge Liz Phair fan. I like her quite a bit just not with the same fervor that others do. I understand she’s brilliant or whatever, but I’ve always thought that she sings out of her range (too low). I know that this is part of her charm, but it never charmed me. But when Whitechocolatespaceegg came out I got it for free (some Levi’s/Lilith Fair thing-a-ma-bob) and I loved it. I thought, OK I’m converted. I loved her songwriting and her voice had improved in my opinion.
Then I heard her first single from this CD on the radio and my first thought was ‘why is this station playing Avril Lavigne?’ So my hopes for her new CD were dashed. But I bought it anyway because it’s my job.
OK onto reviewing the actual music…
I don’t dislike this like I thought I would. The rest of the CD doesn’t sound as much like Avril as the “hit” single.
Opening song “Extraordinary” is a little like old Liz and is a pretty cool, rockin’ song.
She’s still singing about sex and underwear so I guess there’s that!
Songs I liked best are “Friend of Mine”, “It’s Sweet” and “Rock Me”. But put ear plugs on the children for “H.W.C” oh my!
Now that I’ve listened to it, I like the Internet EP; it sounds more like old Liz to me. I’ve heard that that was the point. I dig it. I just hope that this is for Liz what “Armageddon” was for the actors involved in it. A way to make some money and get your name out there so that you can be financially free (and well known) to do what you really like. If she puts out another like this (especially with all that “enhanced” crap) I am afraid I won’t be the only one to write her off.
Posted on September 7, 2003
Track Listing
1. Extraordinary
2. Red Light Fever
3. Why Can’t I?
4. It’s Sweet
5. Rock Me
6. Take A Look
7. Little Digger
8. Firewalker
9. Favorite
10. Love/Hate
11. H.W.C.
12. Bionic Eyes
13. Friend Of Mine
14. Good Love Never Dies
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Comments:
Rating: 5 Stars
I have Liz’s Phair’s self titled album and personally, it’s one of my favorites.I bought the cd after hearing ‘Why Can’t I?’ on Now 14.So anyways, I bought her cd Whitechocolatespaceegg and didn’t find it as satisfying.But I do admit she has a very unique writing style. Overall, I don’t regret buying either cd.
~ Jenni