Liz Phair
The 90 Greatest Albums of the ’90s
This article originally appeared in the September 1999 issue of SPIN. “You must be high.” We heard that a lot during the time we spent preparing this issue. Which is understandable. Pronouncing the 90 greatest albums of the ’90s is a somewhat presumptuous thing to do. When you’re measuring the music this decade is offering to history—the sounds we partied with, copulated to, fought about, and wept over—everyone has an opinion. That ours should be more valid than yours is debatable. But hey—it’s our magazine. What, then, you ask, constitutes “greatest”? Don’t even start. Suffice it to say that, after much heated discussion and countless veiled insults, it came down to the factors of both remarkable artistry and cultural shock value. Sometimes a record’s knock-you-off-your-Skechers impa...
Liz Phair Drops Out Of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill Tour ‘Due to Unforeseen Circumstances’
Alanis Morissette originally announced her Jagged Little Pill tour with Liz Phair and Garbage to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary, but COVID-19 had other plans. A year later, the tour is finally set to take place; however, with a slightly different lineup. Phair took to Twitter to announce that “unforeseen circumstances” have forced her to drop out of the tour, and Cat Power would be taking her place. “Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, I won’t be able to join Alanis & Garbage on tour this summer,” Phair tweeted. “I’m incredibly disappointed as I was looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful faces. Shoutout to Alanis, Garbage, and Cat Power, who I know will put on an incredible show. Hope to see you all soon!” We spoke to Liz Phair about her vulnerable new album&n...
Liz Almighty
It’s no coincidence Liz Phair’s new album Soberish was released just in time for the entire world to reemerge into existence. Since her powerhouse 1993 debut Exile in Guyville, Liz has proven herself an artist who lights the fire and leads the way. Liz doesn’t follow trends—she is the trend. It stands true, then, that Soberish—released June 4, her first album in 11 years—is a tapestry of Liz’s story thus far, and delivers a fierce and intimate musical portrait of who she is right now. Produced by longtime collaborator Brad Wood—Exile in Guyville, Whip-Smart, and whitechocolatespaceegg—Soberish reflects a welcomed hint of ‘90s nostalgia, mixed with something unique, honest and truly all her. Because the world was different, her process was too, and it became a period of creative self-...
Liz Phair Releases Another New Song From Soberish With ‘In There’
As we near the June 4 release of Soberish (via Chrysalis Records), Liz Phair has blessed fans with another new track from what appears to be her triumphant return. “In There” is the third track released from Soberish, meaning that patient listeners have now heard three of the first four tunes on the 13-song album. The track, chock full of Phair’s usual thoughtful wordplay and lyricism, is a more personal look at what Phair brings to the table in 2021 compared to the previous glimpses into the new album. Centered around the theme of “vulnerability,” Phair sounds just as ready to connect with her listeners now as she did nearly two decades ago with Exile in Guyville (1993) and Whip-Smart (1994). Check out the lyric video for “In There” below. [embedded con...
Liz Phair Unveils ‘Spanish Doors’ and Release Date of Soberish
After 11 long years, the wait is almost over for a new Liz Phair album. On June 4, Soberish will officially release on Chrysalis Records, and with it will be the end of the drought of new music from the iconic alternative songwriter since 2010’s Funstyle. Perhaps more importantly, we now know what the first song on the album will sound like, as Phair released “Spanish Doors” to coincide with the announcement. The track comes about two months after the release of her Lou Reed/Laurie Anderson tribute from Soberish called “Hey Lou.” “[‘Spanish Doors’ is] about the fracturing of a beautiful life, when everything you counted on is suddenly thrown up for grabs,” Phair said in a statement. “I drew inspiration from a friend who was going through a divorce, but the actions in th...
The 50 Best Alt-Rock Love Songs
Not all love songs are romantic. Not all love songs are even happy. It all depends on your definition of the term. For every “My Girl” or “Your Song,” there’s at least one track with a nuanced take on the darker, more complicated sides of love — the drama of a long-term relationship, the fear of losing a partner, the void left in love’s wake. Many of those songs fall under the admittedly broad umbrella of “alt-rock.” So to mark Valentine’s Day, we decided to gather 50 of our favorite “love songs” in the genre — both conventional and otherwise. Throughout this list, you’ll find lines about blooming romance and marital bliss. You’ll also find nods to drug addiction and car crashes. There’s something for everyone. – Ryan Reed 50. that dog. – “I’m Gonna See You” You take the good, you tak...
Liz Phair Releases New Lou Reed Tribute Song and Puppet-Based Video for ‘Hey Lou’
Liz Phair is back with her first new song in two years, a tribute to Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson called “Hey Lou.” The track is pretty much exactly what you would expect from Phair at this point, featuring the intelligent lyrics, memorable chorus, and iconic guitar tones that have made her a legendary figure over the decades. It was produced by Brad Wood. “Have you ever wondered what love looks like for your favorite celebrity couple behind closed doors?” Phair said in a statement. “‘Hey Lou’ imagines a day in the life of two music legends, whose union was an inspiration for rock bands and a source of curiosity for die hard romantics.” The track also comes with a music video featuring strangely accurate puppet versions of Reed and Anderson, as one does when releasing music in the middle o...
