Exile in Guyville

This wasn't what I expected at all; I thought it would be indie folk-ish, but turned out to be grungier and rawer than I expected - that's a good thing - this was a great listen. My only minor complaint would be that I felt the album could afford to be a little shorter.

Liz wants to be your blowjob queen and fuck you till your dick turns blue but she is absolutely not here for your shit.

Intense, definitely has an "indie" sound. I've never understood the love for this record, thouggh."Fuck and Run," "Never Said," and "Canary" stand out. The whole thing is clever and hass a very cool basement-dwelling lofi sonic quality. Dismal though, there's no relief. It's all awash in disappointment bitterness and existential dread.

Melodic, badass, diverse, and timeless.

4/5

I’m at a 4.5 that I think I’ll bump up to a 5.

Very early on, when I was sort of making mental comparisons, my brain went to Alanis Morrissette, and specifically, how she’s able to project her voice to get the emotional pull of a track across. Her vocals on “Jagged Little Pill” are sort of a benchmark for me, as far as 90s women-led rock goes, and while I don’t expect artists to match her, I think the way she uses her voice to really drag the most of out of the lyricism & instrumentals are sort of a standard to go by. This album slowly but surely challenges the idea of “power = emotion” as a benchmark, and it did eventually succeed.

Liz Phair is not Alanis Morrissette, nor is she trying to be; the more apt comparison, perhaps, is like Joni Mitchell deciding to tackle Nirvana. Alanis Morrissette projected herself as more of an iron woman, ready to take on the struggles of the world with a “look at me now” demeanor that better fit the cultural imprint of 1995. Liz Phair, on this album, projects herself as sort of a battle-tested, scarred but still standing woman, coming from a place of confidence, yet projecting a light air of insecurity, adding a sincerity to the whole thing that feels unique compared to some of the other women-led rock albums we’ve gotten. These are more thoughtfully written tracks, and the introspection present on the lyrics overrides the need for a more powerful vocal performance. That’s not to say Liz Phair doesn’t have good vocals on this album, because she does; a little shakier, a little more nasal-y, not as pitch-perfect on the held notes as it could be, but that vulnerability lends itself to each track in a good way.

Instrumentally, I do think this album doesn’t quite find a set identity, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – there’s a lot of variety between piano-driven tracks, acoustic stuff, more Blues Traveler-y instrumentation, Sheryl Crow-esque stuff, and obviously, a lot of Nirvana. It jumps around a bit, but the core messaging of each track is what keeps the album afloat, and she can adjust really nicely to each style, still all guided within “rock” itself.

It is a bit long at 55 minutes, and I do think it treads water a couple of times in the subject matter, but it’s not enough for me to really bump it down to a 4. I would rather leave it at a 4.5, if only because for my own personal tastes, the vocal presence is still a little short for me, and occasionally, the lyricism is a bit too broad to paint the picture she’s going for, but it’s too good of an album to give it a 4. It’s a solid 5, and I do recommend it – you have to be in the right sort of frame to accept her brand / musical projection of femininity, but it’s a very rewarding album once you get deeper into it. I really liked it.

aivan kelpo yksinkertainen poprock-levy! 4/5

Like if Elliot Smith wasn't such a downer. Raw, honest, interesting as hell

Solider Indie Pop mit guter Stimme aus einem Mix von Kate Bush und Suzie & Banshees. Gut durchzuhören aber auch nich fesselnd.

"Exile in Guyville" is a fantastic album, blending meaningful lyrics with a raw, punk-influenced sound. Every track feels intentional, making it a great listen from start to finish.

Favorite song: Divorce Song
Least favorite song: None—every track is solid.
Album artwork: A great cover that perfectly suits the album’s tone.

I hate this album. It’s not the worst I’ve had on the list but definitely in the bottom 3

Decent songs with meh singing. I'm generally not a fan of slacker out of tune singing. I don't outright dislike the album (hence the 3 rather than a 2), it just didn't pull me in, particularly on close listening (decent as background). It's kind of a shame, because most of the songs sounded good but her singing dragged it down repeatedly for me. Moving on. Tracks I liked: Never Said (catchy track, but I wish she didn't do the slacker singing thing), Divorce Song, Shatter, Johnny Sunshine.

not something i’d revisit in full, but it’s a interesting body of work. pulled me in and kept my interest throughout

For some reason I like and dislike this one at the same time. It's very boring and interesting too. I am very confused.

I liked this album. An artist I had heard of but never actually listened to. Very raw production, vocals, and lyrics. I don’t really buy The Rolling Stones response thing. Highlights were Help Me Mary, Never Said, Mesmerizing, Fuck And Run, and Gunshy.

How have I never heard this album? It must have been influential to a lot of the music I listen to now. I just can’t believe this isn’t talked about more. I’ve heard of Liz Phair and I’ve heard this album title before but I never listened to her/it. This album rules. I honestly think a ton of indie music owes a lot to this album and Liz Phair.

Sounds so much like Hole! And it goes on a little bit too long. But I liked it.

Somehow I find this album to be simultaneously underrated and overrated. It's really good 90s alternative/grunge but it's also not the second coming like a lot of people act. It's so entwined with the sexism of the time (both to its benefit and detriment) that it's tough to get a truly accurate read on it. Regardless, it's definitely a good album at the very least.

Is that a nip on the cover?
This was ok, kind of refreshing to not have this be fully autotuned. 2*

Brilliant, and a clear influence on a bunch of artists I love

Very 90s, and not in the best way. It’s not a bad album, but for all the love it gets, I’m not seeing it.