Escape From Guyville
I haven't written in awhile, for many reasons. Sometimes I get caught up in these trivial phases of life and lose track of what’s relevant. I received a lot of suggestions for my next post but none of which I felt any connection to. I've been struggling with some personal issues lately and haven’t heard any music that has been significant, then I read an article in Magnet about how ATO records was reissuing Liz Phair's “Exhile In Guyville.” It has been 15 years since it's first release and about that long since I’ve heard it, I decided it was time to revisit the album. Immediately I remembered why in 1993 Liz Phair's poignant piece of work did not move me as it does now. I was nowhere in the same frame of mind with relationships as I am today. Although the album was a milestone for female artists of her genre it was also an example of raw emotion that to anyone who can relate, knows it was never meant for the world to hear out loud.
If I could sit down right now and get out all my frustrations with the opposite sex and my frustrations on how I handle them, it might go something like “Exile In Guyville”. Listening to that album this last week left me with some bittersweet reality; a sort of readjustment you might say. I know this posting is more personal than usual but a close friend had told me that my blog is "too impersonal", although I’m sure this approach was not what he implied.
Phair was recently quoated saying that "Guyville is the work of a confused young woman who wanted to claim power but didn't yet know how." It is that very lack of power never claimed by most woman that makes “Guyville” so enduring.
Liz Phair - Canary
Liz Phair - Fuck and Run
If I could sit down right now and get out all my frustrations with the opposite sex and my frustrations on how I handle them, it might go something like “Exile In Guyville”. Listening to that album this last week left me with some bittersweet reality; a sort of readjustment you might say. I know this posting is more personal than usual but a close friend had told me that my blog is "too impersonal", although I’m sure this approach was not what he implied.
Phair was recently quoated saying that "Guyville is the work of a confused young woman who wanted to claim power but didn't yet know how." It is that very lack of power never claimed by most woman that makes “Guyville” so enduring.
Liz Phair - Canary
Liz Phair - Fuck and Run
posted by Anti-Hipster at
8:34 PM
6 Comments:
First of all - WHERE'S MY B_DAY PRESENT, YO!
Secondly, Liz Phaire is definitely where we part ways. I know all the ladies out there, and my guess is there are about two of you (hi Mom) think Exile in Guyville is just peachy. My wife and I have argued the merits of that record forever. Everytime we are on a rode trip and its her turn to drive, and she gets to pick the tunes, I have to sit through Liz's oh so precious use of the word fuck like she is the first person to ever have a potty mouth in a pop song. Even if I were to grant that there were a couple of catchy tunes on there, I still don't see why that is considered a seminal record or an important record.
She claims to have written it in response to all the dudes in the Chicago scene who held up the Stone's Exile On Mainstreet as the Holy Grail of rock. Each song is based on or inspired by songs from that record. I remember a little emo kid at a bowling alley Seattle circa 96, trying to tell me that Guyville was even better than the Stone's Mainstreet. I almost punched him in the face. That same kid was trying to tell me the Cranberries were an important band. All I can say is that Exile On Mainstreet is the Holy Grail of rock and roll and if anyone who ever picks up a guitar has never heard that record, then they should go hawk their guitar and get a haircut. As for Liz - anything that she did that was remotely cool was destroyed when she tried to come back in her late thirties as a sex pop kitten. She was using the same song wrtiing team as Avril Lavigne trying to score a hit, but she just looked and sounded like Avril's icky biscuits old auntie. In case I haven't made my point - I am no Liz Phaire fan. Sorry for the swearing Mom!
First of all - the present is going out tomorrow, it's already in an envelope, mom keeps forgetting to put it in the mail.
Secondly, you remarkably are not the only guy who shares these same feellings or opinion on Liz Phair's Guyville. Boy, who knew it would cause such an up roar with you men. Even funnier, Deanna and I are not the only girls who share the same feelings or opinion of Guyville. What do you suppose that says about the idiosyncrasies between a man and a woman. Maybe you would need a vagina to understand our position.
I will, however, agree with your position on the Cranberries, Avril Levine, Liz's fall from grace and any jackass that would think any other piece of music could even compare to Exile on Mainstreet.
Oh yeah and mom doesn't read my blog.
You can't even get mom to read your blog?! That doesn't bode well for possible advertising deals. ;-P
For the record Avril is a hottie even if her songs suck. I think most guys reading this would agree. My guess is I'm the only guy reading your blog though.
is this a ghost site? it quite and creepy in here. heard anything good lately. the new Miley is totally rad. and those Jonas bros are keeping the flame alive.
I need to go listen to Liz Phair right now and your back and forth with your brother was an equally good read...thx
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