If you’ve been reading the music magazines lately, you probably realize it isn't "cool" to like Liz Phair anymore. Admittedly, her latest album, Somebody's Miracle contains only a few songs I like, and even those rank nowhere near her best work (with the possible exception of "Lazy Dreamer.") I am, however, a big fan of Phair’s back catalog, even 2003's self-titled album. I’ve seen her several times now (including twice on the Exile In Guyville tour, and deciding to give her one more chance, I went to check her out live Thursday at First Avenue.
Phair and her other lead guitarist kicked off the set with an acoustic version of the first single from Somebody's Miracle, "Everything To Me." When someone from the audience shouted, "Is that your boyfriend?" Phair replied, "Yes, he is. Isn't he cute?" After another acoustic number ("Baby Got Going"), the rest of the band took the stage.
I was pleasantly surprised as the show went on that the focus of the show would mainly be on songs from the first 3 albums, especially 1993's Exile In Guyville. And I have a feeling that pleased most people in attendance. Other songs included "Soap Star Joe," "6'1"," "Mesmerizing," "Divorce Song," and of course, "Fuck And Run." (And that's just songs I recall from memory as I didn't write down a setlist.)
To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this show but found myself really enjoying it. It was almost as if I had made the setlist, with each song seemingly one of my favorites ("Supernova," "Chopsticks," "Polyester Bride," "Why Can't I," "Extraordinary," "H.W.C.," "Lazy Dreamer.") Sure, there were others I would have liked to hear ("Go West," "What Makes You Happy," and "Rocket Boy"), but you can't get everything you want.
Many of Phair’s longtime fans might have been turned off by the slick, produced sound of her past two albums. But her live band doesn't come close to playing these new songs with the layers and over-production present on those albums, so even the newer songs take on that "lo-fi", sparse sound live that everyone loved from her earlier albums.
