Whip-Smart artist Liz Phair just released her first new full-length album in over a decade featuring her latest record, Soberish. Phair’s new album after her independent release Fun style back to 2010 and more recently repackaged commemorative issues of Feminine-Sound to Guyville. Grammy Award-nominated artist who rose to prominence with her groundbreaking debut album, Exile in Guyville Back in 1993, there were mixed reviews of her music this century with her changing style dividing critics. Soberish will do little to appease those who have flattered Exile in Guyville or Whip-Smart.
Soberish does not contain the subtlety of Phair for pointed expression. It doesn’t have any attitude, angry or angry. Where Phair’s 20th century albums are challenging and engaging, Bland remains as relaxed and lethargic as anything she’s ever done before. Liz Phair’s latest record is Easy Listening as opposed to the term if you want or predict anything approaching her best work. Soberish, while not Phair’s best album, is also a bit lazy. The songwriting seems to be stuck in the past along with the arrangement.
Soberish timid and tedious, brimming with layers and harmony that never really connects. Even the lyrics and title of the song do not suggest that they are from 2021. There are too many lines of repetition that make up the titles of some songs. Soberish a lot like listening to a poor Carpenters cover album by a capable Soft-Rock band who infused their sound with some Country and Western.
Phair’s latest single, gameand many more songs by Liz Phair on Soberish, shouted in the middle of American daytime radio. They glide over you easily and gently, never irritating your ears or stimulating your senses. While Phair may have embraced the mainstream in the 21st century, she also seems to have sold out and rolled. After listening F**k and Run or Stratford-On-Guy the sound of half-transmitted electricity In there The best just seems dull. There doesn’t seem to be any energy or enthusiasm in the soundtrack or vocal transmission.
If Soberish has any redeeming feature, that is when you ignore all that has gone before and focus only on what is being presented. Even then, though, it’s hard to downplay the positives. The harmonies are carefully crafted, if a little work is needed; the production is polished but predictable and the album is at least cohesive and consistent. Sheridan Road has more to offer in terms of quality and interactivity as you get sucked into the slow-moving plot and Three three three don’t mix the routine with its percussion score. Hello Lou is one of the more high-tempo and livelier tracks and Liz Phair’s vocals are smoother than ever but that’s not enough to save this album from being boring and overwhelmingly overwhelming. The easy-to-listen Soft-Rock has been a hit and I don’t think it will ever gain credibility again with Soberishsorry Liz.
