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Soberish

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Soberish is the seventh studio album from American singer, Liz Phair. It is her first studio album in close to eleven years since 2010's Funstyle and was preceded by five singles: "Good Side",[2] "Hey Lou",[3] "Spanish Doors",[4] "In There",[5] and "The Game". The album was released on June 4, 2021,[6] and is produced by Brad Wood.[7]

Soberish
Studio album by
Liz Phair
ReleasedJune 4, 2021 (2021-06-04)
Recorded2019–2021
StudioSea Grass Studio (Los Angeles)
GenreIndie rock[1]
Length43:45
LabelChrysalis
ProducerBrad Wood
Liz Phair chronology
Funstyle
(2010) 		Soberish
(2021)
Singles from Soberish
  1. "Good Side"
    Released: October 8, 2019
  2. "Hey Lou"
    Released: February 10, 2021
  3. "Spanish Doors"
    Released: April 14, 2021
  4. "In There"
    Released: May 16, 2021
  5. "The Game"
    Released: June 4, 2021

Background

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Soberish—slated for release in 2020, but eventually released on June 4, 2021—was Liz Phair's first record of entirely new material in eleven years and her first studio album under Chrysalis Records.[8] The album has been described by Pitchfork as "highly-anticipated"[9] and was included on Rolling Stone's list of the most anticipated albums of 2021.[10] In the lead-up to the album's release, Phair was interviewed for the New Yorker.[11] The album's first single "Good Side" peaked at number 24 on the Triple-A airplay chart and spent a total of 13 weeks on the chart, while 'Spanish Doors', entered the chart at number 39.[12]

Soberish was Phair's first release since 2010's Funstyle, and in an interview with The Independent on May 31, 2021, Phair spoke about the specter of death over Soberish, saying that "when Prince died and [David] Bowie died, my manager called me and he's like, 'What are you doing with your career? Do you know you could be dead tomorrow? Are you making the work now that you would want to leave behind if it were your last?'" Phair said that "it would have been terrible if I had died after [Funstyle]", and that she "will not make that mistake again".[13] Following the album's release, Phair had planned to support Alanis Morissette on her upcoming global tour commemorating the 25th anniversary of Jagged Little Pill, but withdrew on July 24, 2021 "due to unforeseen circumstances", with Cat Power taking Phair's place.[14]

Songs

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The opening song on Soberish is "Spanish Doors", an infectious[15] and upbeat[16] song that features electronic beats, vocal effects, and a layered chorus,[17] as well as backing vocals that Pitchfork compared to Haim.[18] It is followed by "The Game", a "saccharine soft rock crooner"[17] with an opening that The A.V. Club compared to John Cougar Mellencamp.[15] The third track on the album is "Hey Lou", which contains orchestral strings,[15] punchy drums and guitars,[18] and lyrically built on crisp couplets. "Hey Lou" shows Phair telling the story of "Laurie Anderson impatiently talking her husband, Lou Reed, out of one of his assholic distempers".[19] Towards the end of "Hey Lou", the line "How did that work out for you?" repeats, "washing over itself in dense layers".[18]

The fourth track on Soberish is "In There", which is a moody electronic ballad[17] that contains a "hard, tinny drum machine".[15] "Good Side", the melodic[17] first single from Soberish, is the fifth track. It opens with what The Guardian described as the "arresting[ly] confessional"[16] lyric of "There are so many ways to fuck up a life/ I've tried to be original". Lyrically, said NME, "it screens like a break-up song, but also feels like a song about artistic legacy".[1] The sixth track is "Sheridan Road", a "vulnerable acoustic confession"[17] with meandering guitar lines[20] where Phair evokes her hometown of Chicago.[19] The seventh track, "Ba Ba Ba", was described by Pitchfork as sweet and gentle,[18] which illustrates "the initial elation of a hotel hookup" with lines such as "I don't have the guts to tell you that I feel great, I feel safe", but then moves towards "the moment where things inevitably unraveled".[19]

Track nine, the album's longest, is "Soul Sucker", which contains an "electric piano groove",[17] and a nod to "Remember Me" by Blue Boy in its chorus.[16] "Lonely Street", the tenth track, is a stripped-down song where Phair adopts the point of view of a lover with lyrics such as "I've gotta run/I've been missing you, girl, like the sun".[18] The eleventh track is "Dosage", a laidback alt-pop[19] ballad, laid on top of cello and sparse beats,[17] where Phair offers "life advice from the perspective of a recovering bad-decision junkie who's still finding her own middle path".[19] The second-to-last track is "Bad Kitty", which deals with more sexual themes,[21][19][18] opening with the lyric "My pussy is a big dumb cat, it lies around lazy and fat",[1] and addressing themes of doubt and confidence in the chorus with the line of "I don't live in a world that appreciates me".[1][18] The record concludes with the 47-second "Rain Scene".

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[15]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [22]
The A.V. ClubB−[23]
Christgau's Consumer GuideA−[24]
DIY     [25]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[26]
The Independent     [20]
Mojo     [27]
NME     [1]
Pitchfork7.0/10[18]
Rolling Stone     [19]

Soberish has received generally positive reception from music critics. Chris Willman of Variety described the album as a "superior work".[28] NME's El Hunt wrote that "'Soberish' serves as a reminder of Liz Phair's brilliance after years of underestimation", and that the record marks a return to earlier albums in her catalogue, as well as Phair's Girly Sound mixtapes.[1] In a positive review, Uncut magazine remarked that "Phair always sounds like she's having fun flipping off every last hater";[29] meanwhile in a mixed review, Mojo magazine described the album as a "mixed bag", "but a welcome return that promises much".[27] Writing for The Guardian, Phil Mongredien called Soberish unforgivably mediocre, saying that "for the most part the coffee-table pop on offer here is remarkable only for being so forgettable".[16]

The album was considered one of the best of 2021 according to Variety,[30] AllMusic,[31] Good Morning America,[32] Forbes,[33] Albumism,[34] The Forty-Five,[35] Allaccess.com [36] and by Carl Wilson in Slate.[37]

The title track was highlighted as "one of the best rock songs of the year" by NPR Music.[38] Variety also listed "In There" among their best songs of 2021.[39]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Liz Phair, except where noted.

Soberish track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Spanish Doors"3:57
2."The Game"3:29
3."Hey Lou" (Phair, Brad Wood)2:42
4."In There"3:12
5."Good Side"2:54
6."Sheridan Road"3:27
7."Ba Ba Ba"3:41
8."Soberish"3:50
9."Soul Sucker"4:33
10."Lonely St."3:31
11."Dosage" (Phair, Wood)4:05
12."Bad Kitty" (Phair, Randy Reddig)3:37
13."Rain Scene"0:47
Total length:43:45

Personnel

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Charts

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Chart performance for Soberish
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[40] 52
UK Albums Sales (OCC)[41] 50
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[42] 15
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[43] 25

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Liz Phair – 'Soberish' review: indie icon honours her legacy – and sets a new path". NME. June 3, 2021. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "Liz Phair Returns With 'Good Side', Her First Single In 10 Years". NME. October 9, 2019. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "Liz Phair Remembers Music's Quirkiest Couple With 'Hey Lou': Watch". Billboard. February 10, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "Liz Phair Details Soberish LP, Drops New Song 'Spanish Doors'". Rolling Stone. April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  5. ^ "Liz Phair Contemplates Vulnerability on New Song 'In There'". Rolling Stone. May 12, 2021. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  6. ^ "Liz Phair Details New Album Soberish, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "Liz Phair Details Soberish LP, Drops New Song 'Spanish Doors'". Rolling Stone. April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Liz Phair joins Chrysalis as reborn label's first US signing". Music Week. September 9, 2020. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Liz Phair Details New Album Soberish, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  10. ^ "54 Most Anticipated Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. January 13, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  11. ^ "Liz Phair's Songs Of Experience". New Yorker. April 18, 2021. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  12. ^ "Triple A Airplay". Billboard. May 15, 2021. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  13. ^ White, Adam (May 31, 2021). "Liz Phair: 'It would have been terrible if I'd died after my last album – I will not make that mistake again'". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  14. ^ Lavin, Will (July 24, 2021). "Liz Phair cancels summer tour with Alanis Morissette and Garbage due to "unforeseen circumstances"". NME. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Soberish by Liz Phair Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d "Liz Phair: Soberish review – arresting lyrics in a sea of coffee-table pop". The Guardian. June 6, 2021. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Liz Phair's 'Soberish' Is Complete Indie Pop Chaos". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h Thomas, Peyton (June 5, 2021). "Liz Phair: Soberish Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g "Liz Phair Shows Us Her Best Sides on 'Soberish'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Album reviews: Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee, and Liz Phair – Soberish". The Independent. June 3, 2021. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "Review: Liz Phair's Soberish Too Often Falls Back on Tired Pop Trends". Slant Magazine. June 6, 2021. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  22. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (June 4, 2021). "Liz Phair – Soberish". AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  23. ^ "You can call it a comeback, but don't dub Liz Phair's Soberish a "return to form"". The A.V. Club. June 3, 2021. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  24. ^ Christgau, Robert (July 15, 2021). "Consumer Guide: July, 2021". And It Don't Stop. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  25. ^ "Soberish - Liz Phair: Album Review". DIY. June 3, 2021. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  26. ^ Johnston, Maura (June 3, 2021). "Soberish review: Liz Phair probes 21st-century life's gray areas". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Soberish - Liz Phair". Mojo. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  28. ^ "Liz Phair Is Ready to Flourish and Run With a New Album, 'Soberish'". Variety. May 28, 2021. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  29. ^ "Soberish – Liz Phair". Uncut. 2021.
  30. ^ "The Best Albums of 2021". December 9, 2021.
  31. ^ "AllMusic: Best of 2021". December 29, 2021.
  32. ^ https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/50-best-albums-2021-81884588 /
  33. ^ "Japanese Breakfast, Mickey Guyton, Brandi Carlile, St. Vincent Lead Some of 2021's Notable Albums". Forbes.
  34. ^ "Albumism's 100 Best Albums of 2021 | #19: Liz Phair's 'Soberish'". December 3, 2021.
  35. ^ "The 45 best albums of 2021". December 20, 2021.
  36. ^ "All Access Net News Editor Roy Trakin's Top Albums of the Year".
  37. ^ Wilson, Carl (December 21, 2021). "The Top 10 Albums of 2021". Slate.
  38. ^ Hart, Otis (December 21, 2021). "Liz Phair, 'Soberish'". NPR.
  39. ^ "The 50 Best Songs of 2021". December 31, 2021.
  40. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  41. ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  42. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  43. ^ "Liz Phair Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
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