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Re: What Are You Listening To?
My brother had that album Exile In Guyville pretty early on. Listened to it alot & ended up buying it in the later 90s. Took a while to get it, very primitive, raw, indie lo-fi recording. Yet there's talent there, and the lyrics were open & putting herself out there.
I agree the timing was right for it, 93-94 was definitely the peak of the 'alternative' years, getting into post-grunge, had previous female alt-rock submissions by L7 & 4 Non Blondes, Juliana Hatfield etc. Sky seemed to be the limit, I think it was just a little bit to lo-fi, almost a 4 track sound. I thought she'd blow up in 96 or so with her followup Whitechocolateeasteregg or whatever, but I heard the first song & remember thinking it wasn't gonna be a fit. Too much the opposite, overproduced, almost aiming toward Cheryl Crowe.
She did a great version of God Bless America years ago at the World Series. Great voice.
Re: What Are You Listening To?
Yeah the timing probably couldn't have been more perfect. She instantly had indie cred, the media was ready to push her, and the girl Rock period of the 90s was just getting underway.
While she should've went to the stratosphere, there were obstacles....
Guyville, regardless of media outlets pushing it as one of the all time classics....has no monster single to propel Liz into the stratosphere.
Liz suffered from stage fright...not a good ingredient for someone who wants to get on the map but needs to do major touring and a promo blitz.
Liz didn't know what she wanted to be. I mean no offense...I love Liz...but she was essentially a spoiled middle class brat seeking stardom in Frisco...then goes back to Chicago clubbing with the cool kids and inserting herself into the music scene there.
Starts recording the "Girly Sound" tapes by herself and sending them out. Matador records hears it and wants her to record an album....which later becomes Guyville.
That killer image was a facade. A huge disconnect between the lyrical content of her material and her reality... dating a much older guy who had a teenage son. She married him in 95.
Liz....you just lost the teen guy audience.
By the time she gets her hit(Supernova), the media is already moving on and so is the audience.
A few years later she released the album Whitechocolatespaceegg and she never recovers from it.
Couple years ago for the 25th anniversary of Guyville, she releases it with all the Girly Sound tapes included.
It's incredible. Liz recording those songs in her parents house by herself is Liz at her most raw and pure. The Girly Sound tapes are essentially a mix of a rebel Alanis and Jewel with a quirky sense of humor years before there's an Alanis and Jewel.
It gives a new perspective on her career. Her label really dropped the ball. They should've had her go to a studio with an acoustic guitar and rerecord the best Girly Sound songs. Once she got a taste of success with Guyville, her second album should've been an updated girly Sound.
A couple Girly Sound songs....
Bomb...the original version of Stratford on Guy.
Her cover of Wild Thing with her own lyrics.
You should give the full thing a listen sometime. Yeah there's some crap but there was definitely enough good material for an album. There wasn't anything else like it going on at the time. Changing the material to create Guyville was a mistake IMO.
Other highlights....
Valentine
White Babies
South Dakota
One more thing....
I still don't understand the point of slowly dripping out various girly Sound songs as B sides over the years. It gave it no chance to have an impact.
Re: What Are You Listening To?
Been listening to this on repeat for the past half hour or so....
The original version of Voices Carry before the label made her change the lyrics to being about a guy.
Not only the original lyrics, this early live version is more raw and actually has some attitude when compared with the glossy studio version that would become a hit.
She's one of my other big "What if?"s in music.
They're not even famous yet in that video yet she just oozes superstar and sex appeal. Insane charisma and stage presence in the early stages of her career.
I love watching old clips of them. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of content. Everything went wrong and their run was short.
Years later she sorta found her niche but she should've been huge. I'd like to see the alternate universe where she doesn't have label issues in the early 90s preventing her from releasing anything at a crucial point in time...or the alternate universe where she says fuck it and goes to Hollywood to become a movie star. Due to what she did later in her career shows she had interest.
Love this. MTV Spring Break 87....
God I miss the 80s.
Re: What Are You Listening To?
I still don't understand why she was unable to take things to the next level. She clearly wanted to....the minor attempt at becoming a movie star and of course the solo album that this song comes from.
Gave up too quickly and was happy to just coast through life as the hottest and most talented Bangle.
Re: What Are You Listening To?
My new favorite Sinead performance.
Just unbelievable. Yeah there's a backing track clearly...but that's also a live mic. Id love to know the story behind that decision.
Remember...this is a year before she's a global sensation. When Billy Crystal introduces her, she gets some applause. When the song ends, they go bat shit crazy.
That little dance she does between verses is driving me crazy. Goddamn she was hot.
Said it before but I'll say it again...
Fuck the world for killing her career. It ruined her. Even when she came back, she wasn't the same. Her muse or whatever drove her was long dead.
She should be a legacy act selling out stadiums.
- metallex78
- Rep: 194
Re: What Are You Listening To?
I’m in love with Taylor Swift’s Folklore album, and now I’m currently listening to the follow up Evermore, and I’m discovering that it’s just as great, and in some places, even better.
2021, you got me. I never expected to be listening to Taylor Swift, especially of my own accord... 
Re: What Are You Listening To?
Ive only heard a couple of her songs over the years and don't remember their names.
I can't get into Swift or any of the pop tarts of today.
They aren't genuine artists...they are studio creations. There's nothing beneath the surface. They're all interchangeable. It's so sterile.
I'm no expert but isn't Swift the one who begged her rich daddy to make her a star when she was a teenager...so he did?
Give me Sinead any day and twice on Sundays over those types.
Listen to that song I posted above. There's more passion and intensity in that one song than there is in the entire discographies of these current tarts.
I don't know..maybe someday I'll listen to Swift, Ariana, etc and it'll speak to me...but I have my doubts.
Last year I started listening to Avril Lavigne of all people...so anything is possible. She's a studio creation as well...but at least she's not trying to be something she's not.
