Liz Phair Releases 'Funstyle' Album

Posted on Jul 6th 2010 10:00AM by Mike Ayers
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This past weekend, Liz Phair resurfaced with a new record called 'Funstyle,' an 11-song set made available -- seemingly out of nowhere -- via her website for just $5.99. Phair has sporadically talked about new work for a few years now; in recent time, she's transitioned into the television world, composing music for the relaunched '90210' series and the USA Network show 'In Plain Sight.' In 2008, she also logged time on the road touring behind the reissue of her celebrated debut, 1993's 'Exile in Guyville.' 'Funstyle' marks her first batch of new material since 2005's 'Somebody's Miracle' and is noticeably absent from any label affiliations. Does this mean Miss Phair has reverted back to her indie days?

It would appear so, and the move isn't very surprising. Her career with Capitol Records never really took off, with many Phair fans turning their nose up at her more "pop" approach on her 2003 self-titled LP. After 'Miracle,' she split with Capitol and it was announced that Phair had signed with ATO, home to My Morning Jacket and the Drive-by Truckers. As of now, ATO lists Phair as one of their alumni, indicating that their reissue of 'Guyville' was all they had in store.

In listening to 'Funstyle,' it sounds like Phair's having fun exploring her songwriting palate. On the opener, 'Smoke,' she tells a self-deprecating tale of trying to get into a club, only to have the bouncer not really know who she is, even though she claims she hung out with John Mayer once. From there, she moves into 'Bollywood,' a tune that has Phair's vocals almost resembling something out of a rap track. While it may seem like a potentially disastrous idea, it's one of the more lighthearted moments of the 11 songs, a well-crafted parody of the entertainment industry. Other highlights include the lo-fi, electronica-fused 'Bang!Bang!,' and the mid-tempo rocker 'And He Slayed Her,' both sounding fresh, yet steeped in classic Phair soft angst. A handful of songs seem to riff on moving on, in particular 'My My' and 'Satisfied,'" the latter of which includes a line thanking someone for holding her hair as she "puked everywhere."

While Phair's website says tour dates are coming soon, we do know she's slated to appear this October at 21st Birthday Celebration for Matador, the indie label where she got her start.