Somebody's Miracle
Is Liz Phair apologizing? It would be easy to get that impression from the title track ofSomebody's Miracle. Suddenly the singer who was once known for her jaded lyrics and liberal use of the "f" word, is throwing around different kinds of "f" words altogether. "Faith?" "Fairytale?" Once, a generation of young women turned to Phair to express their collective rage at emotionally unavailable men. Now it's all about frogs with princes inside, and her regret over fleeing relationships with a few good men. My, how times have changed.Some tracks on this album, including "Got My Own Thing," "Why I Lie," and "Can't Get Out of What I'm into," go back to Phair's more cynical roots. (In fact, "Can't Get Out," dates back to the singer's early demos.)  But it seems clear that her overall trend towards pop (exhibited on herself-titled CDfrom 2003) is continuing. And who can blame her?Exile in Guyvillewas a breakthrough, but it left her in a real bind. A decade plus later, a still-bitter Liz would probably seem tiresome and immature. A happier, hopeful Liz could be accused of going soft. Phair doesn't need her angry-girl persona to prove she has talent, but she may still need it to stand out from the crowd. After all, do we really need another pop song like "Stars and Planets" telling us "we all shine, shine, shine?" The questionSomebody's Miracleraises is: can Liz Phair drop some of her attitude without losing all of her edge?--Leah Weathersby