Liz Phair Soberish LP

Liz Phair brashly but effortlessly drops lyrical nuggets into her melody-driven, lo-fi songs. It makes for a devastating back catalogue; from the peerless Exile In Guyville to Whip-Smart, Whitechocolatespaceegg to the self-titled Liz Phair, each of her records acts as another timely klaxon call for a generation not prepared to sit back nor shut up. It's a career that's heralded her Grammy Award nominations, a spot on Rolling Stone's albums of all-time list, and decades of critical acclaim that has inspired and influenced some of the brightest new faces of yesterday and today, veering from cult icon to mainstream concern.

Over a decade since her last record was released, Liz Phair now returns with another bagful of fireworks already fizzing to be let off in the shape of new album Soberish. Liz maintains the sass that propelled her to become such a critical darling, and that innate ear for melody and razor sharp way with words.

The track "Hey Lou'' is a mischievous ode to Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, and Liz's jaunty lament back into our ears. Phair explained, "Have you ever wondered what love looks like for your favorite celebrity couple behind closed doors? Hey Lou imagines a day in the life of two music legends, whose union was an inspiration for rock bands and a source of curiosity for die hard romantics."

Welcome back Miss Phair, we've missed you.

The mixes are soft and lush, with vocal harmonies, keyboards, and effects plastered over the submerged guitars, a sound that's painterly yet pop. It suits Phair's songs, which are pointed and poignant, alternating sketches with stories....The appealing thing about Soberish is how it holds two thoughts (and sounds) simultaneously, a record that revives the spirit of Phair's earliest albums while casually leaning into her middle age.