Liz Phair became an indie-rock sensation in the early 90s with her frank lyrics and lo-fi sound. Her debut album, "Exile in Guyville," was one of the most critically acclaimed records of the decade and positioned Phair to be a new voice for the 90s. Her sophomore record, "Whip-Smart," continued this trend, and delivered her first chart hit when the rocking "Supernova" landed at #78 in 1994. But her subsequent singles and albums didn't gain any traction and she was fading from the scene. In 2003, Phair retooled her sound and released a more radio-friendly record that was self-titled. Containing songs co-written and performed with Michael Penn, and perhaps influenced by her friend Sheryl Crow (Phair sings wonderful backing vocals on Crow's hit, "Soak Up The Sun"), the songs featured more pop hooks and slicker production. Despite besting her first chart appearance with "Why Can't I?", which reached #32, the album and new direction were largely panned by critics. Phair's subsequent releases retreated back to her indie rock sound. The title track from "Whip-Smart" remains one of my favorite tunes by Phair. A sweet little ditty about her son, this delightful song rings with slacker sincerity and has a brilliant chorus you'll be singing for days.
There is a lot of talent in the Penn family. Brothers Sean and Christopher are famous actors, but Michael embarked on a music career instead. He nearly scored a top 10 hit right out of the box with "No Myth," which reached #13 in 1990. His catchy follow-up single, "This & That," stalled at #53. Hopes were high that he'd be able to maintain this momentum on his 1992 sophomore record, "Free-For-All." Those hopes were dashed when "Seen The Doctor" inexplicably turned out to be a flop. It is a great tune, but proved dead on arrival (its cause of death remains unknown). Penn has yet to reappear on the chart. In 1997, Penn married another brooding pop singer/songwriter who has been cheated out of a successful chart career -- Aimee Mann. These days, Penn is scoring lots of movies and television shows.
Aimee Mann rose to fame as the voice behind 80s one-hit wonders, 'Til Tuesday. Some may also remember her as Geddy Lee's partner in the duet "Time Stand Still" by Rush in 1987. But Mann has been quietly cranking out solo records since her debut album in 1993, "Whatever." Mann is a darling of critics, but her brand of snarky lyrics wrapped in perky pop hasn't translated into commercial success. Her only chart appearance occurred in 1995 when "That's Just What You Are" (co-written with Jon Brion) managed to climb to #93. The song was lifted from her sophomore effort, "I'm With Stupid," which boasted lots of special guests. Do you recognize the backing vocals on "That's Just What You Are"? That's Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of Squeeze. Juliana Hatfield sang on some tracks, and her future husband, Michael Penn, played acoustic guitar on several tracks. While commercial success has been elusive, her songwriting prowess has earned her two Grammys and wide critical acclaim. "Say Anything" defies all logical explanation for not giving Mann more commercial success. From her debut solo effort, it remains one of the best, most radio-friendly tunes she's ever written.
