Exile in Guyville by Gina Arnold
I ended up reading Gina Arnold’s Exile in Guyville on
a trip to Chicago since Liz Phair is from Chicago. This was a really
interesting entry into the 33 1/3 series. I can definitely see how some people
wouldn’t enjoy this book, since it’s not completely focused on the creation of
this album. However, I really appreciated the kind of approach that critiqued
Phair’s album against the Stones’ Exile on Main Street. Arnold’s
analysis highlights the kinds of double standards that female musicians face
when they sing about sex and sexuality. I found it interesting to learn more
about the backlash Liz Phair received about this album and in general how the
idea of a female rocker was kind of frowned upon. I knew about Liz Phair from
her next album, but have grown to love this album as well. While I don’t think
it’s quite a rock album, it’s a great album that reflects the movement away
from larger studio produced albums and the grunge music that was pervasive in
the early 90s. Not only was the music stylistically challenging pop music (as
opposed to the power chords and distortion of grunge), but the lyrical content
and perspectives of a young woman exploring her identity and relationships was
also really different from the male perspectives that have dominated rock music
and were so apparent in grunge and alternative rock. After reading Phair’s fun
and revealing memoir, this was another great reference point to learn more
about her work and this album in particular, even if this book explores how the
album Exile in Guyville really challenged the assumptions about rock in
the early 90s and how the album helped to broaden the perspective in indie rock
and open more opportunities for female musicians.
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