Somebody's Miracle Explained

Somebody's Miracle
Type:studio
Artist:Liz Phair
Cover:Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle.jpg
Released:October 4, 2005
Recorded:Late 2004-Mid 2005
Studio:
  • Henson Recording Studios (Hollywood, California)
  • The Village Recording Studios (Santa Monica, California)
Genre:
Length:58:11
Label:Capitol
Producer:
Prev Title:Liz Phair
Prev Year:2003
Next Title:Funstyle
Next Year:2010

Somebody's Miracle is the fifth album by Liz Phair, released on October 4, 2005 (see 2005 in music) on Capitol Records. From September 2004 through April 2005,[1] she composed fourteen tracks spanning from lo-fi guitar-driven to high-gloss produced tracks. Much like her debut album, Exile in Guyville, Somebody's Miracle was originally modeled after another canonical album, Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder, though only elements of this exist in the final product.[2] The first single, "Everything to Me" was released to radio on August 1, 2005. Somebody's Miracle debuted at number 46 on the Billboard 200,[3] and has sold over 83,000 copies in the U.S.[4]

Album information

The album features a somewhat softer side of Phair, with themes of innocence, loss, and love. Many critics and fans accused Phair of having lost her edge. Phair responded to backlash by saying, "If you are an old fan and it doesn't fit what you need, don't buy the disc."[5]

Release and promotion

Prior to the album's release, Phair embarked on an acoustic tour in the summer of 2005 in which she previewed the album's material. The tour, which had nine stops, commenced on July 26 in Boston, Massachusetts, and concluded on August 19 in San Francisco, California.[6] To further promote the album, Phair headlined a month-long North American tour. The tour commenced on October 6 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and concluded on November 16 in San Diego, California.[7]

Phair also performed the album's title track on the Charmed episode "Battle of the Hexes". She was also the last artist to perform on the show.

Reception

The album has a score of 54 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "mixed or average reviews". One critic wrote, "Miracle contains the singer's most winning melodies to date, not to mention her most confident vocals."[8] MSNBC wrote that in comparison to her 2003 self-titled album, Somebody's Miracle was "less blatantly commercial, but still smooth, reflecting her increasing shift toward a clearer sound".[9] Rolling Stone, however, gave the album just two stars, calling her vocals "thin and dry" and the album as a whole "plain and forgettable".[10] The A.V. Club wrote that Phair "has grown into the role of an MOR songstress."[11]

This was Liz Phair's last album for Capitol Records. Her next album, Funstyle, was released on the independent label Rocket Science Records.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Somebody's Miracle.[12]

Production

Instruments

Charts

Singles

! Year! Single! Chart! Position
2005"Everything to Me"US Adult Top 40[13] 27
2005"Everything to Me"US Pop 10099

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateEdition(s)Format(s)Label
United StatesOctober 4, 2005StandardCapitol[14]

References

  1. Phair, Liz (interviewee) . November 13, 2005 . . episode of television series . .
  2. News: Chris . Dahlen . Exile in Mainstream . . August 17, 2005 . September 24, 2005 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20051220051636/http://music.sfweekly.com/Issues/2005-08-17/music/music.html . December 20, 2005 .
  3. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=liz phair|chart=all}} Somebody's Miracle - Liz Phair]. Billboard. 2012-02-17.
  4. Ask Billboard: Kylie 'Fever' . Billboard. 2010-07-16. 2012-02-17.
  5. News: The Independence of Liz Phair . David . Carr . . August 2, 2005 .
  6. Liz Phair Lines Up Acoustic Tour. June 9, 2005. Billboard. May 17, 2022.
  7. News: Liz Phair Delivers A Miracle. August 18, 2005. IGN. May 17, 2022.
  8. News: Liz Phair yearns for everlasting love — on her new CD, at least . . . October 3, 2005 . Jim . Farber .
  9. News: Liz Phair keeps it smooth on 'Miracle' . . . October 5, 2005 .
  10. Somebody's Miracle: Liz Phair: Review . . Sheffield . Rob . Rob Sheffield . October 20, 2005 .
  11. Web site: Liz Phair: Somebody's Miracle. Music. 5 October 2005 .
  12. Somebody's Miracle. Liz Phair. 2005. CD liner notes. Capitol Records. CDP 7243 5 77769 2 9.
  13. Liz Phair Chart History: Adult Pop Songs. Billboard. October 30, 2022.
  14. Newman . Melinda . Phair Preps 'Miracle' . . 117 . 28 . 59 . July 9, 2005.