2018 marks the 25th anniversary of Liz Phair’s landmark album Exile in Guyville. On May 4th, Matador Records will release Girly-Sound To Guyville: The 25th Anniversary Box Set. This release is an extensive, limited edition 7-LP or 3-CD box set to celebrate the anniversary of her classic album. The box set contains the first official restored audio of all three 1991 Girly-Sound tapes from the original cassettes. It also contains the 1993 Exile In Guyville album remastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge. Also included is a lavish, thick book, which contains an extensive oral history by Jason Cohen, plus essays by Liz Phair and journalist Ann Powers. The vinyl version of the book also contains never before published photos, unseen artwork, and ephemera.
Also set for release on May 4th is Exile In Guyville, a reissue remastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge, available on CD or double LP. The album has not been available widely on LP in years. Listen to the Girly-Sound version of Divorce Song, here
Originally released in 1993, Exile In Guyville is a seminal album and a feminist landmark. Its legendary status has only grown over the years. It’s continually included in countless lists…Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest albums of all time + 100 best albums of the 90s, Pitchfork’s Top 100 albums of the 90s, etc. Numerous essays and think pieces have been written about it and the number of accolades piled on is endless.
The Girly-Sound tapes are stuff of legend amongst Liz Phair fans. In 1991, she made a series of tapes of her songs under the name Girly-Sound, and sent them to friends. She made three tapes total. Copies were dubbed and passed around and long story short, the Girly-Sound tapes eventually led to her signing with Matador and the rest is history. Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters in LA restored an original set of cassettes and Emily Lazar at The Lodge mastered it, and this is the first official restored release of those songs.
Since the release of Exile in Guyville, Liz Phair has continued to defy expectation and break barriers. She has released five albums, is working on a new one and has also composed music for television shows and received awards for that work. In November, it was announced that she would be fulfilling a longtime dream to be an author with a two-book deal with Random House. Her first book will be called Horror Stories, which focuses on “heartbreak, motherhood, and everything in between.”
This release will be supported by a June tour during which Liz will for the first time only perform songs from the Girly-Sound Tapes. The full list of tour dates is below.
5/31 – Los Angeles, CA – Masonic Lodge
6/1 – San Francisco, CA – Swedish American Hall
6/2 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile
6/4 – Minneapolis, MN – Turf Club
6/6 – Boston, MA – Sinclair
6/7 – Brooklyn, NY – National Sawdust
6/8 – Wichita, KS – Wichita Riverfest
6/9 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
