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 #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] Prior to the album's release, Phair embarked on a short acoustic tour where she played in smaller venues, bars, and clubs. After the album's release, she and her band went on a more extensive tour playing at larger venues. 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.
The album so far has been given a score of 54 out of 100 by Metacritic based on "mixed or average reviews".[6] One critic wrote, "Miracle contains the singer's most winning melodies to date, not to mention her most confident vocals."[7] 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".[8]Rolling Stone, however, gave the album just two stars, calling her vocals "thin and dry" and the album as a whole "plain and forgettable".[9]
This was Liz Phair's last album for Capitol Records. Her next album, Funstyle, was released on the independent label Rocket Science Records.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Liz Phair, except where noted
