Whip-Smart

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Whip-Smart
Studio album by Liz Phair
Released	September 20, 1994
Genre	Indie Rock
Length	41:52
Label	Matador
Producer	Brad Wood
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
Liz Phair chronology
Exile in Guyville (1993) Whip-Smart (1994) Juvenilia (1995)

Whip-Smart is the second album by American singer-songwriter Liz Phair, released in 1994. After the massive critical reaction to Phair's debut, 1993's Exile In Guyville, the release of the album was accompanied by a commercial blitz. Despite the strength of the first single "Supernova" on the rock charts, the album received mixed reviews and never reached the level of success banked on by Matador. Although Whip-Smart debuted at #27, Phair's highest chart position to date (albeit matched by her self-titled effort of 2003), the album only achieved gold status. As of July 2003, it has sold 600,000 copies.

Phair has stated that the songs on Whip Smart chronicle the beginning, middle and end of a relationship: "a rock fairy tale...from meeting the guy, falling for him, getting him and not getting him, going through the disillusionment period, saying, 'Fuck it,' and leaving, coming back to it." ^[1]

The cover art of the album is taken from a Soviet poster^[2]. In the original poster, there is a small child in the middle of the star, however the album cover shows a somewhat out-of-focus photo of Liz Phair.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Personnel 3 Production 4 Charts 5 Certifications 6 References

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Liz Phair

1. "Chopsticks" – 2:05
2. "Supernova" – 2:48
3. "Support System" – 2:58
4. "X-Ray Man" – 2:13
5. "Shane" – 4:12
6. "Nashville" – 4:42
7. "Go West" – 3:17
8. "Cinco de Mayo" – 2:43
9. "Dogs of L.A." – 2:21
10. "Whip-Smart" – 4:18
11. "Jealousy" – 3:37
12. "Crater Lake" – 2:06
13. "Alice Springs" – 1:50
14. "May Queen" – 2:42

[edit] Personnel

• Liz Phair - guitar, piano, vocals
• Brad Wood - synthesizer, bass, guitar, percussion, drums, background vocals

[edit] Production

• Producer: Brad Wood
• Engineer: Brad Wood
• Mixing: Brad Wood

[edit] Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1994	The Billboard 200	27

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1994	"Supernova"	Modern Rock Tracks	6
1994	"Supernova"	The Billboard Hot 100	78
1995	"Whip-Smart"	Modern Rock Tracks	24

[edit] Certifications

Organization	Level
RIAA – U.S.	Gold

[edit] References

1. ^ "Whip-Smart Is The Best-Selling LP By An Artist Of The Matador Records" Wild and Unwise - The Liz Phair Story
2. ^ "We, soviet children, follow Lenin's way" http://www.sovmusic.ru/english/p_view.php?id=7