After Exile in Guyville turned Liz Phair into an indie-rock pinup queen, rock critics and lo-fi aficionados everywhere awaited her follow-up with bated breath. Instead of making Guyville II, Phair sidestepped expectations by delivering Whip-smart, an album that replaced the shoestring intimacy of her debut with more traditional song arrangements and (gasp!) professional-sounding production.
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