Even though this is extremely far from the slickly-produced but excellent self-titled album from last year, this is essentially its foreshadower; "Liz Phair" took the formula of this album and amplified it. Indeed, with "Whip-Smart" back in 1994, she proved with songs like "Jealousy" and "Supernova," her first song to make the Hot 100 (#78), that she could stick to guns; pushing the envelope with themes that near-completely dealt with sex while still crafting radio-worthy fare. "Whitechocolatespaceegg" is far more mainstream than anything she released previously, but it walks the balance beam between indieville and Top 40 land carefully; in fact, perhaps too carefully, which could explain why it has been her least-embraced release.

From the opening title track, which many agree is in reference to her then baby son, to the awkward "Girls Room," this album is a mix bag of different infectious styles that without a doubt has at least one song to please every listener. "Big Tall Man" is a hilarious, extremely catchy tune likely inspired by her ex-husband, while "Love Is Nothing" and "Johnny Feelgood," melodically, sound like something you'd hear after popping a coin into a jukebox in a 50's-style restaurant. Other tracks, like "Go On Ahead" are lyrically reminiscent of "Exile In Guyville" in their examination of relationships, while the likes of others such as "What Makes You Happy" or "Baby Got Going" are so downright catchy that it's a true shame they didn't mark Phair's arrival at mainstream radio. The lyrics to the former are sung so perfectly; she gets an A+ for the acting job: "But mom, I'm sending you this photograph/I swear this one is gonna to last/And all those other bastards were only practice". How can you not love this woman?

Although it is her least successful record, "Whitechocolatespaceegg," with its sing-along choruses and insightful lyrics (and at times appropriate lack thereof) deserves a second chance.


It's not different, it's not better--it's all good   October 17, 2000
Carl A. Schreiber
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

Some of the reviews below were a bit harsh towards this CD. I usually don't give many 5 stars out, but I felt I had to here to counterbalance the ratings given out by some other very biased reviewers.

Liz Phair is an amazing artist. I'm no groupie nor do I own an autographed picture or anything like that. I just think this album along with her two others chronicle an amazing story told by an amazing story teller/poet.

Her first album was a double EP released back in those early days of grunge and alterno-trend rock. When any cute girl with a tight t-shirt, an emotive voice and a half-way decent back-up band could release an album and seemingly go platinum. Liz Phair came up out of that swirl of here-today-gone-tomorrow chick-rockers with an album that was raw and honest and a little bit naughty (Exile in Guyville). Most of it she composed in her bedroom with (I think) a third-rate 4 track. Copies of her songs were duplicated and spread and duplicated again among women who themselves were dealing with all the hardships and questions of being young, attractive and intelligent. She was an underground phenomenon in Chicago.

Somewhere, somehow, Matador Records found her, signed her and thus her first album.

Whipsmart was her second album. Some say it is "too clean, too produced" compared to her first album. I disagree. I love that album for different reasons. But were talking about "Space Egg" and Liz Phair...

So, now we're a couple of years later. Liz Phair, up to this point, has done something like 15 appearances total in that time--and those apparently weren't that great. She had horrible stage fright. She had made two excellent and very profitable albums (maybe the only two Matador has had so far) and now she had to top that.

However, her situation had changed. She was no longer the bitter, angry young woman who had written Exile. She was in her late twenties, married, and had a son. A lot people, me included, wondered if she would go down in history with just those two albums or worse try and hold on to "the good old days" and release Exile II, except have changed too much as a person and an artist to pull it off. I thought, "Well, maybe Neil Young is right, it's better to burn out than to fade away." (I remember reading one article once where she said she just kept writing songs about changing diapers and babies and really thought she was going away fast.)

Instead she did what a true artist should. She wrote the new album in her own voice, the voice of a late twenties woman with a kid and a husband and all of the growth that had happened in her life since the first two albums. And like I said it is an amazing album.

Track after track is a different slice of life or just a mood. Liz Phair the poet comes through as much as Liz Phair the musician and Liz Phair the person. All of which have grown and grown together.

The Liz Phair that everyone saw in Lilath Fair was someone who had struggled and beaten her legendary stage fright to be able to be up there. Although probably few knew it, which is telling in it's own right. She has grown as a person and as an artist and this album is a stop along the way that she has been nice enough to share with the rest of us.

I think Neil Young was right--when you're losing your voice or you have nothing interesting left to say, then it is better. Liz Phair and this album don't fit into those categories. In fact, they are both in a league all their own.

Buy this album.


liz phair is a musician not to ignore   November 18, 1999
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

i do not understand why liz phair has been one of the most misunderstood & maligned musicians i've ever seen. is it because if she comes from money? is it because she's a girl? from chicago? i don't know, all i can say is that everyone writing bad reviews seem to be jerky guys on some kind of mission. liz phair is a poet of MY generation, the chrissie hynde of MY generation- and for everyone else who doesnt' get her or like her - they can screw themselves backwards for all i care. this newest album harkens back to her first album ("exile..") in terms of originality, but it's also a progression from whipsmart - i don't know why people consider whipsmart to be inferior - they're all good albums - just different. exile is raw and uncut- i still love 6'1, flower,mesmerizing, divorce song,stratford-on-guy,&strange loop - but i also think other songs could have been dropped and i wouldn't have missed them. whipsmart is more "produced", but it has some great songs - "supernova" is one of the best love songs ever written, but don't expect it to sound like "looks like we made it" - that's not what our liz is about. thank the lord. other faves are: x-ray man, go west, & jealousy. as far as whitechocolate is concerned - it's a great album with most songs stellar, which is a rare find these days. perfect world, johnny feelgood, polyester bride, baby got going, headache and ride are my favorites. and girls room is classic bitey songstress liz. for a 1st album, you won't go wrong. however, if you really want to know what raw rock liz is about, you'll have to buy exile in guyville - it rocked my world when i first discovered it.


A must-have   January 14, 2000
Chrissy (Indiana)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I bought this CD a couple months after hearing Liz Phair perform live at Lilith Fair. I had heard a few of her songs before, but I never really took notice of them until I saw her at Lilith. I wanted to hear more, so I bought whitechocolatespaceegg, which is now one of my all-time favorite albums. There isn't a dud on the entire CD. There's something for everyone here: slower songs ("Uncle Alvarez," "Only Son,") and gritty rockers ("Johnny Feelgood," "Ride"). The album starts off with the solid title track and closes with "Girls' Room," an admittedly hilarious little song...listen for yourself! I would recommend this CD to anyone who likes variety. Or just anyone. It's terrific, and that's all I have to say. Enjoy!


Still remains my favorite...   October 10, 2005
Slasher04 (Niagara Falls, NY United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

As inconsistent as this album is, it is easily my favorite Liz Phair album to date. I'm a sucker for pop music and perhaps this is why I find WCSE so appealing. Phair's early works such as 6'1, F**k and Run, Divorce Song, Supernova, and May Queen always stood out as my favorites. The pop songs on this album are pulled off so effortlessly, unlike the songs on the S/T album (Underwear) and the more recent Somebody's Miracle (Stars and Planets). A lot of the success relys on Phair's ability to pen quirky lyrics as heard on the S/T track, Johnny Feelgood, Polyester Bride and Uncle Alvarez. However, fan of lo-fi material on Exile (Glory, Dance of the Seven Veils) and Whip Smart (Chopsticks, Shane, Alice Spring) should not be disappointed. Tracks such as Perfect World (truly one her best songs ever), Go on Ahead, Fantasize, and Girl's Room sound like incognito Girly Sound Recordings hidden by a more polished production. And while some songs seem out of place here they all manage to succeed. What Makes You Happy is a wonderfully charming, conversation song between Phair and her mother ("I swear this one is going to last and all those other bastards were just practice..."). Headache is a catchy sing-a-long mainly because of Phair's vocal approach to the song, sounding bored and unenthused with being in love. While Sh**loads of Money (a reworked Girly Sound) could've used a better arangement it's a nice pre-closer to the remarkable Girl's Room. For those of you who want to give it another chance, take it in the car with you in the summer and go on a long drive. I do it every year and sing each one of these amazing, pop songs, without any shame. Afterall, everyone needs to hear this album in one way or another.