10 Most Underrated Indie Rock Albums Of All Time

Liz Phair’s 1993 debut Exile In Guyville was always going to be a hard act to follow. A witty, explicit, melodically lo-fi passion piece, Phair was a bolt from the blue in a time dominated by angsty boys with guitars.

Whip-Smart doesn’t come all that close to equalising the previous record, but Phair’s 1994 release is something great on its own merits. Phair has a knack of making her music with simultaneous sheen and sneer - standout “Cinco de Mayo” is another break up song though with a greater subtlety to her lyrics and a sense of melancholy rather than full on disdain for its target.

Lead single “Supernova” showed Phair’s ability to deal with her sudden rock stardom, embracing the possibilities of polish and professionalism that come with a greater budget and label support. “Jealousy” is another major winner, again taking the sound from Guyville and running with (though never surpassing) it.

This was Phair’s final record to focus so heavily on young lust and heartbreak - her style has changed as she has aged, with mixed results - but as a companion piece to a seminal ‘90s record, it holds up fantastically well.