{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Somebody's Miracle | type = studio | artist = Liz Phair | cover = Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle.jpg | alt = | released = October 4, 2005 | recorded = | studio = * Henson Recording Studios (Hollywood, California) * The Village Recording Studios (Santa Monica, California) | genre = Pop rock<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chiu |first=David |date=June 9, 2021 |title=Liz Phair Gets Back in the Game |url=https://www.newsweek.com/liz-phair-gets-back-game-1598707 |access-date=October 24, 2025 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref> | length = 58:11 | label = Capitol | producer = * John Alagia * John Shanks * Dino Meneghin * Joe Zook | prev_title = Comeandgetit | prev_year = 2003 | next_title = Funstyle | next_year = 2010 | misc = {{Singles | name = Somebody's Miracle | type = studio | single1 = Everything to Me | single1date = August 1, 2005<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1612|page=21|date=July 29, 2005}}</ref> }} }}
'''''Somebody's Miracle''''' is the fifth studio album by Liz Phair, released on October 4, 2005 (see 2005 in music) on Capitol Records. From September 2004 through April 2005,<ref>{{cite video |people=Phair, Liz (interviewee) |date=November 13, 2005 |title=Breakfast with the Arts |medium=episode of television series |publisher=A&E Network }}</ref> she composed 14 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.<ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Dahlen |url=http://music.sfweekly.com/Issues/2005-08-17/music/music.html |title=Exile in Mainstream |work=SF Weekly |date=August 17, 2005 |access-date=September 24, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051220051636/http://music.sfweekly.com/Issues/2005-08-17/music/music.html |archive-date=December 20, 2005 }}</ref> The first single, "Everything to Me" was released to radio on August 1, 2005. ''Somebody's Miracle'' debuted at number 46 on the ''Billboard'' 200,<ref>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=liz phair|chart=all}}|title=Somebody's Miracle - Liz Phair|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=2012-02-17}}</ref> and has sold over 83,000 copies in the U.S.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/ask-billboard-kylie-fever/|title=Ask Billboard: Kylie 'Fever' |magazine=Billboard|date=2010-07-16|access-date=2012-02-17}}</ref>
==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."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/arts/music/02phai.html |first=David |last=Carr |title=The Independence of Liz Phair |work=The New York Times |date=August 2, 2005 }}</ref>
==Release and promotion== Prior to the album's release, Phair embarked on an acoustic tour in the summer of 2005 in which she previewed the album's material. The tour, which had nine stops, commenced on July 26 in Boston, Massachusetts, and concluded on August 19 in San Francisco, California.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/liz-phair-lines-up-acoustic-tour-62639/|title=Liz Phair Lines Up Acoustic Tour|last=|first=|date=June 9, 2005|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=May 17, 2022}}</ref> To further promote the album, Phair headlined a month-long North American tour. The tour commenced on October 6 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and concluded on November 16 in San Diego, California.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/08/18/liz-phair-delivers-a-miracle|title=Liz Phair Delivers A Miracle|last=|first=|date=August 18, 2005|work=IGN|accessdate=May 17, 2022}}</ref>
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.
==Reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 54/100<ref name=Metacritic>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/somebodys-miracle/liz-phair|title=Somebody's Miracle Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic|website=Metacritic|accessdate=2012-09-02}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/somebodys-miracle-mw0000170416|title=Somebody's Miracle - Liz Phair | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|via=www.allmusic.com}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Blender'' | rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>Another brazenly varried set. [Oct 2005, p.142]</ref> | rev3 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev3score = B−<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2005/10/03/somebodys-miracle/|title=Somebody's Miracle|website=EW.com}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Los Angeles Times'' | rev4score = {{rating|2.5|4}}<ref>[It] isn't a miracle by a long shot, but the highlights show signs of a once-valuable artist trying to reset her creative compass. [2 Oct 2005]</ref> | rev5 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev5score = 2.0/10<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/6256-somebodys-miracle/|title=Liz Phair: Somebody's Miracle|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> | rev6 = ''PopMatters'' | rev6score = 4/10<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/phairliz-somebodys-2496034219.html|title=Liz Phair: Somebody's Miracle|date=October 24, 2005|website=PopMatters}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev7score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=RS/> | rev8 = ''Slant'' | rev8score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/liz-phair-somebodys-miracle/|title=Review: Liz Phair, Somebody's Miracle|first=Jonathan|last=Keefe|website=Slant Magazine |date=10 October 2005 }}</ref> | rev9 = ''Stylus'' | rev9score = B+<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stylusmagazine.com/review_ID_3436.html|title=Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle - Stylus Magazine|website=stylusmagazine.com}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Under the Radar'' | rev10score = 5/10<ref>What's disappointing about Somebody's Miracle is not so much a matter of genre, tone or production sheen, but that Phair has made herself indistinguishable by falling in line. [#11, p.112]</ref> }} The album has a score of 54 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name=Metacritic/> One critic wrote, "''Miracle'' contains the singer's most winning melodies to date, not to mention her most confident vocals."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2005/10/3/music/20051003113325&sec=music |title=Liz Phair yearns for everlasting love — on her new CD, at least |work=Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services |publisher=The Star |date=October 3, 2005 |first=Jim |last=Farber }}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/liz-phair-keeps-it-smooth-miracle-wbna9593522 |title=Liz Phair keeps it smooth on 'Miracle' |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Today.com |date=October 5, 2005 }}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'', however, gave the album just two stars, calling her vocals "thin and dry" and the album as a whole "plain and forgettable".<ref name=RS>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/somebodys-miracle-20051020 |title=Somebody's Miracle: Liz Phair: Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |date=October 20, 2005 }}</ref> ''The A.V. Club'' wrote that Phair "has grown into the role of an MOR songstress."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/liz-phair-somebodys-miracle-1798201098|title=Liz Phair: Somebody's Miracle|website=Music|date=5 October 2005 }}</ref>
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 == {{Track listing | all_writing = Liz Phair, except where noted. Produced by John Alagía (1–5, 7, 9–13), Dino Meneghin and Joe Zook (2, 9), and John Shanks (6, 8, 14). | title1 = Leap of Innocence | length1 = 4:22 | title2 = Wind and the Mountain | length2 = 5:33 | title3 = Stars and Planets | length3 = 3:54 | title4 = Somebody's Miracle | length4 = 4:23 | title5 = Got My Own Thing | length5 = 4:34 | title6 = Count on My Love | note6 = Liz Phair, John Shanks | length6 = 3:41 | title7 = Lazy Dreamer | length7 = 4:55 | title8 = Everything to Me | note8 = Phair, Shanks | length8 = 3:19 | title9 = Closer to You | length9 = 3:37 | title10 = Table for One | length10 = 4:12 | title11 = Why I Lie | length11 = 3:21 | title12 = Lost Tonight | length12 = 4:02 | title13 = Everything (Between Us) | length13 = 4:34 | title14 = Giving It All to You | note14 = Phair, Shanks | length14 = 3:44 | total_length = 58:11 }} {{Track listing | headline = ''Somebody's Miracle'' {{nobold|– Japanese edition (bonus track)}}<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Somebody's Miracle|others=Liz Phair|year=2005|type=CD liner notes|publisher=Capitol Records|id=TOCP-66448}}</ref> | title15 = Can't Get Out of What I'm Into | length15 = 2:51 | total_length = 61:03 }}
==Personnel== Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref name="auto">{{cite AV media notes|title=Somebody's Miracle|others=Liz Phair|year=2005|type=CD liner notes|publisher=Capitol Records|id=CDP 7243 5 77769 2 9}}</ref>
'''Production''' {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} * Liz Phair – writer * John Alagía – producer, mixing, additional production, background vocal arrangement * Brian Scheuble – engineering, mixing, recording * Jeff Robinette – assistant engineer, additional engineering * Dino Meneghin – producer * Joe Zook – co-producer, engineering, recording * John Shanks – writer, producer, mixing * Jeff Rothschild – recording, mixing * Lars Fox – additional engineering * Shari Sutcliffe – contractor/project coordinator {{col-2}} * David Campbell – strings arrangement * Allen Sides – strings recording * Joel Derouin – concert master * Tom Lord-Alge – mixing * Ted Jensen – mastering * Mary Fagot – creative direction * Eric Roinestad – art direction, design * Dusan Reljin – photography {{col-end}}
'''Instruments''' {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} * Liz Phair – vocals, guitar, background vocals * Dino Meneghin – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, keyboards, guitar, drum programming, hand percussion * Aaron Sterling – drums, percussion * Oliver Kraus – cello * Tim Bradshaw – keyboards {{col-2}} * Sean Hurley – bass * John Alagía – guitar, keyboards, B3 organ * Bill Mohler – bass, acoustic bass * John Shanks – bass, guitar, keyboards, background vocals * Jeff Rothschild – drums * Joe Zook – tambourine {{col-end}}
== Charts == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+{{sronly|Weekly chart performance for ''Somebody's Miracle''}} ! scope="col"| Chart (2005) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Billboard200|46|artist=Liz Phair|rowheader=true|access-date=May 16, 2022|refname="uscharts"}} |}
===Singles=== {|class="wikitable" |+ {{sronly|Chart performance for singles from ''Somebody's Miracle''}} ! Year ! Single ! Chart ! Position |- | 2005 | "Everything to Me" | US Adult Top 40<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/liz-phair/chart-history/atf/|title=Liz Phair Chart History: Adult Pop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 30, 2022}}</ref> | 27 |- | 2005 | "Everything to Me" | US Pop 100 | 99 |}
== Release history == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release formats for ''Somebody's Miracle'' ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Edition(s) ! scope="col" | Format(s) ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |- ! scope="row" | United States | October 4, 2005 | Standard | {{flatlist| * CD * digital download }} | Capitol | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Melinda |title=Phair Preps 'Miracle' |magazine=Billboard |volume=117 |issue=28 |page=59 |publication-date=July 9, 2005}}</ref> |}
==References== <references/>
{{Liz Phair}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Liz Phair albums Category:2005 albums Category:Capitol Records albums Category:Albums produced by John Shanks Category:Albums produced by John Alagía