Liz Phair is revisiting 1993. That's when she released the seminal indie-rock album Exile in Guyville. A reissue of this debut includes several unreleased songs and a DVD feature in which Ms. Phair drops in on friends and former lovers from that era. We talked to Ms. Phair about a musical experiment she conducted last year. After splitting with her boyfriend, she made an iTunes playlist of the songs popping into her head. Ms. Phair recommends the exercise to everyone: "It's like a weird photograph of the way your mind works," a sort of therapy that helped her through a rough patch -- "That and actual therapy," she adds. Here's a sampling of songs that emerged from Ms. Phair's subconscious.
"Let's Make a Change", busbee
This group is named for the Los Angeles-area songwriter and producer who fronts the band, Mike Busbee. "I always think that he ought to be in movies with this song," Ms. Phair says of this ballad about a long-distance love.
"Ripple", the Grateful Dead
The edgy rock culture Ms. Phair grew up in disdained music that smacked of hippie nostalgia, such as this sunny 1970 anthem. But that mind-set loosened its hold on her long ago, she says. "I like punk, too, but its soul has left the building. Now you can admit that you like this stuff."
"Never Let It Go", Butterfly Boucher
With a bubbly beat and playful vocal effects, this song comes from the Australian singer-songwriter's album Flutterby, "a fully realized work," Ms. Phair says. "I saw her as myself in a weird way, but she kind of kicked my [behind]."
"Singin' in the Rain", Gene Kelly
Ms. Phair's mental stereo started playing this classic as she reached for a towel in the bathroom of an Ethiopian restaurant. She felt hokey, but had to follow her own rules and put it on the playlist. "You cannot edit even though you get embarrassed about what's coming out of your head."
"End of the Line", Traveling Wilburys
This chugging hit from the 1980s supergroup, which included Bob Dylan, George Harrison and other acclaimed rockers, signaled the end of Ms. Phair's experiment. "That's where I got the message. I realized that my list was rather benevolent and that my breakup wasn't going to be that bad."
WSJ: Exile in Guyville was released in 1993, which turned out to be a golden era for indie rock. Are you nostalgic for that time?
Ms. Phair: In some ways. I like the spirit that we all had. There was a real sense of being apart from the mainstream and messing with it. But now, in a lot of ways, I'm really glad that I have a roof over my head and for my son.
What did you learn from the experience of making the DVD and going back to revisit the people involved at the time, including the guys who inspired the concept?
It was such a fraught period in my life. There were so many extremes going on in terms of my own behavior. Also, indie music was coming to the fore and there were all these forces coming together that weren't all that pleasant. Even though I had a lot of career acclaim I wasn't particularly proud of what I was doing. I had a lot of trepidation of opening up that lock box of my soul. Connecting with people from that time that I had maybe let go of was nerve wracking, but it ended up being so much better than I had expected. They were the men in my immediate circle. They were the guys of Guyville, quite literally.
The songs are a real indictment of men and their ways, but lots of men really loved it — and still do. Why do you think that is?
I don't think it was a female record just because it was a female point of view. It was empowering to women and fascinating to men.
The same boys club mentality that you lashed out at on Guyville struck again in the years after its release when you made pop records. Has that back-and-forth battle of the sexes defined your career?
It was like Guyville's revenge. I found sexism frustrating long before I made that record. Now, I'm mellower. I've got patience and I see it as a long race.
Who are some women producing music now that you admire?
I'm not the kind of music fan that gets very heavy handed about these things. Music is a pleasure avenue for me and I'm a fan in the most banal sense. Lately I've been into people like Regina Spektor. I came to her late. Sorry, I'm here now. Tegan and Sara are also great. I like women who sound like themselves. The truth is I really like Colbie Caillat and I'm not ashamed to say it.