Given the lyrical genius on Exile in Guyville, it’s a shame the line “I want to be your blow job queen” gets the most attention. Such persistent focus on Liz Phair’s potty mouth distracted from the fact that her classic 1993 debut—equal parts feminist manifesto, young-adult survival guide and refreshing response to the sausage fest that was indie rock—gained its gravitas more from her frankness about botched relationships than her candor about sex. Dispensing heartrending, brutally honest insights into ill-fated romantic pursuits, Phair imbued her intimate rock songs with wit and unnerving emotional heft. Fans whose judgment is clouded by her banal pop bid, 2003’s Liz Phair, need only revisit “Divorce Song” to realize this album still devastates after 15 years.

As a reissue, however, Guyville is slightly less perfect. Unlike her former Matador labelmates in Pavement—who package their reissues with all relevant B-sides, outtakes and extras—Phair has added three measly bonus songs, two of which rank among her worst. She redeems herself with the stunning “Ant in Alaska,” a remastered demo from 1991 cassettes she released under the name Girly Sound. It’s too bad Phair didn’t include the rest of those unreleased songs, as many rival the ones that eventually made it onto Guyville. Still, the accompanying documentary DVD is great: Featuring interviews largely with folks involved in her early career, it’s a fascinating and funny look at Guyville’s recording, reception and impact on the dudecentric Chicago music scene that inspired its title.

Liz Phair plays Exile in Guyville at Hiro Ballroom Wed 25 and June 26.