Either/Or

A great singer-songwriter that passed away but left some memorable music behind. A hint of the Beatles; his sweet,airy voice coupled with some great writing though dark reminds a bit of a new up-and-rising SS:Arrica Rose in her new album La La Lost. Take a listen.

Emerging from the shadow of Kurt Cobain in the late 90's, Elliott Smith was perhaps the greatest singer songwriter of his generation. Smith's genius was his unabashedly honest, naked, poetic lyricism that was so beautifully complemented by his unpretentiousness acoustic guitar. Like none that came before him, Smith delivers note after note of haunted, sparkling melancholy. Far from gloomy, his songs radiate with incredible emotional intensity. Combining an unbridled punk rage within the guise of an acoustic folk song, his songs speak for themselves. Reflective and introspective, each song unfolds like a delicately wrapped package, revealing itself slowly. Smith's songs present themselves like late night thoughts that just won't go away. Concerning themselves with drug abuse, depression, and troubled relationships, Smith exorcises his inner demons and releases them in a beautiful, blinding, luminosity, albeit born from dark, painful emotional despair.

With the release of two critically acclaimed Indie Rock albums in the late 1990's, Elliott Smith slowly rose to prominence in the Indie rock underground. Yet he was still relatively unknown. That would soon change. Director Gus Van Sant, a friend and fan of Smiths, and a native of Portland, approached Smith about using his music in his upcoming film. Smith agreed and several songs (Say Yes, Angeles, Between The Bars, No Name #3)on Either/Or would go on to be featured in The Miramax Motion Picture Good Will Hunting. Smith also composed a song for the film "Miss Misery," which would go on to be nominated by The Academy for Best Original Song. Smith symbolically revealed himself to the world within the spotlight of national television when he performed Miss Misery live at the Annual Academy Awards. Either/Or is the last lo-fi album that Smith released, before a bigger record contract with Dreamworks afforded him the opportunity to expand his sound with lush instrumentation and arrangements on his subsequent albums. Perhaps, his most accessible album, Either/Or expands upon the raw beauty of his previous two efforts into a refined, elegant work of art.

The release of 1997's Either/Or would see the continuation and finale of the same iconic sound that had become instantly recognizable. The angelic, whispery thin voice and fingerpicked acoustic. The last in the trilogy of three lo-fi albums characterized by their elegant rawness and delicacy, Either/Or is slightly more refined and upbeat than his previous self titled effort. It is perhaps his most accessible album. Lyrically, confronting love head on rather than cryptically(Between The Bars, Say Yes). Like his previous albums, Smith played all the instruments himself on the record, he has never sounded better than on Either/Or. Each song stands alone more successfully, and the album feels cohesive. His melodies are simple, but his lyrics are simply timeless. While his life slowly spiraled out of control with his worsening drug and alcohol addictions, his music was getting better and better. Or perhaps more and more honest. Songs like Between The Bars, Angeles and Say Yes expose a tender and sensitive side. Smith has always bared his soul, but with each album it becomes more and more poetic and graceful. Lyrically, Smith says what he needs to say, and he does it so tenderly, elegantly and quietly. He emphasizes all the right words, even if the word is f*ck. There is an undeniable honesty in his best work, that people can instantly relate to, which is perhaps what makes him so special among fans. No more so than on Either/Or. There is a poignancy, a tenderness, and a sadness all at once. Smith was someone special, he was struggling and he wanted to share that, and that is perhaps what truly made his music beautiful. Maybe he never knew where he would end up, or how long he would be playing music, but he wanted to share it while he had the chance and it is in that graciousness that every artist is celebrated. For their contribution.

Ballad of Big Nothing stands out as the best song on the album. Speed Trials, Cupid's Trick and Rose Parade are the others that gave the album some flavor. 2:45 AM musically is cool, but the lyrics didnt do anything for me. I felt the accoustic songs on XO were better.

While this album will definitely grow on you, fans new to Elliot Smith should consider the more fully produced Dreamworks "XO" or "Figure 8" as an introduction. If you're looking to dig a little deeper, this CD will not disappoint. Like a fine wine, it get's better with age. Angeles, Alameda, and Rose Parade are my favorites, but the whole album has Elliot's hauntingly familiar melancholy, balanced nicely with comfortingly sweet harmonies.

as everyone knows, elliott smith had a hell of a gift....