Either Or

Inoffensive

Elliot Smith is able to perfectly balance the folk/Americana sound with indie rock, without making it too whiny or annoying. Speaking about what he knows best he is able to weave his experiences from his hometown coupled with the immense personal struggles he was - and continued - to go through. Best: Pictures Of Me Worst: Alameda

Good roadtrip vibe, emo feel with a little grungy touch.

meh 3/5

This album sound like out of time. Its sound reminds me records from the 60's. I liked it, but I do not appreciate why it is in this list.

I don't know what it is with Elliott Smith and me. I understand why people have this in their favourite album lists, I understand why Elliott is regarded as a very talented songwriter. It just never clicked for me. And have listened to the album 3 times over the last day. But it's all going past me.

Elliott Smith is on paper someone who I should really like, but I've unfortunately never gotten into him much. Lyrically things are great, but for some reason his voice doesn't gel with me. I imagine I have the same reaction to Elliott as many do to Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst. I can see how people would really like him and I want to like him more than I do, but that's where I'm at.

Kjøpte platene den gang da, men fikk aldri helt fot for dem. Hyggelig gjenhør.

Ok

It was alright.

can't get passionate

Elliot Smith is a tragic figure, and this is a good album. Its not an album with a bunch of top 10 songs or any particular earworms or bangers on it, but its an overall very good and very listenable in general. 3/5

This album is okay, very mellow but I appreciate his lyrics. I wish more songs didn’t have the layered vocals, not a huge fan of that sound. But it sounds like so many of the acoustic indie artists that I’ve listened to over the years so it’s easy to see the influence he’s had.

Yeah it’s kinda depressing, but it’s also pretty good. I’d say 3.5 stars, but I’ll round it down.

Not sure why every song is such a bummer.

I enjoyed listening to the songs. I'm just unsure if this needs to be on this list.

There were some good folksy moments but I wasn’t compelled by the lyrics

this was fine i guess?

Lov the build up in “Do it Again” Forgot how much I like this album. Very well written and executed music! Dirty Work was like listening to Chicago, playing so many instruments . Always loved Reeling In the Years- wow what great🎸strumming. well done Steely Dan. .

I’ve had an Elliott Smith album before on here and it exceeded my expectations, much more dynamic than I was expecting. This one didn’t. I’m not a big fan of his whispery tone and had to make a bit of an effort to listen all the way through. Nice enough but a bit too angsty for me.

"Either/Or" is my first exposure to Elliott Smith's music. It's an unfussy-sounding album that's less concerned with pristine production or technical skill than it is about conveying mood, atmosphere and sentiment. I'm very happy with this approach: the stripped back style (often just acoustic guitar and spidery-thin vocals) works to the credit of much of the material. Paradoxically, it was the more filled out, upbeat tracks that felt a bit lacking for me. "Speed Trials", "Cupid's Trick" and "Pictures of Me" felt a little too beige: fairly standard 90's bedroom rock that didn't quite feel suited to Smith's voice, lyrical talents or aesthetic. When he took the simplicity in another direction, the ballads he's perhaps more known for, I was much more taken in. In general, the second half of the album kicked things up to another gear on this front, with some lovely melodies blossoming and finding beauty in simplicity. "Say Yes" is absolutely lovely: its genuine earnestness redeeming it from what might otherwise be cliched progression and melody. It's the sweetest tune here and worth sticking out the album for. Elsewhere in the back half, some similarly tuneful offerings stood out to me: "Rose Parade" is the Magnetic Fields song I never knew I needed, and "Angeles" manages to do a lot with a little. The guitar playing is often deceptively complex (take the speed and precision of "Angeles", or use of open-tuning to augment some of the chord structures- a little Nick Drake-y in this regard). Even though a lot of the chord progressions don't break the bank, they can also mask a deeper complexity. The meandering and sprawling "Alameda" is good for keeping a listener guessing, even if it does seem a little unfocused. On paper, Smith's music is everything I really like but I haven't managed to connect with a lot of the tracks after a few listens: it's been enough to show me there's something in them, so I'm keen to keep trying.

While I think I prefer the larger production and uptempo feel of 'Figure Eight,' this LP offers a collection of beautiful, small-scale tracks that highlight Elliot's penchant for simple but poignant songwriting.

Weer een bekende naam, waar ik nooit echt naar geluisterd heb. Best leuk, maar verwacht het niet vaker te gaan draaien.

Goeie plaat. En Ballad of Big Nothing is een van mijn favoriete tracks.

Elliott Smith is bij mij nooit echt geland. Wel een paar erg mooie nummers maar het geheel is me toch iets te ielig en lijzig.

Wel mooi. Lijkt we op veel andere dingen.

Okay, so everyone is right... It's just lovely and heartbreaking and he's clearly a genius but... It was all quite tonally meh, everything is chugging away at about the same speed and it left me a little, not bored, but easily distracted from what is clearly the work of a genius, but one which could use a better producer? The last couple of tracks (2:45 and possibly Say Yes?) Are the best of the bunch, and the first point I started listening intently.

meh

31st March 2022 Listened in the front room while working. Drove home with mum in the evening through a snow storm and chatted investing. Not bad, but feel like he’s been posthumously inflated.

Obviously it's absolutely beautiful; just very sparse

Easy listening

Driving to the airport with my mom a few years ago, I heard Oliver Nelson and Eric Dolphy's "Images" for the first time. That tune features melodies in stereo, half a step apart. Even on the highway, the effect was striking. Either/Or created a similar feeling at times with its double-tracking, emotional instead of intellectual. On top, earworm potential galore. There are also plenty of things I like: Moving guitar lines (especially low ones), a hint of dream noise. It's a bit grab baggy, though the last two tracks are exceptionally strong.

3 i guess, it was fine

Good singer. Another States-type singer of many

Solid meh.

I can only relisten to an album so many times trying to work out if I like it. Sorry Elliott you've had multiple chances now.

Is there a homelier elitist troth stronger that Elliot fans? Tragedy aside, it’s enjoyable but a little lackluster

Better than previous ES album

Op zich wel aardige muziek. Lekker op de achtergrond, maar het maakt me niet echt nieuwsgierig naar meer. ***

Schöner Singer Songwriter, aber ich merke dass ich dem im Rahmen des Projekts nicht die Aufmerksamkeit geben kann die es vllt verdient, gerade auf lyrischer Ebene. Musikalisch ist das nett aber jetzt auch nicht super krass beim 1st listen, deswegen muss da irgendwo mehr drin stecken, bin noch nicht durch hiermit!

A sad, soft album. I liked that it never screamed at me about the things it was trying to say, just let the lyrics and his soft-spoken voice do the job. A pleasant listen that I think will grow on me more with age.

Considered a classic album and one of the best of its decade. I however have a hard time loving it as much as other people. I find it easy to listen to and it sounds nice but I’m not quite able to grasp what truly makes this so much better other than it’s a bit more emotional and melancholy. Still good though. 6.6/10

passed me by first time round - all good and fine though no massive breakthrough tracks

It remembered me some moods by Lennon.

Not awful.

It was ok but I didn’t hear a standout song. I thought a lot of it blended together. It was musically good and could appreciate his skills but it didn’t grab me.

Boring and calm. At least not terrible

An nice, easy listen. However, the tracks really all sound the same.

First time Listen of this and see the links with Lo-Fi and the alt/indie stuff. a little dour for me but some interesting tunes including "Speed Trials" "Angeles" and "Say Yes" are all good songs in my opinion. Not on my list but interesting stuff.

The real ball-breaker to this album is when it ends and another Elliott Smith song comes on, invariably with noticeably more energy than these droopy acoustics. 5/10

songs for easy listening

Wasn't particularly overwhelmed by this, but it was okay. The songs were catchy and pleasant to listen to.

Boring.

Its not bad if you're in that sorta mood

Not my speed

Was kind of forgettable

3.5 | Tiene un punto brillante y es que sabe cuando detenerse antes de que el disco se comience a sentir pesado y demasiado repetitivo. No tenía mucho conocimiento ni de las canciones ni del artista y aunque me deja un buen sabor de boca tampoco impresionó demasiado. Las letras muy muy buenas, canciones muy bien escritas. Las letras a menudo evocan imágenes, texturas y situaciones muy específicas. Y, sin embargo, al igual que con muchos compositores verdaderamente grandes, utilizó esta especificidad como una forma de explorar temas emocionales que resuenan profunda y ampliamente. No son canciones de amor, exactamente, pero tampoco son solamente, como pudiera parecer cancioens sobre adicción, exactamente. Trata sobre las formas en que proteger a alguien que amas se convierte en la necesidad de controlar a esa persona. El hecho de que fuera capaz de incorporar tanta complejidad emocional en una canción que suena como si nada en un Starbucks habla de su don como compositor. Lo que le baja un poco es que, aunque se entiende y cuadra un poco la idea de mantener todo demasiado simple y hacia el lo-fi, me hubiera gustado que presentara un poco de máyor complejidad musical o producción. Tiene partes que me agradan mucho y partes que suenan demasiado genéricas. A pesar de lo que me agradaron sus canciones por lírica, su música ronda entre los puntos de buena/adecuada y repetitiva.

Pues bonita música noventera, así con sus onda de ansiedad y melancolía y todo eso, pero no hubo un momento que destacara o me hiciera voltear a ver el título de la rola. Y eso que le di sus tres vueltas.

Surullinen mies ja kitara-musan paremmasta päästä. Herkkä levy.

Very lo-fi, subdued. Weird sentence but I feel like this record and Liz Phair's "Exile In Guyville" are two sides of the same coin: very singer-songwriter, earnest. I liked a lot of the recording tricks found on here, all seem very made-with-love, for lack of a better phrase. Favorite tracks: "Rose Parade", "Cupids Trick", "2:45 AM"

Absolutely not what I was expecting. Went in thinking it would be pop-punk, instead it was like calming folk? Didn't realise the album had ended and shuffled on to something else, so was easy listening, but wouldn't go out of my way for it again.

It fades to the background quite well. Not to say I didn't enjoy it. I particularly enjoyed the last tracks. When first hearing 'Cupids Trick' I thought it was finally picking up a bit, but was disappointed it took until the 3rd to last track to do so. There are a couple of tracks that I added to my always-on playlist on Spotify, but I shan't be listening to the whole album again. Solid 3/5.

Not his best album

I understand why people love or hate Elliott Smith. Its dreary and a tad depressing but I always enjoy his music.

Lovely album but very 1 dimensional

Some cool songs, and I sued to love this album. On listening to it now I just wasn't interested, and it does seem quite one dimensional and samey.

I’m not moody enough for this on the regular, but maybe with winter coming up, maybe

Well. It was absolutely OK background music. Didn't sound bad at all. But not interesting at all in any way. Just some regular melancholic singer/songwriter fare.

Typical indie stuff really. Personally not my thing as I'd prefer something more upbeat, but this grew on me a bit on a second listen through.

Lotta whispering. Recognized the popular song though

This album is fine. Enjoyable enough. I don’t find anything particularly noteworthy here. Elliott’s voice is fine too. Nothing spectacular.

Ok listen

“Either/Or” by Elliott Smith (1997) Can a guy with a very bad voice sing well? This album comes as close as possible to answering that question in the affirmative. Elliott Smith has such a quiet and airy voice, yet he’s still able to sustain each strangely selected pitch. And that’s not all. Unconventional melodies predominate, and the listener is continually wondering if the next chord will be another one that he/she will be unable to identify. This is a radically uncommercial product. And it’s mesmerizing. Singer/songwriter/multiple instrumentalist Elliott Smith puts together a fascinating product. And he basically did it all himself. He plays all the instruments and sings all the vocals, with just a bit of help on mixing and mastering. He sounds comfortable with his whispering voice. And there’s a very cozy relationship between lyrics, melody, voice, and acoustic guitar. I almost feel like I’m invading his personal space. And it’s a pretty sad space. This is pure studio music. I can’t imagine hearing this in a concert. I also can’t imagine this music being performed by a group. It’s too idiosyncratic. But it is strangely musical. It’s not for the casual listener. The album is not one to listen to while working or even driving. It’s too densely complex. From Wikipedia: The album's title derives from the Søren Kierkegaard book of the same name, in which "either/or" refers to the contrast between aesthetic/subjective experience and ethical/objective. And from Kierkegaard’s text: “What is a poet? An unhappy man who hides deep anguish in his heart, but whose lips are so formed that when the sigh and cry pass through them, it sounds like lovely music…. And people flock around the poet and say: ‘Sing again soon’ – that is, ‘May new sufferings torment your soul but your lips be fashioned as before, for the cry would only frighten us, but the music, that is blissful.” I may need to consult a philosopher to analyze this message. But as for “Either/Or”, I choose both. 3/5

Alright, but forgettable

Very laid back indie rock. Not super into it.

Either utterly forgettable or great for the background.

3.5 - Sorry, my last couple of CDs have been 4 or 5, this doesn't make the cut.

Nothing bad just didn't really get into it.

2nd Elliot Smith Album I have listened to and it felt very much the same. Good instrumentals but the vocals lack range making each song sound too similar.

I wanted to give this more than 3 stars, but could barely justify even that. Maybe with more listens and a closer attention to the lyrics I'd appreciate it more, but it ended up being too easy to ignore.

Me gustó lo acústico, no le presté atención a las letras pero fue entretenido de escuchar

kinda boring, but good to do work to

Slow indie rock. Not my jam, still had a couple of good tracks.

Immediately hearing Sufjan Stevens. Also, not something I’m into right now. I can see putting this on just out of high school, while drinking with a friend or two and getting ready to watch an art film.

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Alameda, Cupids Trick, 2:45 AM, Say Yes Cutting Edge: Speed Trials, Between the Bars Overall Notes: I'm not singer-songwriter depressed, I'm more twitchy guitar/drums depressed.

Melancholy, pop/folk gained momentum towards the end of the album

Not bad, very mellow.

Good Will Hunting discover....

Not too bad

I wasn’t familiar with Elliott Smith. I initially liked the simple, almost grungy sound. But it was a little too consistently whispery and depressing for me to deeply enjoy it.

I don't think I've really ever listened to Elliott Smith, but somehow I found it kind of nostalgic, it was pleasant I felt like I kind of drifted through the album

I've heard this before but it's never stuck. The songwriting is obviously good but the lo-fi sound doesn't grab me

Un tanto lineal. Buena voz, pero no destacaría especialmente

A calm and introspective album with some very good songs in it. I didn't know anything about Elliott Smith, but his songs sound like a good remember of the simplest teenage years, including all the teenage problems.

Un poco rollo. Le doy un 3 porque me gusta la música de este estilo.

Estilo tranquilo, melancólico y un poco grunge. Buena voz. Mola

Nice vibe

These all feel like they should be on the Garden State soundtrack. It was a decent listen but I didn't hear anything that blew me away.

A great melodramatic indie album for anyone in a melancholy mood looking for sad songs. The album is just shy of 37min, making it the shortest album I've listened to on this list so far. Smith's singing and song composition keep each track as interesting as the last, however some of the songs sounded very similar to each other, which made immersion difficult. Overall, I would say that I enjoyed this album and would listen again if the mood was right.

A little bland. Very college rock. Some songs reminded me of Rilo Kiley. I could see how this influenced early 2000s indie rock.

Chill AF. Not bad, nothing I'll listen to again.

Mellow and kinda boring. Not terrible, but I doubt I'll listen again.

2 songs waren nice - 3

It's got a solid mood and vibe throughout. Not exactly my preferred style but I enjoyed it a bit. Found the lyrics a bit hit or miss. 6/10?

i remember when he died, and a lot of people were really broken up about it, but i didn't know anything about him, so i felt bad for not feeling bad. i get that he had some massive talent, but this one just kinda left me cold.

Emotionless boring whisper singing in the fashion of Garfunkel just really kind of Ech.

Huh. I’m shocked by how much I like some of this. I’ve been chasing the feeling that I got from his song at the end of Good Will Hunting since I first saw it. Don’t think it’s possible to get that again.

Slow, broody dreamy vocals. Sad chill out vibes. Quite liked “Pictures of me”

Glad I got to dig into this one finally. Sleepy, but good.

Ehh

Not bad, some good tunes

I can see the influence, and quality in this. Something about it failing to connect for me. Too gloomy, and doomed.

Väldigt life is strangeit. Helt ok amerikansk vispop, inte riktigt min genre, och inte mini typ av sångröst.

Enjoyable. Not going to rush back to it, but won't be opposed to listening again.

@@@. strong indie vibes, some good tracks.

A little emo for my taste.

This was good. I really like Elliott smith from his good will hunting days and this is during the same time.

2.9

Favorites: Alameda, Ballad of Big Nothing

Disco de baladinhas agradáveis. Voz dele é muito suave e combina bem com as canções. Entre elas, destaquei "Between the Bars" pela letra genial (álcool falando pro alcoólatra) e a lindíssima "Say Yes"

I can definitely see why ES is fantastic and a legendary artist, however his work hasn't really clicked with me yet

Ok. Chill indie rock. Doesn't seem to stand out in first few songs.

3

I liked this a bit more than I expected, but overall, it's not really my thing

Ugh. I listened to this and thought, "Man, this guy is really troubled." Then I read his Wikipedia entry and yeah. Tragic guy with a tragic story. That said, the music was boring to me. A troubled manifesto set to acoustic guitar.

I've heard worse

Bit of a mopey fella

Decent album kinda boring 5/10

Indie rock. Very raw, melancholic and angsty music. Gave some nirvana vibes, but not as good. 2/5

Pretty much as boring as the other album we've got ! happy to forget the existence of this music

Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for an album like this. I can appreciate its melancholic charm and its lo-fi feel, but not sure I’d reach for it when that’s the vibe I’m looking for. I have enough options that do this way better.

Soft rock vibe with soft vocals, very chill vibe.

The opening song is interesting, Speed Trials. Reminds me of some of the lo-fi bands from the early 90's. It quickly goes downhill, every song is so similar and it is way to depressing. I hate the studio tricks he is using on the vocals and the spoken word singing here gets old. For only being 36 minutes it felt like a lot longer than that to get through this thing. I will save about 3 songs to a playlist but that is all I can take of this sad sack album

Bo-Ring. But not as bad as the other Elliott Smith album I had to endure.

This was a struggle took multiple spins to get thru…was better than the last one but I’m not a fan of this dribble

Fine if you’re into it, but he’s just mumbling stuff over an acoustic guitar. It’s kinda a snooze fest.

Meh Not a fan of the vocals on this. The music was alright

ballad of big nothing

Basically the same song 8 times.

I thought this album would have resonated with me more than it did. I found it a bit boring!

Miserable af

Pretty boring

definitely a 90s album. too boring for me.

This is my second Elliott Smith album on this list, and whilst this seemed to fare a little better than the other one it still didn’t do much for me. Nice drum sound on Alameda, and a good production overall, but nothing much appealed to me.

Zzz

привет Ваня! скукотища альбом конечно

ПОЛИНА ПРИВЕТ)

Sad singer-songwriter album with lots of acoustic guitar and whispered vocals. Not really my style but it was a bit less boring than some of the similar albums on this list so far.

I don’t like this. His vocal delivery rubs me the wrong way. The style is overly uniform. The big positive here for me is the guitar playing. I like the guitar work on Angeles quite a bit. I think it’s just not my style because I certainly don’t think this is bad.

Mais uma vez um artista folk, e mais uma vez alguém que não conheço. Fica dificil de comentar sobre, meu tipo de música melancólica e sentimental é bem diferente disso aqui, porém não diria que é ruim. É compreensível quem gosta. Me parece muito trilha sonora de filmes noir (ainda mais com essa artwork onde o artista parece um p*sicop*ta kkk). Interessante. Não é de se jogar fora.

Didnt gel with this. Like listening to a Beatles cover solo artist ok a coustic who doesnt know the words or tune.

Weepy whispery whiny. I do like the low fi recording and the music is pretty good, but the voice spoils it for me.

This is just so incredibly boring.

Try being a bit upbeat now and again.

Eh. Either Or is appropriately titled. Take it or leave it.

this was better than i thought it was gonna be, i did think it was going to be a lot more depressing than it was although the end sort of went in that direction. will have to give it another listen i think

This was just a little dull, unfortunately.

Not very memorable.

Ikke min kopp te, svært forglemmelig.

It was a bit of an odd album to be honest I wasn’t too fond of it it had a couple of alright songs but honestly I wasn’t too into it. Top three: Ballad of Big Nothing, Cupid’s Trick, Rose Parade

All songs sound the same. There was probably one song that I really felt rocked.

Never been the most enthusiastic about Smith (aside from “Needle in the Hay”), but he’s alright

Mum music - mellow guitar singer songwriter stuff. Not my cup of tea.

This wasn't near as good as his figure 8 album. This just sounded like incoherent whispers over a repetitive acoustic guitar. Each song sounded the same. It was as if Paul McCartney lost his voice and only wanted to do slow songs.

Uninspired

Just didn’t hit for me. All the songs blended together and sounded the same. Might be good background listening.

It's alright

Reading the reviews I thought that I’d like this album more than I actually do. I like melodic singer songwriters but this was all a bit beige and nondescript. Even when listening in bed on a Sunday morning, the perfect time for an album such as this, it did nothing for me. 2/5 17/5/26

Not really for me? I don't have much to say about this album, except I liked Figure 8 more. Looking at the other reviews give big "you just had to be there" vibes, but it just hits the one-two punch of boring and depressing that makes an album like sludge to listen to. I think I have an aversion to this kind of acoustic indie folk stylings and can only take it in certain moods. By the end everything sounded the same. It's between a 2 and a 3 for me and I think it would depend on the day. Today it's a 2.

Sad boy songs. Felt like I needed headphones to really appreciate it. I think it didn't catch me on the right day.

His music is fine, but it leans too much on the boring side for me.

..

Nah.

I don’t get him.

The poster child for angst in the 90s. A unique voice and unique playing but not many memorable songs

Started off well but then everything started to sound the same.

2 stars bc i wish i liked it more but if this is the best of elliott smith not my guy i just feel like everyone hypes him he’s prolly beloved by my beloved artists so?

Jesus, cheer up man

not at all related to this album but i just wanted to say that i don't really get the appeal of lana del rey. been too afraid to say that anywhere else. elliott smith sucks

i'm sorry elliott my brain just isn't big enough for ur mellowjams :(

Quickly became repetitive.

Didn't grab me as much as his other album, I felt detached

Yeah this is just way too soft. At least it's short. Frankly, so bland it deserves a 2. I'm bored and I'm 3 songs in. Didn't bother to finish. - Curious soft rock intro - Lame but fine. Kinda emo

I hate myself for saying this, but I didn't really like this album. I understand people love this guy and, I mean, he really is the epitome of sad music but my idea of sad music is it a bit different. Elliot Smith sounds like he wants to go to sleep and never wake up but in a weirdly comforting away, I want to hear pain and emotion, else I'd rather listen to classical music. I get this man was really going through it so this is probably a horrible thing to say (sorry) but there's just this sense of wallowing in self-pity that makes me feel uncomfortable and like I want to distance myself from this... I don't know, maybe that's my inability to deal with other people's emotions coming through here.

Well.... Elliott Smith. Didn't find it objectionable but I didn't really find it engaging either. Kept hearing snippets of other american bands like Pavement, Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr, Ween, but nothing on the level of any of those. Fave Track - Rose Parade Least fave - 2.45am 5/10

Olen nüüd kriitiline: see vokaal tüütab kohutavalt ära. See on see 90ndate ja 00ndate õhuline sosistamise vokaal, mis lihtsalt minu jaoks kriibib kõrva täielikult. Lood ise on isegi põnevad (kuigi mitte väga meeldejäävad). Laulmine on täitsa pihta ka, aga see tämber on tõesti kohutav. 2.4/5

This will forever be one of those albums that critics love, and die-hard fans get; just not my style of music. And I am not hearing the guitar-god, genius label some apply.

Toen ie 6 nummers diep in “no name no. 5” zei “I hope you like waiting” zong, bereikte ik wel mijn fysieke staat van verveling. Nee, ik hou niet van wachten, en zeker niet tot dat langzame album van jou nou eens klaar is. Verder wel best wel rustgevende muziek. Het is relaxt, maar het maakt me ook niet warm of koud. Echt muziek op de achtergrond in een koffiezaak. Of in de lift. Of op je iPod omdat dat het enige album was dat iTunes gratis erop zette, en je wil hem nog niet jailbreaken. Of op de radio in de voorbereidingskamer alvorens de verbrandingsovendeur geopend wordt van het crematorium. Dan is elliot smith wat je hoort, en specifiek “say yes”. Super.

Like a slow folksy album. Kinda boring.

I liked how he was inspired by Kierkegaard!! too sad for me though. i liked Angeles. or, i didnt dislike Angeles should i say. also the lyrics pretty good. but overall dry and sad lullabies.

Buena música, pero no es mi estilo . Demaciado romántico para mí gusto

I can't say I care for Elliott Smith's voice. Can't say I care for the aesthetic or songwriting. By the time I break Elliott Smith down, there's not much left for me to enjoy. I may be a little critical. Smith doesn't put me completely off, but he does bore me. I think I may be too old and too emotionally stable to buy in to what Smith is selling.

Well played, production sounded good. I was personally just bored and all the song ran together for me. Not something that I'd want to revisit

yeah, its nice lofi, maybe for my coffee shop ambience

I like depressing music but not this depressing music. Maybe if I started listening to his in my 20’s it would be a different story.

Muy melancólico para mi gusto, pero Between the bars muy buena

This reminds me of a bookshop band that had regular subdued gigs in the '90's. Those bands always made me want to do violence to the band, stage, and pretentious turds shushing those of us who didn't give a crap about your boyfriend's "band." That said, musically, it's not offensive. The guy had his flash from Good Will Hunting, but no matter what Rolling Stone says (i.e., old white guys whose fantasy boyfriends were "with the band"), this dude's no Paul Simon. Not even close. This is a two-star album. I love Good Will Hunting, so I considered a bump, but that's not fair to actual 3* albums. So, this should be replaced on this list by Blind Melon's Blind Melon, which is a solid 4* album. Blind Melon has similarly introspective but vastly superior lyrics, an actually unique sound, a certified smash hit that made an actual cultural impact, and balls.

me gustaron algunas. está bien.

Alright. I get why people liked this, it is musically interesting, but honestly the vocals take a lot out of it for me. They’re very hard to process but not even in the interesting Cocteau Twins or Beck kind of way. It seems like the lyrics should be what carries or maybe justifies the mood/atmosphere but that’s not happening for me. It could just be my problem between my hearing loss and auditory processing difficulties. I enjoy the slightly heavier/grungier stuff but this just isn’t for me.

Some nice ideas but it's so painfully average in it's production and sound with not enough variation or fire.

Fine. Downbeat lyrics make the album feel like a bit of an unenjoyable slog at times, even if it’s fairly short. 2:45 AM the only song I’d maybe listen to again

Not really for me

Overall I thought I would like this a bit more than I did. But I liked 2:45am and Say Yes quite a bit.

Where the heck was that recorded in the submarine?

Slow. Couldn't gather anything special from lyrics or story.

Pretty chill album, got a little boring in the middle, not bad just not memorable.

It was alright, I might have missed something on this album. Not my usual digs.

Singing and musical quality is great but I found myself mostly bored with forgettable songs.

aggressively boring

I think I forgot about this album before it was even over

Beetje saai

😐

eh?

lyrics too quiet, not my thing

Not my favourite.

The American Teenage Fanclub!

I’m just meh on Elliott Smith

Can you whisper and drone at the same time? The other one was better

There were a few songs that were enjoyable, but nothing that I would save to a playlist.

To sad, maybe it didnt Hit me right while in Gym but nothing to remeber for me tbh.

I'll admit, I'm listening to this on the bus with my broken headphones,, but this kinda sucks

this album was fine to listen to in the background while working, but none of the songs are memorable and nothing really was interesting or surprising

So sad and boring. This is not a world I like to immerse myself in for too long. Smith is never grating though. His voice is very nice and soothing, he’s just kind of a one trick pony. A few tracks here hint at catchiness and excitement and joy, but none ever quite get there- by design. That irritates the hell out me. Of course, art is subjective. But I mean, as with all of his albums, I couldn’t tell you anything about what I just listened to, as it’s all completely faded into the abyss of memory that the brain has determined isn’t worth holding onto. If it weren’t for that scene in the Royal Tenembaums, I don’t know if I’d know the words to any of his songs at all, despite having listened to all of his albums at one point or another.

Not my favorite. Not sure what it was, just didn't hit

Zoned out a lot. Same tone for the whole album. Kinda puts you to sleep. I guess good lullaby music. Gave it a second go and still the same

Accidentally listened through it twice because I didn't realize it started over. Goes to show there weren't any that stood out

Tosi pliisua shittiä

Ei tästä kauheasti käteen jäänyt. Ei nyt mitään ihan sysipaskaa, mutta vähän kyllä kylmäksi jätti. Radioheadia ainakin vissiin on kuunneltu? En varmaan tule tähän enää palaamaan. Mennään kakkosella.

My 2nd ES album of this challenge and I'm afraid, unlike _Figure 8_ this one did little for me. I found it to be very one note and it really dragged despite it's relatively short runtime.

What's the point of Elliot Smith? Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Bored ★★☆☆☆ (4/10) Total reviewed : 231 Already owned : 53 Purchased : 12 To buy list : 2 Nope : 164

I've tried here folks. I've listened to this record while sad, when it's raining, when it's sunny, while high. You get the idea. No matter what my mood, I just don't get this. He has songs on his other projects that I am into, but this one just doesn't do it for me. On the bright side, at least I can tell my therapist that I guess I'm no longer a sad boy.

This is what happens when a lab clones Paul Simon and forces him to live in LA to develop a sad boy

meh once again. too soft give me more oomph please. that being said, say yes and cupids trick were ok

I bet this guy killed at open mic night on campus.

Bit meh

It's alright, nothing to write home about. I'm not a fan of the windy voice and dissonant vocal/instrumental melodies. I'll give it a 4/10 because I didn't immediately hate any of the music.

Zaista ništa posebno. Toliko ništa posebno da nemam šta reći.

Surprisingly I've never listened to this (or really any) Elliott Smith. Maybe not so surprising given the sad boy reputation surrounding Mr. Smith. That said I was pleasantly surprised (3 surprises, no waiting) to find that I didn't cringe my way through this one. In fact I'd say there's probably 25% of these songs I'd choose to hear again.

this is definitely not my style but i can still appreciate it. i think its just too depressing and calm. like i wouldnt WILLINGLY listen to this album but if it was on i wouldnt be too annoyed or feel the need to turn it off immediately. some songs are better than others but some are just too calm and slow.

Grow a pair for god sakes

This would play in the coffee shop from Friends. It's a mellow album that gives me an image of a college student trying to pull alt girls. Not my cup of tea.

Just gives me pictures of a weird guy mumbling to himself at the end of the bar. Very repetitive, very mumbly, and makes you want to cover your drink. Like cool, you worked out minor chords sound sad. What else you got? And this is his third album? Without subtitles, how can you tell?

Can't help but feel like I heard this same thing before by a different artist. The acoustic guitar is really pretty. Just kind of feels like the same soothing, somber vibe from start to finish with no deviation. That's fine (and could just be his style), but a couple of times I didn't even realize the song had changed really. It just kind of bored me a bit.

elit smit

Mid mid mid boring everything sounds the same

Boring. A 2.

Mid at best

Its oke

Ka was ich schreiben soll. Between The Bars aufjedenfall starker Song. Sonst nicht so meins

Where was the Goodwill Hunting song? That’s all I wanted hear. This is lame college guy music. This is what you listen to when you start to branch out on your music taste. You start with the subtly cool Elliott Smith, but then quickly realize it’s not that good, and if you try too hard to like it, you might be gay.

Another favourite of ‘uncut’ magazine. Americana singer songwriter that to my ears doesn’t really stand out from the rest.

Rose Parade e Cupid's Trick foram as músicas que mais gostei. Muito provavelmente, não voltarei a visitar este álbum. Achei monótono, chato. Não odiei, não é um 1/5. Para um álbum com apenas 36 minutos sinto que demorou 1 hora ou mais, porque nunca mais acabava.

Not my thing. Not sure why it was such a critic's darling, either. "Rose Parade" is the best track IMO but that's not saying much.

Chapa

Not offensively bad, just not my taste. Kinda whiney

Meh

dude goes right through me

I don't hate it, but the soft, midtempo, lo-fi sound is not really my thing. I like a little more raucous energy in my music ("Pictures of Me" and "Cupid's Trick" are the noisiest songs, and were my favorite listens). There are some nice melodies scattered throughout, but in total I'm just not the target audience for this kind of music.

Best Song: Cupids Trick / Speed Trials Worst Song: Ballad of Nothing This is an album I thought I would enjoy now than I did, being very nihilistic and acoustic. The all album is very homogenous, and the production is perfect. The lyricism is interesting, at times, and there are some nice melodies here and there. However there's something that would stop me listening to much of this again - I think his nasally alt rock singing- it might work in context, but not for me. I lo think some lyrics are too singer-songwriter, and one song where the lyrics would rhyme, I found off putting (in it is a silly complaint)

I hate to say it, I don't wanna sound ridiculous, I just cannot make myself care. some of the songs sound really nice, I just really don't care. Sorry to this man.

My high school girlfriend liked Elliott Smith, so the rating will already be low. The songs sounded fine enough, but they are sleepy sad-tinged mellow. If that is what you want, than it is a good fit. The album was nice paired with the grey skies and rain-snow sludge outside. If you don't want that vibe, than this album is not for you. I don't care for the album art either... I can smell the stale urine and cigarettes. This album is truly a 3 for me, but the bad high school memories and stinky cover art brings it to a 2.

I didn’t find anything here offensively bad, but I just do not enjoy this kind of bleak, mewling music. 1.5-2

I kept waiting for it to do something. Then I fell asleep. I wasn't expecting it to be so, boring. Like the individual songs are fine but one after the other is just.... makes me want to go to sleep I guess.

Meh

Not into it. The sound isn't reprehensible so it gets 2. But I really didn't care for it. Really a 1.5 with a Christmas round up.

Some decent songs but for the most part not much here. Could join up with Sebadoh 😅album I listened to previous to this

The songs are melancholic enough, but nothing really stands out. The breathy vocals don't work for me

Depressed lover boy putting me to sleep.

A little too melancholy for my taste. You can feel the emotion in the music.

Breathy, samey, a bit boring

The sad boi™️ flew to close to the sun and melted the charm into irritating whininess

Still not that big on modern indie. Nevertheless, it was good to finally listen to Elliot Smith to see what all the fuss is about

Too sad.

Eh, boring

Hitaammanlaista nuoriso jotain…

Det får bli en kort idag. Kanske aningen bättre än annat i genre, inte minst hans karaktäristiska gitarrspel. Men sticker inte ut tillräckligt för att göra det minnesvärt

Det är väl inget större fel på låtarna egentligen. Men varför viskar Elliot Smith när han sjunger?

Jag har försökt ta till mig ES tidigare (framförallt genom uppföljaren XO) utan någon riktig framgång. Här och var finns små ljus punkter men på det stora hela brister låtmaterialet. Melodierna saknar det där lilla extra och arrangemangen är enformiga och tråkiga.

Jag lyssnade mycket på uppföljaren XO när den kom. Den har en fylligare ljudbild och överlag starkare låtar. Either/Or blir i jämförelse för försiktig och lite menlös. Klart godkänt.

Very boring album

While I can appreciate his songwriting talent and mourn his loss, this is just too depressing for me to want to listen to. Like I get it, but it’s not for me. (I did enjoy Ballad of Big Nothing tho)

I was already not a huge fan of Elliott's singing on Figure 8, but the instrumental variety on that one made it a very interesting project. That is not the case on Either Or. Every song blends together here, with his intimate, sad boy singing at the forefront. It fits pretty well on Good Will Hunting's soundtrack, I guess, but for a personal listen the more acoustic direction he takes is really not my thing.

This is just not my thing. It's brooding, it's morose, but it's not very interesting.

One of the more frustrating things an album on this list can be is boring, and boy howdy does this hit the mark there. The vocalist comes off as terribly whiny and mediocre but the backing melodies are pleasant at times. With no semblance of nostalgia I’d be stunned to hear someone absolutely loves this album on a fresh listen. I’ve heard worse, but I’ve also heard much better.

Not the biggest fan of the whisper/breathy singing. Instrumentals seemed kind of basic as well. Not bad but forgettable. Might have liked this more years ago.

How on earth does Elliott Smith get two albums in this list? The producer must really see something in him that I don't, because he wouldn't be worthy if I were to compile this list myself. How is it that Elliott Smith, essentially a Beatles/Ben Folds rip-off merchant who died young, gets two albums in this list and yet highly influential bands such as Tool, Weezer, My Chemical Romance and blink-182 are completely omitted? I just don't understand that. Heard 'Figure 8'? Then you've heard 'Either Or' as well. Best songs: Nil

Two tracks in and I'm struggling with this one, I don't 'understand' music like this.... this needs to get a lot better. Sadly, it didn't really get any better. I did make it all the way through.

Not bad, just so boring and sad.

Takes me back to '98/'99. This one never resonated with me.

Meh. Not a fan.

Not for me. All the songs sounded the same and I couldn’t get into it. Favorite Song(s): Say Yes

Closer to 2.5

I thought this was something else. Or else it was what I thought and I am dumb. All I know is I physically could not pay attention to this album. I will perhaps revisit another time and revise this one.

It's not my favourite of his albums. 'Salright?

I think I figure out why I am not a big fan of Smith, it’s his voice. he has a breathy, wispy tone 90% of the time which I just cannot get past

He seems like a decent songwriter but listening to him makes me want to fall asleep possibly forever

Typical singer/songwriter vibes. Every song sounded just like the last one. I was bored. Not horrible, but I wouldn't listen again.

Albums like these make me think we need to add Beatles albums in the blanket ban on men of a certain age owning podcast equipment.

meh. Just Meh

A good soundtrack for a Wes Anderson suicide scene. Top tracks: "Ballad of Big Nothing," "Cupid's Trick"