Reviews (page 12 of 13)
This left no impact. Very mediocre.
Elliott Smith still isn't my thing...
It's Elliott Smith.
I’ve heard of Elliot Smith but Jenner actually heard his music. I was not overly impressed.
Sehr fade
At least it was short.
Alright but like what are we saying here? Big ballad of nothing is honestly one of the best song titles in all of music and in my eyes, is applicable to the album as a whole, a ballad of nothing.
Nah
Run o' the mill singer songer writer revival album that stood out of 1997 in the PNW & Seattle grunge haze. Largely forgettable for 2025. Akin to but not withstanding to Neil Young, Nick Drake, and some Americana songwriters of the late 60's to mid 70's. I'd much rather engage with those standards than this. Aorry Elliot, you're probably a good hang.
Bit bland. Couple of OK songs.
Eh.
Sad bois music be sad for bois. Wauw, dit is een depresso album als ik er ooit een hoor zeg... Pictures of me klinkt wat vrolijker, dare I say; gezelliger? Meteen ook mn favoriete nummer. Ik ben geen groot fan van het ontzettend zielige singer songwriter stuk dat daarvoor kwam. Maar misschien dat de 2e helft van het album zich wat herpakt en ik toch zit te huilen op kantoor zo! Tsja, nee dit is gewoon heel erg Simon & Garfunkel en dat vind ik gewoon helemaal niets. Hier ook, het is gewoon instrumentaal zo spannend als karton. Voornamelijk gitaar, heeeeel soms een drummer er bij. Als die drummer er bij is vind ik het ook meteen een stuk interessanter. Elliott is als zanger nou ook niet geweldig. Het heeft een heel hoog zeikgehalte voor me. Nope, dit is het niet voor mij. Ik keek bij Spotify en er stond 'Playlists that features this artist' en bovenaan stond Sad Girl Starter Pack. En ik denk dat niets dit album beter kan omschrijven dan dat. FAVO:Pictures of me
It's fine. Sounds like a lot of other artists who presumably came after (I get like Sufjan Stevens or Bon Iver vibes a bit, but not as good). Meh. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
Nothing interests me
Meh. It’s sad when someone dies way too early, no doubt, but I do think the industry tends to lionize people like this as a result for no other good reason. Perhaps people really were influenced by Smith, or maybe they just use his name or cover his songs because they are trying to be cool. Regardless, if you listen to this album, there’s not a whole lot on here that is great. The guitar work on this was decent. Not a whole lot else here. Singing was lackluster. He used overlays to get a richer sound, probably because his voice wasn’t that good to begin with. Angeles was a decent song. The rest was just meh.
So disinterested
This guy is ok, but gets a bit boring. He sometimes reminds me of Paul Simon.
Sopping wet emo wankery. Nah cheers.
This is way too emo for my liking. But if you are looking to dwell in your sorrows I’m sure this will do it for you.
I found this album quite boring, especially being listed as a "rock" album. No tracks really stood out until 'Cupids Trick'. That was the only song that was memorable for me and even that song wasn't something I would recommend to a friend to check out. Overall, quite a disappointing album considering the high reviews for this one.
I must admit, that I don't understand this album. It is on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. But what makes it so great? That's a real mystery to me. Twelve very similar songs sung by a guy with a guitar. Somehow melancholic and definitely not bad, I would also say "nice". But one of the 500 greatest albums of all time?
Listened to this while driving to Sacramento which surely persuades my mood. All I kept thinking was 1990s Sufjan Stevens. I don’t much care for Sufjan. 2/5
Not my speed or style. ★★
Eh
How boring.
Breathy vocals singing about something? I couldn't even listen to the music enough to figure out what it was about because I was trying to distract myself from the burning desire to remove my eyes from their sockets with a butterknife. This album is clearly meant to be sad, but it isn't meant to make me feel dread. Someone please help me. I know my mental state over the past 3 years hasn't been what I want it to be, but this guy needs some help. Unfortunately I don't know anyone who can cure this.
This record was very hit or miss for me. I enjoyed the melodies on some of the tracks I liked, but I couldn't get into any of the others. Favourite Track(s): Ballad Of Big Nothing, Punch and Judy, Say Yes Least Favourite Track(s): Speed Trials, Alameda, No Name No. 5
Half a listen, not really feeling it too much.
3/10 - boring whiny indie rock
Voice is amazing, combined with the instrumentation it’s magic… but boy does it make for a slow 37 minutes.
Day 11 Undoubtedly some nice songs here but it all kind of blended into one for me, not sure how likely I am to come back to this album. 4/10 Highlights were Pictures of Me Rose Parade 2.45am
Boring.
n the immortal words of DJ Hennessy Youngman: "Awwwwwwww! Sad white guy!" Bonus star for a funny bit in the YouTube clip for the song "Pictures of Me" where they cut from a picture of the sad white guy to a blank screen when he says "So sick of pictures of me." I chuckled.
No le presté mucha atención y no me acuerdo. No me dejó poso
2.5
Siinähän tuo lauleskelee. Aika mitäänsanomatonta
Meh
boring
The first two thirds of this album all sound the same
Not my kind of jam, has an amazing voice though. Angeles is ok but nothing else really.
Onpas yllättävän kirkassilmäinen levy verrattuna paheelliseen kanteen. Kiva kontrasti. Ja tuleehan siellä pari kirosanaa. Saisi kyllä minusta päättää, olisiko rouheampi vai söpömpi.
A lot of droning, but musically it could've been worse. I could see how it snapped Tiny Rick out of his optimism.
Kind of boring. Just in one ear and out the other. I may need to give it a second shot as I know he has such high critical acclaim, but at least on first listen, meh.
Okey
This one didn't do it for me. I liked his final album which had a more electric sound, this was too acoustic-guitar-singer-songwriter vibes which I don't typically listen to.
Never heard of this snd it did nothing for me. Maybe there was something profound in the mumbled lyrics that I missed?
A 90s indie album that deals with themes of angst and existential despair, this album is emotional and you can feel it in the music. I surprisingly liked Ballad of Big Nothing- I love the guitar riffs throughout the song to give it the 90s angsty vibes. Whilst not my favourite kind of music, I actually don’t mind this albumand can appreciate the emotionally charged songs. Maybe a song to cry in the bath to over a candle and glass of wine (is this niche?).
After the first song and a half,I was ready to turn it off but someone found a drumkit and it became less irksome. After listening all the way through, I'd say it was a sometimes very pleasant experience and sometimes it felt like, 'is that weird enough guys?' . I'd rather not have to listen to anything by E.Smith again but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did.
His girlfriend totally did it
Boring as hell. That's really all there is to say here.
The album becomes more enjoyable as it goes on. The middle part (tracks 5-9) are the best part Highlights: - Pictures of me - Angeles - Rose Parade
Light and soothing is the best way to describe this album. This is the second Elliott Smith album I pulled on this list. But not so much that I'll ever listen to it again. The dude looks like an emo--is this emo?? The more these songs play the more it seems plausible, though not having ever listened to emo, thankfully, I don't completely know. Close enough to what I think is emo that I don't want any more of it. 2/5
Nah
Wimpy and witless.
bit slow for my taste
Meh
How boring!
Meh. 2/5
Boring
Wistfully melancholic 90s indie folk-pop. Has a nice unpolished sound save for the echoey vocals. It all just has a certain type of indy romcom soundtrack vibe that doesn't appeal to me.
———————————— My non-musician scoring system. 5 - Love it. Would play anytime, buy, see live… 4 - Good music. 3 - Average playlist. Depends on time and setting. 2 - I can’t listen to whole songs. 1 - No.
Just not my jam. A little too slow and quiet for my tastes.
It just felt kind of sleepy
Quite honestly a snoozefest
Either or? How about neither
Music for sad middle schoolers
Who/Why?
Musique d'ado
just sounds boring idk
I hate this Genre, sound like someone wishpering, not singing
Fine. Just a little dull
I found this to be instantly forgettable. No one track stood out for me.
This is the second album in the past week that I've really tried to like and just cannot get into. The music is dull, his voice is grating and lyrically he is not the genius he's painted to be.
Not really a fan of this, but didn't actively hate it.
I kind of hate elliott smith
kind of a 90s indie pop inflected beatles sound. this is not a compliment
Not my jam
Did Elliott Smith's mom make the 1001 albums list? I actually like this album, but I'm marking it down because of Elliott Smith oversaturation.
Honestly cant remember a thing about it the next day. Just that it is inoffensive 90s rock.
I find this dull and boring. Played while I was working, I kept forgetting I was supposed to pay attention to the music. Other than maybe "Pictures of me", all the songs lack any emotion, or if you pressed me, I would say the emotion is fatigue and tiredness. Don't understand why this is on the list of 1001 albums to list before I die. I guess this is 999 or 1000 because by the end of it i was pretty much bored to death
Really of its time. Doesn't work for me outside of some American pie soundtrack. Really feels like a time capsule, like how all movies in the 90s didn't have stakes because it was always about a guy who hates his job or a young man who doesn't know what to do with his life. Points for consistency, and the no doubt countless other artists who started thinking 'hey I could do that'
I listened to this a few days ago and it was entirely unremarkable. Cannot bring myself to relisten for a deeper dive.
Meh, I know he’s a big indie darling but I find him to be such a huge downer. Yes I know that sounds totally awful considering the circumstances, but he’s just way too sad for me.
Dreary
Not a fan, even coming from Portland, I don't understand the draw. Perhaps it's his lyrics that people are drawn to, but I find his music boring and not compelling enough to keep my attention. I don't want to sound judgy, but is this for people who like moody and somewhat depressing songs? The vocals are average, the mix is murky, the hooks are few and far between. But apparently I'm in the minority, this album has a TON of plays and a few tracks have really impressive listen numbers ("Between The Bars" at 231M and "Say Yes" & "Angeles" at around 100M). I respect that other people get joy from this album and his music, to each his own. I love stuff that other people don't enjoy. It's a mix of songs that are all listenable, but I don't make the connection to. 2 stars from me.
Listened to whilst driving to work which I’ll admit isn’t ideal, but needs must. In fact I think I left my indicator on for about 6 miles along the A50 as it was clicking along in time with the record. Nice enough, if a little insipid. Bit like the Lemonheads. Stand out songs include Pictures of me and Cupids Trick. Say Yes is spookily like the Sugababes’ ‘about you now’ - weird.
Not my style
just didnt hit like the other one did
I should have liked this, but it just felt bland and uninspiring. Album rating: ⭐⭐1/2
Kedelig singer/songwriter, soft rock, melankolsk
A little too monotonous for me. Nice to listen to, but unlikely for me to return to it.
Why, American?
Sweet - but a bit samey. Two and a half stars.
Just a bit too slow and soft, lacking a strong voice to hold my attention
This was the first artist I've never listened to before on this list. It's not my normal type of music, but it's not bad, and I feel like I enjoyed the last few tracks more than the others, so maybe I gradually got into the mood for it or maybe I just prefer the later tracks.
Meh. Just meh. I enjoyed the music, but couldn't get past the vocal delivery. Not an awful album, just didn't get me. Wouldn't listen to again.
Utterly forgettable, but not unpleasant
Fine enough, nice but a bit forgettable imo. It was pleasant to listen to but the songs were a bit dull to me. I don't really get the hype for this album, suppose its because I don't really tend to focus in lyrics.
15/1001 Nothing stands out for me on this album. The music isn’t anything special. Elliot’s is below average voice, not bad but further from a good voice. The lyrics are ok. The slow melodies and tempo make it hard to sit through without any real shining star. The album kind of blurs into one 45 minute song (upon further review, the album was only 36 minutes, shows how tight it was on me lol). I was 14 when this album came out and have never heard of it, or Elliot Smith, until today. A 14 y/o in 1997 hardly knew a wide range of music, but as popular as some of these reviews make it seem, I was surprised that I didn’t know anything about Elliot. After listening, I knew why. This album is just an amalgamation of all the unimaginative parts of 90s rock (a genre I feel overall is very innovative, creative, and imaginative, and one of my favorites). But this sounded so bland overall. Elliot was clearly a fan of The Replacements and The Smiths in the 80s and takes a lot of inspiration from them, but he fails to capture their ability to create melodies and to carry a tone, even with an average voice. At least on Cupids Trick, Elliot woke up and showed a bit of passion. The song is the best on the album and yet wouldn’t even get a seat at the 200 best rock songs of the decade’s table. But a dim light of talent in a sea of uninspired mediocrity. The beauty of music, there’s so much and it is all subjective. Even when I can’t get down with a song, artists, album, genre; I usually appreciate the talent, effort, and passion that could captivate someone from another walk of life. This album was hard to find what that was, I guess just more for people who like gloomy, sad music. But there’s so much more that fits that bill and is good. To each their own! Not listening to this one again though.
I thought the music was pleasant but uninteresting and the vocals were breathy and monotonous. Apart from "between the bars" the whole album slipped by without me noticing any particular song.
It was fine
Not my cup of tea
Elliott Smith has a pretty voice and gentle, melancholic songs. This album is a pretty short and breezy listen, though, a bit one-note. I think if you enjoy that particular note, it's very good at it. I can't help but feel that if I were in a state of sadness or depression, this album would resonate with me much more, as it makes for good "sad music." Well done, but not my thing!
2.5
2.5
- hier hat mal wieder nicht wirklich etwas herausgestochen, war relativ eintönig und hat mich nicht groß abgeholt
The internet claims that this artist’s songs were selected for a few movie soundtracks. That makes sense to me since the music is quiet and would be good as background. There is nothing on this album that stands out as above average. Very forgettable.
Ни о чём
This was pretty meh. I loved the depressive discography of Elliott Smith when I was an angsty teenager but not anymore. Ballad of Big Nothing used to be a fave, but I didn’t care when it came on this morning.
More like Smelliott Ith
Not for me
Don't know why I didn't expect that to be so gentle and soft. It's still not quite my jam, but I now have clear respect for Elliott Smith.
So I had a lot of conflicting feelings about this album. For example, I appreciate that for a folk album, there was a lot of different instruments and the music was very melodic. But the main singer uses a filter on his voice for most of the album and I hated that. In fact,I specifically hated the way the instruments sounded with this fake sounding voice tone. And as always I struggle with songs that are slow, and a good majority of these songs are slower. The biggest positive of this album is the guitar playing. It’s so smooth and flowing but also pointed when it needs to be.
Quite a gentle laid back album. Nothing remarkable about it though. OK to listen to, inoffensive. Heard worse
Nah
Either/Or? More like Either/Nor. This album is like if someone whispered their feelings into a tin can and called it lo-fi brilliance. I get that Elliott Smith was going for raw and emotional, but somewhere between the barely-there vocals and the lullaby-level energy, I almost forgot I was listening to music and not the sound of someone sighing in the next room. Sure, it’s introspective, but so is staring at a beige wall. Two stars because I respect sad guy guitar music in theory—but this one just bored me to tears.
I DONT LIKE ELLIOT SMITH THAT MUCH AND I DONT KNOW WHY IM SORRY :’(
Never heard of this artist. 1997 I was living in Japan. Not my taste - not something that speaks to me and not something I would sing myself. Its just the same song over and over again. I finished it and glad I know about it now. Won't listen again.
idk, I didn’t connect with this, and I wanted to like Elliott smith since cool people do, but maybe I was listening wrong
Yes I understand he's a great musician. Do we really need more than one album of the generally same songs though?
Nice instruments instrumentals Bit forgettable
Decent album. Bit dreary
That was tiresome. The first song I enjoyed was on a different album Spotify auto-queued once "Either Or" finished.
Monotonous to the point that I tune out and can't be bothered to listen to what he's saying.
3/10
alright, too soft for my liking
As far as I know this is the first Smith album I’ve listened to…knew his story but not his music. Neither Or for me.
While I wasn't angry to be listening to this (that's my threshold for giving out a one star rating, those are all albums that pissed me off) it's not exactly anything I want to ever listen to again. Wispy tenor with acoustic guitar? Pass.
I don't like feeling sad. I know, it's a hot take. This album is just dreary. It feels more like depression than sadness anyway, and that's not a mood I want to wallow in. As for the songs, they blend together to a point where I couldn't tell one from the other. Still, I can see why people like it, and it's not bad, per se, but I'm fine with never hearing this again.
not my speed, too slow / guitar focused
The type of singer/songwriter stuff I just can't excited about it. There is a mystique here, I get that. And there is much more substance than the average ... but it just doesn't float any of my boats.
I had never heard of this dude before. Music was alright, very much of its time but good. I enjoyed some of it
Not my thing.
Dull
Nudne 2/5
This just isn’t that good. I get some people have an emotional connection, and, while his death is tragic, I just don’t get the high ratings.
Can’t get into it
Not for me
2 stars
In Rainbows meets White Ladder meets Mellon Collie ... and yet, didn't quite resonate. Angeles is pretty.
Boring indie rock. Weak vocals
Soft tones, nothing pops.
2.5-3 stars I love a good sad album. This one just didn't have enough variety for me and I don't think I understood why I was supposed to be sad based on the lyrics. I felt that at times the music was much louder than the instruments overshadowed the singing. Favorite Song: Say Yes
Seems fine as background music. Nothing really breaks out, but nothing bad either. Just kinda dull and slow. Best song: Alameda
Jingle jangle dude on the guitar, save me please from these mid dudes with guitars. Boring album, not painful to listen to but come one, there's better dudes with guitars doing this same music even. Harvey Danger came out this same year in 1997 and their album front to back is better than this whole thing.
snert album
MID
I mean... I guess I just don't get it. Singer / songwriters are a dime a dozen, but GOOD ones, come up with songs that stand the test of time. This album... doesn't really have that for me. There was no stand-out track. It was kinda... meh. I don't understand why it was listed in the 1001 albums I have to hear. Someone explain it to me? NEXT.
This one seems like it's possibly a pretty deep album lyrically. However I wouldn't be able to say because the music completely failed to catch my attention so I managed to forget to listen to any of the words on the entire album. I can't mention a single thing this album is about. On the positive side I didn't hate the music, it just never made an impression Standouts - 2/5
Just didn't interest me at all
+ mengisch cooli sounds /instrumentisatz - monoton fürd längi vom album - für mich zwenig action (cupids trick nice)
Rein gehört und vergessen zu Ende zu hören.
Idk just not in the mood for the melancholy today
I don't get the hype. I mean Apple Music had an essay written about how influential and life changing this album was and it did absolutely nothing for me. His voice is mid and he just whispers the whole album. Did not like. The lyrics were fine I guess none of them stuck with me so that doesn't help its case. Was really expecting something more from this highly touted artist/album.
I was not vibing with Elliott Smith and his Either/Or. His voice is whiney and frankly unappealing, which made the whole album a slog to get through. I struggled to find any high points, but I guess at least Smith created actual music.
Good instrumentals and that's it. It's bland and forgettable. After listening it's hard to distinguish at least one song from the album.
Not interesting at all
Right. I’ve heard that everyone is supposed to revere Elliott Smith and that he’s a musical genius, but this all just sounds like a bunch of emo shit to me. He has an interesting voice and some nicely elegiac arrangements, but I mean, Jesus, would it…wait…what’s that grandma…”if you can’t say something nice, just say they have nice teeth?”…Elliott Smith has nice teeth.
I’ve tried so many times to get into this album over the past 20 years and it just hasn’t clicked. I know the songwriting is supposed to be great but the production puts me off. One day but not today.
It was fine but it sounds like so many other singer songwriters, I'm not sure what was supposed to be so special about it.
Opening track offered promise, but by track three it all became repetitive lyrically and musically. The final track was great. 2.2/5
Neither nor
i think a bottle kissing you between the bars indirectly means being imprisoned by your alcoholism - with lips in a metaphoric way representing prison bars. pretty sad song, but i don't hate it or like it. i like the slow vibe, but i wouldn't listen to this
Probably the best thing I can say is that it’s inoffensive
Pas terrible.
Emo never seen good will hunting
I had a hard time getting through this and was glad it was only 37 minutes long... I normally like the particular style this would fall under, but this particular album really grated on my nerves for some reason.
I really did not like this album. I thought I was going to be an Elliott Smith fan once I finally sat down and listened to him, but this album manages to be boring and pretty yikes at the same time. The music is dull — the same simple, uninteresting guitar parts song after song, and the lyrics are cringy. It's giving me the same vibes I get from Ryan Adams — an uninspired, whiny, ripped-from-the-diary type of album from a downtrodden, "sensitive" "nice guy" who can't understand why the world sucks and nothing works out for him ... when it's probably because he's kind of a dick to everyone. 2/5
It’s fine. Probably would be higher if I listened more closely to the lyrics. Otherwise it’s generic singer songwriter navel gazing music.
Its indie I wouldn't turn this on. Isn't my type of music
Harmless
If I wanted to hear a scuzzy pillhead whine about how sad they are for thirty-seven minutes, I’d go fuck your mother and then refuse to pay her.
Boring
Nah this isn't for me
This is good. I don’t know if I would listen again.
Speed Trials - Acoustic indie; nothing very complicated; chord progressions simple. First lyrics are nice imagery "He's pleased to meet you underneath the horse / In the cathedral with the glass stained black" -2/5. Just not very interesting Alameda -I have a soft spot for places where I've lived/lived close to. Feels very, I guess, "indie guitar," but better than the previous song. 2.5/5 Ballad of Big Nothing -I can see how this influenced a lot of its successors in indie rock. It's like. It's fine. I think if I listened to it a lot more, it might grow on me more, but my initial impression is a 3/5 Between the Bars - "Drink up baby, stay up all night / With the things you could do / You won't but you might / The potential you'll be that you'll never see" Ouch. Called out. Musically, it's just a very simple acoustic guitar ballad. 2.5/5, I think. If I caught it in a different mood, I might rate it higher, but for now 2.5/5 stands Pictures of Me -Just feels rather repetitive. Same chord over and over again. 1/5 No Name No. 5 -1/5 I'm sorry. I find it repetitive and boring in terms of chord progression and complexity. I know this probably says more about me than it does about him, because he's an indie darling, but that's how I feel. A GQ interview with Steve Holmes says "Yeah. If you actually try to sit down and figure [his songs] out, they're way more complicated than you realize. Which is why he's great. He used a lot of interesting progressions and chords. It's not, like, Oasis or something. His chords were more complex, and his finger-picking style was unique. He like finger-picked and strummed at the same time, which I've never seen anyone else do quite the same way." I guess it just doesn't hit my ear the right way. Rose Parade -1.5/5. Better than the others, but I'm getting kind of tired of this album. Punch and Judy -Melancholy. I kind of like the motif; I can see how it might be interesting in another song, but again. While this might be technically interesting, and he has a nicely soft voice here, it's just not great. 2.5-3/5. Angeles -Starts off by fingerpicking. I know this song from before (Los Angeles playlist) and liked it enough to keep it on the playlist. 2.5-3/5. So far the highest rated song, and I know it's in part because I've got a soft spot for Los Angeles. Cupid's Trick -The lyrics say "Sugar lick me up, it's my lie," but I thought the original lyrics were "Shootin' me up, it's my life," which feels a little more fitting, I guess, from what I know about the guy. Apparently there's no real consensus on the lyrics (according to Reddit) because he never wanted to share the actual lyrics...well anyway. There's more texture to this one. I actually don't mind it. 3/5 2:45 AM -1/5 just boring. Sorry. Say Yes -Wasn't sold on this, but I genuinely did like the harmonies. 2/5 Overall rating: 2/5, based on my averaging
Radiohead friends
The songs get better as the production improves.
Soft and boring. I'm not sure if I don't like Elliot Smith, or if I don't like lo-fi/indie folk. Either way, not a great album.
Boring
I had to go back and check this record out because I missed Elliott Smith when he was active and I've always been intrigued. Listening to this it almost sounds like a parody of Elliott Smith to me. I guess I permanently missed the train on this one
, ”You can do what you want to whenever you want to You can do what you want to, there’s no one to stop you”
Yawn.
Boring soft-rock.
Quiet and mumbly soft rock. Nope.
So so. Probably wouldn’t press skip.
This album didn’t hit me as well as Figure 8. Seemed a bit more mellow and depressed. I know that’s his thing, but only one song really grabbed me after two listens. Still want to dive a little deeper. 2.75
Stimme angenehm. Für Hintergrundmusik ok. Es fehlt die Einzigartigkeit. 2,5
Not really into sad boy music but this isn’t the worst
Top 1001 album of all time? I'm from the Pacific Northwest, from near Portland, and Elliot Smith has always been overrated. This album wasn't even one of the top albums of the 1990s, much less of all time. That is one of the longest 36 minutes I can recall. Every song sounds pretty much the same. Very little differentiation. The lyrics are, well, let's put it this way, we get it, you saw My Own Private Idaho once. If he had not died in such a spectacular way, I doubt anyone would have given him this much thought. He would just be another indie rock Harry Nilsson wannabe, another Hound of the Buskerville.
For the most part, I found it a touch monotonous. There, I said it 😥
First song weird strange whispering cringy voice 2 2nd song-more of the same cringy voice ,but not as bad. Musically better song 3 3rd song I could swear is the same song as #1. This guy's whiney voice isn't getting any better. Rolling Stone number 261 greatest albums of all time is a hoax. This guy must be a record exec's kid? 4th song, even lighter whispering...just can't relate to this whiney/serious vibe. Comes off as fake and not genuine. 2 5th song, opinion is not changing much, but at least it's a little more upbeat. 3 6th song more awful sad whiney fakeness 2
Inconnu pour moi, pas désagréable. Cupids Trick+ Mais le reste sera vite oublié. 2/5
This was incredi-dull, I have literally no memory of anything other than half of one chorus that stood out from the rest of the murk a tiny bit.
Meh.
Another melancholy entry for this guy. I'm not sure why he's on this list twice
Not for me 2/5
Not for me
This album also sounded kinda quiet? The whole subdued voice+guitar/barely audible thing just never slaps. It was ok, not sure why it's on here, nothing outstanding. 2*
Nothing remarkable here.
Not the best.
A little boring
Hübsch, aber wiederholt sich sehr stark …
Not really my cup of tea
Lot of slow stuff kinda on here. Emo grunge? Some is ok but still not the moods Im willing to tell someone to listen or listen myself most times.
Not a fan of anyone who offs themself, especially in such a brutal manner as this guy. Forced myself to listen to the whole album.
It's fine.
No lo pude ni terminaer no m lo banco
2.41
It was fine -- about what I'd expect from an Elliott Smith album.
There was a time when I really enjoyed his first album; never heard this one before but I really can't cope with his singing style anymore.
Beatles but meh?
Sad man
Boring complaining album. So damn quiet. Painful to get through. soft 2 stars
I just don't listen to lyrics enough to enjoy Elliot Smith
Elliott Smith is an indie rock singer-songwriter. While the album "Either/Or" did not chart well, it received critical acclaim. "Say Yes" and "Between the Bars" were featured in "Good Will Hunting," and both of these songs have small legacies in pop culture. Overall, the album is fairly humdrum and very forgettable.
A little slow and sad for my tastes
C'est tellement pas mon delire.
Not really for me. I actually listened to this album 2.5 times. First time was mostly me skipping through the songs half way. Then I went and read up on the artist and how critically acclaimed and popular he is. I don't see it. Mostly sad Boi acoustic alt rock for sad bois. 2/5 because there was at least one song that was pretty good There were a couple of songs that connected like Between The Bars but overall just didn't hit my heart.
Interesting vocal doubles and acoustic guitar parts. Not my favorite genre, and the vocals are a bit apathetic which I know is part of the style but didn't work for me.
Well he's a cheery fucker. There's some decent melodies to lighten the mood. But it's not an album I'm going to turn to on a Friday night. It felt like a throwback to the mid 70's. It felt like the reason why punk had to happen.
did not complete, failed out at track 6 (no name no. 5) -- boring
Mood music for a mood I wasn't in
A few standouts, but overall nothing special.
Nothing much grabbed me here, the music is dull and the vocals are to match without enough lyrical content to elevate the rest of the lacklusterness. Listened to: walking across the Golden Gate Bridge!!! Favorite tracks: Between the Bars, Cupids Trick
This could really use a good remaster. The songs were ok, but between his low/warm timbre and super breathy voice I couldn’t hear most of the lyrics… they blended right in with the instrumentals except when he was singing up an octave. 4/10
Depressing
This was chill but it was a bit too dead at times. It was nice as background music but nothing too exciting.
Some cool sounds on here but maybe not exactly enough to keep me engaged for the full 36 minute length. Not sure what else to say, pretty subdued melancholic record that probably requires my closer attention to lyrics.
This sounded like a low-rent worse version of every The Shins song I've heard. I feel like I could have heard this at a coffee house and wouldn't have noticed. It wasn't necessarily bad, but this album was completely forgettable. A few minutes after this ended I'm not sure I could name a single song or tell you anything about it. 1.6 stars
Not for me.
he's like, the graham crackers of rock music. Nothing wrong with him but its not what i am jumping out for. Feels very soft.
Really not my thing.
I seem to be in the minority here but I haven't heard of Elliot Smith and am a little put off by the album cover. My initial reaction to the opening track is "this is nice" but pretty soon it has faded sadly into the background. I realize I'm not listening, try to listen, but pretty soon my thoughts and attention have wandered again. Not a bad album by any stretch but I'm super not digging it. Third try I found a little more to like but mostly I'm alternately irritated and bored with the tone and content of this album.
I listened to this a couple times. I'm not sure why this album is included on the list. I think this one may be in the category of 'you had to be there'.
it was fine but it was boring. Figure 8 album was yugely better
Solid Indie-Folk-Rock-album. Unfortunately not even a single song stands out and stood in my head. 2.5
Trök
there was some poetry here at least could i write poetry to this? n
It’s hard not to listen to this without thinking about how hard Elliott Smiths life was, especially the way he died. However apart from a handful of songs, ‘Pictures Of Me’, ‘Rose Parade’ and ‘Cupid’s Trick’ which is far and away the best song here, not only is ‘Either/Or’ a depressing album, it’s also dull arrangements for large parts.
Mm okay ja niet mijn ding.
Feels like the Monkeys got sad and inspired Elliot to share his sadness with all of us.
Ganske kjedelig
BORING
Not my type of music.
Elliot Smith was christened an indie saint upon his death years ago, and I’ve spent that time trying to hear and understand the greatness, but I don’t. His delivery is so droll and completely uninteresting to me. His songs put me to sleep. He’s been compared to other artists I adore, and I’m just left scratching my head, trying to figure out if we’re all listening to the same thing. Maybe someday it will click, but for now I’ll pass.
Ya mean, Dad band can make a top 1001 album?!?! This sounds like it was recorded in a dorm room. Wasn't horrible though.
If you think ketchup is "a little spicy" and enjoy contributing to public radio, I've got an album for you.
What is with all these sad ass albums? It isn't objectively bad but I have a hard time connecting with an album like this. Every song sounds kind of the same to me with the acoustics and sing songy voice.
This sounds like the stuff Jan from The Office would listen too. Pushing the definition of melancholic to its limits. Not bad, but I’ll never be revisiting it again.
Die Lieder „Say Yes“ und „Between the Bars“ gefallen mir recht gut. Mit den andren Liedern kann ich weniger anfangen.
Ganske kjedelig
Wel oké maar erg saai,
Niet echt mijn stijl
Indie-folk. Un rollazo de cuidado...
Was ok
Ugh, such a low energy affair, especially after yesterday’s Iron Maiden album. This is what I expect an Art Garfunkel solo album sounds like, with a few random F-bombs thrown for a cheap bit of excitement. No thank you. I’m putting Maiden back on.
Sadboy singer-songwriter just isnt for me
It's fine. The genesis of the sad bastard mopey indie that I really didn't like during the early aughts. Probably wouldn't go to any great lengths to acquire or listen to this again.
It's not unlistenable, which is better than other albums on this list but I just found it very samey. It didn't strike a chord with me. I found it a little boring if I'm totally honest.
Best I can say is, “it was ok”. No memorable tracks. Not bad not good.
it wasn't as depressing as i thought it would be
Pop style that doesn’t align my preferences but good guitar and atmosphere
The songs were fine, but all sounded very similar so didn't catch my ear.
Not a genre I'm interested in
Too whiney imo
Coffee shop music
All the same
Meh
Not my jam. Only song I liked was Angeles.
not my cup of teae
I can understand the appeal. This recording is so raw and real. Just not for me.
Slow, monotonous. Not for my taste.
This is the type of music that I really don’t like. Guitar was good, but the voice is weak and a bit whiny.
this album was boring, but i know what to listen to next time i have insomnia. the only, and i mean only, song with any balls was cupid’s trick, and that was song 10. too little, too late. well, at least it was a short album.
I liked the guitar work, vocals and lyrics OK, overall tracks OK, but just all very samey which became very boring, I didn't even finish the album, nothing grabbed my attention, and it's questionably indie. If it was already playing I'd listen to it, but wouldn't see.me.chosing to play it.
Like if guided by voices had copied and pasted all their songs and had no artistic depth, that’s unfair I liked bits and bobs but god damn was this very short album a chore last songs nice
Too much Elliott Smith on this here list. I'd feel this way even if this were the only album to appear.
# 37 : SNORE slow and boring. A bit of plucky guitar licks and stretched out lyrics to make up 3 minute songs. Nothing special.
I don't get this. Maybe I'd like to hear Pictures of Me or Rose Parade in the future, but as for the whole album - nope. I find it drab.
Honestly better than I remember him. Pretty good songwriter. But god damn I hate his breathy voice
Maybe I just don't get the 90's?
Also, derartiges Songwriting hat man ja noch NIE gehört! Beim achten Song völlig gelangweilt ausgemacht.
I can see how this album speaks to some people. For me it felt a bit like toned down Blink 182 or skate punk, but in a more serious way, and it just doesn't really work for me. Too many mellow songs and lullabies makes it quite boring to be honest. Feels like it would fit perfectly in some of the 90s or early 20s teenage drama series like O.C, One Tree Hill or similar, and that's just a bit past me.
I don't know why but i can just never get in to Elliot Smith. I've tried on multiple occasions and it sounds like the kind of stuff I should be into. I just found this a bit boring with some nice songs here and there. Maybe one they I'll get it.
Kinda whiny
I love Elliott's voice and sound, but other than "Between the Bars", this record is mediocre. Boring.
Bit boring
meh. not bad, not good
I had good friend in high school who really loved Elliott Smith, and that lead me to eventually buy Figure 8, which I really enjoyed. I eventually bought Either/Or as well, which I didn't care for as much when I first listened to it. I hadn't listened to Either/Or since then, so I was excited to revisit it today. I had really high hopes that my feelings on it would have changed over time, but sadly they didn't. It's not that this is a bad album; Elliott's multitrack vocals are incredible, and he sings his songs with such conviction, but I think that his vocals on this album just don't do it for me. His guitar playing is beautifully melodic, but the instrumentation on this album only serves the vocals and the lyrics. And lyrically, there's just something here that feels so inaccessible to me. I have nothing against depressing music, but the lyrics here just don't land with me, and I think it's because his language is a little too figurative for me. I wanted to love this album, I truly did, but it's just a miss for me. Additional footnote: For what it's worth, I fired up a few tracks from Figure 8 just to make sure I wasn't out of my mind, and I can confirm that I still love that album, even though I probably haven't listened to it in well over a decade. Immediately, I realized that there really isn't much percussion on Either/Or, and maybe that's why I don't like it very much.
Beetje vlak. Vond er heel weinig aan
Gave it a try, found out it wasn't my cup of tea. Might understand why it appeals to others though
The focus is definitely on his songs, and the singer-songwriter thing isn't my thing
Torn. On the one hand these songs are harmless. On the other, it’s really quite dull in places. I can’t give this more than a 2
very weak vocals, but good sound otherwise lyrics are good i would've loved this if the vocals weren't so offputting. i dont know how they can be that bad but they are especially on the first 3 songs songs are pretty samey and song topics are nothing intelligent or unique and yes the vocals are that bad 2 stars, maybe 2.5 on a good day
Impressive to make such a boring album!
This felt extremely flat and one dimensional to me. I'm sure the lyrics may mean something but the rhythm is lacking hard
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah it was quite lovely Favourite song: Track 12 - …Say Yes
Too mellow for my taste. Not a bad record though.
It was just too soft. Not bad, just not for me. 2, no adds