Either Or

Takes me back to my mid-20s living in Northern California studying literature & working in a dive.

Me sorprendió la verdad

"Either/Or" is the representation of mystical and melancholic music, it perfectly reflects the feeling of dissociation and isolation. This album is just emotionally and aesthetically pleasing. I think Elliott Smith is best known for his voice which is both very smooth and sounds like a soft cry, it's absolutely one-of-a-kind. Listening to it is simply a pleasure. And it's not only his voice that I so alluring and makes you want to listen to his music. It's a bunch of quality products put together in those songs: the music, lyrics, and the whole mood associated with this album are just phenomenal. I am unapologetically a big fan of this piece of art. favourite tracks: "Between the Bars" and "Cupid's Track"; least favourite track: there isn't any.

similar vibe to jeff buckley where there is an extra layer of sadness added to the already particularly sad music left behind. I'm partial to a bit of elliott smith and his weird offbeat jazz like music that changes when you don't expect it. just as you think you've settled in to the groove of a track he chucks in some weird strum pattern that kicks you out of the groove and unsettles you a bit.

Elliott Smith must have been a tiny little virgin when he penned this self-indulgent, soppy, sad fuckwhistle of a record. I for one, love it. I identify myself within the lyrics and it makes me want to catch a leprechaun in a net and hump it until morning.

😔 Cheer up, mate. It might never happen. Oh!...😬

When I first listened to Either Or several years ago when working my way through this list I was absolutely transfixed by Smiths songwriting. Years later I still find the record striking a nerve with Smiths sense of melody and guitar sound stealing the show ('Alameda', 'Rose Parade', 'Punch and Judy'). Although most compositions are fragile and intimate, like 'Between The Bars', Smith shows quite the range on a few tracks like 'Cupid's Trick' and the Sgt. Peppers inspired 'Pictures of Me'. Strong disassociation all over the place from a very strong lyricist: "Crooked spin can't come to rest, I'm damaged bad at best"

If you’re only listening to Elliott Smith’s songwriting and recordings you might find, that he’s just quite the talented singer-songwriter. But when you get the chance to dive deeper into the lyrics behind the songs - that’s when you find out just what a genius Smith truly was. The songs are extremely fragile and combined with Smith’s shivering and shy vocal they’re almost threatening to crumble beneath their own weight - but somehow they never do.

Not for me, too soft

slow, boring but finished it

It's lo-fi, bare-bones and the most prominent thing is Elliott Smith's whispering song with repetitive guitar pluckings. Maybe it just shows my ignorance but I didn't find this album special at all. It's not bad but it doesn't do anything for me. I guess if I only focus on the lyrics and ignore it the other parts it gets better but the overall experience is mediocre.

Enjoyed this despite not being the vibe I was after at the point of listening. Was easy to tell it was a good record regardless. Will likely come back to Elliot Smith in the future.

A college friend of mine used to work in a pizza shop in downtown Portland back in the early 1990s. He told me that Elliott often came in with just barely enough change for a slice — and that some times he didn't even have enough. About five years after this, Elliott is in a white suit playing Miss Misery at the Oscars. And, maybe five years after that he's dead. The news struck us hard given all the obvious and incidental connections that come with some shared community. And yet, despite living in Olympia, WA in the 90s I missed the initial release of Roman Candle and the self-titled record but Either/Or was anticipated and it stuck. This record is my most listened to Smith album. If you're paying attention and know any of Smith's biography it's a painful record to listen to at times, but even if you don't know those details it's a beautiful, flawed statement with enduring resonance. Many songs will bring me to tears and yet some of them I've sung to those I love.

featuring songs that were on the “Good Will Hunting” soundtrack (or sounded like they should have been there), this album provided a calming soundtrack for my lunchtime walk along a quiet forest road. With a sound and lyrics that felt like a cross between Nick Drake and John Mayer into something all his own. I heard Smith’s unique voice and musical arrangements in this album seems to be an early representative of what was to come as we entered the 00s and the sea of syrupy indie songs that flooded all of our favorite guilty pleasures on tv. Who knows how much more emotion-filled music he could have created had he lived beyond 2003 and how many more soundtracks would have benefitted from his presence. This album is worth a listen if only to escape to the late 90s and early 00s, to live in a world like the OC or Gilmore Girls, if only for a fleeting 30ish minutes.

again i guess this is the birth of modern indie

90's Dad rock. Pretty good album, but not so much of a iconic album illustrative of the genre / era of the time. 3.5/5.

mega first-year-university album for me. Good stuff. 4 stars

Didn’t like it, skipped most of the songs.

Chilling and nice

Really emotionally tumultuous and interesting album, the songs are all solid and themed well but nothing really stood out to me

Not really listened to much Elliot Smith in the past, he’s one of those artist I keep meaning to check out. No Spotify likes previously on this album. Didn’t think I’d have be contemplating Søren Kierkegaard on the weekend. Liked: Speed Trials, Alamada, Ballard of Big Nothing, Between the Bars,

This is so lo-fi it's reeking of dust and musky dead wood smell. I love it. The quality of the guitars, the drums, and the vocals gave it a sincerity and vulnerability that I've always admired with folk. Too bad it's too easy to make this sound boring. It has incredible highlights, but the listening experience as a whole was quite a daze. Perhaps I need a couple of relistens.

i wish we could give half stars

Sounds really basic and uninspired - never understood why this guy got any attention. So many superior examples of this type of music are out there, your local bar singer-songwriter can probably do it better. Quite brief, at least

Consistently boring. Would maybe be good as the soundtrack to an introspective indie film with slow pacing about disaffected youth.

Hmm, quite ballady album with a rare heavier song. Not my type of listening music, but a good album nonetheless. Fave songs: Pictures of Me, Cupid's Trick, 2:45 AM

I hadn’t heard of Elliot Smith. Not sure why this album’s on the list. Some enjoyable songs, Beatles-like chords in places, but nothing to really pique my interest.

I think this is the only Elliott Smith cd I don’t have. All the others I’ve picked up in op-shops over the years. Really enjoyed it. Particularly love his guitar playing. Nearly every song has an acoustic guitar intro and none of them are the same. Some of these intros remind me of Beatles songs (I was expecting him to break into Rocky Racoon at one point); the folky intro to the beautiful Angeles brought Paul Simon’s playing to mind; and I was chuffed to read that he used an open tuning for No Name #5, because that’s the intro that immediately made me think of Joni Mitchell, & open-tuning is her middle name. The lyrics are always interesting, and the melodies are never repetitive. And I love the fact that the album’s title comes from the writing of the philosopher Kierkegaard, because that name immediately transports me to the Piranha Brothers sketch by Monty Python - a man they called Kierkegaard, who just sat there biting the heads off whippets . A great listen.

Nice songs, really nicely recorded. I'm not quite sure why Elliott Smith has two albums on the must hear list. It's OK... just OK. Strong Beatles influences (which is a good thing) and more than a pinch of Nick Drake. Some good tunes, but a bit same-y. I like the production (acoustic and electric guitars, surprisingly muscular bass, very tasteful organ washes, intimately recorded vocals) and tunes better than the other Elliot Smith album I reviewed.

All of my previous experience from Elliott smith had been from the album figure 8 a great album but not one I revisited all too much because of how long the album is for what it is. Either or seems to be be better being much shorter and immediately opening with speed trials a rather raw acoustic banger absolutely amazing! Alameda is a true show of excellent songwriting also the ghostly ooh’s are cool. Ballad of big nothing has an amazing guitar sound and an amazing hook on the chorus! Between the bars is short and tender, it’s nice but how is this his number one song on spotify? ( oh just saw it was on some soundtrack makes sense). I like how of pictures of me feels like it’s constantly moving up a few semitones every few seconds creates a great tense feeling so good my favourite so far! No name number 5 is a great song unfortunately I haven’t herd no name 1-4 so I can’t really compare but still solid. Rose parade is one of my favourites on a guitar level it’s really good this album is really hard to review because I just want to take it in. Throwing Punch and Judy as a sorta dark metaphor was a very great idea but the song isn’t one of my favourites, still amazing though. Angeles has brilliant guitar picking really bloody hard to review though just know I like it. Cupids trick has the most energy of any of the tracks really outstanding track! The penultimate track 2:45 am (similarly to between the bars) is so tender what a brilliant song. The closer say yes is great I think I’ve herd it before it’s really good. It’s a true 5/5!

Melancholy tones, great composures

smooth. nice. not really worth listening but not problem listening to this anytime.

Darkly minimalist pop music with a hint of sweetness, but an overall bleak and airless vibe. Elliott Smith's songwriting is stunningly good, somehow incredibly vulnerable but prickly and painful to hear. Fave Songs: Say Yes, Between the Bars, Angeles, Punch and Judy, 2:45 AM, Ballad of Big Nothing, Rose Parade, Pictures of Me

I see the appeal. My first listen was through car speakers. I do not recommend that. This album is one that you should listen to with your headphones on while it's raining. There are some songs that I like and few that I truly dislike. In Gen-Z language, this feels like male manipulator music, but at least it's the good stuff. Best Songs: Speed Trials, Between the Bars, Pictures of Me, Say Yes Worst Songs: Rose Parade, 2:45 AM

What an amazing album. Somehow I managed to skip this one in a queue and return to it back after long months. And man would it be a shame to miss it. Lyrically strong and well performed ballads all around.

Average. Some tunes might be worth listening to, but I don’t think the minimalist vibe works for me.

listen

Whiny garbage. Didn’t like this at all but it wasn’t aggressively annoying at least.

You good man?

I have a healthy disregard for acoustic albums. Shame he's no longer with is though

Yes, it's a very good album, very exciting

this sounds like the type of filler noise that i imagine is always on in the back of like, a seattle coffee shop. this being made in 1997 means an entire generation of ppl took this sound and ran with it. which is unfortunate. bc it's v much not my vibe

Kickball? More like something something

Awesome.

I like Elliot Smith but his music is always the same. Good stuff, mostly.

It’s ok - some potential but a forgettable record overall

Where the pace picks up above coffeeshop mumble and strum, there's some nice music on here, but overall didn't change my world.

Inoffensive

Love it, thinking 4.5 then Say Yes!

I really like pictures of me and say yes

Great sound, good background

Loved it.

Nice.

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

20’s music for getting through life in a small town, growing up into your real self.

4.5 stars

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

I’ve already listened to this album prior and loved it. He’s got a fantastic writing style with an ethereal voice that’s hard to pull yourself away from.

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.

This is pretty much a perfect album from a perfect songwriter. So few records make me a feel a very a specific thing and this is one of them. It's been a while since I listened to it, I only wish today's Portland weather matched the mood this record invokes as it's a very Portland record.

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.

I liked this in high school!

ALBUM RATING: 3.6 ALBUM GRADE: B- TRACK RATINGS: 1. Speed Trials - 3.0 2. Alameda - 3.5 3. Ballad of Big Brother - 3.5 4. Between the Bars - 4.5 5. Pictures of Me - 3.5 6. No Name No. 5 - 3.5 7. Rose Parade - 3.0 8. Punch and Judy - 3.0 9. Angeles - 5.0 10. Cupid’s Trick - 3.5 11. 2:45 AM - 3.5 12. Say Yes - 3.5

Reminds me of acoustic Nirvana. Nice unpredictable key changes and melodies with interesting twists with out being unlistenable for a pop listener. Great music that is an approachable accessible combo between sad, happy, and confused. Nice contrast between his gentle voice and then pain you know that he experienced in his life.

Although he had several albums under his belt, Either/Or is considered to be Elliott's true breakthrough; a genuine introduction to a talent that was allowed only a decade or so to shine but who looked and sounded as though he was up there already with the greats. Favorites: Speed Trails, Ballad of Big Nothing, Between the Bars, Pictures of Me, Rose Parade, Punch and Judy, Angeles, 2:45 AM, My New Freedom - Live, Pictures of Me - Live, I Don't Think I'm Ever Gonna Figure It Out, I Figured You Out, Bottle Up and Explode - Alternate Version.

Solid, just really sad

Solid

dont like

I could write an essay about each and every Elliott Smith song. There’s just so much to unpack, so many metaphors, so many sad yet clever turns of phrase, so many poignant observations. So what about this album? Well, this one has two particular holds on my affection: “Pictures of Me” is the first Elliott Smith song I ever heard, and “Say Yes” might just be the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard. He’s damaged bad at best.

Meh. Basic indie alt rock feel to it. Not terrible, not my thing.

Such a mysterious voice, great songwriter. Between the Bars gives me the chills every time.

Big part of the soundtrack to my college years. I couldn't listen to this at night because it would be too intense. Instead, I opted to listen in the day to take the edge off. I don't always want to wade in melancholy, but when I do, Elliott Smith really hits the spot.

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.

Outro indie que soa agradável e só.

En klassiker

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

den 2. beste smithen

Ok

Seen the Either/Or album cover before and heard good things but never listened. After giving it a listen and finding it really great, I thought why didn't I listen to it earlier. Didn't know what type of music I was gonna get but was pleasently surprised. Listened to it twice and can't find a bad track on here. Definitely an artist I want to explore more of.

It was alright.

can't get passionate

Such a chilling and beautiful performance, I’ve loved this album for years already so was easy to get two plays in

Love Elliot Smith, amazing songwriter

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

I am really hooked by this sound in the first few songs. Interesting vocal textures. Rose Parade is another great tune. Say Yes is a great tune! What an excellent album!

I really didn’t care for his voice. Some songs were okay, but for the most part I was bored.

Very vibey, kind of hard to understand the lyrics Better album for an early AM commute lol

Wow this is a boring album. Lyrics are uninspiring and repetitive, the vocalist sounds like he's whispering in every song, even the rock beats are generic. Incredibly bland and basic from start to finish.

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.

Elliott Smith be like

wonderful

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

Always liked this.

Boring Lame Uninspired

Way better than expected, good acousti-grunge stuff from the era.

Not sure why every song is such a bummer.

Meh.

another indie album this one gets recommended all the time by Spotify

Good acoustic album.

Folk music, not a fan of this one

Legendary album. Love it.

Top 10 nineties record for me dawg.

I think I want to come back to this one later

this was boring and i don’t care about elliott smith

Best Song: Between the Bars. A perfect encapsulation of a particular type of melancholy. The lyrics here are excellent, full of clever double entendres. Worst Song: Cupid's Trick. I found the instrumentals mixed too loud relative to Smith's voice. The drums were fine, but the guitar seemed at odds with the tone he was portraying. Overall: I don't think there's an artist that can sound so vulnerable, and make the listener feel as vulnerable, as Elliott Smith. It is difficult to even articulate what it is about the combination of his whispered vocals and sad, poetic lyrics that is so compelling. It sounds like the coming of a peaceful but inevitable tragedy. Many have imitated, but none have come close to duplicating.

pa siestar

Low Key laid back indie. Ok, but not more than that

One of my favourite albums of all time - and always a pleasure to hear it especially on a chilled Sunday or sunny morning 🔆

det är ju bra grejer alltså

6/9/2022 - ALBUM #133 Today's Album: "Either Or" by Elliott Smith - This is a really fantastic record and I feel like it's going to be a mouthful to say everything that makes this album great but I guess I'll try my best to keep it brief. First of all, I really think Elliott's vocals make this entire album work as a whole. There is a lot of great things to say about the instrumentals, but the thing that really keeps me engaged throughout the album is the way Elliott is able to sing with such a quiet, melancholic tone. The microphone sounds like it's right up against his mouth most of the time, but it's insane how he's able to maintain control of his voice while staying so hushed. Even when he's really letting loose and shouting out a verse, it either maintains that melancholic tone or he does a sort of whisper scream like he doesn't want to wake his parents (With surprisingly positive results since he still holds such strong control of his voice). The vocals however are only a great execution of what is some seriously amazing songwriting. Not only are the lyrics super dense and hard-hitting, with the general theme of the record being about the sorrow and melancholy of becoming an adult as your expectations and surroundings constantly change around you. There's also a lot of lyrics alluding to this idea of someone inflicting the pain they whine about onto themselves. The track Alameda is a clear example of this with the line, "Nobody broke your heart." I also think the music writing here is pretty damn fantastic, with super tight and catchy choruses and a ton of really unique grooves and guitar licks. The guitar playing is a definite highlight throughout the album with a ton of really impressive riffs and licks and whenever he introduces a drum and bass into the mix, those tracks really shine from it. It's definitely an album that's perfect to listen to top to bottom because the low-energy moments that take up a majority of space here only make the louder moments count more. I heard Angeles while watching Good Will Hunting so when I opened this album, I saw that song was already downloaded and I have to say it's really one of the best tracks here. When I first heard it I was just so stunned by it being able to portray such optimism and melancholy at the same time, and I think that perfectly describes a lot of this project; such a happy sadness to it. I kind of put this album in the punk category in my mind when I first heard it due to it's darker tone, but the more I explore this album it really feels more like an indie folk record with a sort of depressing filter on it. Overall, this is an extremely moving album that truly shines in it's subtlety and is best enjoyed with a pair of headphones. Give this one a listen if you want something sort of sad to listen to after 1am but also want something with great melodies and fantastic performances throughout. Highlights: Speed Trials, Alameda, Ballad Of Big Nothing, Between The Bars, Pictures Of Me, No Name No. 5, Rose Parade, Punch And Judy, Angeles, Cupids Trick, 2:45 AM, Say Yes Score: 8.5/10 A subtle, melancholic masterpiece

Real good

Don't get it, morose. Dull.

One of those artists who never were destined for a long spell on this planet. I'm not a massive fan of his vocals. They seem paper thin and stretched

I gave this a few listens, as its seems the sort of thing I might really like. This confirmed my initial impression of liking the gentle singer songwriter vibe with textured breathy vocals, and that the lyrics are interesting, sad and emotionally charged. However, I couldn't find that unknown something that would have made it click or resonate with me personally. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Ballad Of Big Nothing Date listened: 06/06/22

I've weirdly been hesitant to listen to Elliott Smith until now. It's not that I worried it would be bad but because it wouldn't be this inspirational force in my life like how it is with most people. I walked away pretty amazed with how smooth and digestible this album is. It's emotionally complicated and Smith's voice really carries each song. What a stunning surprise.

Haunting

I know this guy is like some indie singer-songwriter darling, but this is the second album I've had from him and it sounds exactly the same as the last one. There's no perceptible difference, it's just another 36 minutes of exactly the same tone, instrumentation, vocals, and lyrics. It just doesn't do it for me *shrug*.

Meh

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

Beautifully subtle, subtlety brilliant. Incredible indie guitar album with the perfect amount of edge. Can hear how this has influenced so many to go after him eg Andy Shauf, Matt Costa and Tiny Little Houses. Can even hear a bit of Paper Mache era Gizz in the first couple of tracks. Strong start but even stronger finish in Rose Parade and Angeles. No Name No. 5 is a perfectly composed track. He also sounds exactly like another more contemporary artist (especially in Angeles) that I can't put my finger on if my life depended on it. Hopefully it will come to me one day in a future relisten. Also 50 points for punching a dart on the album cover.

Neither Nor.

Why you would listen to this when you could listen to Armenian Pop Music (1980) by Hamlet Minassian?

Bom álbum

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

this was fine i guess?

Lots of love for this album, listened while walking to work in the rain. Pretty much the perfect way to hear its dreamy melancholy. Wonderful.

Nisam se jako uzivila u album ovaj put. Al kad sam tuzna i pustim si between the bars ili angels ko sol na ranu je. Al paše

Jedan kvalitetan, depresivan, divan lo-fi/indie folk/rock album, i tu nema diskusije. Depresija: "Što ćete popiti?" Ja: "Može 2:45 am, štrukani."

I absolutely love Speed Trials and it's not because it's the first song on the album. Excellent writing. Can't wait to get into the rest of his discography

Did not like

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. .

This felt like the singer of smashing pumpkins turned into a singer songwriter. And I don't even know if it makes sense, maybe more like Simon and Garfunkle. Either way, wasn't a fan of this one.

Really dug this one. This is the Elliott Smith album that everyone talks about, perhaps its his holy grail. I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous album we got, as it veered much closer to the singer-songwriter style that I wanted to hear. He's got a really interesting voice that communicates pain very well. I can't say I picked up on too many lyrics, but just listening back to tracks more than once I know this all would grow on me even more and get under my skin in a good way. Kudos. Favorite tracks: Speed Trials, Between the Bars, Rose Parade, Angeles, Cupids Trick, 2:45AM. Album art: I know my comment on the other Elliott Smith album was that he looked like a dork, this one he looks like a badass. Not sure where's he's located but he's smoking a cig in a way that the Surgeon General would hate because it looks cool. 4.5/5

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.

Generic singer songwriter stuff.

"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.

The music is very loud and drowns out the singers voice which i want to hear more of. I may give it a second listen, it sounds like something I would enjoy but it didn't immediately get me excited listening to it.

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.

Used to listen to this over and over when I was at uni. Past that phase now.

The music is really welcoming in a life kinda sucks empathetic way. I really enjoyed being introduced to him. I have already listened to the album multiple times to listen more in depth to the lyrics and appreciate the whole sound he created.

I mean this is the blueprint of the singer songwriter that would become more prevalent in the decades that followed. It’s also a great love letter to the indie and folk musicians from before it. Absolutely excellent album from an artist taken far too soon.

Mwha, beetje saai. Klonk aanvankelijk wel ok

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.

I've been meaning to listen to a full Elliot Smith album for years but never did for some reason. I was certainly not disappointed. This is really really good stuff. However I can't quite commit to giving it a full five. I think I need a little "breathing time". At worst this is a very strong 4.

AMO este álbum.

I actually quite liked this; had some interesting moments and great tracks.

alright

Really good singer-songwriter

04/05/2022 I've kind of avoided Elliott Smith for a while just for how many internet opinons there are on his life, music, and passing. Glad I finally did take the time to listen - it's clearly very sad, but there's an overwhelming beauty to the lyrics and Smith's voice. I also appreciate that this isn't an album that was made for exclusively gloomy days.

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

A number of times in this project I have listened to beautiful music I have a strong connection to, only to find that the artist was full of terrible pain. Here we are again. I loved this one.

At first I was not sure that the soft gentle voice of the artist would be able to win me over, but it did.

Every time it ends, I just start it over again. And the more I listen the more I like. Breathy vocals and vulnerable lyrics, lovely indie-folk instrumentation. Heart-achingly beautiful. A new favorite.

I really love this album. Elliott Smith’s ethereal delivery is so soothing. Kind of ironic for that to come from such a tortured artist. A wonderful soundtrack to help ease the daily stress of life with enough wistfulness to not be boring. Favorite Songs: Ballad of Big Nothing, No Name No. 5, Pictures of Me, Rose Parade, Say Yes

Beautiful and haunting

Seems a cheery fellow

Surprisingly poignant and arresting. I wouldn't have figured a singer/songwriter could be this engaging. Also, it very much sound like the product of a tortured artist who wasn't going to survive.

Easy listening

yeah, this album isn't for me. It sounds a bit too slow and depressing for my liking.

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

I assumed this would be depressing but Smith is a gifted singer-songwriter.

Rock folk indie

Good singer. Another States-type singer of many

Congratulations, now I feel just as shitty as you. You're an asshole.

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.

Haunting. Great indie 90s music.

So uninspiring to me that I put it on for a second time - forgetting I'd already listened to it. Didn't add.

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. ***

Immer noch eins meiner liebsten Indie-Folk Alben. Vielleicht auch weil es eins meiner ersten, aber die Kombination der wunderschönen zurückhalteneren Songs und den eingängigen fast schon spaßigen Hymnen macht das ganze immer noch zu so einem guten Listen für mich 9/10

gehört zu den alben, die ich nur selten anhöre, weil sie mich echt mitnehmen (auf die traurige art). tatsächlich ein extrem gutes album, meiner meinung nach aber nicht das beste von elliott smith. "between the bars" und "say yes" verbinden malerische lyrics mit den schönsten melodien. ist glaube ich auch eines der wenigen arten, bei der die beste art, es zu erleben, mit kopfhörern ist. man merkt auf jeden fall hier den beatles einfluss, aber er macht da eben so viel mehr daraus. bestimmte zeitgenössische künstler/innen würden ohne elliott smith wiederum gar nicht existieren - das macht ja irgendwo musik aus.

Das ist richtig schön und traurig. Die Simplizität entfaltet hier eine ihre komplette Wirkung und macht aus so wenig so viel. Sowohl die Stimme als auch die Melodien sind einfach so emotiv und carrien das alles so sehr, auch wenn ich normal nicht so der Fan von singer Songwriter Kram bin. Aber hier kommt einfach ne stringente und schlagkräftige Melancholie und Menschlichkeit bei rum und das macht dieses Album sehr hörbar obwohl ich echt nicht gut traurige Musik hören kann. Rose Parade, Between the Bars und Angeles sind absolute Highlights. Auch hier ähnlich wie bei Joni Mitchell, eventuell keine komplette 5 aber 4 fühlt sich zu wenig an.

es gibt echt keine lahmere musik ey

Zwar das einzige Album von ihm was ich richtig gut finde, aber kann echt nichts Schlechtes drüber sagen. Wäre ich heute nicht so busy würd ich gern mehr drüber schreiben. Ist aber ein super schönes, emotionales, durchgehend catchy, sau gut geschriebenes Album. Die lyrics sind zwar recht simpel aber funktionieren sehr gut. So gut wie perfektes Album

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!

Sehr comfy und wunderschön instrumentiert. Bekomme irgendwie zum Teil einen David Bowie Vibe, nicht sicher, ob das irgendwie ein persönlicher Knall ist, oder, ob hier wirklich vorherige Popmusik nochmal unter anderem Vorzeichen echot.

great

Absolutely loved this. Just beautiful writing and music. RIP.

Smith was a heavy drinker and drug user at times throughout his life, and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression. His struggles with drugs and mental illness affected his life and work, and often appeared in his lyrics. In 2003, aged 34, he died in Los Angeles, California, from two stab wounds to the chest.[8] The autopsy evidence was inconclusive as to whether the wounds were self-inflicted or the result of homicide.[9] At the time of his death, Smith was working on his sixth studio album, From a Basement on the Hill, which was posthumously produced and released in 2004. And now I understand the tone of the album...

i like him ,hes good

Elliott Smith's music has always spoken to my soul, and this album is no exception. I love how his songs feel quiet and intimate one moment and the next they open up and fly. Not my favorite album of his, though. 4.5/5 stars

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

Un bon album de elliot smith, j’avais bcp aime lautre sur la liste, celui ci est superieur. 4.25

This is a bad album. It is indie music and not good. It is kinda emo music too. No need to listen.

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

I feel like I'm only giving out fours now.

Klassiker. Har inte lyssnat ännu.

Uhh, yeah, this one’s 4 the indie boys

Vackert... stark 4

It remembered me some moods by Lennon.

I loved! Tks

Sometimes this list is baffling. It’s not that I hate this album. It’s more a case of…why does it make the top 1001?? Not into the whispery voice, don’t care if it’s his ‘thing’. Either sing, or don’t sing. Generally this is all a bit emo, but there’s some goodness in here. Between The Bars for one.

Not awful.

Stile un po' indie un po' lo-fi, un po' sottofondo da lavanderia a gettoni. Che flemma... Lo trovo veramente noioso.

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.

Wonderful! One of The best albums ever.

Eh, wasn’t really my thing

em comparação com seus trabalhos anteriores, either/or tem uma atmosfera ainda mais intimista com a incorporação de melodias ainda mais suaves nas composições. não que a música não tenha sido um fator importante antes, mas nunca na discografia dele ela estava tão alinhada com a atmosfera e com o storytelling característico do artista, o que faz parecer que ele está do seu lado, cantando diretamente no seu ouvido. um álbum absurdamente memorável, ainda que não seja meu favorito dele, foi o que me fez conhecê-lo. um dos álbuns que mais ouvi na vida.

Genre: Indie Folk 4/5 Elliott Smith, who unfortunately left our world much too early, left behind one of the more influential bodies of work in all of indie music, and continues to be a benchmark of quality in the genre. Either/Or serves as his magnum opus (to most), and is an exercise in melancholy, played out in a brilliant, folk-driven way from Smith. While this sort of tempo and tenor throughout a project can leave me wanting a bit more, this album makes up for its lack of sonic variations with its heart-wrenching vocal performances and Elliot Smith's true songwriting talent. It didn't tickle me quite as much as I had hoped, but it certainly did not disappoint.

It's melancholic and comforting at the same time. I've never heard anything by Elliot Smith until now, and I'm glad I got to listen to something so beautiful.

Liked it

Elliott Smith walked so that Sufjan Stevens could fly Those arpeggios are pretty sweet though.

trop bien (✿◕‿◕)

Music to my ears.

beaucoup de reviews disent que l'ablum est chiant du coup chiante autodiag

Forgettable

No other decade could produce an album like this. Singer/songwriter, mostly with acoustic guitars only, but the chords and melodies have soaked in the full 90ness of things. First word that comes to mind is "angsty". Which isn't bad neccessarily, but I have to be in the mood to listen to this. I'll give it 3.5/5.

Truly beautiful

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.

Much more familar with XO and Figure 8 so interesting to hear this earlier work

The name Elliott Smith is familiar but not sure where to place. Album cover would like like a pop-punk type. On listening it's soft, acoustic tunes, very melancholy, kind of naval-gazing. This one is another pretty forgettable album, it just sort of went by and it was hard to notice because it was so soft. Definitely another one that I would have adored when I was heavy into depression. Otherwise not my cup of tea anymore and way too samey throughout.

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

I’ve tried a handful of times to get into Elliot Smith and I just can’t. This is the first time I’ve actually made it through a whole album. It was fine. I might give his stuff another shot but there’s a bunch of other singer/songwriter types I’d rather listen to.

Decent but not my cup of tea. Nothing really exciting here.

Fire

Overall kind of boring, maybe I wasn’t in the right mood

Een beetje saai

songs for easy listening

Great songs - perfect. Probably the most consist album of Elliott Smith and the one I usually go for.

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

A bit depressing but not bad.

Boring.

Its not bad if you're in that sorta mood

Not my speed

Oh man... I love Elliott Smith but it's impossible not to feel a profound sense of sadness every time, in every song. Has there ever been anyone who has this affect? I think I get a bit of the same feeling listening to David McComb but not on the Elliott Smith level. Wonderful and heartbreaking and beautiful and despairing.

Drugs are bad, but they get a pass for resulting in an album as depressively great as this.

Very nice, some great songwriting

Was kind of forgettable

Not a bad album, no real hits, but it was nice to listen to.

Track 01 - 2/5 Track 02 - 2/5 Track 03 - 2/5 Track 04 - 2.25/5 Track 05 - 2.5/5 Track 06 - 2/5 Track 07 - 2.5/5 Track 08 - 2.25/5 Track 09 - 2/5 Track 10 - 2/5 Track 11 - 2/5 Track 12 - 2.25/5 Overall: 2.25/5 Album Cover: 2.25/5

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.

Me pareció lindo a ratos pero en general me aburrió. Los arreglos con el piano sin lo que más gustó del disco pero nada que me haga querer escucharlo de nuevo.

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.

zzzzz

Bisher wenig gehört, aber immer wieder überzeugt!

Dass Elliott smith bisher an mir vorbeiging ist ein Fehler der Algorithmen

4.0 - This album is a great companion for when I'm feeling down. There's a morose vibe that's tinged with some hopeful light that helps buoy my spirit. In particular, I love "Speed Trials", "Ballad of Big Nothing", "Pictures of Me", and "Rose Parade." I love the grunge-like hooks tempered with the somber acoustic guitar anchor and the subtle fills that keep songs sounding tuneful and interesting.

bleh

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

Little less than OK. No draw for me.

Not so convinced about the classic status.

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"

Never heard this one before but I loved it. This one was fantastic.

Like this close sound

Better the second time I listened but still dreary

I can't say I'd heard any Elliot Smith before this but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is very much a vibe that I resonate with and I'll be revisiting a few songs for sure.

I hadn't heard of this album, or indeed Elliott Smith, before this came up here and, frankly, it's downright criminal that I haven't been listening to this for decades. I'm a sucker for anything that is or would be at home on a 'Life Is Strange' soundtrack and a lot of this album fits that bill perfectly. A new discovery that's going to make it firmly into more regular listening

<3 Elliott Smith means a hella lot to me. I'm always sus when people say "this artist got me through a hard time" but it was very much the case that this guy was the soundtrack to some pretty sad times in my life - you know that bit in High Fidelity where John Cusack speculates about whether letting kids have access to all this sad music is safe? I feel like if I had a kid and they came home with an Elliott Smith record I'd worry similarly. The latter albums also mean a lot to me - figure 8 and XO have a lot more multitracking and complex arrangements, which works for my imagination. The final album, From A Basement On The Hill, is so utterly devastating that I can barely listen to it. One of my all time faves, and an easy 5-star for me. A beautiful, singular songwriter. Standout track - between the bars, I think it has to be, but I also wanna point to rose parade, because people always remember Elliott Smith for the sad ones, but actually the best ones make you feel strangely happy

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.

Whenever dealing with lists like this, there are always entries which make me question their inclusion. This is the first of those, I attempted to fight my way through the album twice but just couldn't get past the fact this man cannot sing, and can't make catchy enough beats to make up for that fact.

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.

I really liked this. Very intimate and subdued, but that didn't stop it from dragging me along and making me feel like I am walking the cracked pavement streets of LA.

Now this is interesting. Somehow, even though it is far from a love letter, this album captures everything I love about cities, particularly Los Angeles. The raspy, vagabond delivery here tells me that this is an authentic cut, and digging into his story confirms that suspicion, excellent album.

Not his best album

Beautiful

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

Found his whispery, insipid voice unbearable, ruining a lot of decent songs.

Not my cup of tea

Simple ans good

I'm not a guy who pays close attention to lyrics when first listening to an album which seems to be where most people praise Elliott Smith. I think it's an okay album. Not one I'll be listening to all the way through though. Some tracks have some interesting instrumental qualities but most don't. I can see the appeal in Elliott's voice, but it's not for me. Overall it just feels too boring... This album lands on the lower end of the spectrum for me.

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.

Kinda boring. They all sounded the same

I listened but it was so forgettable I couldn't discern one song from the next. Mostly just droning on and sleepy guitar plunks. Why do the reviewers think I needed to hear this?

This is a great album. Maybe the best for a melancholy mood.

Between bars is the only one I really remembered. This was never my favorite work of his and that remains true. Reminded me of college a lot though.

Love this album. Especially the songs from Good Will Hunting. So soft and mellow - but still a little haunting and depressing at times.

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

I've always loved Elliott and his depression-fueled melodies. This takes me way back to a very specific place in my high school career. Parts of this album reminded me of Sufjan Stevens, in a way that other Smith never really has before. Lovely stuff.

Too sad for me.

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.

I don't know how I avoided this album when it was fresh. But it has been holding up like a champ these last 25 years.

Beautiful. Sad but beautiful.

Oh yeah. I know this one already. He was already dead before I discovered him, so I didn't get the "loss" part of this firsthand, but listening to this makes me feel for him, a little sad for what he must have wrestled with. The production is so intimate and unique. Multitracking vocals, the mic is practically in his mouth. The snare drum feels like a millimeter from your eardrum, the guitar's next to you on the couch, but the cymbals are out in the backyard. You can hear how he's influenced Beck, PortugalThaMan, of course Ásgeir Trausti, even Olivia Rodrigo. If you dig this guy but hadn't heard of him before... keep listening to XO and self-titled. And don't miss Mic City Sons from his previous band, Heatmiser.

Indie-folk. Un rollazo de cuidado...

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.

sorry ruby :/

Another one I've not heard before. I was aware of Elliott Smith and friends loved his albums at the time. But I'd never got into him. Really liked some of the stuff on this album. At times his melodies are incredible.

Excellent singer songwriter

Have loved this album for a long time. Not my absolute favourite of his (the self titled for me) but still gorgeous.

A masterpiece. I feel every word in my bones every time I hear this album, and it's been a special one to me for a few years now.

Really got to me on the second listen.

Saaaaaad but I love. Three of my favorite songs of all time so I’m gonna have to go five stars.

Lotta whispering. Recognized the popular song though

An old favourite. Masterpiece.

Nieko gero

First Listen. Smooth great sound. Love to hear this one again and again. 2/5 for now. I know this one will only go up.