Figure 8

Elliot is the secret mycelium that links a group of friends from high school-college-hamlin and carries the weight of rarely verbalized pain and melancholy that naturally accompanies our lives but doesn't pair well with PBR and conditioned masculinity. Over the years I've often protested playing Elliot, not because I dislike his music (I love it), but because it's such a vibe shifter. At least for me it is. Sometimes it takes a Herculean level of mental and physical exercise (+substances) to catch a positive current, and Elliot can sweep that away in 3 minutes. Powerful guy. He was there (self titled) in Matt's Lakeway house one night playing beer pong in the garage. Bizarre contrast. He was there (Either/Or) in Nic's mom's apartment in Toulouse taking a nap with 6 other dudes in the afternoon. Perfect fit. He was there (Figure 8) in Nic's Volvo on the mushroom hangover drive back from the Tacoma-GH walk. That's when somethnig really connected. I got home to my new place with Rico (who I didn't really know yet), closed my bedroom door, drew the curtains, and put Can't Make a Sound on repeat for hours. Rico was very concerned, but said nothing. Understanding guy. Favorite Elliot album. Melodies so sweet they almost sweep away the sour. Tricky guy. A+

Such beautiful music. A soundtrack to a very sad story. Elliott Smith is one of those artists, like so many on this list, who exist in the periphery: you've heard of them, meant to pull off the highway and go explore them, but you never get around to saying yes to the exit and then meander down an unknown road. This is a terrible album to listen to on a gray day. This is a perfect album to listen to on a grey day.

It’s so classic. Drove to Los Angeles this summer just to take a selfie in front of the mural that made up the album cover.

Perfect score. So sad that this was his last album before he took his own life. You could hear the massive step forward Figure 8 was in his career. Still makes me sad to this day his loss and the loss to the world of music.

This is one of my favorite Elliott Smith albums. It’s like Dylan going electric. The two previous albums were pared down singer songwriter masterpieces. This album he adds more orchestration, pianos, electric instruments and drums making for a dynamic and fun album, but maintaining his melancholy. Son of Sam, Stupidity Tries and Happiness are three of my all time songs. Doesn’t get much better than this, but I’d put From a Basement on a Hill just above it when it comes to the larger sound albums. Not a surprise grade from the Elliott Smith Superman, 5.

Elliott Smith was a big influence on my favorite artist (Ben Folds), so naturally I hear a lot of similarities between the two of them, but listening to this album I can hear the influence he might have had on even more indie artists that followed him (The Shins, Deathcab, Bon Iver, Fountains of Wayne). I read he was a big fan of the Beatles, which totally comes through in his sound (“Pretty Mary Kay” especially, for me)...at times this album even felt like a darker, more contemporary Simon & Garfunkel (though I didn’t find anything to suggest he emulated them specifically). Overall I really enjoyed listening to this album. Hard to choose a favorite song, but right now I’m really felling “Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud” & “Can’t Make a Sound.”

Rubbish. The guy is clearly a good musician but his whispery, airy fairy voice really grates. Plu,s the misery in ALL the lyrics just makes this a shit listen. You've gotta wonder if he be anywhere near this list if he hadn't topped himself.

Perfect heartbreaking pop melodies.

Classic album. RIP.

Been listening to this for 10 years. I actually like it more than XO. Some of the most beautiful and haunting songwriting I've ever heard.

Completely forgettable

Cry some more Elliot

My 2nd favourite Elliott Smith record after XO and just slightly ahead of Either/Or. Brilliant.

great album, son of sam is a top tier opener

Love it. Especially the moody atmosphere, the dampened undertones, and the feeling of playing the album on a late weekday night. Smith’s voices comes out pretty clearly and demands my attention.

Not as depressing a I was expecting it to be.

Elliott Smith snorts coke off his mum's tits. Pass it on. My dear friend Sir Whippy Pippington passed away listening to this record. RIP.

PERO QUE MIERDA ES ESTO

Funny enough, it was the grand and bombastic moments where I feel Elliot truly shined here; the quieter moments were good too, but they didn't hit quite as hard as they did on Either/Or. Great album though.

This is kind of a weird album, in the sense that I don't really see why it's significant in terms of it's role in music history or the era/movement that it was part of, but I still just enjoy it. There's something about the sound of his voice that I really enjoy. The production is very solid all the way through. There's also something that feels very personal about his writing 4/5

Elliott Smith was a favorite among my friends in college. I like it. There are albums by him that hit harder than this one but still good.

The art for this album is everywhere in my life. Not sure why but it is. If there were an Album Art-le game, I’d nail this one off the bat. I love Elliott Smith but this isn’t my favorite of his albums. Some of the songs downright irritate me. It’s very stream of consciousness and when a band/artist goes in that direction, that’s usually when they lose me. (Case in point: Radiohead) One major exception is the Lost and Found—that little piano ditty gets stuck in my head and I LOVE it. So playful. I love the motif of pairing the guitar and piano melody in so many of his songs. And Color Bars is a good one too. Simple. Not trying too hard. I found science in the album. Everything Reminds Me of Her. Everything Means Nothing to Me. Therefore, she means nothing to me. The lyric in LA, “Last night I was about to throw it all away,” just makes me so sad. Cuz one night he did throw it all away. And I don’t judge him for it—depression and drug addiction are a lethal combination. But what a fucking tragic loss.

1. The palm muted guitar technique here sounds really nice, as well as the short break with the distorted guitar. The instrumentation is cool overall, and the piano feels right in place. Strong first track. 2. Really like the somber tone of the song with the fast pace as well. Sounds downcast without being too downcast, which I like. 3. Awesome start to the song, sounds amazing. The bassline is cool too. The overall rhythm and riffs in the song are really neat. 4. Really nice, relaxed and laid back song. 5. Really weird, but also sinister. Reminds me of Technology is a Dead Bird and Machine by Mars Argo, which have a similar somber feeling. The delayed drums are funky but interesting. 6. Really cool beat, the distorted guitar and rhythm is cool. The chorus is really cool, and the guitar work is amazing. 7. Piano is really cool. Eerie at the end of the song. 8. The guitar work is really cool, and the short bursts of the distorted guitar accenting the track sounds awesome. The bassline is really cool. 9. Really chill acoustic song, I liked it a lot. 10. Amazing momentum in the song, I love the acoustic guitar part in this. The weird synths throughout the song add so much. It inspires me to use more unconventional patches in music. 11. The piano is exceptionally strong in the song, and I like how the guitar accents its part. 12. I like the subtle rhodes in the background, and the muted guitar is so cool. Really impressive track. 13. The harmonized voices are cool, and the really messed up guitar is pretty cool. LOVE the synths. 14. Solid song. 15. Intro is kind of samey, especially when compared to the last track. The bass and lead guitar really spice it up though. 2:35 POPS OFF. 16. Really sinister, but not bad.

Tragic figure. You can really tell he was influenced by the Beatles, particularly Lennon. Smith ultimately inspired later artists like Ben Folds and the Shins. Great stuff here.

This album is full of really nice rock songs with many songs having piano. I have enjoyed every song on this album, although Everything Means Nothing To Me has repetitive lyrics.

I have a friend who's very into Smith and I can see why now. The singer songwriter vibes of the album make it very relatable and cozy. The piano and vocals in Everything Means Nothing to Me are beautiful. Fave track(s): Son of Sam, L.A., Stupidity Tries, Can't Make A Sound

All of the yes. That voice. Not my favourite E.S. album (Either/Or), but still really really good. At the same time, listening to this, I’m realizing there’s something really cold and distant about it, not as intimate as his other stuff, and the fact that it’s the last album released while he was alive while his mental health was deteriorating brings that home, and I think makes it a bit haunting in a way. Favourite track: “Can’t Make a Sound”

Real top shelf shit

He didn’t kill himself.

V Good. Emo but not in a way that is annoying.

Not my favorite Smith album, but still phenomenal

The author of this list seems to have a real soft spot for records that ended up being an artist’s final record before their tragic death. 40 records in to this exercise and I’ve been given a few already. While often an important document of the waning days of an artist, albums like this are not always the best representation of the artist’s output and often gain mythological status solely for being the last thing they put out before they died. Figure 8 feels like it was included because it was Elliot Smith’s final record before taking his own life and not necessarily because it’s one of the Elliot Smith records you should hear before you die. I think ”XO” from 1998 would be a better inclusion, in that case. Don’t get me wrong, Figure 8 is a good record. The songs are all well crafted, with expansive instrumentation and nicely layered vocal harmonies. Compared to XO, Figure 8 has a bit more of edge compared to its predecessor with more distorted guitar, and a darker, more blunt lyrical theme. XO, ultimately, is a more enjoyable record. Its songwriting is more concise and memorable. Figure 8 kind has a sprawling feel - a lot of ground travelled, but you still end up in the same place: unknown, yet entirely familiar. Fittingly, it reminds me of traveling in the city it was recorded, Los Angeles: There dozens of neighborhoods that make up Los Angeles, all with their own traits, yet very much the same. Figure 8 takes its time in navigating its sprawl, in the same way that traveling Los Angeles by car can be so time consuming. I’m not sure I landed that analogy properly. Going back to my original point, this isn’t the Elliot Smith record I’d recommend to a newcomer, Either/Or and XO make better starting points. I would save Figure 8 for last. Sometimes the last record an artist put out is the last one you should hear.

Sad stuff but always love his songwriting, and influenced so much of what I like today. Goes beyond singer songwriter stuff, interesting chord progressions and layered instrumentation. The early part of the album starts off so strong and feels like it stretches a bit at times in the middle, but overall really like the pacing.

Sad music for sad people. You know what though, I actually enjoyed listening to this, it's certainly a mood killer but it's quite powerful and his voice suits the tone and subjects well. Original a 4 bur ended up listening to twice in a day so now a 5

I didn't know about Elliott Smith until after his death. But have since become a huge fan. I know this record back to front. When it came up, I tore through it like I always do. Elliott is so out of step with everything but his music is somehow just familiar.

Absolute delightful album and one of my favourite all time artists. I often think about the music of Elliot’s that we never got to hear . Incredible musician and writer ❤️

abi uc aydir bu album benim her seyim. everything reminds me of her ve everything means nothing to me BU IKI SARKI UC AYDIR DINLEDIGIM EN GERCEJ SARKILAR of aglicam cok seviyorum

I had never listened to Elliott Smith but I can say this is really great. The album has a unique sound, feel, and quality... and that is surprising in a genre that has been explored as much as indie/alt. I really love the idea of the figure 8 representing the artistry here. It's an endless loop, a journey towards perfection without ever reaching it or knowing when to stop. In the same sense, you end up in the same place you started but your better for having traveled that road. I was between a 4 and 5 but I listened to the album again and it's gotta be a 5. I've already added a few tracks to my playlist and I'll listen to this in it's entirety again.

I am definitely biased with everything related to Elliott Smith. This album, though not my favorite in his discography, is fantastic. The production sounds different than the Either Or's -more distortion, faster songs- but it still feels personal, vivid, a piece of his self from him to us. I love it. It grows in me with every listen.

Vabbè, so pronto. Grazie al signore non è From The Basement On The Hill che fortunatamente non c'è nella lista, ho controllato. In conclusione: Non faccio pezzo per pezzo perché li conosco troppo bene e non avrebbe molto senso. Questo album non lo ascoltavo da un po', non è il mio album preferito di Elliott Smith (che rimane FTBOTH), ma cazzo se è un bell'album. Il suo modo disperato, vulnerabile ma giocoso di comporre è una cosa che secondo me ha fatto storia e ha lasciato il segno in un sacco di cantautori successivi. L'onesta dei pezzi è indiscussa e come dice lui stesso in Memory Lane "If it's your decision to be open about yourself, be careful or else...". Non so se li accomuno per la fine tragica precoce o per la predisposizione acustica ma Elliott Smith per me è un po' il Nick Drake dei sui tempi, ha avuto un impatto altrettanto forte sulla musica (che nel caso di Nick Drake è stato postumo). Nonostante questo album sia decisamente (e fortunatamente) meno dark di FTBOTH comunque certi pezzi mi hanno dato comunque una bella botta, tipo Everything Means Nothing To Me che mi arriva sempre come una coltellata (no pun intended). Vabbè bando alle ciance: per me, nonostante il glamour che lo circonda per la sua vita disastrata e che lo fa piacere agli hipsteroni un po' morbosi, Elliott Smith rimane un patrimonio dell'umanità. Se a lui non dò 5 non c'è speranza per nessuno.

Great album.

easy, 5 one of my faves

Love Elliott always

Was sad to learn, Figure 8 was the last studio album Elliot Smith released when he was alive. All his solo albums are worth a listen, as he's a fabulous songwriter and performer and with each release he got better. So it figures that, Figure 8 is Smith's most celebrated album and easily his most accessible. Though, this didn't top any Billboard charts or sell millions of copies, but it was his highest charting record, so at least it had an audience he rightfully deserved. Highly recommended!

I’ve heard individual songs from Elliott Smith that I really enjoyed, but never listened to an entire record. Ngl, I was pretty disappointed. This album, as the kids would say, is mid. Far from the worst thing on this list, but not great. “Son Of Sam” and “Easy Way Out” are my favorite songs from it, but nothing really stood out. I’d give this a 2.5 if I could, but I’m rounding up to 3 because a 2 seems a little too harsh, but it was close.

i've watched liveleak videos that were less depressing than this album 👍

,,, I don't know.. missing something here... sounds like every other indie guy moping about something....

Very poor, extremely wussy effort. He puts as much effort into songwriting as I do into these reviews. Part-way through there are a couple of maybe "diss tracks" that are so weak they make you want to kick sand in his face yourself. Get it together dude, you're shit but who cares?

Elliott is a creepy name. It's a name for guys who don't cut their toenails, or those self-proclaimed "nerds" who watch lots of anime but aren't literate enough to read fantasy novels. But I promise to give this a chance, even though my spidey sense tells me this is gonna be "influenced by Bob Dylan". Ok, it is. And it's Beatles-y as well, just to make me squirm even more. An hour of this whiny garbage almost made me want to kill myself - funnily enough, that's just what Elliott did! ha ha! 2/5.

It was ok. Background music really. Perfectly ok, but nothing that stands out.

Sounds like the Olivia tremor control guy without interesting music behind him.

Did not care for this album. Junk Bond Trader was the only song that caught my attention. The band is talented but the music is not my style.

Feels like an annoying guy at a party who breaks out a guitar when no one wants to listen. 1.4

OH god as I said Elliott Smith is a massive soggy wet wipe and I can't stand it. I think its the singing style. Just find it whiney and annoying, mostly his singing style. The songs lyrics make me cringe. Soz nope.

Probably the most generic thing I've heard in my life. My Chemical Romance but what if it was written by Michael from The Office

Cheer up emo kid....

...

I don't find Elliott Smith lyrically interesting for reasons I won't get into here. That leaves his music. Since Smith went into a self-confessional folkie direction, his lyrics are mostly what he's about, so that's two strikes against him. Fortunately, on Figure 8, Smith opens up his sound somewhat past his quivering voice and spindly guitar picking, which definitely helps matters. But still, Smith's tunes sound like they all came from the same factory. It's been said that his music is Beatlesque, but that's an insult to the Beatles. Their music sounds joyous and effortless, but you can hear Elliott Smith painfully grinding away on tune after tune, and at almost an hour, that's way too much of a bad thing.

Sounds like British 2000s rock. Just bland and boring and hard to listen to. Totally forgettable. 1/10.

Boring. Vapid.

Amazing.

Bumped this up to 4.5. Not as good for me as the previous two— but damn this guy was a master. What a loss.

9.8 ★★★★½

Peak.

I loved it. My bf showed me ellioth smith a while ago, but I enjoyed this album a bit more than the last one of his I got on here.

fucking love elliott smith, perfection.

another talented artist who left this world too soon; this album is incredibly solid, especially if you're looking for some indie rock that DOESN'T bore you. i was instantly hooked by some of the intricate and creative song structures; the more i listened to it the more i ended up loving it. clearly this is a guy who's really studied some of the greats from mid-century's past. it only makes it that more upsetting once you learn that smith passed in his mid 30s. it's beautifully haunting.

det bästa låtskrivandet nånsin?

I was a bit concerned hearing a full band backing on the first track, but it becomes quickly crystal clear that Elliott isn't just an excellent singer, lyricist and guitar player, but also knows his way around a full band better than most. Most songs have a great sense of dynamism on both a movement and a melody scale.

Incredible album. A pure gem

General impression: incredible songwriter. An album quite full of life for being someone’s final album before an early death. Detailed review: I’m ashamed that it’s taken me this long to listen to an Elliott Smith album. Especially because I just fell in love with it at first listen… This album is full of catchy and wonderfully written songs. I love Smith’s way with a chord progression. And despite being really well-produced, with all kinds of flourishes and depth and layers, this is an album that would probably be just as good if it was just demos. At least the production backs up the songs instead of getting in their way. “L.A.” is amazing and you can totally see Smith’s influence on people like Christopher Owens. This review isn’t really going anywhere, mainly because I’m just a little bowled over from loving the album. Deeper thoughts (context): I definitely want to listen to his whole discography now. Score: 5 Number of albums left to review: 957 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 26 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 18

I absolutely adore this beautiful record.

Probably Elliott Smith’s most accessible album - and by accessible I mean the one you can listen to without being super duper depressed after.

# Playlist track - Stupidity Tries # Notes - Was hearing to this in a very very busy week and ended up re-playing the album a bunch of time instead of moving over to the next one. - I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's sad, of course. Knowing it was Elliot's final album just makes it a bit sadder. Still, it feel heartfelt and sincere and it definitely is worth a listen.

Very beautiful album, definitely makes me want to dive into his other music.

incredibly versatile and emotional record, loved this one

Brilliant.

Elliott Smith is goated

Holy smokes, I've been feeling miserable lately so this hits real hard. Not my favorite by him, but that doesn't mean it isn't still fantastic. I've been real sad and gloomy, and this is the best and worst soundtrack one could ask for when it comes to living in a melancholic void.

Love it so much! Beautiful and sorrowful just like Elliott Smith with some heavier tones here and there. Really great album. My Top 3: 3. Junk Bond Trader 2. Happiness/The Gondola Man 1. L.A.

Good songs of my era!

really good

Acaso el mejor disco de los Beatles? Elliott Smith es la voz de los desalmados

Generational talent

Superb tunes

Very nice album! I like it!

The last album in his lifetime, here Smith struggles to recapture his apex of Either/Or, and it's clearly an evolution over a revolution. It feels different, it's almost upbeat, in it as intimate as before but the soul is still shining through.

An album I've heard several times. I adore Smith's voice and a great deal of his writing. For me he is at his best in faster paced songs such as the opening track "Son of Sam". The album drags in a few spots and feels like background music for a film with something more substantial to say in the moment. The arrangement of the album feels a bit hinky compared to either/or (for example). Pacing is a bit off. Figure 8 is an album that'll always be worth listening to...unless there is a livelier Smith album or compendium on hand.

I mean come on !!!

no longer my fav of his, but still the first half is perfect and the rest is amazing

Last year in English class, the kids had to do a presentation on their tragic hero. I never got the opportunity to do this, so I will treat this review as if it were my presentation. While other kids chose Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse, my tragic hero is Elliott Smith. Doomed since birth, his anguished childhood carried on through his adulthood until his untimely death. Although he is gone, this humble man will never be forgotten for his contributions to the indie-rock music community. Many people find comfort in his melancholy tunes and deep lyrics. One of those people is me. I found Elliott Smith a couple of years back. Although I can't say his music has saved my life or anything along those lines, I can say that his music has impacted me. His songs and albums have been with me through the best of times and the worst of times. It was easy to tell from the start that Elliott was a very talented individual. He was a musical genius and Figure 8 only proves this point further. If you are not familiar with his previous albums, then it is important to note that Figure 8 was a significant point in his career. It is his most Beatles-esque and rock album to date. It has a mix of many instruments, including piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and so on. From the solid start with Son Of Sam and through the rest of the album, you go on an adventure through a range of emotions until you end with the bittersweet Bye. Considering that the last track of the last album Elliott got to see the release of was called Bye, it can't help but make you wonder if that was Elliott's way of saying goodbye to all of his wonderful fans. I hope he's resting in peace now in his reverse New York, a heaven he could only dream of, where everything smells good and everyone is nice. The world will never be the same without his poor soul and he will never be forgotten as long as his devoted fans are around. And to my tragic hero, see you later if I see you at all. Favorite songs: Somebody That I Used To Know, Happiness/The Gondola Man, Son Of Sam, and L.A.

I knew this would be at least 4 stars, but this listen moved me more than before. The beginning is awesome, but the ending with Can’t Make A Sound, The Gondola Man really got to me this time. Some of the acoustic songs aren’t my favorite later on, but those electric ones really hit!!

Perfect album 10/10

Elliot Smith es probablemente una de las figuras más trágicas de la escena alternativa estadounidense. Una genialidad sorprendente para la construcción de melodías y la escritura de letras sentimentales que relataban sus complicados estados de humor caracterizan la carrera de este "neotrovador" norteamericano. "Figure 8" es su disco más profesional, en el cual se nota que experimento con la libertad que entrega un estudio completo y todas las técnicas de grabación facilitada por un grupo de expertos. Al igual que sus trabajos lo-fi anteriores, este LP es perfecto y funciona como uno de los últimos bastiones del indie-folk de los '90s estadounidenses.

Still one of the best singer-songwriters and such a tragic tale

Heartbreaking, yet grandiose. A powerful finish for one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. His second best album probably? Hard to beat Either/Or, but this comes very close.

If you like melody in your music then this album is for you. I don't know idmf it was the production the singer, the music or all of the above, but it was all just beautiful and well rounded. I heard hints of the Beatles, but it really reminded me of was 70's singer songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. I loved it all.

i'm a big elliott smith fan, and this album is no exception. he shares a lot of influences with music that i adore, and also i love his songwriting. often i find even though his music is laced with sadness, i find it quite comforting. i don't think there's a bad tune in the bunch here, but my favorites are 'son of sam,' 'somebody that i used to know,' 'stupidity tries,' and, 'easy way out.' just a great album from a great songwriter.

Loved this.

Great record. The middle of the album is so incredibly strong it nearly overshadows the rest of the record. Smith has a really unique voice, and he was underrated as a guitar player. Great riffs and melodies all throughout