Figure 8

жесть чего начиталась на вики. у Эллиота интересные песни и кажется не очень интересный голос. надо будет ещё послушать

Based on hearsay and the very little amount of Elliot Smith that I've actually heard, I expected this album would make me want to kill myself. I was pleasantly surprised. Great stuff. Very enjoyable. 5

It’s so twee and MOR and boring :( 2

Pretty pleasant, as albums on this list go

3/6

Album started off strong for me with “Son of Sam.” This album is up my alley. Not shrieky or too quiet with well crafted songs. It did blend a bit where I wasn’t noticing song changes.

Enjoyed this quite a lot. Very 2000s but emotional and pretty and musically interesting

Good, pleasant music. But it absolutely didn't click with me

5.5/10

A wispy cloud in a blue sky. Super high up. It doesn't really do much except sit there. It also provides a bit of perspective in all of that blue.

Since their demise over 50 years ago there has been a clear path to critical if not commercial success - get as close to the Beatles without actually copping what they do. Put your own spin things while closing adhering to their pop music lessons. ELO, Crowded House, Go-betweens, XTC, Jellyfish, Cheap Trick, R.E.M. Some did achieve pop success (ELO which were closer to Beatles 2.0) but most are critically celebrated or revered cult bands that had only a modicum of success - a song or two. But even within a a handful of hits most had long careers (sorry Jellyfish). I would put Elliot Smith in the same category save the long career part - but what he lacked in output during his lifetime he has made up for in legacy. The reason the Beatles blueprint works is that it sounds good. It's easy to listen to. Even when things get a little "weird" it's still in a pop context. And even though actual pop music is so far removed from his type of music and has been for decades - it's still understandable by kids of all ages. This is not a life changing album. It is probably missing a truly breakthrough song - something that can stand apart from legacy for years to come. But it is a good listen. Solid songwriting. And at moments - if you squint you feel the spirit of OGs. Maybe not "must" but if you've got nothing better to do - there are worse ways to spend an hour.

This is his masterpiece, right? I mean--every song is great.

this album so good it makes me question if mama would be proud

i should record like this again

The most nailed on 3/5 album I’ve ever heard. Perfectly nice. Impossible to hate. Impossible to love.

Solid

Poignant this one, as it was the last one he released before his death. Not as morose as his previous one (I stand by my four-word review), but it's not laugh-a-minute either. Standout track for me was Stupidity Tries.

3.5/5 because i can’t give it that score in the stars. Some songs were good but some were just ok. Nothing really resonated with me.

I am usually really indifferent to singer-songwriter music, but there is something about Elliot Smith that I really love. He just writes such pretty and bittersweet music. Low 5!

Nice

(4/7) I knew a couple of these, not sure from where

very good for what it is

Some interesting songs a mix of live and studio pretty eclectic

Really beautiful songs on here, some great acoustic guitar too

Figura maldita, muerte prematura, existencia torturada... todo esto ya lo vimos antes. Tiene talento, compone bien, sensible y transmite. No es precsiamente un refetente en estilo o belleza. No es Evan Dando ni Jeff Buckley. Aquí está especialmente inspirado y tuvo buenas críticas. Stupidity tires o LA me gustan mucho. Junk bond tradee también. Después de Either or (su obra maestra) y del éxito de XO, Elliot volvió a su tono intimista y delicado con Figue of 8 (la portada es icónica, el mural ahí sigue en LA). El Nick Drake de principios de siglo?

That man knew music

Þessi er æðisleg. Virkilega töffnæs hljóðheimur, frábær rödd og lög.

Added some extra production and additional instrumentation here to his typical “sad guy with an acoustic guitar” persona. While it highlights his ability to craft a song, it loses a bit of the intimacy of his earlier music. He was obviously progressing as an artist, and we’re sadly left wondering where he would have gone from here. Solid album.

Ah this takes me back. As my angst levels have receded so has my Elliott Smith play time. Which is a shame. I can’t really separate the last three albums of his life (or the posthumous From a Basement…) but they’re all still really good. Whilst there’s a degree of sad boy with a guitar, there’s actually a lot of ambition and dynamism to these recordings, and he undoubtedly was a big influence on the next decade of indie music

It was good. A nice find

Ikke hans beste, men noen gems.

Best of Album: - Son Of Sam

Nice & chill.

idk man. lots of my favorite artists say he’s their number one inspiration, but he’s just not that special to me 😔 idk and he’s got that nasally voice 😔 idk 😔

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

this was mid

Another strange one. I genuinely enjoyed the music for the most part, and I really didn't hate any part of the album, but its just his vocals. For my ears, they're just on a frequency that I don't even register. Attempting to listen to the lyrics created a Men In Black mind-wipe effect.

I feel like the Elliott Smith and Nick Drake picks are starting to blur together. I can't tell you how many of each of them we've listened to so far. I liked how this one sounded but the songs didn't really stand out to me in any way.

This is the version of Elliott Smith I’ve always preferred.

I didn't vibe with this at all, especially not his voice

Not my thing. Good tho

NOTA 6,5 MUSICAS FAVS: SON OF SAM, JUNK BOND TRADER, EVERYTHING MEANS NOTHING TO ME, L.A, STUPIDITY TRIES, COLORBARS, CAN'T MAKE A SOUND, BYE

Not as sad as I thought it would be. Some kind of indie, I guess?

Excellent album with some great arrangements. Definitely a Beatles and Beach Boys feel in the production on some of the . Sad that he was so troubled and was taken at such a young age. 4

His best

Loved it

Wow

The album is consistent and the melodies are enjoyable, but it's missing something for me to fully enjoy it.

Good Background music but with lots of vocals

To me for an album to be memorable something has to pop. Be it voice, lyrics or the tunes. Get two of three it could be great all three rare. This ticks none of those boxes. Entirely forgettable. Not offensive not bad just not enough to elevate it above and make it special. He probably has his fans who will defend him to the death but not me.

The first Elliott Smith album I got into. I kinda surprised myself by how much I enjoyed this when I first heard it -- I don't love a lot of singer-songwriter types, and most "indie pop" is a major turn off for me. But this is an album full of perfect songs, and ES majorly flexes his ability as an arranger. The dude is cut from a different cloth, he's like a KRS version of Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, or Kate Bush -- he has such a complete understanding of what makes a good pop record. I could listen to this for the rest of my life and probably will.

If this is the only ES album on this list then they goofed. If there must be one, Either/Or is the one. What a sad and mysterious and abrupt and to a brilliant creative life. And will never know if he committed suicide or if he was murdered. Both seem highly implausible.

I don't think I've heard much by Elliott Smith, and I didn't recognize anything from this album, so nice to get a new (to me) voice and sound. That said, I'll admit that as I listened to all the intimate and often acoustic tracks, the immortal words of Cracker came to mind: "what the world needs now is another folk singer like I need a hole in my head". Although I suppose that's not really in good taste, given that Smith died soon after this album ((self?) stabbed to death, not shot, but still). Among the many seemingly Beatles-/Beach-Boys-inspired songs, I think my favorites were "Junk bond trader", "In the lost and found (honky bach)/The roost" and his single "Happiness/The gondola man". A pleasant change of pace from recent selections overall, but I'm a bit disappointed to see that there's another album yet to come by Smith in this collection; this was enough for me--or perhaps the other will be ("Either Or"), as it seems more highly regarded?

he's a good songwriter but I could have used more variety in the sound. Still, I like this--definitely worth a few more plays

In the Lost and Found - Nice piano motif

Not bad. Bit to maudlin for my tastes at times

8/10 As far as Elliott Smith albums go it’s definitely not my favourite, but some really strong tracks on here as usual: Favourites: Son of Sam Everything Reminds Me of Her Everything Means Nothing To Me LA ⭐️ Better Be Quiet Now

This was okay, singer song-writer piano driven songs. Nothing memorable on a first listen.

para la tercera cancion ya le queria poner 1 estrella, pero cuanto más escuchaba más odiaba a este tio. es como el hijo retrasado de bob dylan

The mix is pretty much bad, but the song itself isn't terrible, or maybe it is.

Felt long. A general curation note for this list, feels like they should anchor on most impactful album for artists that didn't radically change sound between albums.

Mostly, these are perfect tracks for a montage on a mid-2000s CW show, perhaps where all the characters are at home being sad looking out of windows. The better tracks might be used on a mid-series season of Scrubs instead. Not for me.

Such an interesting album. I had never heard of Elliott Smith so I went in completely blind and immediately got hit with a great track. "Son Of Sam" was a standout on the project with its amazing guitar and piano playing. While listening to this album, it seemed to contain a lot of Indie Rock, Folk/Singer-Songwriter sounds, and Chamber rock. "Everything Remind Me Of Her" expecially reminded me of Bob Dylan's folk songs. But the sound I heard the most throughout my listen was the Beatles, specifically their more psychedelic era from "Revolver" to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". It had that similar psychedelic sound, but combined it with indie rock or folk. Although the album contained many different sounds as mentioned before, the project was able to tie them all together through a common melancholy and gloomy vibe. Definitely a project I'll be listening to again.

Pretty good guitar-pop with keen production sheen. I prefer Elliot’s earlier acoustic/ indie folk stylings, though. (Is that cliche to say? Well, sometimes cliches are there for a reason!!!) 4.3 stars

Decent listen I quite liked it not too depressing but still saddening somewhat

friggin yes boi 4 1/2

Ihan ok.

I find that I cannot listen too closely to Elliott Smith today. His story just makes me sad.

This was genuinely awful start to finish. Didn’t enjoy a single song. Boring music, boring lyrics, practically put me asleep at work. Tested my abilities to sit through an album without skipping any of the songs.

Een album waarvan ik hoopte dat het ergens heen zou gaan, maar binnen de grenzen blijft. Halverwege opgegeven

one of my favorite albums of all time

hm huuuere schöni churzi songs. everything means nothing hani glaub kennt vo irgendwo?? fun. ich lieb easy way out meeega wie cooli chords und melodie und woooow.

FREU MIICH ohh es isch sehr vill rockiger als ich denkt han everything reminds me of her isch nüt megaa speziells aber sehr herzig er het eifach au so e warmi, herzigi stimm OHH everything means nothing to me isch megaa cool d drums sind megaa cool ok han chli abgschalte, finds immerno easy schön aber jooo ich weiiiiss nöd, es bizeli enttüscht bini und finds album z lang. also es sind mega schöni lieder aber iwie 40 min hetted au glanget he chum ich hanen gern

'I may talk in my sleep tonight / 'Cause I don't know what I am.' Simplified & energized by punk curtness, Elliott Smith is our best acoustic average - giving us much by way of little, poetry by way of brief hits of sincerity, he is, at his most impressive, tho not one of one, perhaps one of four or five, i.e., not totally but certainly unique. 'The spin of the earth impaled a silhouette / Of the sun on the steeple.' That he's S-A-D seems obvious enuf, but like his precursor Nick Drake, there's a sense of life & of exuberance, especially w/ Smith's power- & pop-driven guitar playing. +, the show-tune piano is a giddy touch ('In the Lost and Found'). It's the voice, however, that's both a weak link & an inevitability - a bit annoying, but necessary, but unavoidable.

I'm glad I read the blurb for this before listening because I think I would've been disappointed if I went in expecting a sad boy folk album. This is actually really varied and upbeat generally and it mostly works for me, much more so than the other Elliott Smith we did. Still some duds, like the honky tonk song, but I think I get it more now.

Un álbum bastante interesante, algo tranquilo y exótico; no sé si me la pasaría escuchándolo todo el día, pero alguna que otra canción sí me gustó.

Deze ken ik niet maar Elliot Smith is wel een leuke artiest waar ik altijd meer van wil luisteren maar nooit echt doe. Opener Son of Sam is meteen catchy Junk bond trader: Stuk rockier dan ik hem ken (vooral van Angeles en Say yes enzo), maar lekker Everything meets nothing to me: Ineens een ballad tussendoor, vet Pretty Mary Kay: wat een downer Better be Quiet Now: Ook een downer maar deze is dan weer echt prachtig Can't make a sound: I have become a silent movie. Wat een openingszin Eerste indruk: beetje gefragmenteerd geluisterd. Het heeft hele mooie momenten, en ik denk dat Eliott Smith echt underrated invloedrijk is voor -alle doomer-zolderkamer-singer-songwriters van tegenwoordig (denk Billie Eilish avant la lettre). Maar er zitten ook mindere nummers tussen. En de stijl van korte relatief simpele nummers pakt me ook niet echt, hoewel ik de sound en thema's wel kan waarderen.

I had this on in the background as I was doing other tasks so not a dedicated listen. I found it pretty enjoyable. Worth going back to give it another focused listen at least.

Unexpectedly catchy; a touch of retro folk, reminding me alternately of Paul Simon and some of Paul McCartney's experiments with the Beatles. Good instrumental performances well-produced, with strong melodies. I rather liked it.

Lyrically it’s good, but I just doesn’t resonate with me at any point. Very repetitive with some exceptions.

man

Pretty good

-here’s one i’ve been meaning to listen to for quite a while. i really liked Either/Or so i was excited -it’s really good but doesn’t quite measure up to that album imo… i think the power pop direction spoke to me less. still gorgeous and a perfect album for this depressing rainy week -Favorites: Son Of Sam, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud, Bye

Strong 3. Not enough to be 4 though. I think.

I never knew I liked Elliott Smith until we got generated Either/Or(that one is a little better). This just confirms it because I thought this was excellent. The instrumentals are larger and denser here which really complements the softness of his voice and his songwriting. Just fantastic from front to back.

Rly liked, added a few to my playlists

ok, mas meio sem graça, ritmo até q vai, 2

meh

Very Elliott, he had the most lovely voice, nice album

Solid but not Elliott at his best. Feels to me like it trails off as it goes along, or at least I get a little less interested than I was at the start.

Fascinating but also quite depressing. Unlikely to relisten.

Really nice. Vibrant headphone space. Luscious arrangements. Not sure if this is Duncan Sheik doing a Garth Brooks incognito Chris Gaines act.

ESTOY EMOCIONADA lo que amo yo este disco no se describe con palabreas, aunque he de decir que la versión deluxe gana porque está because, la he echado de menos

filling the 90s/2000 kids need for some beatle style musicians… 🥱

I think (well, I know) I am late to this. I suspect if I discovered Elliot Smith back in the 90's I'd be a big fan to this day. So other than him sounding remarkably like songs I've heard in various movies/tv shows (and I'm sure it was him) I had never actually heard of him until now. Which makes it tricky. I listened twice. There are definitely some tunes that are stuck in my head. At the same time, this is a little over produced for my tastes - he's channelling The Beatles hard and sometimes that feels a bit forced. And, despite being a Beatles fan, this turns me off a little. There is a conflict between "vulnerable and raw" intent and "bright and polished" production. My rating system is "3 stars means it was good, but not something i'm likely to listen to again". This get's 3 but I will give it more of a go.

Mehhh, no me acuerdo d alguna memorable pero si lo disfruté

Sólido 3.5, ninguna canción destacó pero se mantuvo en buen nivel

I like Elliot Smith, and have since I first heard him on the soundtrack to Good Will Hunting in the late 90s. In fact, I listened to a couple of his albums back to back a couple months ago (Either/Or and XO). I'm completely befuddled as to why I haven't listened to this album, and my surprise this album appears on the 1,001 list is equal to my previous befuddlement. I'm glad it's here, but I definitely wouldn't have guessed it would be. On to the music! This is very much within his style, but obviously stepping up the instrumentation and production game. Listening to him fully fleshed out is a real pleasure. Since I'm used to listened to the more stripped down Smith, this is novel and quite enjoyable. The strings in the background (for example) help with setting the melancholy feeling, and suck me further into the moody world he creates. I can't help but feel a quiet appreciation for sad feelings and hard times. Light creates shadow, and shadow provides all the texture of life. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.49999

This is not for me. Too cute and sugary. However it is well made. No reason to trash E.S. just because it's not my type of music. It sits in between what Beatles "Rubber Soul" started and what Sufjan Stevens "Illinoise" continued after E.S.

It wasn't bad. Elliott is a talented musician, but god the album was boring

Delicate melodies, brutal sadness, great songs. This one is a bit long, but I still love listening to Elliott.

Such a sad album, made even more so by the lightness and buoyancy of some of the music.

Listened 17 May 2026

I’m a somewhat recent convert! I’ve been listening to him more since an interview with… Sophie thatcher from Yellowjackets about one of his songs on song exploder (key change). And saw Mae perform at least one of his songs. His voice is hypnotizing. No skips. I think I may love his other albums a bit more, but I’ll be relistening. This album came out on New Year’s Day 2000, which is wild because I remember ringing in that new year; journaling about the impending end of the world, watching waiting for tonight by Jennifer Lopez at Times Square (?)… probably having mini hotdogs and watching Twister, who knows. Meanwhile this melancholy boy was out there and I had no idea

I understand the appeal I just don't like it. That being said I don't think this is bad, it's just not for me.

This was fine but probably needs more listens to really get a hold of.

I had never given Mr. Smith a complete listen-through, and this afforded me the time and opportunity to fully appreciate his musicality and musicianship. Excellent album.

Solid. And sounds really way ahead of its time. Some great guitar licks. You can really hear all of the indie bands Elliott Smith has influenced when listening.

Pleasant melodies, harmonies and tasty instrumental accompaniments. The sadness and melancholy get lost in the pleasant music. That's not a bad thing.

Vocals are too soft. Need more energy for gym workouts.

I fucking love this album.

Not even the best Elliott Smith album and it still mogs everything on this list by a magnitude of 1000

Liked Son of Sam, but after that the album was progressively drained of life. Enjoyed a number of interesting chord changes, but the songs lacked spark.

This was incredibly boring.

Another earthshaking incredible album from Mr. Smith. Maybe drags a bit with Stupidity Tries or Happiness/The Gondola Man where the songs are a bit too light. Other than that, what an elite incredible album. WOW. God rest his soul man. Bye

I didn’t need to hear that before I died. Sorry but it mostly all sounded the same and kinda boring

Listened a couple of times and grew on me, will go back again.

Reading the reviews, I dont hate this as much as the haters, but just cant love it like some of the lovers I have no history with this guy - listening for the first time Its okay, but I wont be back any time soon

Love it

Chamber pop with songs more fleshed out than the previous record on the list, Either/Or. Smith's style is intricate and complex melodies with multitracked vocals. The vocals are mixed higher this time, and it's more of a band feel with proper bass and drums, and varied instruments beyond just piano, guitar, and vocals. Reminds me a bit of Aimee Mann and Michael Penn only a little less quirky.

Where has this been all my life?

Figure 8 is an odd Elliot Smith album to select for this project. Not because it isn’t a great album, it is, but because it is not reflective of what makes his work unique. Nevertheless, the album features Smith’s excellent songwriting, experimental chord progressions, and psychedelic inspired orchestrations. However, the polished production doesn’t give the listener any indication as to why Smith’s music is classified as folk-punk. All that said, this is still a fantastic record, and Elliot Smith is an artist that more people should know about. RIP

Boring. So, so boring. Far too melancholy for me. I've been consistent in that my '3' ratings are something I'd try and come back to, or had a few tracks I like. '2' isn't offensive or irritating, but rather it's a single listen and for a variety of reasons I won't come back to any of it. Smith is a perfectly fine musician, but boy is he lacking any energy. (2/5)

Is this a fucking suicide letter?? I dig me a touch of depressiion and self-loathing in my music, but this is a bit beyond the pale. It's minimalist at times, it's sad ALL the time, and for long stretches it vascilates between boring and obnoxious. It's obvious he understands music theory, and there are some solid melodies and progressions in there, but literally nothing that would call me back or encourage me to explore more of his stuff. 2.5/5 rounded down for starting my day with such a downer.

Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 5 = 4.4 rounded down to 4 "Everyone wants me to ride into the sun/ But I ain't gonna go down/ Laying low again, high on the sound" I've mentioned more than a few times on this list what I call ( I'm sure it's not an original thought) "sad boy" music. It's not a genre I denigrate by any means. I love that shit. Give me some Robert Smith any day of the week. Sometimes though the musical persona and the person become so intertwined that it's hard to tell where stage craft begins and real internal turmoil ends. We've come to what might be the premier sad boy artist, and from everything I've read about the man and his work, he's as much the real deal as any to have done it before him. I come into this one already loving a lot of his work, but has been a hot minute since I listened to this one. I recall liking the couple of ones before better. THE TRACKS "Son of Sam" - Pretty bit of downbeat pop to start us off. Smith was one of those guys like McCartney who seemed to have no shortage of catchy melodies and this ability is fully on display here. And speaking of The Beatle himself, those guys are all over Smith's sound in general. But I don't he's never specifically imitative ( though he has done some great covers if I recall). "Somebody That I Used to Know" - Another pretty piece that's much darker in content than a surface level might indicate. Smith's got a great voice, but it has kind of bitter quality that I can see turning a lot of people off. This works for me 100% though. "Junk Bond Trader" - The first stumble in my opinion, but not too much of one. Just the little touches like the bell which grate on me a bit. Otherwise this is decent if not particularly memorable. More of an atmospheric approach than one where he's assaulting you with hooks and great melodies. "Everything Reminds Me of Her" - I think it's stuff like this that gets Smith his comparison to guys like Nick Drake. This acoustic number about lost love that works well enough as a mood piece, but less so as a complete idea. Almost more of an interlude. "Everything Means Nothing to Me" - This one hits 1000% for me. Kind of a baroque chamber pop little diddy that reminds me more of Brian Wilson and than McCartney. Oddly could say the exact same about this one feeling more like an interlude than a full song, but it works where the last one falters. ( and I can verify that this is indeed in the five star playlist on my ancient iPod, aling with a host of other Smith songs cobbled together from his depressingly short discography). "L.A." - While I wouldn't call this upbeat for most people, it's like the sun coming through the clouds for a Smith song. Though the day is still downcast and gray. More crunchy ringing pretty guitar work here, and more Beatles vibes. "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)"/"The Roost" - This is hands down my favorite track on the album. Beautiful, intimate, and soaring at the same time. The melancholy vocals over the piano, the self-harmonizing, the organ when it comes in all get the hairs standing up on my arms. This might be the saddest saloon ever, but I want to sit at that bar and drink all night. "Stupidity Tries" - This one at times dips in and out of a kind of 50s "Sleepwalk"-era pop sound before jumping through time and landing briefly in Pet Sounds territory, only to jump back again. Instead of whiplash though, I think it ties together pretty well, and works in tandem to emotionally describe the lyrical content. There are even some strings to guide us in as we glide down to the soft landing. A rare kitchen sink approach that hits paydirt. "Easy Way Out" - As folky as it gets on here. I can't help but read this one as a very sad bit of critical autobiography given how real life events played out, but that's likely a bit of projecting. As upsetting as this one is, it's yet another very pretty song. "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?" - We get a more energetic, radio-friendly alt rock sound here, but even though he's driving on the main road now he's still swerving into the other lane occasionally. This almost sounds like him attempting something akin to The Gin Blossoms, but then realizing halfway through that he just can't help himself. "Color Bars" - Shuffling bit of toe-tapping guitar magic from a guy you wouldn't normally expect it from. Soulful piano and string accents build this to a crescendo that breaks on a down note, and I'm left wanting at least another two minutes of this. v - Maybe the biggest sounding track on here. The organ and the echoey drum are the throughline here, and Smith capably builds a an almost gospely chorus around it, and we end with an eerie, zither guitar. "Pretty Mary K" - Smith at his most Beatles-y. Specifically getting "Because" vibes here in parts, which is interesting as I think Smith does a lovely cover of that one that appears as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of this album. He never completely apes them though. And takes plenty of turns they would not have. But you can't deny the influence. "I Better Be Quiet Now" - Simple but not slight. Bare bones arrangement, but the man still delivers the goods. "Can't Make a Sound" - This one plods along for just a short bit and then the ringing George Harrison guitar comes in and puts things right. It's very hard to not read too much into the songs on this album, especially as we near the end. "Bye" - Ooof.. Man ok, so this one feels like you're listening to it as you sink to the bottom of a lake. That saloon piano returns, only this time with a more classical bent, and this is an eerie, ghostly visitation. A quiet, voiceless send off. HIGHLIGHTS - "Son of Sam" - "Somebody That I Used to Know" - "Everything Means Nothing to Me" - "L.A." - "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)"/"The Roost" - "Stupidity Tries" - "Easy Way Out" - "Color Bars" - "Happiness"/"The Gondola Man" - "Pretty Mary K" - "I Better Be Quiet Now" - "Can't Make a Sound" - "Bye" MIDLIGHTS - "Junk Bond Trader" - "Everything Reminds Me of Her" - "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS An album of beautiful melodies and the occasional transcendent hook, woven into tight little sad short stories. What a unique voice. I loved revisiting this, but I can't say it didn't make me more than a bit somber knowing this was all we got. I think a lot of people identified with Smith's brand of pretty, melancholic, psych pop rock, and so much so that it can get a little culty when you read people discuss him online. He was never that guy for me, but he's definitely up there with the great singer songwriters in my opinion. I see that XO is the only other Smith album on here, but I would highly encourage anyone who didn't bounce off of this one to investigate his whole discography. He's one of the few guys from the era whose got a lot of great content that ever made it to albums that is definitely worth checking out as well. Bonus tracks on an Elliott Smith album have a great hit rate. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Not needed FURTHER LISTENING - Pink Moon by Nick Drake - Number 1 Record by Big Star - Bachelor No. 2 by Aimee Mann - The Hour of the Bewilderbeast by Badly Drawn Boy - You Are Free by Cat Power

"The imitation picks you up like a habit." This is a new listen for me. I’ve never heard of this guy even though the 2000 release date puts it right in my college years when I was the most connected to popular and new music in my life. I can "hear" in this an album a younger version of myself would've enjoyed a lot. Its full of angst and guitar strumming, even if it falls on the emo side of what I usually prefer. Which is why I'm surprised I'd never encountered it back in the day. On the other hand, bleak and/or gloomy music for disaffected youth is a crowded space. The Cure, Nirvana, and Wilco are all acts I've already encountered in just the first 80 albums of this project. Looking through the reviews of this album, though, shows that it landed with many people, but it is understandable if for some it landed outside of their radar. That is where it landed for me. And I'm finding its not an easy album to latch onto in my forties. With Wilco I found I wanted to fabricate long years of nostalgia upon hearing it for the first time. Mr. Smith is not working the same kind of magic. Very little of it is sticking. Another album in the collection of those that found me at the wrong time in my life. Highlight tracks Junk Bond Trader.

Quite enjoyed the music, not so sure about the lyrical content...

Gorgeous. Wondered why I had never heard of him. Googled him. 😢.

This rocks harder than I thought it would

Son Of Sam: No me copa mucho, pero tampoco esta mal. No me gusta mucho este estilo de musica la verdad no creo que me vaya a gustar mucho. Sombody I Used To Know: esta es mas tranqui, me gusta mas, peor aun asi, no me gusta. Junk Bond Trader: mala Everything Reminds Me Of Her: mala mala Everything Means Nothing To Me: mala L.A: meh, no esta tan mal In The Lost And Found (Honey bach)/ The roost: mala Stupidity Tries: malarda Easy Way Out: mala Wouldn't Mama Be Proud: mala Colorbars: mala Happiness/ The Gondola Man: mala aun mas mala mala Pretty Mary Key: malisima chau Better Be Quiet Now: malarda Can't Make A Sound: malardopolis Bye:literalmente nada en conlcusion, malarda mal

Pretty interesting chord progressions going on here. I can see this record growing on me a lot in the future.

Solid album. I like Elliot Smith but had not heard this one.

Wow -- I somehow missed out on this gem back in 2000... But wow -- this is a really strong album. It's hard to pick favorites, but Wouldn't Mama Be Proud has been running through my head. I can hear this album's influence on upcoming favorite artists of mine like The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie and Ben Folds. When an artist like Elliott Smith passes away at a young age, they remain forever frozen at their peak... along with a tragic sense of what more they could have accomplished. He was definitely on an upward trajectory with this album.

The final album before his tragic passing, Figure 8 is grand, bright, yet also thoughtful. All the different ideas here lyrically and production-wise create a powerful release in every way. I immediately fell in love with this one. Looking forward to hearing more of Elliott’s work, even if I know that this has a different tone to much of his previous music. Pushing a 5. 2 listens Favorite Track: Can’t Make A Sound, Son Of Sam, Junk Bond Trader, In The Lost And Found, L.A., Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud

Expectation: -> This should be entirely new to me. After listening: -> Indeed the album is new to me. However, I recognized his voice (semi-fondly) and with some research figured it must be the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. I can listen to this but my mind floats away from it pretty quick. This is good music yet his style is too mellow/flat for my liking. Track ranking: Sam Happiness Junk Mama LA Somebody Sound Stupidity Mary Quiet Everything means Colorbars Lost Easy Everything reminds Bye

I started out enjoying it but it got really samey and boring, next!

Loved it, great new find, thx!

Beetles vibes. Easy listening

Mehhh. Nostalgic of that noughties not sound but I find this sort of music a bit redundant and whiny.. it was just an okay listen for me

Not for me tbh

Pleasantly surprised, not usually my thing

Inoffensive but forgettable

I’ve always meant to engage with Elliott Smith but missed out during my prime angsty teenage years, preferring to question my place in the world through Meteora and Hybrid Theory (Linkin Park). I really liked the sounds on this album. The contrast between the heavy lead and the jangly rhythm guitars on L.A. Smith’s vocal melodies shift pleasantly from haunting to beautiful in a way that the guitar or piano always complement well. I’d be curious to know how exotic his chord arrangements are, but I’m not a music theorist like that. It’s kind of mental this came out in 2000, was long before the Indie Wave fully crested. The influence of this album is sonically clear on Death Cab for Cutie, the Shins, and myriad other imitators. Loses a point because I’m not sure how much I’ll come back to listen to this but otherwise max points for the artistry.

I thought the songs were well produced but just found them a bit dull!

only listened to either/or before. Really enjoyed!

It was fine. A little long. It all kind of sounded similar. I like his voice though.

Music = passion = love... That's all you need. Sometimes you add a little guitar to help you out, sometimes a piano plink or two, if yer feeling feisty you might add some bass and drums or some well-timed repetition... But in the end, none of that matters, only the passion and love really matters and Elliot Smith had an abundant amount of both in every once of his music. It flowed out of him so naturally. I try not to be too stingy with my 5/5 ratings, but this is one of those albums that deserves 100 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ve heard of him, but hadn’t listened much to his music before. I also did not realize he’s no longer here! How sad to read. But as soon as the first song started, I was immediately transported to the good ol’ Millennial days in the late 90s/early 00s. I love his voice! I definitely get a Beatles vibe in it.

Never heard this one somehow despite loving either or, definitely his heaviest musically though this doesn’t say much. Such a good songwriter, the definition of bittersweet, This album being no exception

Really really nice and chill, wanted to give this a proper 3 listens through as I really liked the first album of his I listened to (Either or) so I had this on a few time since getting this album, and it’s been perfect just to have on as background music whilst we’ve been eating/playing board games, but also to listen to with the headphones on whilst I walk the dog. Will definitely be coming back to this 4.5

Really solid album, lush arrangements and enough good songs to carry someone slower patches. It maybe doesn’t have a real stand out track that reaches the heights of Waltz #2 but there are no real low spots, even the less favoured tracks have a quality to them. 4.2

Really love this album. Not surprised he is on the list at all. Way more people should be familiar with his music.

Okay

Son of Sam: sounds a little like Jake from ipa. Vocal harmonies and a little slapback are cool. Good chords on guitar with light distortion. Fuzzy solo. Cool piano and guitar interlude. Cool ambient fade out. Somebody that I used to know: guitar is doing cool things with a solo and a bit of percussion Everything reminds me of her: Cool guitar intro and solo mixed with chords throughout the song. Sad lyrics. Everything means nothing to me: not my favorite weird dissonant piano progression and reverb on the drums had a bad slapback effect on tone not great In the lost and found: I like the Wild West piano tone. Interesting ambient outro Overall: vocal tone doesn’t match instruments. I feel like there is something natural about the tone of the vocals and the instruments make it seem like the song will be more than what it is. Lyrics and notes of the vocals aren’t that interesting. Weird fluctuation between happiness and sadness. Seems like it’s trying to be more than it is and it’s a little misleading. First three songs were misleading made me think the album was gonna be more than what it was.

davidbowie-esque, love, sad, melancholic, really catches you, creates feeling

A bit whiney for my taste, and actually i didn't want to finish the full album. There might be some good songs on it, but we'll never know.

It was OK. It was all pretty good 👍, but some of it was eye-rottingly boring 😱😴. Overall, I would give it a 3.6/5!

Huge fan of Smith’s XO, which ranks close to Nick Drake’s work in the heartbreaking sad pop-singer-songwriter canon. Figure Eight contains many of the qualities I loved about XO amidst a more majestic production. The insular quality of the earlier work that drew me in, is met with prominent string arrangements and electric guitar parts that contain sizable riffs. Considering Smith’s eventual suicide, these songs are filled with more life than XO’s sadness, which came out a few years earlier. Smith’s voice appeals to me. There seems to be some production effect to give it a wobbly, vibrating quality that adds an effect I enjoy. The bigger sound takes away from the direct connection of XO. I feel less of Smith’s situation, and how I might feel similar as the music swells. It is a tall order, but the orchestration does not push the songs to new heights like it did on the seminal works of Big Star and Love’s Forever Changes. Making that comparison as well as my first one to Nick Drake seems unfair to Smith who has made a strong record here. I will look forward to other Smith albums on this list.

I'm very close to giving this a 5-star, which is why I wish these reviews were out of 10 or I was allowed a half star, so this is probably a 4.5 star album for me. This is mainly due to the tracks in the middle that didn't stick out to me. Nothing was bad or loathsome, just not impressionable (I'd say track 4-6 run, but maybe that can be blamed on my mind drifting). My pre-conceived notions were gladly incorrect. While at times the song could be slow, they never felt like a drag. Great music to just have on to have music in the background of your daily doings. "Son Of Sam" was a great opener followed by "Somebody That I Used To Know," which can understandably be found on many playlists nowadays. The grooves were unexpectedly present on this album, most notably for me on "In The Lost And Found..." "Happiness/The Gondola Man" and "Better Be Quiet Now." My top tracks had to include "Pretty Mary Kay" where I found Elliott to be the most present in his voice in lyrics. However, the top song is "Can't Make A Sound" which used every inch of the 4 minutes it had. I always love songs that start quiet and then explode. This song almost made me give this album 5 stars, if only the album was a tad shorter (or my attention span could stretch a tad longer). "Bye" was an excellent closure and I'm always a fan and voucher for albums to include more instrumental tracks (WHEN USED WISELY) because they can end up being standouts, as seen on here.

Pretty beautiful. A lot more produced than I expected it to be, certainly not just straight ahead singer-songwriter stuff. Still, it's wonderful. Smith's voice can definitely get old after a while, but it's pretty great top to bottom.

Misery guts

Wow, what a great album. You can tell that every song is written with a special passion.

This record was my introduction to Elliot Smith - I bought it on the back of the single Son of Sam back in 2000 and fell immediately under its spell. It remains a great album, as do all of his records, but they're all tinged with a genuine sadness, given what happened. For this reason, I don't listen to him as much as I probably should.

At the time I didn't really get the enthusiasm for this overly long album. Now I don't really getthe enthusiasm for this overly long album. I seem to recall there is now a bit of a sad story to Elliott Smith but nevertheless I can't help but have a niggling feeling of the album being somehow a bit too knowing - it seems to make nods to it's forebears but doesn't excape from them, which to me leaves it as a good standard singer-songwriter album but nothing very special.

Spun it twice. Nothing here for me.

This one didnt do anything for me...wont get another listen.

Great album full of melancholy and feeling. L.A. was my fav song and first listen of the album. Easy Way Out and Can't Make A Sound were my other highlights

Beautiful moving music.

Not really to my taste, but it wasn't a bad album.

Nice vibes

Good stuff

I liked it! I’m going to revisit him at some point

Fine. Pretty. Nothing memorable or bad. Coffee shop in a college town music

Quite pleasant to listen to. Some really lovely melodies in this album.

The mans got a sound, an ethos of sad etc. Executes it well. Whisper singing!

Honestly he’s pretty good

Man I wish this guy made a dozen more albums. This sounds fantastic. Great to hear him with the full instrumentation on this album.

Some good songwriting, but a lot of it is overly complex and hard to connect with. Got bored quickly. Vocals are another low point, but instrumentation is pretty good

Nothing to write about

#112/1001 🇺🇸🎱 I've enjoyed Elliots earlier work but never spent much time with this one. Whilst this is more conventional musically, i think i prefer the more stripped back sound of Either Or. Its still a better record than i remember and a great listen. Loved the piano instrumental ending with the lid being shut at the end. Best tracks: Everything Reminds Me Of Her, LA, Can't Make A Sound.

Inoffensive.

Forgettable

Most of the tracks read as dreary aughts indie with just a dash of rock riffing thrown in. Most of this didn't connect. I love indie music and have spent the 21st century listening to it, just not quite Mr. Smith. My boredom is more a reflection of familiarity than merit. Unlike many albums, I enjoyed the middle tracks more than the bookends. The wiki confirmed the vibes I was picking up. (Also, this really sounds like a DreamWorks album. 100% Shrek era) RIP Elliott, and thanks for all the influence.

Every song sounds the same and they all sound great! What a loss.

New to me, and it was sad to read about his death at such a young age. I thought the songs were good; it's the sort of album I could get into properly, if I wasn't trying to listen to an album a day(!) I thought it had a very British sound overall (with a little REM and grunge melody thrown in), which is ironic, because I can guarantee it would have a lower average score, and a lot more of the "top" reviews would be scathing, along the lines of "another forgettable British guy, this list is so biased" had he actually been British... ahem!! Anyway, I found the songs interesting, and good, and I'm glad I've heard of him now.

I had never heard of Elliott Smith before listening to this album. I hear Beatles influences and a lot of world-weary lyrics—not necessarily despairing or self-pitying but more of a shoulder shrug. Son of Sam is decent, and it sounds better as a music video. Better Be Quiet Now captures a thought that many of us have had, that discretion is the better part of valor, even in the spoken word. I appreciate what he was trying to do, but nothing about this album is particularly memorable for me.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

The lyrics balance out the music.

Holds up, and is still as heart wrenching as ever.

mindless singer songwriter crap, DNF track 4

I hate Elliott Smith forever

i wasn't able to finish this. Not my vibe

i get you phoebe bridgers

Not my favourite Elliott, but still damn good

2026.04.28

Highlights: Son of Sam, Junk Bond Trader, Everything Means Nothing to Me, L.A, In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach) / The Roost, Stupidity Tries, Easy Way Out, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud, Happiness / The Gondola Man, Can’t Make a Sound, Bye

I already heard stuff from him, its cute but i expected a bit more from this album

music is love

This record didn't make a huge impression. It wasn't bad, just not memorable.

Never heard of him but interesting album. Great production worth a listen a bit over long

Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? I don’t know much about him Favorite song(s)? Son of Sam Overall Thoughts: Another complete unknown, but this one was a pleasant surprise. Kind of reminded me of Death Cab at times. Despite its at times upbeat tone, you can tell Elliot was really going through it. Sad that it was his last album. An artist I may revisit in the future.

I would’ve been so annoying about this if I’d heard it at 14.

AMO este album

Beautiful album, I need to listen to more Elliot Smith

It is a little too long, and not every song hits with equal force. This is not the ruthlessly compact brilliance of Either/Or. There are moments where the album feels more impressive than necessary, where the ornate surfaces slightly diffuse the emotional impact instead of sharpening it. A few tracks register more as beautifully made Elliott Smith songs than essential ones.

Man, there's over 1000 albums here, maybe I don't need to write something for every one. Maybe some just get a number and I move on with my life.

3.5/5 need to listen to more

It may not be as good as Smith's previous two albums, but this is still a pretty good record from the Indie King. Also, this was his last album before his untimely death in 2003. Here we can hear the songs getting more complex and Smith experimenting further with structure. I don't know where he would have gone artisitically after this, but the posthumous 2004 release From a Basement on the Hill seems to pair down some of those experiments. Was his hand being in color on the cover while the rest of him being black and white a mistake? Key tracks: Son of Sam In the Lost and Found (Honky Beach)/The Roost Happiness/The Gondola Man

Felt very personal, enjoyed the vibes but did start to feel a bit samey

Kinda boring

This was much like the simon and garfunkel album, in that it was average for most of my first listen, but then by the end of the album and when it started over I just really got hooked some how. I really liked this album. 4.5

All right, I’ll try to be fair this time. I had a knee-jerk reaction when I first tried to listen to this album because I was absolutely not in the right mood. It also seemed to represent everything I hate about “singer-songwriters” – excessively polite music, an artist who gets mythologized for dying young, self-centered lyrics, a soft whiny voice, a quirky indie vibe... It made me hate it more than it deserves. All of this remains true in my opinion – but I’m forced to admit that Elliott Smith somehow manages to rise above it and make it work. The instrumental parts are quite solid, and the self-absorbed themes I usually dislike are successfully sublimated into something dreamy and nostalgic. Smith doesn’t shy away from experimenting, which gives his work personality. The songs are also different enough from each other so it doesn't get boring. Will I listen again ? Probably not - it's still really not my kind of music. But it’s a laudable effort nonetheless. 5/10

At first listen, this feels like a pretty generic album. I only really knew the opening track, which I like. But once you get past that smooth, slightly bland surface, there are some nice surprises, solid builds, a few genuinely heavy riffs that hit harder than expected. It holds up well enough that I’d actually come back to it. Still, there’s a bit of regret in really discovering this guy so late…almost a quarter of a century since he passed.

I've been meaning to give a listen to Elliott Smith's music for a few months as he comes up sometimes in conversions about other artists that I like. I'm always glad that this 1001 album journey pushes me to finally listen to a lot of music that I had on my mind but never got around to listening. I think my favourite was "Everything Means Nothing To Me", but the whole album was amazing, so it could change next time, when I revisit this. 5/5. Can't wait for more Elliott Smith.

It’s alright but didn’t stand out to me

people calling this album boring are actually insane, this album has ear catching instrumentals and hooks and probably offers Smith’s cleanest production of his career. The only reason this album gets a 4 is because i know that Smith has better to offer.

i actually listened through this a couple months ago and listening to it again now i really really like it. no i fw this heavy im about to become insufferable

A fully realized statement that expands Elliott Smith’s sound without losing any of its emotional core. The arrangements are far more elaborate than his earlier work, drawing clear inspiration from classic pop and rock traditions, yet they never feel ornamental. Every layer serves the songwriting, which remains consistently strong throughout. There is a sense of completeness here, where melody, structure, and atmosphere all reinforce each other. It is detailed without being overwhelming, and intimate without being small.

honestly. forgot i was listening to this. didnt love. but then i listened to his other album either/or and had a great time

I love Either/Or, so I was excited for this one. I will say that I didn’t enjoy it as much as Either/Or, but I also didn’t focus on it enough while I was listening to it, and I think I’ll relisten a couple times to help. I did like Son of Sam, Stupidity Tries, and others - just need to go back to really get familiar with the album.

Un disco que si hablamos de gustos a mi en lo particular no me gusto tanto, me parecio medio pesado, pero si somos obejtivos es un muy buen album que parace como si los beatles hubieran hecho un disco en los 2000, se nota qeu elliott tiene una gran insipiracion por ellos

bro this is my favorite album ever ever ever so good

Ich mag das erste Lied Son of Sam sehr gerne. Aber die meistens anderen mochte ich nicht wirklich.

i am just settling into the idea of being 25 years old while finishing up an ma degree and then a phd in the fall. i am stressed and sad and this album made me more stressed and sad. i would call this a soundtrack album where i feel like it would either be the soundtrack of some 00s coming of age or young adult film or an immersive visual album where the visuals are cartoons. i wanna give it a 4 but i am sad so it gets a 3.

Couldn't fully get into it, but I see there is a vibe there some would like, not for me though

I really just did not care about this album and plan on fully forgetting it existed by tomorrow. It's not necessarily bad, just horribly uninteresting. Adding this in after-the-fact: Elliott Smith died??

I need to revisit this - I was so incredibly bored the entire time. I wanted to like it and parts were enjoyable, but an entire album of what felt like slow sad songs is just not it. I was a bit distracted today, hence the first sentence, but very little I gathered was a good listen.

elliott smith lover 44

I would have liked this in 2003 during my indie Shins era. Surprised I never heard it before.

it was mid. not sure if i would listen to it again. forgettable songs. 3.3

When I lived in Los Angeles my yoga studio was across the street from the “Elliot Smith wall.” I was always kind of embarrassed because all the cool kids thought this album was cool, but I had actually never listened to it. Now I’ve listened to it, I can be a cool kid too. I think this just missed me, in a different era I probably would have been more in to this.

8/10 bueno, pero nada especial. Canción destacada: Stupidity tries

Enjoyed

I’ve heard this one, a good one nonetheless!

Mostly better than the song from the movie.

I knew this album because of a House of Leaves video. Whatever scale/scales he uses are almost haunting and I love the sound. Favorites: Everything Means Nothing to Me (Already knew) Stupidity Tries Colorbars

good indie album

Solid album; sad it was his last.

I thought I would like this more

Not my cup of tea, but can see why its on here.

never heard of the bloke, giving it a blast anyway. Quite pleasant singer-songwriter stuff with creative arrangements, worth a listen I guess

Two Elliott Smith albums in a row was rough on my mood. Figure 8 on first impression though was a lot less "down." Felt like a clear evolution in his musicianship. I want to revisit it and really listen to what he's saying, but overall I liked it. ~3.5 for me.

Elliott Smith’s ”Either/Or” album came up for me just two days later. What incredible progress this artist made! This album is the pure definition of nostalgia. I’d listen to it while smoking a cigarette out in a field, alongside Soundgarden and Nirvana. A solid piece of music. 8/10

It was fine but I really don't like his voice.

if I had this in college, I would've been sadder.

very mopey and somber, not bad, just not a good vibe.

01) Son of Sam - 7,0 02) Somebody That I Used to Know - 7,0 03) Junk Bond Trader - 6,5 04) Everything Reminds Me of Her - 7,0 05) Everything Means Nothing to Me - 7,0 06) L.A. - 7,0 07) In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)/The Roost - 6,5 08) Stupidity Tries - 7,0 09) Easy Way Out - 6,5 10) Wouldn't Mama Be Proud? - 6,5 11) Color Bars - 7,0 12) Happiness/The Gondola Man - 7,0 13) Pretty Mary K - 6,5 14) I Better Be Quiet Now - 6,5 15) Can't Make a Sound - 6,5 16) Bye - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,72 (67/100) Current ranking: 565/879

I’m not sure I have anything interesting to say about this album. I listened to it 2 days ago and can barely remember my opinion.

2.7 Songwriting is better than most but not something I will purposely put on

está bien.

Tour de Yawn.

现在看来旋律很普通的一张轻柔专辑。平平无奇

Doux, me fait un peu penser aux beattles Melodie douce et sa voix passe bien au dessous, voix pas exceptionnelle mais douce a ecouter, il fait surement ses harmonies seul. Très acoustique, nom de l’album en reference a la figure de patinage. Il a fait le titre Miss misery de will hunting. Meurt pas longtemps apres cet album.

All of ES discography is good, and this one has some bangers but honestly I'm not sure if it is a true 4?/? IDK man its a soft 4.

not my cup of tea but nice to have as a background

Really enjoyed it.

Maybe my favorite of Elliot Smith's catalog, although I'm also not the most well-versed. I don't know. His acoustic stuff really isn't compelling to me. Some of it is. I think that a lot of the critiques people leverage against Phoebe Bridgers can equally be leveraged against Elliot Smith. But People Would Kill Me For That. I DONT KNOW!!!! This is beautiful!! These arrangements are beautiful. "Everything Reminds Me of Her" is a pretty terrible refrain though, but wow his guitar playing on it is still really great. Okay so I thought this was my favorite and then songs I didn't like kept coming. "L.A." does very little for me. "In the Lost of Found?" Dude. STICK TO GUITAR!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! The Roost ending is cool, but dude. Come on. "Easy Way Out?" Really?? Elliot Smith only became a more and more obvious songwriter as his career went on, for better and for worse, and when the arrangements that back them are forgettable, like on "Happiness/The Gondola Man," it makes his obvious a little blinding. Again, the glittering outro is pretty but damn dude WORK THAT INTO YOUR ARRANGEMENT!!!!! This album had a Beatles cover on the deluxe version, you got it bro. STUPIDITY TRIES IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE SONG BY ELLIOT SMITH THOUGH This is like a 2.8

if i have to listen to white exuberance i can just go to arcade fire. if i wanna hear white agony i have sufjan. i'm coming around on it but. damn. unfortunately the second half rips. if bookends was a 4.1 this might be 3.9-4.2. can't believe someone outweezered Weezer. there will be more of his music if i were a betting woman.

C'est calme, le mec chante bien, joli style

Un bon album, le gars chante bien a des mélodies sympas toutes tristounes

ye

This is my second Elliot Smith album in 3 days. I enjoyed this. You can hear how much he has grown as an artist over the two albums. His music is still melancholic but the instrumentation is fuller.

I can’t escape my bias on this one. I love all of Elliott Smith’s work, so I’m thinking mostly about what I love on this album compared to everything else in his discography. I came to this album later in my life, having started out with the rawness of Either/Or and the New Moon compilation. It took some getting to used to hearing his songs backed with a hi-fi electrified band and studio tricks taken out of the Beatles playbook. We find Smith at his most existential (“Everything Means Nothing to Me”) alongside some of his most resplendent arrangements (hear those background vocals on “Can’t Make A Sound”!). In many ways, it’s a very painful listen. But the album also demonstrates Smith’s unbridled musical ambition and a motivation to create something beautiful.

Quite good....quite good indeed. Not my first listen of Elliott Smith, but my first listen of this album. I believe this was his last official release? I thought it was good, creatively poppy, folky guitar work, had a flow to it and every song kept me engaged and interested. Yet I was left with the realization that I was listening to the Deluxe Edition after I heard my favorite moment on the album- "Bye" into "Figure 8" Turns out "Bye" is the final track on the official release. Oh well.

Elliott smith is great. This album has it all.

I liked the other Elliott Smith album I heard a lot more than this one. This one was pretty boring for most of the runtime, and it just kind of sat there without leaving much of an impression. It is polished and pleasant enough, but not in a way that made me care. “Can’t Make a Sound” was the one real standout for me. That was the track that actually broke through a little.

Sigue pareciéndome aburrido. Quizá no me he cuadrado buen momento

Haven't heard any of his work before. Pretty good, nice vocals.

This one just felt alright. For some reason reminds me of the Beatles. Not something I'm going to be looking into more.

Een soort constant depressieve Beatle

I do like this album abit of a vibe , I am surprised I just heard of him via this

How have I not heard of Elliott Smith

This one surprised me. I've never heard of him before and his music was really solid. Kind of like an updated Beatles sound with some more funky undertones. I actually think I'd come back and listen to him again. I think I might listen to his most popular songs and see if something jumps out at me. Solid 4, might have been a 5 if I gave it more time.

This dude bro again? I honestly don't remember the other album we had by him well enough to run a proper compare (I only remember it being depressing and, generally, life sucking), so I guess I'll just have to judge this one on its own merits. Ahem. It's depressing and, generally, life sucking. Oh, and boring.

I actually tried on this one, and I didn’t get it.

3/6

Here's the rating scale I'm using to rate these albums: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background This album is the very definition of a 3 rating. It's pleasant enough. I'd be perfectly fine hearing it in the background while sitting in a coffee shop. I'd probably struggle to realize when the album switched from this to any of a hundred other indie singer/songwriter/guitar strummers.

I really wanted to like this, but the more I listened the more it sounded the same. 3.5/5 for the emotion and use of unusual instruments for the time, but there's not much else there

this is not good. sounds like a trainwreck maybe its outdated. its just whatever really

weird but I kinda like it

I'm sorry but I can't. I can't with this guy's voice. I can't with the tweeness. I can't with yet another white guy with an acoustic guitar. There are some genuinely really good songs on here and I feel like I should like this more than I do, but until someone manages to pitch drop this guy's voice I'm prevented from truly enjoying this. 2.5

270/1001 Elliott Smith - Figure 8 Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ My favourite of Elliott Smith's records and his most accessible. The leaps he took with his sound from the previous record were huge, and it's a real pity we never got to hear where he would go next sonically.

Sad story about this guy

Beautiful album

mmm yes

the second song "somebody that i used to know" is extremely annoying. third song is annoying as well, kinda. why? I don't think i like this. 4th song is even worse. BORING!!!!!! just very basic songs . wow how descriptive arent i?

It is okay. Feels like if i hadn’t been into Death Cab the last 20 years I would like this a lot more.

Really good actually. My personal favorite was "Wouldn't mama be proud" but there wasn't a track that I didn't enjoy to some degree. Definitely not a lot I'm going to listen to over and over again, but I enjoyed my time with this album and was happy to give it a go.

Liked it! A handful of songs I really didn’t care for, but what I liked I loved. Oddly enough the faster more upbeat songs were not my thing

Elliot Smith is criminally underappreciated. By me. Hopefully, this will be the spur in the side I needed to listen to him more.

I didn't like this very much. Certainly a lot less than Either/Or. Too spacy or something.

I saw him on this tour and he was surprisingly great live. Compared to a couple of his other albums, there are a few tracks on here that don't totally grab me. Somebody That I Used to Know is a personal favorite of mine.

5/5 - Hadn't really listened to this one as a whole before, which was a mistake.

pretty cool album here, liking the more upbeat songs rather then the sombre ones

P 8

This album surprised me. I liked more songs than I thought I would. The deluxe version of this album not only had a Beatles cover, but also a Schoolhouse Rock cover. Wild. Overall, very sad and haunting vocals with soothing instrumentals.

I have heard some Elliot Smith´s albums before but this one takes the whole damn cake.

I've listened to this before and liked it, though not as much as Either/Or

Another perfect rainy day album.

lo ame, muy chill y muy nostálgico, me guarde un par, es un álbum muy reconfortante, gracias elliott smith, fuiste y serás grande.