Figure 8

It was good. Better than i expected. Good alt music.

Much more than the lo-fi, “shoe-gaze” pop that I assumed was Elliott’s typical fare considering his reputation. Solid all-around.

This must have been really influential to Death Can for Cutie. But this is probably better.

Wow! why haven't I listened to this album before!! I am floored by the different influences he pulled from the Beatles, Nick Drake, etc.

Elliott Smith fits perfectly into a list that skews toward singer/songwriters. He sings well and writes good melodies. I was surprised only be the fact that I had not heard of him before. But that's why I chose the 1001 site.

wonderful soft songs

Nice album. Like his voice. Sad story

Either/Or belongs in the book. This is a great album but doesn’t build on his earlier work. Several other great albums could’ve taken this place of this album in the book.

I enjoy this laid back/indie sound. Very easy listen with a lot of different sounding track.

good album. reminds me of college

Probably the only Elliott Smith album I hadn’t really listened to, this one sounds very different from his other releases. Much less melancholy, even poppy at times. As his last album, it was a sign of what could have been. L.A. is such a good song. The man could craft a hook and this is definitely his most accessible album. It does feel very long at 16 songs, but there really aren’t many low points. A great album all around.

"Figure 8" by Elliott Smith, released in 2000, is a poignant exploration of the artist's innermost struggles and emotions. Smith's delicate yet emotionally charged songwriting shines through in every track, creating an intimate and introspective atmosphere. From the haunting beauty of "Son of Sam" to the bittersweet melodies of "Everything Means Nothing to Me," the album showcases Smith's exceptional ability to blend melancholy with musical intricacy. The production is polished yet retains an organic quality, allowing Smith's vulnerable vocals and intricate guitar work to take center stage. While "Figure 8" may not capture the raw simplicity of some of Smith's earlier work, it stands as a testament to his evolution as an artist. The album earns a heartfelt 4/5 for its emotional resonance, musical craftsmanship, and the enduring impact of Elliott Smith's distinctive voice in the singer-songwriter genre. It improved for me significantly on the 2nd listen

The first few songs are particularly good. Lots of interesting instrumentation and ES sounds great. The album feels a bit long, but otherwise it is perfect sad indie music.

Harmonic fingerprint, sad painful angry, nothing like it

Pretty good. I don’t remember buying anything by them way back when, but they’re one of those artists I enjoyed whenever a friend put them on, or I heard while out and about, or on tv or whatnot.

Pretty much the sound of the 2000s, I was honestly surprised Jon Brion wasn’t a producer on this. I feel like poor Elliott Smith is remembered for being a sad singer songwriter, but even though his lyrics could be bummers his hooks were surprisingly sweet and sunny. Top Tier Stuff.

I’ve dug into Elliott Smith’s music every once in awhile throughout the years, but I never latched on to it. I never made it to this album, and I really enjoyed it. I might have to go back through some of his earlier work.

Retro 1960s easy to listen to.

I struggle on whether or not to give this a full 4 stars. It’s a good album, a really good album but not as good as most of the four stars I give out. But it’s also much better than a 3 star album. Ultimately I’m going with four stars because of Elliot’s soulful vocals paired with some very good early century Indie rock, way better than what was out there at the time.

Liked it a lot , but there was something slightly lacking didn’t feel like 5 stars

In seemingly direct contrast to Either/Or, Smith decides to go out with a bombastic release, full of sweeping finales and heavy hitting choruses to show his more chamber-y side of his indie pop antics. This leads to a record I find to be more engaging and with higher highs than its more famous sibling, but the longer length and repetition here seemingly brings the album down to a score just as solid, or at the very least, slightly worse. I found myself being sweeped off my feet at moments by the pop brilliance on display, but I did admittedly miss the more personal feeling presented by Either/Or. However, as a final album many artists dream to go out on as great as a record as this one.

Elliott Smith has been on my list to check out for a while, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I always imagined his music as mellow, "sad boy" music, but the opening track on this album goes much harder than I was expecting. The second track is much closer to the folkier sound I was expecting (in a good way). It has a Beatles feel to it too (e.g., "Blackbird" or "Here Comes the Sun"). It almost feels like an acoustic Cure song too. It's a pretty short song, but has some enjoyable guitar work. The third track "Junk Bond Trader" has a Beatles meets Tori Amos vibe. Again, it's a much fuller, rockier sound than I was expecting (but good). The next two songs (the "Everything" songs) are more piano driven but still have a big sound. The whole album sounds very dynamic and huge, which is a bit surprising since it came out at the height of the loudness wars. "L.A." sounds like a mix of a Beatles tune with some Led Zeppelin and Lenny Kravitz mixed in. The lyric "Last night I was about to throw it all away" is a little eerie considering this was his last album. The lyrical content has darkness to it throughout, but the album doesn't feel or sound bleak. It's a little reminiscent of Nick Drake that way—there's something sort of ominous under the surface (the last track is titled "Bye" and is an instrumental piano dirge) but most of the album sounds beautiful and bright. A lot of this album reminds me of Abbey Road ("Pretty Mary Kay" especially), which makes sense given that it was partially recorded there. The Japanese release of the album includes a cover of "Because." "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud" has a heartland rock vibe with its heavy organ and guitar work and reminds me of The Wallflowers. Very of its time when that sound was popular in the early '00s. I really enjoyed this album. Because it's 16 tracks it does sometimes feel a bit long, especially toward the middle, but several of the songs are sub-3 minutes so it's not egregious. It seems to be a bit of an outlier from the rest of his catalog and, like Bowie's Station to Station, one of his most accessible releases. But it definitely makes me want to check out his other work with more urgency than I had before.

Good opening and continuation. This feels something stuck out of time, like an 00s take on 60s and 90s pop with folk elements. This could be a 5 maybe but right now it's a strong 4 for me. Repeats: somebody that I used to know, stupidity tries, easy way put Skips: colorbars, happiness/gondalaman

Forgot about Elliott.Smith. Amazing and talented artist gone too soon. Definitely worth your time..

Mellow album that warrants multiple playthroughs from that guy I discovered from the closing track of Good Will Hunting. May he rest in peace.

This is a collection of orchestrated, produced pop songs in the tradition of late Beatles songs. It is not surprising that Elliott Smith found some fame covering a Beatles song. This was the final studio album of Smith's brief, tragic life, and part of the album's acclaim may be a recognition of lost potential. Smith seems appropriately grouped with Sufjan Stevens, not only for stylistic similarity, but also for his singular vision and effort. Smith wrote and produced all of the songs, and played the majority of the instruments on the album. There's an odd tension between these songs: some with melancholic, and even dark messages (songs "Son of Sam" and "Everything Means Nothing to Me") and others with an uplifting message ("Happiness" and "Everything Reminds Me of Her").

The first time I listened to Elliott Smith was on the 1001 list a year ago or so ("Either Or" album). At that time, I enjoyed it, but I was unprepared for how much this was way better than "Either Or." It reaches me this time. I don't think it's a perfect album, but everything from the lyrics to the production is well done and caught my attention and emotions.

Okay, this is THE Sad Boy. I've never listened to a full Elliott Smith album, but know and like a lot of his songs. (Yes, I've seen a lot of Wes Anderson movies). Listening to this after reviewing Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper - I can understand the Beatles influence now that I missed when I was a teen. This is my 3rd album from the year 2000. Doves "Lost Souls" and Coldplay's "Parachutes" came out the same year wearing their Radiohead influence on their sleeves - meanwhile Elliott Smith was going full Brian Wilson doing drugs, eating ice cream, and isolating himself to make depression-pop eargasms. A beautiful set of songs, on which he played almost every instrument. What a loss, RIP.

4/5

Shades of radiohead. Really enjoyed this album actually.

Definitely under appreciated as a songwriter and guitarist. This album has some songs of exceptional beauty and his skill as a guitarist is revealed if you try to unpack the songs and play them yourself. I do not like how Elliots voice was smoothed out and lacks any rawness. I think it causes the songs to suffer a bit when trying to convey some of the complex emotions in his lyrics.

Haven’t heard this one in a while. I hear a lot more Beatles influence on here than I remember. The production on here is great. Great songwriting as well.

Was a big fan of Elliott Smith as a teenager, then the lyrics/whininess started to bother me, and I think it was this album the most for that. Maybe because it's later, or because it's more produced, I had a harder time tuning it out. Now it doesn't bother me as much, but I never put on a full album anymore and this is a nice chance to revisit. I still think it's my least favourite as a whole album, even with a few tracks I love. The rock songs on here are really good. I can't think of any other examples of artists wearing the Beatles influence on the sleeve so much while still sounding contemporary, the other stuff that tried tended to sound like retro schtick. Really dig the drum drop on Everything Means Nothing To Me. I don't like the melody otherwise here but really dig it sped up on that one RJD2 song, go figure. The quieter/folkier songs aren't among the better Elliott Smith songs, except for Happiness which is beautiful. The other records have this cool shuffle thing going on with the acoustic guitar bass note rhythm especially when there's drums, and that's absent on this one. I might only give this a 3 if I expected some of the others to be on here. With 500 Bowie and Bowie-related albums to get through I doubt it, so rounding up to 4.

Really like his stuff, it’s sad but beautiful and raw. Everything means nothing to me really resonated and was lovely. Listened back to Either/Or after this and I definitely prefer that one but don’t dislike this album at all

I'd forgotten ust how deeply Elliot was beholding to Big Star era Alex Chilton. That lush, melodic melancholy saturates both their work. Still, Elliot has enough personality to not be overwhelmed by his influences.

Good record. I enjoyed it.

A lot of elements I like; great piano, great guitar and the vocals all mix really well. The softer vocals remind me of Lawrence Arabia (the sparrow).

Interesting album for sure. I didn't care for it at the present moment but I feel that at a different time I would enjoy it immensely. A chill, really well produced and mixed album. Elliot Smith's vocals really fit the melancholic tone of the album. I really liked the variety of instruments displayed in this record. Favorite Songs: Son of Sam Everything Means Nothing To Me Everything Reminds Me of Her

Nice album. Even tho i don't know who Elliott Smith is, it felt like i know him and his songs. Maybe from movies??? Idk. Good background music.

Nice indie pop for the sadboy hours

Favorite Tracks: Son of Sam Somebody That I Used To Know Everything Means Nothing To Me

its elliott smith ofc its good was literally already listening to this album thats crazy not my fav album from him but still good

Loved Elliot Smith as a young 20 something, this was an amazing reunion with his music. Not quite enough for a 5, although if you asked me that question in 2003 it would have been a 5!

I didn't expect to like this nearly as much as I did. I had heard Elliott was very melancholic, which isn't typically my vibe. He def is, but this isn't just an hour of mournful acoustic ballads. The instrumentation and production is beautiful and vibrant. Elliott's voice is very expressive, and he writes mean hooks. I was honestly blown away by this.

Depression. I wasn't familiar with Elliott Smith when this album came up but boy was I surprised by it. I listened to this man talk about his life so raw and unfiltered for an hour and without knowing his story you can tell he's in pain. Once you know more and see this was the last album he made before he died it doesn't shock you one bit. During the listen this album made me think about emotional times in my life as well so the lyrics were fine. I think the acoustic guitar throughout the album was great and there are some amazing parts hidden in this album. Plus the track titles goodbye is actually the final track for once. 8/10

loved it, listened to it and the related radio playlist all day

One of the best...so much real emotion. Rest easy 💔

This album transports me back to another time! I haven't heard it in years and apart from one Elliott Smith track in my favourites playlist (Waltz #2) I haven't listened to any of his music since I was at university. I love his sound. This album has some great tracks, but I feel a few tracks too long (or maybe I was just in too good a mood on the day I listened! I'll do a relisten on a melancholy day - ha) Fave track: Son of sam

Beautiful. That seemingly small, almost childlike voice breaks through with all of the aching. I have listened to this album many times and it's just grown and grown. Stand out tracks such as 'Everything reminds me of her' and 'Easy way out'. The latter being all too prophetic. It took me a little while to really dig into Elliott's work. The double vocals are prevalent in many songs and this always sounds glorious, adding a layer of extra harmony. If you want to chill and listen to well crafted songs, with great melodies and lyrics, this could well be for you. Exceptionally well recorded album by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf. Top drawer.

I'm sad I didn't know or get into Elliott Smith when these records were coming out. I feel certain I would know these songs back to front. What I've done instead much later is fall heavily in love with Sufjan Stevens. (Everything Means nothing to me is fucking glorious.) I got Either/Or a few months back and enjoyed it a lot in that moment. I haven't thought to go back to it though. I am definitely going to have to, I do wonder if it won't hit as hard ultimately because I've moved beyond those teenage/20s emotions. I hear the Beatles influence much more strongly this time too. Anyway Elliot Smith just invited my daughter to his party at the Crystal Maze Experience so he's alright in my book.

Never heard of this guy before but I love his sound

Beautiful voice

Pretty good. Like a PTA or Wes Anderson soundtrack vibe. Probably would have really loved it in the day. 3.9

Really liked this. Saddened to find out that he’s dead :( (and he died at the same age I’m now, so…)

decent

He is very talented. 3 stars seems like an insult. But is everything that is better than good 4 stars?

nice album would give it a relisten

Fairly enjoyable.

7.5/10 Warm, comforting, melodic Highlights: - Junk Bond Trader - Stupidity Tries - Easy Way Out - Better be Quiet Now - Can't make a sound

Great Album, it is mellow and has lots of acoustic guitar! 4 stars

I was much more familiar with Elliott's earlier albums, and didn't expect something so...composed. His earlier albums are more intimate affairs, little more than guitar and vocals, but this album feels dense and lush, with string arrangements across the album. It feels full in a way I didn't expect from Elliott. It makes you wonder what subsequent albums would have sounded like. Perhaps the expanded soundscape strips a little of his trademark gloominess from the record, but his gift for melody is ever-present. I really like this one.

I enjoyed this one a lot! Very vibey and musical. The key changes and tempo changes are really cool. A little melancholy and moody at times, but I mean that's sort of the whole thing. All in all, quite enjoyable.

4.5

Junk Bond Trader

sad man :/

Elliott's big play at a more commercial pop record. This has always been a tough one for me, as I greatly appreciate the expansion in of his sound and how he adapted his signature fragility into a full band feel, but I do feel that some of these arrangements begin to lose some of what makes him special. That said, on this listen I was very struck by just how catchy some of these hooks are, and how he plays off some of his most devastating lyrics against these upbeat instrumentals. The production detracts from his vocal style somewhat so it's not top tier for me, but it's still a big winner and only grows in favour the more I listen. Fave track: Everything Means Nothing To Me

Hadn't listened to this band before, but actually kinda enjoyed it. Felt some Gene Ween vibes on several songs.

Chill

It feels a bit like cheating when you get an album that you already know well, but don't mind this one bit. I can see it might not be everybody's taste though, and perhaps it needed a couple more upbeat tracks to round it off.

4.2

Not really my thing but one of the better things that isn't really my thing.

Fantastic album. It does feel oddly polished for Elliott Smith, which takes away some of his appeal for me. Songs are fantastic, but not his best album. Somehow the lyrics are some of the most depressing, as he discusses suicide, but it feels like polished pop? Hmm,...

Better than I expected, some nice catchy bits, found myself listening to it again

4 Oh my God Elliott Smith made the list!! I got into Elliott in college from parallels drawn with Bright Eyes, and man, does his music also do such an effective job of hurting me deeply - his soft, tender voice and personal songwriting rides the line of haunting and soothing so well. While this isn’t his best or probably even second-best release, I’m happy he made it on nonetheless. For those unfamiliar with his work, this is probably the most musically-elaborate of any of his albums, which are usually much more acoustic-based. So in many ways this feels like an evolution of his sound with great alternative rock-inspired tracks like Son of Sam and L.A., though traces of his earlier, acoustic work can still be found here, with Everything Reminds Me of Her probably being the most exemplary. If you haven’t just sat and reminisced about someone in particular while listening to the song at some point in your life, you haven’t lived. He even gets a little experimental on this album as well with the usage of transition tracks or the falsetto and high-note featuring Everything Means Nothing to Me. Even though it’s a bit odd-sounding, I've also always been kind of drawn to the track, especially as it resolves into absolute greatness when the instrumental backing jumps in. While I think you could make the argument the album is a little long or that the back half isn’t as strong as the first, I still think there are some hidden gems buried in there if you give each song a good listen, with the last three in particular being a beautiful stretch of great lyricism and musicianship - though it’s hard not to find them a bit haunting with lyrics like “Wish you gave me your number/Wish I could call you today, just to hear a voice/I got a long way to go/I'm getting further away”. And the final track being an instrumental just called “Bye”? Woof. Great release for what would be the last in his lifetime, bookending a career that I believe cements him as one of the greatest singer/songwriters of his time. For anybody else who enjoyed this (or even those who didn’t), go listen to Either/Or, and if you ever find yourself in LA, you can find the mural he’s standing in front of off of Sunset Blvd, near Los Feliz. I’ve lived here for a few years now and still haven’t made the pilgrimage - maybe that day comes this weekend. Welcome to the list, Ashten and Alex, even though you both rated your first album wrong 🙂

Liked tracks 3 and 5 and the piano on 7. Strong finish with Can't Make a Sound and the great outro. Dreamy stuff.

Album 177 of 1001 Elliott Smith - Figure 8 Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : Somebody That I Used to Know Great listen. One I'll need to give more time to. Enjoyed all tracks.

I didn't mind this. It would make good movie soundtrack music.

Molto piacevole all’ascolto, melodie che rimango e si sente che sono brani profondi.

new to me and I like it; so sad that he died so young

😭

He was sad but, he rocked too.

lajk, dobar indie find

Album muiiiito bom, 4.

zapewne musiałbym więcej razy przesłuchać by docenić

Varsin kaunista ja tunnelmallista musiikkia. 4/5

Elliott Smith was a very talented songwriter and I liked this indie rock/chamber pop/psychedelic inspired album a lot. In some parts it even felt a bit Beatleseque. The last song, the instrumental 'Bye' was harroving considering it was Smith's final album before he died three years later.

I think he has a song on the Garden State Soundtrack. His voice is familiar. He's a pretty talented musician. I can definitely appreciate the talent here. His voice is so smooth. Reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel. I'll give it 4 stars.

This is a really cool album, to me it has a modern shoegazey Beatles kinda vibe. Very psychedelic at times but also some jams. I'm also reading up on Elliot Smith and not saying his girlfriend killed him but I'm not NOT saying that......

güzel gerçekten

I can’t really connect to this album the way i feel like i should. it’s definitely well done but emotionally i’m just not feeling it. solidly above average but it feels like it should be a 5 for me and just isnt? idk it’s strange

Love

Good songwriting

This had some really nice guitar in it, especially near the beginning. Very passionate and emotional and overall a good album.

This was better than I thought it would be.

Ik hoor de invloed op andere artiesten, maar als geheel misschien wat veel van hetzelfde. Best goed.

Det tar definitivt inte ifrån denna recension att jag befunnit mig i en Elliott-period under en tid nu. Där jag även tagit mig an hans två första skivor ('Roman Candle' och 'Elliott Smith' ) lite mer på riktigt. Men till saken, 'Figure 8' länge albumet som inte riktigt kunde mäta sig med 'XO' och 'Either/Or' för mig. Vilket är ett faktum som än idag förblir. Men varför jämför jag egentligen? Det känns som den enkla utvägen när det kommer till att bedöma musik. Frågor som: "Är det här bättre än det där?" kan leda till tankar i stil med: "Om jag nu gillar det där bättre, varför ska jag då lyssna på det här?". Men i själva verket försvinner då poängen med den här tjänsten, eller i alla fall en stor poäng. Istället för frågorna ovan så det ju mer värt att besvara frågorna: "Varför gillar jag det här?" eller "Varför jag gillar jag inte där?". Men det är mycket svårare än att bara lägga ett album på vardera sida av vågen och se vilken som sjunker. Okej, nu har jag skrivit alltför mycket utan att prata om något som berör just 'Figure 8' så nu försöker jag igen. Till saken... Det är fan ett kanonalbum. Det bockar av nästan alla bockar i mig när det kommer till vad jag vill ha av musik. Känslosamma texter (med mörker) som blandas med intressanta ackordföljder och riff som ger liv åt låtarna. En låt som jag reagerade lite extra på den här genomlyssningen var "In The Lost And Found" som i sin ton känns gladare än mycket annan Elliott. Men även där är han ensam. En kärlek som inte längre som inte finns i hans liv, men som ändå påverkar honom dagligen. Jag avslutar med att kort nämna några favoriter från albumet: "Son Of Sam", "Somebody That I Used To Know", "Junk Bond Trader", "Everything Means Nothing To Me", "Stupidity Tries" och "Easy Way Out". De flesta låtarna skulle kunna kvala in egentligen. Bäst: Hmm, vet inte. Någon av dom nämnda!

Surprisingly good and really enjoyed. Love the minor Melodie’s throughout and realised on of my fav songs is on the album 8/10

Depressing but in a good way. RIP Elliott

Either/Or still better but this definitely a lot of depressing songs to make me comtimplating KMS’ing. Easy 4

This was surprisingly good

A strange album, a great songwriter and singer

Reminds me a lot of Ben Folds. Good stuff, but not quite my style.

Good

Love this album. Conveys such a strong vibe while also maintaining range. All the tracks slap. I always enjoy Mr. Smith and have nothing bad to say about this album. It’s a shame he’s not more popular. 4/5

4.25

Fine album. Gotta be in the right mood.

some of these have very similar vibes to miracle musical , but less harsh and edgy The lyrics are almost more captivating than the melodies can hear some of the Beatles influence on this! This album really was a leap forward in his music, RIP solid 4.5

Temporarily staying down the street from the mural on the cover. I lived in the area (where he also lived) when he died, and being back again and having this album come up is bringing back a lot of memories. These songs are so good. He wrote such great melodies. The lyrics aren’t the happiest, and there are some very mellow songs, but there are also some bouncing upbeat music that gives the subject matter some much-needed energy and brightness and prevents it from being overbearingly sad.

Never really got into Elliott Smith (though I’m not too sure why as everything about his music usually appeals to me) Anyway this was a bit of an eye opener, much more diverse than expected and solid all the way through

ok

Damn.

алкоальбом: хорошее вино, но ты пьешь 3 бутылку

- Very strong singer-songwriter stuff - Incredibly enjoyable listen with some great lyrics - A solid 4.5 round down - Wouldn't Mama Be Proud, Can't Make A Sound, Son Of Sam

- I really enjoyed this album - Easy to listen to, love the song structures - Definitely hear some Beatles influences

This isn't an Elliott Smith album I'm all that familiar with - it sounds great, and I definitely want to listen to it more, but it doesn't quite hit 5 stars for me on these play throughs - maybe more familiarity would bump that up. Fave track - "Everything Means Nothing To Me" is gorgeous. "Easy Way Out" is an ear worm, too!

Monipuolinen levy. Elliott Smith on vähän vaikea artisti, koska tykkään paljon tämän tyyppisistä musiikista mutta jostain syystä Elliott ei ole niin iskenyt. Tämä levy vaikutti samalta mutta parani loppua päin. Olisin antanut 4 tähteä joka tapauksessa mutta lopulta tämä oikeasti ansaitsee sen

Great swansong by one of the best wordsmiths that ever graced the earth. Elliott Smith's last album while alive is a very good one. Beautiful and very interesting songs. 8,5 out of 10

I got this two days after its 23rd anniversary! Elliott Smith is one of my favorite musicians. Aside from him just being a masterful songwriter himself, he is the main inspiration for many of my top artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Phoebe Bridgers. This however I think is my least favorite of his albums, I would have placed XO on the list over it, but I'm glad Either/Or made the cut. I don't dislike it it's just not the 5 that his other albums are. Elliott's impact on me and the rest of my favorite artists makes this an automatic 4 star album for me.

Really interesting

The final record released before his sudden (and still mysterious) death, Figure 8 sees Elliott Smith in a surprisingly jovial mood. Dreamy fragmented songs take listeners to a place between the celestial and terrestrial.

Definitely can hear the Beatles and Dylan influences. Not much dynamics in the vocals (like Dylan), but the lyrics are good.

The first few songs had me a tad worried, but I think it picked up a bit after that. It was a pleasant listen. I don't know how it compares to Either/Or for me, since I listened to that one quite a while ago, but both albums are good. My favourite song was Everything Means Nothing To Me.

I really liked XO (if you can like something that miserable!), but somehow hadn't listened to this before. He's a great songwriter - his voice isn't as good as his writing, but it's by no means bad either. really well put together music, maybe could have done with a bit more variation in the album but it's still really good. 4/5.

Excellent

Very Beatle-esque and very good. I also hear bands like Oasis and Fountains of Wayne in here, though those are Beatles influenced too. Stupidity Tries sounds so much like John Lennon wow. I wish his voice was a little stronger but it does have the sincerity that I always appreciate. Favorite songs: Junk Bond Trader, Everything Reminds Me of Her, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud

Great album. Approachable, but with caution.

7/16, 44%

First time hearing this album all the way through, much more polished than his previous work but still an impressive showcase of his artistry.

I find myself liking this album and Elliot's style. Not sure if it's mixed up with his story but I hope it would stand up on it's own. Quirky acoustic guitar, clear crisp whispery lyrics it's nice to get into.

Ovo mu je vjerojatno najviše bitlsovski album 😄

Había escuchado Either/Or hace bastante por un amigo que le gusta mucho y me lo recomendó, y no me había parecido tan bueno, pero sentía que me podría gustar otra cosa que haga Elliott Smith. Y es absolutamente el caso de este disco, me parece muy superior a Either/Or, especialmente me parecen geniales y variadas las melodías de las canciones, y me gusta el protagonismo que toma el piano. god 8/10

Vraiment un album qui s'écoute tout seul, je l'ai écouté deux fois avant de le coter car la première fois je n'étais pas assez attentif. Définitivement mieux aimé que Either Or. La voix est super apaisante, c'est léger, mais sans non plus être ennuyant. Manque un peu de mordant à mon goût mais un album très aggréable en général. 8/10

Much more musically interesting than I was expecting

Nice, very good

wonderful

This album really blew me away. I was force-fed a lot of Elliot Smith by some friends on my recent trip to Seattle and somehow we didn't get to this album- despite one friend having a tattoo dedicated to it. A lot of his music that I've heard has been some pretty "down" stuff but I think that his voice is just so naturally soft that it's really a case of there being more more than meets the eye (ear) and you have to really listen to get it. When I first hear his songs I hear that voice and it immediately colors my view on the overall sound. This record however already starts pretty heavy only a minute and a half into the first track, and surprisingly (to me) it fits his voice wonderfully! I also love the little blues notes that are thrown around in the piano in this first track- it very quickly dispels my idea of "soft, downer" music. This is one of a very few records I've heard so far for the first time from this list that I want to put at a 5/5. I have held onto those 5 stars as a definition of an album that I find truly incredible. I think I'm going to land on a 4/5 for this one but it's a high 4/5. This is also the first album I've put on from this list and when it was finished I started it over again.

Prettig album. Normaal zou ik het denk ik 3 sterren hebben gegeven maar na al die ondermaatse prut van de afgelopen week was dit een verademing. Dus ik doe er nog een ster bij.

Heart and soul and yet I'm so unfamiliar with him. I feel like he's one album away from greatness, I hope I find it in his other albums I'm off to explore as apparently he's dead. Always the way.

Tragic and beautiful. An unfortunate cliche.

Another artist I did not previously know, this is a great album - cultured indie rock.

i had never heard of elliot smith going into this which i thought was odd since this album came out in 2000. while listening i thought about how he gives off the vibe as an artist that died young and i was right. very good album though. some classic singer/songwriter type songs but then some that are almost pink floyd esque which was super cool!!

Très sympa Très calme A écouter bourré

Lush arrangements and harmonies - influences very much worn on it’s sleeve.

nice easy listening, bit of an annoying voice but hey I listened to it all.

Marvelous singer / songwriter! Good album

4 We don't have music like this anymore

Un disco tranquilo, sin dudas entra en mi top 30 de mejores discos

This and yesterday’s album (Country Life) seems like the generator is blessing me, but inadvertently irritates me in the process. These two albums are definitely my favorite albums I’ve gotten so far, but I really am not sure how I feel about them yet. I’m giving both of them 4s because I just can’t be sure that they’re 5s yet. Unlike yesterday’s album, I already knew and liked a song from this (“Stupidity Tries”), and was not at all surprised by how much I liked it. I prefer the other one, but I still really enjoyed it.

In the right mood I love Elliott Smith. Today was such a day. Pity he did himself in because he was a brilliant artist. (Although I can understand that for others this will be total shit).

Elliott Smith is great. Beautiful voice, inventive songwriting, deep lyricism. The second half on the album drops a little bit, but it's still a serious bit of work

Like XO, this album has a "Beatlesesque" production quality. Fantastic collection of pop songs, though it could benefit from a little more editing (it seems to drag towards the end - maybe it's too long). Would have loved to see where Smith was going on future albums, but it wasn't to be. Overall a great capo to a career cut far too short.

I was reluctant to dive into Elliott Smith on December 26th, in Omaha, NE, where he was born. Somehow this turned into a pleasant surprise. There's a pleasant Beatles meets Big Star feel about the songs. It doesn't have the depressing post-Christmas feel I was expecting. Thank fucking Christ.

elliott smith spelled his name wrong in suspiciously different handwriting than his own for his suicide note. piano makes you sad. suicide, relationships, drugs. good album.

Figure 8 is a powerful and compelling album that showcases the talents of one of the best singer-songwriters of all time. Smith's ability to convey deep emotion through his music and lyrics is truly impressive. Known for his intense and emotional lyrics, Smith's songs often explore themes of love, loss, and heartbreak. Figure 8, in particular, showcases his talents as a songwriter and musician, with complex and thought-provoking lyrics that have resonated with many fans over the years.

I have never heard much of Elliott Smith. That was a really nice listen. Will have to give it more time.

Tu me fends le coeur

aujourd'hui est le jour je me rattrape

He definitely sounds like a Portland, Oregon dude lol. I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. His songwriting is very interesting, lots of cool chords progressions. Although I sometimes found his voice a bit annoying Torn between 3 and 4

Ovo je jedini Elliottov album koji nisam slušao. Odbacio je na ovom albumu u potpunosti taj lo-fi zvuk po kojem je bio i poznat - a pošto nisam očekivao da će mi dan što dalje ide biti sve depresivniji (za čudo božije), album je dobro došao. hvala Elliotte, mi smo svi u kurcu, točka.

A good album with great moments but loses momentum in the back third.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Son of Sam, Everything means nothing to me

HL: “Junk Bond Trader”, “Everything Means Nothing…”, “In the Lost & Found”, “Son of Sam” There aren’t just shades of John/Paul/George, but possibly a bit of Syd Barrett & “The Piper” too. As with other artists whose tragedy precedes their music, I went into this expecting a far bleaker album than what I got: what a relief. November 23, 2022

It's good. I don't really have too much more to elaborate on. Its a shame tlthat the world lost him at such a young age.

I think right before Elliott Smith's death in the 2000's my dad was discovering and listening to him, which is weird because it feels like that is when I (in my 20's) should've been discovering Elliott Smith. I did get introduced to Brendan Benson and Pete Yorn then (similar in certain ways), both of whom I liked, so not sure why I didn't get into Elliott Smith. I wonder if his Either/Or album is better, but I liked the stripped down acoustic (or piano) sound in this one. Good lyrics and good songwriting; almost like a modern Paul Simon. Highlights were Somebody that I Used to Know, Junk Bond Trader, LA, Easy Way Out, Wouldn't Mama Be Proud, Can't Make a Sound.

I’ve always liked Elliott Smith but never got too deep into his music. I found this album really interesting - more upbeat and varied than the depressing, purely acoustic music I was expecting. Would definitely listen again. 4 stars.

Beautiful melodies telling me terrible things

8/10

Its a great album. But its sooooooo emo. But its great. 4/5

Much fuller and complete than his more acclaimed earlier albums. Still my favourite of his

Fine though nothing ground breaking

I really enjoyed this album quite a bit. Usually solo performers in this genre tend to bore me, but the singing and instrumentals really created beautiful, interesting music. Favorite track: Stupidity Tries

Great album from a fabulous artist. Fav track: Everything Reminds Me of Her

Better than the other Elliott Smith that came up on this list. Still not really setting my world on fire, but certainly one I can return to when I'm in a Phoebe Bridges mood.

Melancholy and hip. Great stuff, even gave it a second listen.

This has elements of a lot of stuff I like but I'm not quite sure about it.... Bit Beatlesy sounding in parts. But then reminds me of the shins or the postal service in parts too. Strange Interesting story this guy had. I might check out his other albums

This was a really interesting album, the production value seems really low but it works really well.

great instrumentals, luved it

i like him, he's good

Really light slow album. Enjoyable overall

Elliott Smith is a fantastic artist. Figure 8 is probably his weakest (or may be 2nd weakest) album. Hopefully there are a few others on this list. 4/5

liked it, never really listened to any of his music, but will going forward

Best Song: Everything Means Nothing To Me. The repetitive chorus, as the instrumentals swell in the background, creates a really nice effect. The choice to place this song immediately after "Everything Reminds Me Of Her" also feels like an impactful, meta-song choice that I dig. Worst Song: Bye. Elliot Smith and his vocals are the point of admission. Overall: As always, Elliot Smith's quiet, vulnerable delivery and poignant lyrics are excellent. The album is heavier (more electric) than I would maybe prefer to pair with Smith's voice, but there's still no denying the quiet presence Smith instills.

7,8 Pretty good album It keeps your attention all the way through

Some really nice melodies on this. Not always attention-grabbing, but good if you want something more understated

Bem bom o som

Awesome album, really enjoyable. I only recognized L.A., but sonically it flows well and there wasn't a bad song in it. Great vignette of early 2000's indie music.

Voelt alsof ik alle nummers al ken en bij me horen.

Upbeat for Smith, or at least energetic tunes.

Indie rock, 2000. This is absolutely one of the most brilliant indie records of the early 2000s because of its great productions and very interesting songs. Smooth album, cleverly composed, quite an experience.

yep

I don't always like every track from Elliot Smith, but Figure 8 was an easy listen. There was a bit of happiness sneaking through Smith's melancholy. The tracks worked well together, but individual tracks had their stand-out moments. I put 6 of the 16 tracks in my personal play list, but there is a chance that more could become favorites if I listened to the whole album again.

Really liked this one. Good piano, great blues song in there too.

Pretty good. I was never a fan of Miss Misery when it got super popular, but this album surprised me. Looks like I need to chase down some more Elliott Smith.

Elliott is many people's sad boy of choice, and I won't begrudge them that, he was a terrific songwriter, even if my heart belonged to others. This is a good album, but it doesn't contain too many of my favorite tracks of his. I think I prefer his more stripped-down tracks to the orchestral sound he played with here. Still, some of the tracks here really cut. B

Very indie and chill pop vibes, really enjoyed

7/31/2022 - ALBUM #185 Today's Album: "Figure 8" by Elliott Smith - After the success and eventual Good Will Hunting Soundtrack inclusion of his last album, Either Or, Elliott Smith wanted to create an album that elevated the sound of the instrumentals that back his subtle and prophetic songwriting. This effort would ultimately culminate in this record, Figure 8, which I believe reaches the same musical height as Either Or in many of the beginning tracks, but is unable to keep up that momentum throughout the latter 60% of tracks. To be more specific, I think the album starts off with a bunch of really great songs: Son Of Sam, Somebody That I Used To Know, Junk Bond Trader, Everything Reminds Me Of Her. However, by the time we hit track 6, L.A., there are only maybe 3 songs of the next 8 that scratch the surface of how good the album starts off. I don’t think this ultimately kills the record, as I think the journey from track to track to get to the real songwriting highlights is still a fairly enjoyable one, but I think it becomes pretty obvious when listening to this record which tracks have been given lots of attention and which ones are purely filler. In terms of the larger sonic footprint Elliott was going for, I really think he achieved that throughout the album, from the opening powerful rock of Son Of Sam to the avante-garde closer, Bye, Elliott has managed to beef up the sound with more instruments and more effects. I think this is a bit of a double edged sword, however, since so much of the appeal of his last record was the subtlety of it. Overall, this is a pretty strong follow up for an artist that was launched to the peaks of critical acclaim with their last project. It’s a difficult task to follow up great work with even okay work and I have to say this album is at least good. Give this one a listen if you enjoy Elliott Smith’s work and if you don’t know who Elliott Smith is, please listen to or read my review of Either Or. Highlights: Son Of Sam, Somebody That I Used To Know, L.A., In The Lost And Found, Easy Way Out, Can’t Make A Sound Score: 7.25/10 A good record from an artist who has made better, but is handling their success well and still making great music.

crying in the club rn

Not for everyday but delightful

I have not listened to this since college but I remember loving the first 6 tracks but cant remember the back half of the album at all. Probably because I didnt really enjoy the end of it. Track 2 is still incredible the way his voice sounds with the guitar.

3.7 - a bit more update of an approach for Smith, which detracts a bit. But still a solid album with great lyrics, calm vocals and good rhythm.

Not too bad! Good sounds.

There's no surprise that Elliott Smith is a fantastic singer/songwriter. His soft-yet-impactful culmination of sound with a band backing him packs a real punch, I think it's great. Really doesn't feel like there's a bad song on here. It's just a lot of songs, I found it a bit hard to digest. Will need to reslisten because it was wonderful otherwise.

Much more balanced, instant and accessible than 'Either Or' (and much less like being punched in the gut). Musically (comparatively) bold with a mix of sad, optimistic, introspective and dreamy lyrics. I like it. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Son Of Sam Date listened: 20/07/22

Not his best work, but Elliott Smith is Elliott Smith…

Bra skiva!

There's more variation across tracks here than you might expect from our beloved indie sadboy. Multi-instrument orchestration and punchy drums alternating with mellow fingerpicking and piano doodles. Even lyrically: in one song Elliott is urging you to "Sell it while you can," and confessing in the next that "Everything reminds me of her." Our guy is using confessional lyrics to play with different personas. You feel like you know 'Elliott' but this is a sophisticated bit of theatre -- it's clever and I dig it. There's experimental variation *within* some standout songs as well: see the Beatlesish bars that open Son of Sam before the song becomes something much more contemporary, something very 90s. I also liked Everything Means Nothing To Me (beautifully distressing combo of piano, strings, drums, vocals); Stupidity Tries (bluesy, tragicomically triumphant, an end credits kind of song); Happiness/The Gondola Man (perfect short story with perfectly matched arrangement); Can't Make A Sound (just for the sonic crescendo from the midpoint that I was not expecting at all and that makes it, I think, a better ending track than Bye). The problem with rating an Elliott Smith album is it's very hard to stay objectively critical, at least for me. Most if not all of the songs are very appealing in a simple and direct way. All the guy really needs is his voice and lyrics and a guitar to sound like the last thing you want to hear tonight and every night. My brain knows this album could have been tighter and some of the tracks didn't need to be here, or should have been put in a different order. I found myself feeling a little lost sometimes, specially on the B side, but lost in a comfortable way. This isn't a flawless album but I could listen to it from beginning to end just randomly and feel something when it's done -- even though I've heard it before and know it's a little messy, a little flawed. I want to give this a 5 but am holding back.

I wasn't familiar with Elliot Smith's work before so I had no preconceived notion of what to expect. I did learn recently, however, that a favourite artist of mine, Phoebe Bridgers, was a huge fan. Knowing her music very well and listening to this I get it. I really enjoyed this album, although it could have been shorter to have a stronger impact since I felt it dragged a bit. Nonetheless, his music is interesting and definitely want to explore his discography a bit more.

I met Elliot’s art with the movie The Royal Tenembaums with his music on a scene that sacrifices logic and even the story line for great visual and sound impact… after that I devoured his music always finding the melancholy overwhelming. I’m not gonna say I’m an avid listener but I’m glad I know his art

This is another group of songs - kind of like The Stranger - where every song grabs me somehow. I like that he's stretching a bit on this one - the songs sound a little more open, they sound like they're in a room full of people instead of just you and Smith in his basement. Which I also like, but... This isn't my favorite Elliott Smith, but it's pretty damn strong.

New to Elliott Smith and now I wish I wasn't. This is great pop-oriented indie strongly reminiscent of the first Big Star album. I love that, so it's natural I like this too! A smidge more concision wouldn't go amiss, but there is some really strong, interesting songwriting here and some really cool textures in the sound.

Not sure how I missed Aretha but I will have to check that one out. Sounds like a winner. Anyway, I have a theory, based on no evidence whatsoever, that if you were shipwrecked on an island with Elliott Smith and a single acoustic guitar you could’ve told him, “Hey man, we’ve been on this island for a few days now and I’m hungry, exhausted, and starting to wonder if we’ll ever get home. Could you spare me the sad songs and, I don’t know, write a dirty, funny one about a mermaid or something?” And then a few hours later you’d hear the dirtiest, funniest, and best song about a mermaid ever. I really like this one. I wish it was a bit shorter, but that feels like a shitty thing to complain about of someone who’s dead. Which still sucks to this day.

Solid moody folk. Not my favorite from Smith, but it's definitely up there in terms of quality. I think this is my rainy day music, where I'm curling up with a good book and a huge cup of tea, and my cat is next to me.

This was the most Jon Briton album that Jon never produced. I had skipped a lot of Elliott’s music back in the day, thinking it was another weepy folk guy. This proves me wrong. Great record.

Was really enjoying this album and kept thinking why don't I know this...I think it was because when I heard the name I thought he was a teen angst type singer songwriter... man, that was my bad preconception that kept me from listening to a really good album...

first listen lovely work

The cover of "Because" (Deluxe Edition) is the perfect synthesis of past and present. Pseuds' Corner observation over.

The fifth and final (in his lifetime) studio album for Elliot Smith. The "Figure 8" title was taken from the Schoolhouse Rock TV show and is a reference to the endless pursuit of perfection. Smith's music can be described as power pop with very well constructed and arranged songs. On this album, the lead instruments switch between acoustic guitar, electric guitar and piano. Strings are sometimes used to accompany. Despite his struggles with depression and addiction, the lyrics and music are mostly happy with the content ranging from autobiographical (fame, relationships, depression, drug issues), relationships in general and possibly stories. He does leave a lot open for interpretation and multiple meanings. I've always liked Elliot Smith and there is a lot to like here. But the flipside, there are 16 songs and this is a lot of Elliot Smith. The album starts with "Son of Sam" and its rolling piano, nice guitar solo and, I think, a song about self-discovery, both good and bad. Elliot Smth had moved to LA and one of my favorite songs is "L.A." with its straight-forward rock/pop and a great guitar chorus. It appears to be a happy song. "Stupidity Ties" has a nice arrangement and atmosphere and has an interesting premise: if make yourself stupid you forget about the impossible. Overall, this is a very good album, maybe lengthy though. I do think his previous two albums, "XO" and "Either/Or" are better.

Solid lyrics and chill vibe

Good listen, soft but powerful vocals, lush production. Enjoyed the first track especially. Will definitely be revisiting.

Beautiful and sad. Exactly the album you need in your twenties as you take punches from life, sort through hangovers, and wonder about all the possibilities. Figure 8 is for when you need to stretch through newly healed skin after the scab has fallen off.

I swear this guys meant to be super, super depressing: The album starts with son of sam, it’s a good song. Much more energetic than I thought the instrumentation especially is class. My only problem is those backing vocals. Next is somebody that I used to know it’s okay just a little acoustic song and I really don’t like his vocals on here. Junk bond trader, is quite cool it still carries on the annoying vocals but it’s instrumentally the best. Everything reminds me of her is a nice acoustic song good stuff but not a favourite. Everything means nothing to me is a haunting piano song and is the only one so far which compliments his whiny autotune vocals. L.A. Is one of the most energetic ones so far yeah I really like it for what it is should’ve been a single. In the lost and found ( honky Bach) is okay really just a nice piano song haunting like everything reminds me of her but with a a cool bridge in the middle. The roost is just a small instrumental strain after I don’t get the point but it’s alright. Next is stupidity tries, it’s good vaguely Beatles-y but not ripping off. This has a great exploding fist of a chorus. Maybe a top track. Easy way out is really good another slower creepier songs but not a favourite. Wouldn’t mama be proud is good it started as my least favourite initially but it’s grown a bit not my favourite but still really enjoyable. Colorbars is okay it feels a bit un-needed in a super long album but I still quite like it. Then is happiness it’s really good, great intro great piano work nice subtle guitar works and near amazing lyrics, yeah so nice song maybe a favourite!Then the gondola man another unnecessary instrumental like the roost.eh! Pretty Mary kay is a great slow but still punchy song, works so amazingly on this project! I better be quiet now is such a sweet slow song not my favourite but still really nice and good lyrics. Can’t make a sound has to be my favourite slower song great everything and a great slow builder nearly the perfect closer. Bye is just some sad little instrumental makes sense as a little coda for the album. I would’ve shortened it to 13 tracks but it’s still really good!

Throughout enjoyable album. Really like their voice and style, very calming, though a couple of songs were the tempo increases and the music gets heavier but works really well. "Son of Sam" and "Happiness/ The Gondola Man" my favourite tracks.

- very nice, beatlesque harmonies, i really like the piano - i guess it is depressing but, hey, thats what songs are for - yeah, he died, makes the music a little more bitterweet

This is a really good album, not quite as good as Either/or, but there are some really good songs. 4 🌟

4.3 + This might be my favorite Elliot Smith record and it's funny to me how underrated it is critically. Clearly Smith's pigeonholed into this persona of a depressive heroine addict living at the margins, à la "Needle in the Hay." And to be sure, he helped cultivate that image. But beyond the "honesty" and "intimacy" of his music, he was consistently a terrific songwriter, capable of penning pretty pop songs with catchy hooks. This record may not have the grime of "Either/Or" but the evolution towards a poppier sound makes this record just as worthwhile. Songs like "Everything Reminds Me of Her" and "Somebody That I Used to Know" are among my favorites of his.

Really liked this, some cool songs. Never heard of him before.

Excellent Elliott Smith album, with very pleasant-sounding songs - I listened to it a lot at the time, as it is very easy to put the album on repeat. I am still a bit surprised to see the album in the list though, as it is basically a repeat of his previous albums - same style, same high-quality songs, same way of singing etc., which is certainly fine, but given that the 5-star album Either/Or is in the list as well, it is like having the same album in the list twice. ****

Surprisingly rollicking Lovely piano "Everything means nothing to me" "Morning had to come, I'd be walking in the sun, living in the day, but last night I was about to throw it all away" It's such a hard day's night And I've become a dog

A nice album

ethereal pop, solid lyrics

Quite enjoyed, had never heard of him. Reminded me a bit of teenage fanclub

Det får en svag fyra, det är lite för långt tycker jag.

Subdued. I got "Either/Or" previously, and found myself enjoying this one a bit more. I like it when the full band comes onto a track. At certain points, a little bland. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Son of Sam", "L.A.", "Happiness", "Can't Make A Sound"

People love this guy. I didn't get into it when I should have probably. I always think it sounds so good. This record is great but I don't care. Even though, on paper, it's a record I should love. Why? Because somebody said once that he's basically a one-man Beatles. It doesn't sound like that to me. It's excellent, but don't put that on him. It's like Oasis claiming to be like the Beatles. No they aren't! They're great, but it doesn't sound like the Beatles. And, if I go in expecting that, I'll be disappointed. Or, maybe it just becomes a distraction. Clearly it is, I'm talking more about the Beatles in this review than Elliott Smith's seminal record Figure 8! Anyway, this record. The instrumentation and arrangements are a 5/5. His voice is a 3/5 because it's too woozy and lacks the Charisma I want it to have. 4/5 ain't bad.

I really enjoyed this on a first listen. Some lovely tunes and a great voice. I'll come back to this one.

This is fucking good. Great, great album, but I don't really have anything to connect it to, somehow. Almost every song is crazy beautiful, but I feel like i can't give it a 5. Like it's 100% a fivestarrateable- album, I just don't feel love towards it. :/

8/10 great album, might up my score with a further listen.

I came in to this expecting it to just be acoustic, whispered suicidal song but was pleasantly surprise by the energy and variety of the first few tracks. It did end up settling down to a rather somber tone in the second half but certainly gave more than I was expecting.

Hadn't heard of Elliott Smith before this - hearing this album has made me want to look up more of his work.

Brilliant lyricists who are arrogant or crass are irritating but are accepted because it often comes with the territory and we just have to take the good with the bad. Every so often we are graced with an artist like Elliott Smith who was a powerful lyricist and was also humble. When he is upset at someone he was in a relationship with he doesn't say "You ain't nothing but a hound dog". Rather, he uses the cultivated and more powerful insult: "You're just somebody that I used to know."

Another great album from this guy. I like the pained lyrics and honesty in his voice. This LP is more produced than Either/Or and sounds downright upbeat at one point. After the first few songs I was thinking 5 but I don't think it ends as strong as it begins.

Not heard anything by this artist so this album was as surprise. An excellent set of songs from an anguished soul.

Origins of the 'indie' sound perhaps? Reminicent of The Beatles.

Better than I expected, very tuneful - will listen again. More hints at the Beatles than I expected

Great artist

I was really digging this for the first half of the record, but it really starts to drag after a while. Regardless, there are some really good songs on here that I will keep in rotation. I would rate this between 3 and 4, but rounding up to 4 because I would easily listen to it again.

Ping BabyChmafma, fantastiskt album! Delvis överraskande poppigt, som i öppningslåten Son Of Sam. Texterna och de teman som avhandlas är mörka. Död kärlek, depression, meningslöshet, och en generell apati mot livet. Trots det finns det i melodierna ett sorts blandat vemod, det är inte helmörk gothrock, det finns ändå indie-singer-songwriter-ljus i låtarna. Kanske är det just det som gör låtarna ännu mer drabbande, Elliott Smith är mästerlig på att skapa melodier som balanserar mellan hopplöshet och hoppfullhet, mellan liv och död. När hans eget extrema personliga mörker tas i beaktande skapas något oändligt vackert. Ett exempel på hur hemsökt Smiths psyke var av droger och depression är historien om hur en av albumets bästa låtar, Everything Means Nothing to Me, kom till. Tydligen ska Elliott ha varit trött på pressen från skivbolaget, hur folk pratade med honom om framtiden och hans destruktivitet. Då ska han under en psykos med kniv ha karvat in ordet "now" i armen, för att sedan sätta sig vid pianot och skriva ovan nämnda låt, med blodet droppandes längs armarna. Bästa låt: Väljer två. 1: Everything Means Nothing to Me, p.g.a. anledningarna ovan, samt hur trummorna exploderar in i låten halvvägs, medan Elliott mässar om livets meningslöshet. 2: Everything Reminds Me Of Her, som innehåller allt jag förväntade mig av en Elliott Smith-låt, en enkel, drabbande, och avskalad melodi om hjärtesorg.

Normally before I write the overall review here, I make my decision and then check the global reviews section. The top upvoted review is probably the best example of a relationship with the music of Elliot Smith. I liked this one a lot, solid piece of music.

What a unique song writer. Very talented. Really good songs. Tragic story.

Good album. Added to saved. Some song are too slow and, not to say whiny, but something like that. Overall enjoyable though. Good for listening while reading

Was surprised at the progressive and 90's rock influences in this album. Not what I expected based on what I had heard from ES before

Super!

This is good. Reminds me of Badly Drawn Boy or even Bright Eyes. This is a sound that I think other singers definitely emulated. These songs are beautiful, catchy, and thoughtful. I never knew Elliott Smith and I am saddened by his tragic ending. I will certainly seek out more by this artist and it's a shame he's not here to perform live anymore.

Gorgeous songs, artful arrangements. Moody, sometimes haunting lyrics sung sweetly. It's heavy listening to Smith because we know how this story ends. But the album stands on its own as a beautifully crafted work. Fave Songs: Somebody that I Used to Know, Everything Means Nothing to Me, Son of Sam, Can't Make a Sound

Liked this album a lot!

September 6, 2021 Never heard of him before but this is solid! I like the mixture of softer and more aggressive tracks. Nice production. Some standout tracks ("Wouldn't Mama Be Proud", "I Better Be Quiet Now")

cute x

really good

I enjoyed this a lot though it was really sad at parts. It gave me a the Beatles vibe, and I really liked the tasteful hard rock elements sprinkled throughout. One of my favorite songs was stupidity tries.

The best musician Portland has ever had. Been listening to him for nearly 20 years now, and I will always listen to him. Heartbroken at his loss.

Figure 8 lo conoscevo già, ma non l'avevo mai approfondito. Però questo ascolto me l'ha fatto riscoprire. Quindi il mio giudizio è positivo. Elliott Smith rimane un autore particolare e sensibile, il suo più che un genere musicale è uno stato d'animo, e onestamente ho come i sensi di colpa a dargli un voto. Unico neo: lui ha questa caratteristica di scrivere minimo 15 pezzi per album e penso che per valutarli bene sarebbe utile avere più tempo per ascoltarli, leggere e capire i testi. In questo caso, 16 tracce, anche dopo averle ascoltate un paio di volte non le ricordo tutte. Alcune però mi hanno colpito, in particolare "Everything means nothing to me" perché durante la mia esperienza di infermiere in terapia intensiva durante la pandemia mi sono sentito spesso così.

reminds me of paper mache dream balloon

Ah Elliott Smith, leged died too soon. Stupidity tries, mooie outro. STERK album, 4.5. half puntje verloren omdat ik "Either/OR" al ken en dat vind ik net een sterker album. Dit is er wel eentje dat ge eens geluisterd moet hebben en dat ik nog wel zou durven opzetten.

Sad

I liked it! Again, more than I thought I would. Definitely some bangers on this album. Overall great songwriting.

Poppig, a gewisse Power Nettes einher Songwriter Ding, manchmal Anklänge von Dylan und bowie

I could see myself listening to this again and enjoying it. It's a little bit moody at times.

Me gustó aunque suena a The Beatles, solo que menos happy, más sad (?). Podría ser soundtrack de una indie movie

heard this a million times on xfm in 2000 - never in this context - like it more thn i thought i would

Quite enjoyed it, laid back style

Elliot Smith en su zenit vital y artístico. Paradójicamente, suena en su final más luminoso que nunca.

Nem sabia que eu curtia Elliott Smith

Je n'avais pas tilté que L.A. est en fait dans Guitar Hero 5 ! ^^

Goede achtergrondmuziek, vanaf je echt luistert naar de muziek, blijkt het ook een heel erg aangename vibe te hebben, 3,5 neigend naar de 4

Lovely tunes

Better than expected, was a nice surprise. Would never play this myself, but I really enjoyed it

This was quite good! I didn't really like either/or first time I heard it, but I appreciated the depth the electric added here. Nice song writing, all quite heartfelt, certainly will return

Reminds me of high school. Didn't listen to a lot of Elliott Smith, but I can hear the similarities in the bands I did listen too; they obviously had been influenced by him. I think I like his personal sound better now than back in 2000. A good album, and an easy listen, for a dreary day.

I've heard this before and it's pretty great. 0RS

Best album I've had so far that I'd not heard

Muy agradable al principio, luego me dio la vribrita de banda dosmilera "alternativa", tipo Zoé, y se me paso el encanto jajaja (o sea ya sé que esto fue antes, pero igual). Creo que las que más me gustaron fueron L.A., Mama woundt be proud y algunas de las que están acompañadas por el piano. Mood: Canciones que aparecerían en la intro de Charmed.

Elliott Smith was murdered. Figure8 is probably my personal third favourite Elliott Smith record, but also probably his best work.

Pretty nice layering, great for a relaxed background album. Vocals are unique, but for some people, probably push the album to the limit. Slot in a few great tracks, and this is a keeper

Great album, even if depressing (pretty standard for Elliott Smith)

Rock suave. Bastante interesante.

Good indie rock for the sad crowd. The songwriting gets a bit repetitive at times, but the production is excellent and the sound is so engrossing that it's well worth a listen.

Musicaly great, just not my style

I remember listening to Elliott Smith around the same time I got into The Mountain Goats, with his album, "XO" which was phenomenal. Then I listened to this album years later, and, while not as good as his previous, this album was beautiful in it's execution and feel. "Easy Way Out" and "Everything Means Nothing To Me", and "Better Be Quiet Now" are easily the best songs on the album. Elliott Smith was a brilliant person, and was definitely taken too soon, I'm just glad that I picked up that first album when I did....

I like Elliott Smith's voice, so unique and mysterious. I like the slow songs as well as the harder jams, I appreciate that he can navigate both. I thought this was a solid album with good songwriting and stayed interesting throughout.

Why do his sad songs sound so happy? He's got a pretty unique style. It's got a little more folksy oomph than typical emo from that era. It's more stripped down and heartfelt than the Brand News that hide behind their eye shadow and ripping guitars.

My fave Smith record. Happiness is my fave track from him

Lovely calm indie folk, a little more groovy and movey than fleet foxes . Could easily be soundtrack

So sad. Classic Elliott Smith.

Glad I gave this another listen. While the compositions veer from minor to major, there’s still a cohesiveness to this LP which I think stems from Elliott’s vocals. The lyrics are vague but delivered with enough emotion to carry each song from one to the next. I’m not usually a downtempo acoustic guy, but even the slower compositions here grabbed me.

I like Elliot Smith and that's a nice album. Not too many stand out songs, and probably not my favorite album of his, but still very nice

I like it

I really do like this album

4,5

Pretty great. A little dreary but the songwriting is strong

Cool album, Mr. Smith. Very alt rock very cool