1001 Albums Generator
Figure 8 by Elliott Smith

Figure 8

Elliott Smith

2000
3.33
Rating
28990
Votes
1
4%
2
16%
3
36%
4
30%
5
14%
Distribution
Genres: Rock Styles: Singer Songwriter, Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock

Reviews (page 6 of 14)

Decent album, some catchy tunes on it.

But, like a strong 2.

Enjoyed this album much more than I thought I was going to

This album came out when I was 17, and I cannot be objective about it. I love it so much.

No me ha gustado nada, un rollazo.

Nothing to dislike, but nothing to love.

n achei nada extraordinário

So much talent, beautiful melodies, simply one of the greatest....

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 83 Figure 8’ut the tortured melancholic soul of Elliot Smith 🎤🎵. His final release continues the lush, multi-layered production of Smith’s previous album, XO, moving further away from the lo-fi sound of his early work. It blends baroque pop, indie rock, and psychedelic influences, showcasing intricate multi-tracked vocals, melodic piano and guitar arrangements and lyrical themes, touching on isolation, internal conflict, and disillusionment. Despite its polished sound, the lyrical content remains deeply personal and introspective. 🎧 Classic Track: Son of Sam 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Stupidity Tries 🎧 Personal Favorite: Can’t Make A Sound 🚫 Skip Track: In The Lost and Found (HonkyBach) / The Roost With Figure 8, Elliott Smith crafted a sprawling, meticulously arranged record that expands his signature intimacy into a cinematic soundscape. Released in 2000, it was his last completed album before his untimely death—and it plays like a man standing at the intersection of mainstream success and personal collapse. There’s a loneliness to this album, but not a hopeless one. It feels like someone trying to make sense of their own unraveling, and using melody as a way to hold on. Knowing Smith’s fate, some tracks take on a posthumous eeriness (“Can’t Make a Sound”, “A Fond Farewell”), but Figure 8 never wallows in despair. It’s more reflective than nihilistic—a sound of someone searching for meaning in the middle of the noise. 🖼️ Album Artwork: The album cover features Smith in front of a swirling black, white, and red mural. The mural became iconic among fans and was located at Solutions Audio in Los Angeles. After his death, the site became an informal memorial covered in fan tributes. While a feat of artistic beauty from a songwriter struggling internally with the strength of his craft against nagging personal demons, the album is an exhaustive listen mentally and emotionally, as Smith envelops you with the weight of his soul. This trajectory mirrors emotional decline, or perhaps disintegration: the figure tracing a loop (an 8), never truly escaping. Though Smith was alive for three more years, Figure 8 feels like a resigned farewell to clarity and comfort, an artist spiraling inward while his sound reached outward.

9.4/10 SO GOOD !! i’ve always loved elliott smith ever since i watched good will hunting and i’ve been meaning to listen to more of his discography. this album truly feels ahead of its time. it’s so diverse and successful in multiple ways. he really gave it his all. thank you elliott.

not bad but boring

sad boi hours

Jeg er glad. Forventningerne var høje efter Eather / or. Det her album var et littere lyt. Knap så stemnings afhængig.

Det er mere produceret end Either/Or, men har stadig en distinkt Elliot Smith lyd. Jeg savner lidt Lo-Fi lyden og det feel den giver. Men alligevel formår Mr. Smith at trække mig langt ind i sit lydunivers af finurlige melodier.

Very nice and calm. I love Elliot Smith and I haven’t listened to one of his albums for a long time. Forgot how relaxing his voice was, and I love his story telling.

A tricky one to break into. I want to get it, but I have a lot of prenceptions based on what I know about it. I was met with a sound that isn't really my sort of thing, and the feeling that although I could glean more from looking up the lyrics, I didn't really want to for fear of what I may find.

Знаю, що цей виконавець дуже вплинув на сучасне покоління сінгер-сонграйтерів і взагалі дуже поважний. Є у мене в лонглісті того, що треба послухати і ось сталась нагода Враження дуже змінювались від пісні до пісні: десь дуже класний з відчутним впливом бітлів інді-рок/павер-поп, а десь досить дженерік радіо-френдлі музика. Треба буде щось ще якось послухати від нього і зокрема прогнати ще разок цей альбом

Не мій улюблений альбом Елліотта Сміта, але якщо враховувати що це один з найкращих музикантів евер для мене, то навіть figure 8 я менше ніж 4 не можу поставити. Але й не поставлю 5, бо що ж тоді ставити xo або either/or?

First half is amazing and 2nd half is great too but not as great. Ez 4.5. RIP

258/1089 - I had Elliot Smith two days ago! Was kinda hoping it'd be a bit more spread out but it is what it is. On to the review! Really like his style. I like that the strings are only used when necessary or in large sections (though I'd prefer it'd be Chamber Strings so more unique counterpoint textures can happen like in his piano pieces). Honestly this might be a Top 10 album for me, definitely top 25.

Not bad; some interesting lyrics, and overall a good (sad) atmosphere, but I don’t love his wispy voice. It doesn’t have enough weight to it and makes the whole thing feel more frivolous than it deserves. Still, on the whole, I liked it. Favorite: Son of Sam 3.5

figured out that this is pretty okay

I really like this and I think it’s a little bit better than either/or 4.5/5

Haunting

Well I listened . It's okay. Not much range.

Nothing stood out to me, but I would listen again.

Joa nettes Album.

3.0 - Kann man sich gut anhören und hat dann sogar ein paar echt tolle Nummern drin. Insgesamt mir aber zu seicht. Highlights: Junk Bond Trainer, Can't Make A Sound

The soft boy vocals aren't really doing it for me. All the arrangements are nice though. And I can't really fault the songwriting. 3 Stars.

The cover made me think this album was going to be annoyingly twee, but it was actually decent. Not great, but fun enough

Ficorr, inizia super bene

Less poppy Ben Folds. I don't dislike it but I wouldn't necessarily put it on or remember the name

Ok so I really thought at first he was related to Sam Smith

(83/100)

Tiny, small rock album with some nice tunes.

Pleasantly surprised by how good this was

I quite enjoyed this one. Easy listen alt rock that I could probably spin a few times without getting tired of it. 4/5

Be careful and hear the right album cause i found firstly one with a lot of live versions so i had to find the right studio one. Favourite tracks: Junk Bond Trader,Everything Reminds of Her,Everything means Nothing to me,L.A, Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?,ColorBars,Happiness/The Gondola Man,Can't make A Sound(especially towards the end), It's a 4/5 to me.

Big fan of his work. Either/Or tops this album certainly but that doesn’t take away from the groove this record brings. 8/10

He's got a very chill vibe, fits right into that time period. I think the music is actually a bit more interesting and layered than it initially presents itself as. I think I enjoyed Easy Way Out more so than the more popular songs at the beginning of the album. It's worth noting that I've never listened to Elliot Smith before today. But my coworker saw that I was listening to him and asked if I was okay, lol. Apparently he has very cathartically sad music.

Damn. Michael really liked this one so I had high hopes. Was not disappointed! I guess this is like, the definition of emo sound. Very singer/songwriter of him. "Son of Sam," "Easy Way Out," "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud," and "Better Be Quiet Now" stood out to me. Just the right amount of moody and easy listening.

One of my favourite Smith records. And the last while he was alive. Tied with self titled as his best. Which is fitting as both essentially bookend his career, going from low-fi recordings to a fully realised sound like on here. Incredible melodies and guitar playing as always across some of his most beautiful and haunting songs. A singer-songwriter classic.

I loveeee Elliott Smith so much and this may be my fav of his. First two songs mess me up so bad!!

elliott smith is one of those guys who like every time i listen to them make music im like wow this guy is awesome and then i forget about his existence immediately after

Figure 8’s never really worked for me. After XO’s studio pop revelations and the lo-fi, late night darkness of Either/Or, Figure 8 feels a whole lot like a series of formalist, ill-fitting rock band exercises (which would continue in some respect on the unfinished follow-up). Which, to me, says Smith was running low on inspiration and was relying on standards for support. Of course, someone with his talent could do a great deal with that! It’s such a rock record after the quieter, chamber pop leanings of XO, which feels like a deliberate choice, exemplified by an early Figure 8 song, Stupidity Tries, which eschews XO’s warm acoustic guitar and piano for electric guitar, drums, Lennon-style nods, etc...it’s not a template exactly, but once it opens up it certainly provide a bridge. Even the song that feels closest to older Elliott, Somebody That I Used to Know, has a bright, rehearsed quality that contrasts with the muted, even muddled acoustics from the 90s.

This list introduced me to Elliott Smith through “Either/Or” which, by the end, gained my appreciation. This album had me from the first song and was just… consistent, interesting, enjoyable, even if quite a bit of melancholy was masked behind the pleasant sound. Very solid 4 star album.

I discovered Elliott Smith through Good Will Hunting, and though his tracks are not always recognizable with hooks, riffs, and enjoining choruses, I am brought in. There is something about his music that draws me in. I was wavering between 4 & 5 mostly because of my lack of familiarity with this album. I rounded up because I tend to like him more and more upon each listen.

You definitely get bullied if you enjoy this. Deservidely.

An indie poet that was often misunderstood in his prime while shining postmortem.

A classic and, IMO, one of his best. Five stars

Chillig aber auch ein bisschen langweilig

Fav: Son Of Sam Least Fav: Colorbars Reminded me of The Bends era Radiohead, got this lad on my radar now

Really beautiful. I was exposed to Elliot Smith through watching Good Will Hunting.

Servicable, enjoyable music, but at least on first listen, not more than that. A song or two feel like a 4, but the rest aren't, so the album as a whole doesn't make it to 4 territory. Feels like a step back compared to previous albums - I feel that whatever made Elliottt Smith an interesting musician wasn't really captured here, and I wouldn't choose this album as a representative of him for new listeners.

bi son of sam gfallt mer dass s klavier und d gitarre amel di gliich melodie hend, das git en ungwöhnliche sound. au d mehrstimmigkeit ide singstimme findi schön und s lied het en agnehm unbeschwerte vibe. bim zweite song ischs mer zvill gitarre-schrumme und z wenig anders. und d singstimme sind iwie so nöch am ohr gmischt und dass d zwei stimme unisono singed tönt für mich dadurch iwie aggressiv. junk bond trader findi en kuule kontrast, chli härters schlagzüg und d glocke isch kuul, aber mit de zit in sich biz eintönig (bis uf d bridge, aber au die überzügt mi in sich nöd eso). everything reminds me of her findi langwiilig und sini stimm isch chli nölig, gfallt mer nöd. everything means nothing to me gfallt mer sehr guet! interessanti und unerwarteti melodie (ussert de refrain und di ganz letzt minute vom lied, dasch immer s gliiche;)). L.A. chli rockiger, geili harmonie im refrain. bi in the lost and found gfallt mer d mischig usem boogie-/rock’n’roll-klavier und em poppigere style vom rest vom song und vom gsang. und d lyrics findi auno kuul. und dass de song ganz am schluss en art kontrapunkt het. stupidity cries het en coole refrain. easy way out und wouldn’t mama be proud chli langwiilig. happiness the gondola man isch a mir verbii. pretty mary kay isch denn wieder kuul. aber meh halt au nöd mega. di vorletzte zwei songs sind hert langwiilig. s letzte denn wieder cool: nur klavier und interessanti harmonie, gfallt mer als schluss vom album. fazit: me mues findi scho gnau anelose zum kuuli sache ghöre und einigi songs sind au straight up langwiilig, aber es isch no kuul. abgrundets 3.5

Not bad. Pretty chill, sort of depressing little indie album.

You call this random, yet you give me Elliott Smith on a gloomy, rainy, Midwest day - that also happens to be the first day of autumn. It's decent. Nothing mind blowing, in my opinion. I'd spin it again but am in no rush to do so.

What a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t familiar with Elliott Smith, but I recognize the sound — gentle, layered, and sweet. It’s undeniably enjoyable to listen to, though maybe a bit too easy to drift past without leaving a strong mark. Four stars from me, only deducting because as lovely as it is, it’s also just a touch forgettable.

Meh. Started okay but got boring halfway.

Album Art Review - pretty cool, pretty cool. Don't know Elliott Smith, but nice graphic art - simple, literal, good use of color highlight - 7.9/10 Album - kind singer/songwriter vibe - melodic, a little spacey, a little symphonic, a little Beatlesque to me, a little maybe 80s/90s retro sounding too.

Очень мнлодичный альбом но записан в плохом качестве, вокал не сказать что выдающийся но определенно хороший.

such a lovely man with a lovely warm voice

There really needs to be a term for a solid piece of music that is well done and written and I can’t really find any faults with but I just don’t enjoy it as much as I think I should. I may revisit this another time but currently I can’t give it above a 3. RIP Elliott

I had a hard time sitting through it, I had to break it up. The first few songs sounded the same. I have only heard of Elliot Smith but never listened, I can hear some other bands styles throughout so I'm assuming he was an inspiration to quite a few people.

I listened to this in separate sections. The first few songs were not my cup of tea and not sonically what I was familiar with when it came to Elliot Smith’s work, which took me out of it. As the album progressed, there was a return to form. The soundscapes slowed and the lyrics became the true focus of the tracks. Phoebe Bridgers all but ripped this man’s whole essence as an artist, my god! It was nice to listen to listen to something backloaded for a change instead of hits first. Clearly CDs were the predominant method of listening by this point.

Long ago, i had a crush who loved Elliott Smith so i got a few songs from Limewire and was bored. But clearly, i should've listened to a whole album because a lot of these songs are beautiful.

I spent the entirety of my first listen trying to figure out who the f he sounds like. Then Matt pointed out it’s half my playlist. He sounds like everyone. I think a lot of these albums suffer from how influential they were because they feel unfairly played out. The first time through all of the songs blended together and all felt like a really long version of the same song. He is known for his sad lyrics and these deliver though many songs have great quotable lyrics, they frequently fail to tell a fully story. I highly recommend another listen because this album grew on me slowly with subsequent listens.

“O god Elliot Smith?” - Me at album drop, will update later I have struggled with Elliot Smith as an artist for years and continue to do so. He’s just never “clicked” for me. He just feels insufferably whiny and annoying to me. I guess maybe his lyrics are good? But the delivery makes me think he would be absolutely brutal to sit next to on a bar stool. I do enjoy some of the instrumental arrangements on this record though. Everything Means Nothing to Me was about to get skipped over until the drums and strings and piano came into save it. It’s clear Elliot has an ear, has direction, has talent, but this album lacks any trace of magnetism or charisma. I find it impossible to connect with him while listening to him. Richard Edward’s come across as an absolute sad sack but his voice texture and sounds invite you into join you. I feel like Elliot is sitting at the edge of the couch with false modesty and needy validation, “here are some songs I wrote, they’re probably so dumb, but I guess I’ll play them, even though their. Well gosh.” Maybe I’m projecting. Maybe I’m a prick bro that expects swagger and any sort of confidence from an artist. I think I’ve got half an album more to go so we will see if this opinion changes. “Pretty Mary Kay” is the first song I’ve genuinely enjoyed any of the experience of. “Bye” is a great song to end on because I’m ready to say Bye to Elliot. I like his songs when Kevin Devine covers them at shows, other than that I’m ok. Listen #2 I think I like Son of Sam but that might be because it reminds me of Sufjan Stevens. Somebody that I used to know has some good guitar work. I’m glad he got some inspiration from Gotye. Junk Bond Trader sounds like a song Kevin Devine would write. Which serves as a reminder that this is one of my favorite songwriter’s favorite songwriter. Fuck there’s some guitar work I really love here. These licks in Everythibg Reminds me of Her are really good…. God damn it I think I like L.A…. Stupidity Tries has this great little chord progression in the verse that is fuckin dope. The arpeggios and harmonized vocals are so simple but add a ton of depth to the sound. It’s this thing I love where it’s a bunch of fairly simple bits add up to a really big change. The Manchester Orchestra approach. Is this a thing where I’ve always hated his voice and literally everything else in the music is more important than the voice? Pretty Mary Kay is no longer my favorite track on this but I feel like im getting more “Beatles” out of this song. The harmonies here remind me of Paul and John interplay. Ok so when I first saw it I was at 0 stars. First listen made it to one star. This is now a pretty solid two stars to me. And I think it even has room to grow from here. It feels like a departure from the other acoustic boo hoo that I didn’t like as much but now I’m even questioning my opinion on that. Fuck is this a 3? Me liking this is as surprising as me hating Afterlife. Mr. Smith I owe you an apology, I was not familiar with your game.

A pleasant album full of some wonderful highs.

Respect it, and some songs I liked, but overall not for me

I already know and love this album. It has some of Elliot Smiths best songs on it and has the fuller sound that he'd started to explore on XO. Not a perfect album...think it tails off a bit in the second half but I still love it. 4/5 stars

I don’t know whether it was just because it followed Simon & Garfunkel but I heard quite a lot of Paul Simon in this, with some pop-folk influence on many songs. I spent a long time avoiding this for no particular reason and had low expectations but was actually quite surprised and mostly enjoyed it. I think I’d need some more listened to unpack it fully but I may well do that!

Meh. Nothing special.

What a fantastic album this is. Elliott Smith knows exactly how to tug at the heart strings with his music, and this album is that in full effect. However, this album is cursed with not being as revolutionary as Either/Or, so I can't give it those same props. Still, a resoundingly good album. 9.5/10

liked this album a lot!! will definitely revist this one a few times i think! i've been meaning to listen to more elliott smith since i listened to either/or a while ago but never got around to it, and while i don't think this quite reaches the heights of either/or in my eyes this is still really good!! some tracks i really liked were son of sam, everything means nothing to me and can't make a sound!!

Love Elliott Smith, he has his time and place, not every day listening but sometimes you need to listen to someone singing from the heart and be prepared to feel cr@p afterwards

Another completely new one for me. Quite Beatles-esque. Nice and rocky in parts. Prefer the rocky tracks over the beatles-like piano ballads. Not a fan of the drum sound in this. They are lacklustre, flat, a bit muffled. Shame cause theres some nice drumming on this the fills/rolls (?) on everything means nothing to me are interesting for example. Its a good album. I’d add individual tracks into my playlist not rhe whole album - Son of sam, LA,

Mid-high 3 I think, some really nice tracks but it doesn't really go many places for me

Not bad, but too many songs that seem to share moods.

everything i want except for a voice i can stand.

Love the honky Tonk piano throughout this album. It is paced well. Great jangling moments with some deep breaths in between.

I don’t get it

Elliott Smith is wonderful.

Listenable.

I do really like this album and always have, but I do wonder if it appeals more as it’s such a sad story

This album was fantastic. An embarrassed to say I’d never heard of Elliott Smith. Will be on repeat ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elliott Smith nahm sein fünftes Studioalbum in mehreren Studios in den USA auf, unter anderem in den Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles. Smith war US-amerikanischer Singer-Songwriter und erweiterte mit diesem Album den eher reduzierten Sound seiner frühen Platten um komplexere Arrangements. Musikalisch bewegt sich Figure 8 zwischen Indie-Rock, Folk und Pop. Bekannte Stücke sind „Son of Sam“, „Junk Bond Trader“ und „I Better Be Quiet Now“. Die Produktion ist reicher instrumentiert als bei seinen Vorgängern, mit Klavier, Orgel und Streicherarrangements, bleibt aber dennoch von Smiths charakteristisch sanfter Stimme geprägt. Das Album zeigt sowohl seine Experimentierfreude als auch seine verletzliche Seite. Manche Songs wirken etwas ausladend, insgesamt aber vermittelt Figure 8 ein vielschichtiges Bild eines Künstlers, der sich weiterentwickeln wollte, ohne seine Wurzeln zu verlieren.

++: Son of Sam, Somebody That I Used to Know, In the Lost and Found (Hunk Beach)/The Rooster, Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?, Bye +: Junk Bond Trader, Stupidity Tries, Happiness/The Gondola Man, Pretty Mary K, I Better Be Quiet Now, Can't Make a Sound +-: L.A., Easy Way Out, Color Bars -: Everything Reminds Me of Her --: Everything Means Nothing to Me 5,1/10

First time I've listened to ES that I'm aware of. It's cool. I think I could enjoy it more with repeated listens. For now I'm gonna give it the middle of the road 3/5. 3/5 #182

I had his album Either Or a while back and it got 1 star, an unbelievably boring album. This however was brilliant, enjoyed it right the way through. I’ll be keeping this saved for a while

Surprisingly pleasant.

I know it well

Read the backstory, currently not in the best headspace myself, so wasn't sure about listening to this, but was surprised to hear really quite upbeat songs mixed with a blend of beautifully mixed off key melodies. Actually lifted my spirits a little. Thank you Elliot. May you rest in peace. X

A massive talent and a step up in his production of bigger songs. My only gripe is that this could have been a shorter, more condensed album. It feels watered down by the length. There were two or three songs that should have been left on the cutting room floor.

Day613 - such a talented singer songwriter that was unfortunately mostly overlooked. i’m glad he left some great music behind

Nice melodies, quite emotional

I like this album, but it's just OK. I get really bored with Elliot Smith because it almost all sounds the same.

He’s so sad

Very Good.

When i was at university i remember searching elliott Smith’s Xo out in the local hmv, based on an article in Q magazine. I instantly fell in love with his music and I remember waiting for it to be released and rushing to buy. I love the dreamy soundscape that his music creates. The jangly guitars and pianos quite often working at odds with the lyrical content. The first six tracks are a perfect example of Smith’s work and makes for a strong start, which whilst the album doesn’t quite maintain that standard, it isn't far off.

I had never heard of Elliott Smith before and, having read his Wiki page in advance of this, was expecting an album that likely reflected his mood at the time. Which is exactly what I got but, surprisingly, I found myself enjoying the first half a lot. It was incredibly emotive and, normally, not at all my thing - but there was something about it. I didn’t enjoy the second half nearly as much as the first, so it loses a star but, overall, this was a moving collection of songs - some of which will stay with me for a while.

Elliott Smith is a name I recognised but, to the best of my knowledge, I had not listened to before today. I really, really enjoyed a big chunk of this album. I particularly loved Son of Sam for multiple reasons but the ooh ooh backing vocals just really spoke to me. The vocals really reminded me of Badly Drawn Boy, who I love, so as the singer's voice is normally the first hurdle for me when listening to a new artist, we started off on a good foot. And then there way a ton of piano too. This nearly scraped the top mark, I liked it so much, but I'm going to settle for a still great: 4/5 EDIT: after a couple of months where I have regularly relistened to this album, I'm accepting that this always should have got a 5. So it's my first ever remark... 5/5

I can't be objective about an album I would definitely stick in my top 30 of all time. It's too long to achieve the perfection of Either/Or, but I think at its best, it might be the peak of his abilities as a songwriter. He's playing with a much bigger canvas here, and the lush production lets songs like Son of Sam and Wouldn't Mama Be Proud really soar. Unlike XO, I think they nailed the sound here, letting Elliott pay tribute to the Beatles but still keeping a bit more grit and emotion (I love XO but the production can be a bit soft). At 16 songs, I will concede that it's too long though - I love every song, but you could trim LA, Colorbars and Better Be Quiet Now without losing too much.

pretty damn good

This was pretty good. Nice, indie, folkish album. Enjoyable

This album WAS a four star for me. Then the next song played. And then the next one. Then the next one. And then i realized i didn’t realize where one song ended and the next song began. Overall i like Elliot smith. I love his use of piano and his overall not quite rock, but cooler than indie vibes. Mostly just wish he wasn’t so one note…

I'm really not into the wispy vocals. I can see how this was very influential to people like Bon Iver or Iron and Wine but it just didnt do it for me. None of the songs really drew me in.

Son of Sam- 7/10 - pretty good Somebody I used to know-10/10: I cried Junk bond trader-6/10: normal Elliot bop Everything reminds me of her-9/10: I cried again Everything means nothing to me- 6/10: chill, sounds like the Beatles LA-9/10: guitar

that was sad.

It tries too hard to be sad/depressing and it fails, miserably. The music isn't that great either.

Good, more upbeat than his image and story suggests

Beautifully sombre album. Somehow even better than Either/Or in every element. Something I found on his other album was that the slower, softer songs were phenomenal but the "faster" songs dropped off a bit in quality, whereas on this one his faster ones were even better than the slower ones, even though I enjoyed pretty much every song on here. Favourites were Son Of Sam and Junk Bond Trader

this is really good actually! i'd definitely come back to this more than either/or imo, it has a lot more of the rock sensibilities that my brain itches for while still maintaining the amazing ballads hes known for. fav tracks: LA, Can't Make A Sound, Stupidity Tries

This is more my speed. Mellow indie rock. I recognize his voice from some movie soundtrack, but can't put my finger on it. Good, easy listening.

not sure i get it

I must admit, I wasn't at all familiar with Elliott Smith prior to this record being chosen for me, but that's the whole point of me doing this challenge: I want to open myself up to many different artists and get out of my comfort zone. Listening to 'Figure 8', the influence of The Beatles across this record is clear as day, right down to fact it was recorded in part at Abbey Road Studios. The production on the album is spot on, and it's a good album to chill out and relax to, although I can't say many songs really landed for me. It's basically just a Beatles homage that sounds pretty; a homage so eerily similar to what The Beatles [John Lennon in particular] had already perfected in the 60s. Smith also sounds very similar to Neil Finn [Crowded House, Split Enz], a fellow Beatle aficionado, although again, Finn just does a bit more for me. I then read about Smith's untimely death at the age of 34 in 2003, which put 'Figure 8' into greater context for me. 'Figure 8' was Smith's last record completed in his lifetime before his life spiraled into depression and drug addiction. So he's definitely in the same ballpark as artists like Kurt Cobain and Jeff Buckley; artists who have probably become more iconic in the wake of their demise [something to be said about artists suffering for their art], but unlike Cobain or Buckley, I just feel like there's something missing from Smith for me. I don't think this is a bad album by any means, but nothing really jumps out for me except the clear Beatles influence and great production and instrumentation. Might be a taste thing for me though, as I will admit the indie genre has never really done it for me. I can see why 'indie' fans would love this record though, and I did enjoy 'Son of Sam'. 'Figure 8' is basically your average 'Beatle-loving' indie rocker of a record, but I have to give Elliott Smith props for handling basically all of the instrumentation himself on this record: guitars, piano, bass, drums, organs, string arrangements. That's no easy feat, and I have plenty of respect for multi-instrumentalists. So overall, it's OK, but nothing more than that. 2.5/5

I think Elliot Smith absolutely deserves inclusion on this list. I wasn't as familiar with this album, but it continues the sound/style from XO (which I'm more familiar with), and overall is a great example of his style.

Beatles harmonies. Bar room piano. The loss of one of our greatest songwriters. Elliott Smith’s Figure 8 was the last studio album he’d release in his lifetime, and while it’s not my favorite of his (that’s XO), it’s undeniable in its importance. It’s sprawling, ambitious, and stacked with classics. Sure, you’ve got the obvious ones—“Son of Sam,” “Somebody That I Used to Know.” But dig deeper and you’ll find “Stupidity Ties,” which for Elliott is practically an epic, stretching out his melancholy into something widescreen. Figure 8 wasn’t the quiet confessional anymore. It was Smith seeing how far he could push himself. And that makes it just as haunting today as when it first landed. Wouldn't mama be proud?

Very Portland, very 90s, a very appropriate fall soundtrack actually. I liked this one more than I thought I would.

Very enjoyable listen. Amazing lyrics

Not Smith’s peak, but a great listen nonetheless. Son of Sam, Somebody I…, Lost and Found, LA, and Happiness are some notable highs, although there is some fluff here and there. Trim to a shorter track listing like the prior albums, and I think it’s another classic.

Fantastic album and experience.

Beautiful songs and a beautiful delivery. On a bad day I'd call this album boring, on a good days it just ticks all the boxes.

Great album when you need to be down. 4/ 5

It's ok. It's music and it's calming music but that's about it

I quite enjoyed Elliott's style and songs, but not in a "one of the great's" way. His music was relaxing but the songs didn't go that deeply, I've heard more original stuff by random people on tiktok

Fantastic new find - never heard of Elliott Smith and loved it.

More upbeat than expected

Probablement ma plus belle découverte jusqu’à présent, j’ai adoré écouter l’intégralité de cet album et compte bien l’ajouter à ma playlist!

Enjoyed the poppy vibes , the vocals are ok and the instruments are fun

Fine but nothing stood out

Im biased because I like Elliot smith a lot but this is straight forward let a cool album Solid 8/10 31/08/25

Nie wiem naszym stylu

My ex friend who I am no longer on speaking terms with really likes Elliott Smith. I listened to Either/Or because of him. I much prefer this album. It's also a lot better than most of the stuff I've had on this website so far. I like 90s stuff way better than 50s, which I've been getting a lot of. I liked the volume, vibes, and some of the lyrics. It felt peaceful. I find it really funny he released it January 1st in 2000. Like imagine if the computer glitch happened and oh well there goes your whole LP. I bet he woulda been sweating bullets. I like the color pallet of the album (it could very much be a white stripes cover, thats why I like it). 6/10

Especially compared to Either Or this album was good! I expected another bad album. This one has a few solid tracks and a lot more musically behind it!

First artist on my 1001 albums journey that have lyrics that have deep meaning, the one that you cannot understand immediately.

Interesting usage of a horn in punk music. Reminds me of I can't get no satisfaction.

30/08/2025 I've never listened to this guys music and I don't know if I'd go back to it, but it was harmless. Spotify listeners: 2.5 million

Not my favorite Elliott Smith album, but a pleasant listen overall. Maybe could've been trimmed down a little. Not that there's any bad songs, but it does start to feel a little bloated by the end

la lecture automatique après l'album était très chouette.

4 sterren

71/100 pretty good, some of it gets a bit boring but a lot of it is really good

I might still be a bigger fan of 'Acoustic Ballad' Elliot when compared to his later-career, more lavishly produced indie-rock stuff. Not to say the stuff here wasn't great, because it was, but I still found my favorite songs here to be the slower and more ballad-leaning ones. 'Somebody That I Used To Know' has the hypnotic finger-picking intro of a song like 'Angeles', my favorite Smith song, and it also has one of the more winning choruses here. The piano ballad 'Everything Means Nothing To Me' is Elliot being incredibly predictive of my guy Sufjan, more so than usual. It's also one of the few songs where the more busy production suits the whole thing quite well, especially when those echoey strings flutter into the second half. Come to think of it, there are quite a few cool little one-off outros here, 'Happiness/The Gondola Man' and 'The Roost' especially. It's a small detail, but I love it when albums do that. Lyrically, it's really everything I'd expect out of Elliot; many of the songs detail a failed relationship, the failures of both Elliot as well as his partner, and the toll it took and continues to take on him. It comes off as bitter on the surface, especially with songs like 'Stupidity Tries' and 'Easy Way Out', but under the surface, this is clearly more than your average break-up album; there's a lot of emotional baggage to unpack here. I'd say rays of optimism still shine through the cracks on a song like 'Happiness/The Gondola Man', but even with this song, I sort of get the vibe that the protagonist is overcome with regret due to the failed relationship, be it with how it unraveled or how it ultimately ended. And the inability to move on due to such a dissatisfying end is also seen on another one of my favorite acoustic ballads here, 'Better Be Quiet Now'. It's certainly an Elliot Smith album, despite it not really falling under that cozy, acoustic, sad-man-with-his-guitar umbrella the guy's known for. It's still mostly that, but maybe a little less cozy, a bit more indie-rock, but just as sad all the same.

elliott forever

5.5/10 not my thing but can appreciate it for what it is I guess

there is nothing i love more than sad music written by a man who knows how to yearn. now imagine my fucking surprise reading the wikipedia page.

It was good and I liked having it on but it didn't excite me all that much.

2000 "I've got this idea" "Go on then, what're you saying?" "I'm going to release an album of really dull music, and it's going to last for 52 minutes" "That clearly won't be successful" "But I'm a 'singer-songwriter' that's what the people want" Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ 80% Revisit ❌️ no, unless I need to sleep Dull, dull, dull ★★☆☆☆ (4/10)

Great album, not Eliott’s best, but thats unfair when Either/Or is perfect

This one always felt a bit less special than his other albums, but maybe I just haven't given it a proper chance before. Theres a lot of songs that sounds more lively, more indie rock instrumentation but it actually suits him very well. The calmer, more gentle moments are also really beautiful and touching. Great album.

Sad boy music!! I listened to this album twice in a row. I like his music a lot overall and enjoyed this album as well. Some songs made it to my playlist right now and I did not know most of the songs beforehand.

The old brain seems to be wired for a bit of melancholy with a twinge of sadness so this is right in my wheelhouse.The album cover is pretty memorable so I've either listened to this before or it's been recommended on Spotify. Really enjoyed this today. Solid album. I'll probably check out the rest of his catalog.

Classic emo stuff, found this one after getting into Bright Eyes. Big Feels Really Diggin Happiness / The Gondola Man and Can't Make a Sound

Felt like it was an experimental album. Did not enjoy the vocalist, sounded like he was mumbling half the time. I did enjoy the piano that was featured in a couple of the songs.

Not my cuppa tea.

If you look up “Pretty Good” in the dictionary, this album comes up.

I enjoyed listening to him. I feel like he has great taste that brings out a unique yet classic sound.

I was very much into roman candle and later either/or when they came out. I loved them but could only take so much - they hit a place that was uncomfortable. I did not stick around for Figure 8 but not for lack of liking his music and admiring his guitar skills. Mainly because, well, if i wanted to go to where elliott smith could take me, i rode what i was already familiar with. Anyway, great listen! I will be stingy with my 5 stars on here, but this is pretty close.

I was grateful for this album. I've never heard one of Smith's records all the way through. Only random songs here and there. I always liked what I heard, though. I understand this is one of his more rocking affairs. It brought to mind early Fiona Apple at times. I didn't have a problem with his hushed, "almost whiny" (according to somebody's review) delivery, either. I actually prefer this male singing style to cocky belting. I'm definitely going to play this again an will check out his other albums as well.

A very important album and artist for me. It can drag a little in spots but overall I think it’s a classic early 00’s Indie LP. 👍

I didn’t hate this album it was easy to listen too but also I was listening while doing some work I don’t think I would sit down and intentionally listen to it .

I completely understand why Elliott Smith has had such an impact on so many music fans, he definitely has a haunting quality to his songs and music. This album actually rocks more than some of his records, and I think it’s pretty solid. That said, I am not a huge fan of this album or really most of his albums. I think my favorite is Either/Or but overall he never really does a whole lot for me.. his voice has also been kinda a deal breaker for me, too restrained and purposefully hushed, almost whiny at times

4.5 - not much to say other than a great album, but not quite to the level of his best.

A good album for a specific mood

Meh, not my thing.

I've never listened to this album (6). Too indiecore for my taste but well done, great melodies.

очень приятный, легкий несколько песен точно скачаю

His songwriting is very simple, direct but effective. Most of the songs sound the same but somehow I was not bored. I do think 16 songs were too much, he could have made a better shorter album, but I liked the album and it was easy to listen to it.

This sounds nice and the instrumentation is perfectly suited to the material. Very professional. No solo's so I'm thinking session artists rather than a regular backing band. This feels like more of a slow burn than an immediate-grab record. The hooks aren’t obvious; they may reveal themselves after a few listens. The vocals are restrained, and this imposes itself on the arrangements. That one word, restrained, really sums up the album. Like Paul McCartney and XTC in their most introspective works. No anger, no fire, just quiet introspection on personal self doubt, regret and fleeting moments of hope. Very nice but not for me.

OK, not really interesting

It just didn't click for me. Found it fairly boring tbh.

I didn’t mind the album. It’s chill, it’s a vibe. I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the shifted, overdubbed vocals. But I appreciate the song writing

Was just ok

I knew the name but hadn’t really listened much. Now I’ve realized I really like “L.A.”.

Nice album by the late Elliott Smith where he takes his raw indie folk (a bit like Nick Drake) into the fuller production sound of a Beatles or Beach Boys, such was his like of that era. Good songwriter and this album definitely worth a listen as I hadn't heard it all before.

What a great discovery, enjoyed it!

Poza Everything Means Nothing To Me nuda

More range and variety than I expected from someone known for general sad boy vibes. Moderately liked it, even if later i forget what it sounded like for the most part. A 3.5 for me- perfectly nice, did not make a major impact

Hit or miss on the songs off the album. The hits were Son of Sam and L.A. the misses which I didn’t take note of reminded me of some off Broadway musical score.

A little too depressing…? Not my cup of tea but I don’t hate it

this guy + album would have been a problem for me if i had been aware of them a decade+ ago. extremely perfect for looking out the rainy bus window from 2010-2012 imo. liked: la, pretty mary kay

His most upbeat album???

My least favourite Elliott Smith album. But it's still an Elliott Smith album.

some nice songs i liked somebofy i used to know

Super solid songs throughout, very easy to listen to. Has potential to be a 10 but gotta give it more listens

Solid. Probably a 3, but kind of all tracks sound the same. Like Beatles x Simon and Garfunkel. Goes towards 2.

I definitely would have gone craaaazy for this album if I'd heard it for the first time in 2000, which is not to say I'm not loving it now, I just know my 9 year old self would have been foaming at the mouth for this sound Ultimately a very beautiful album and by the end of it Bye had me weeping at my desk

Not sure I love this one. 2 Stars

He's so sad

Best Song: L.A. Learning a little bit about his history, I was expecting this to be Pink Floyd's The Final Cut with a bit of Trent Reznor's Pretty Hate Machine, but it wasn't nearly as depressing as I expected. I had never heard of him before and enjoyed this. I am not 100% sure I would listen to it too often but there is a much better chance than a lot on this list. 4/5.

Elliott Smith has crossed my radar here and there over the years. I love that clip that pops up on social media from time to time where he's playing on "Clementine" on some goofy ass morning zoo radio show and everyone, even the puppets, is dead silent, rapt by his obvious talent. That said, his whole thing is not my whole thing, really. Thin-voiced sadboy acoustic stuff doesn't quite connect with me a lot of the time unless you're Nick Drake. Well, okay, and maybe Elliott Smith, too. He had a strange way of singing, and an unusual sense of melody, but both are pretty captivating, delicate, and beautiful. There are some cool chord progressions going on in there, too. Reminded me of the Beatles from time to time. Then there were some songs with cool ass guitar playing and some great instrumental bits altogether. I much preferred the stuff drums and a full band, and found some the slower acoustic stuff relatively forgettable, but I only gave those one listen. I'm open to more.

For an album with 16 songs, I don’t really have a whole lot to say about it I liked it. I didn’t think it was anything amazing but there was definitely some good tracks scattered throughout (my favorite being Son of Sam) The first half was also better than the second half and maybe could’ve benefitted from reducing the tracklist by a couple of songs A solid album Favorites: None Honorable Mentions: Son of Sam, In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)/The Roost

Kinda interesting… kinda sad and depressing. Overall, it’s a decent record

A poor man's Coldplay. Typical of the sad boy guitar of the era with no excitement. Yawn.

Liked it, but a bit dour in places unfortunately

The musical equivalent of Zack Braff. Very vanilla

It was just ok and incredibly forgettable. Highlights: Everything Means Nothing to Me

A decent album, and I enjoyed listening to it, but I wouldn’t reach for it again Fav songs: Son of Sam, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud

This is a beautifully pleasant listening, with so many sounds and sad songs, but all made with, again, a beautiful touch, so delicate and great. Not all the songs where great for me, some felt less interesting and good than others. But, overall, the album is greatly done, so I won't give it five stars, because I would be too generous, but four are fair enough for a solid record as this one, which is really delightful.

Acoustic Beatles. Not memorable.

Bubbling with ideas. Hard to listen to Elliott Smith without knowing what is to come. All of his lyrics and his tunes have a sense of foreboding. That said this is an excellent album. Son of sam and everything reminds me of her are particular standouts. Can get a little samey in parts however.

Okay, I immediately felt something as soon as I heard Son of Sam. Vibing through the rest of the album right now. Giving me a trippy and nostalgic feel like 90s indie pop from a tortured soul. Solid 4 out of 5.

Its Elliott Smith man

Nearly 3 star. Might listen again

Catchy. I can’t really parse the lyrics with my APD but this was favorited

Album No. 0007 on my list (too bad that it’s not No. 0008). Anyway, I was vaguely aware of Elliott Smith’s existence before, and that was all. So this was really a “fresh” listen to me. And I gotta say - it’s really great! This is the perfect indie pop rock album. Cool, fun and melancholy at the same time, artsy, witty, interesting. Some songs stood out for me in their greatness (Stupidity Tries, Easy Way Out, Colorbars), but there is not a single bad or even mediocre song on this album. It’s too bad that Elliott Smith has not been with us for over 20 years; I would have loved to discover more contemporary work of him. Anyway, this is an incredible album, and I’m glad I’ve discovered it through the 1001 album generator. This - plus more Elliott Smith - will certainly become part of my heavy rotation. What a great album- 5/5 stars! (My first 5 star rating here)

I had never heard this album, nor had I really listened to Elliott Smith before. I put it on and did some housework. The guitar on the album was the first thing that jumped out to me. It had that jangle sound I quite liked. The lyrics also seemed thoughtful and his voice didn't grate on me the way some singers on this list have so far. 'Somebody That I used to Know' was a good example of this. And as the album went on, I found myself finding it pleasant. But, really, 'pleasant' is the only word I could find for it. When the album finished, nothing stuck with me. To be fair, perhaps I was focusing on the aforementioned housework... However, one album a day, I can't linger on relistens... Still, 4 stars. Perhaps I'll give it another listen in the future.

This album takes you to the mid 90s, where a man nearing his 30th birthday has been through some heartbreak, and carries the emotional scars to prove it. He puts on a happy face to the outside world, while repressing his own sadness. Outwardly, he is functional; he goes to work, spends time with friends, and makes upbeat conversation. But at the end of the day, the man ends up sitting alone at home, drinking straight whiskey while replaying past choices, regrets, and missed chances over and over in his head.

Not bad. Not bad. I get it. But its not exactly essential listening.

Great album. Not my favorite Elliott Smith but listening again after not hearing it in so long I definitely enjoy it a lot more than I remember

Pretty but so slow

Pretty good 7/10

Less personal than Either/Or, however his songwriting doesn't miss and the increased budget and production serve the album well. Started to drag in the second half but some of the later songs were still good, it just got a little bloated.

Really strong album across the board. Only real criticisms are lacking one or two real dynamite songs to push the album over the edge, and a certain bloatedness that becomes apparent towards the end. 2 or 3 songs could be dropped and we’d likely have a 5*. Great album nonetheless. Son of Sam (8/10) Somebody That I Used to Know (7/10) Junk Bond Trader (9/10) Everything Reminds Me of Her (8/10) Everything Means Nothing to Me (8/10) L.A. (9/10) In the Lost and Found (7/10) Stupidity Tries (8/10) Easy Way Out (8/10) Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud (8/10) Colorbars (8/10) Happiness/The Gondola Man (8/10) Pretty Mary Kay (7/10) Better Be Quiet Now (7/10) Can’t Make a Sound (9/10) Bye (8/10) 7.9/10

Love this album

Second Elliott Smith album I've gotten and same reaction. I want to like his music, he's clearly talented but it's so f'ing boring. Every song is the same thing. By about the fifth or sixth song even he seems bored of it.

It is by no means bad, but the melancholy gets really boring really quick.

Really boring, his voice adds nothing and I'd say pretty generic?

Good mix of gutair and piano Chill shower music

It feels a bit Beatles like, some of the tracks are really wonderful. His singing I find very warm and fragile.

These are perfectly fine songs but they sound like they fit on an indie romcom soundtrack from the early 00's more than anything else

His story is tragic but I’m struggling to listen to the whole album.

It really isn't all hype; dude had a special talent. Tragic, emotional, raw, beautiful. If you're in the right mood, this is the right music.

This was pretty cool. I enjoyed my listen.

Not unpleasant, but boring AF.

I liked this album. Some duds - everything means nothing to me & in the lost and found. Both of which I thought were quite unsettling. 3/5

Melodic and somehow both breezy and sometimes plaintive.

Conoces a alguien, buena onda pero tiene algo que te molesta, te dices, filo si es una cosa super chiquitita, démosle; y nop. Me encantó la producción, las melodías a ratos me hicieron pensar que estaba escuchando algo bien influenciado en The Beatles, PERO tenía algo en su voz, o en la forma en la que procesaron su voz para el disco en algunas canciones que me hacía sentir como si estuvieran arañando una pizarra. "Everything means nothing to me" me recordó demasiado a otra cosa, pero no sé qué. Amé el uso de una melodía no tan convencional, pero no pude superar la voz. De no ser por eso sería un 5 de todas formas.

all my love for elliot smith always........... somebody that i used to know is regularly just randomly playing in my head out of nowhere

Good stuff, not my bag but enjoyable. I like that he can play just about every instrument to execute his vision.

Depressing but not in a bad way. Enjoyable but not memorable

Elliott Smith seemed to have both channeled and modernized the spirit of Nick Drake for a near perfect meloncholy indie rock performance. What surprised me the most about this album is just how optimistic is feels compared to Smith's reputation, legacy and tragic death. As the final album releases in his lifetime, I did expect something quite a bit darker. Which isn't to say that it's a particularly lighthearted album. Lyrics about a serial killer will certainly take you down a bit. But "Figure 8" to me really sounds like the product of a songwriter using his art to manage his depression, which beautiful results. Surely, his work must have similarly touched many fans who also struggled with mental health. The music will stay with you when you listen to this album and you may want some time to stay in that melancholy state before putting on anything much more lively. But sometimes you need that. Although the circumstances around his death remain mysterious, there's little question that he was a tortured artist in his life. The world lost Elliott Smith far too young, but he certainly left us with some incredible music that has the power to heal and to calm. Best listened to alone in a quiet room.

Meh. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't tickling my music itch. Must hear before I die? Probably not. 3 stars for the nice harmonies and what not. At least it wasn't some prog rock garbage full of noises and sounds.

Definitely some nice tunes on here. A very soothing sound for such darkly themed songs.

That sure is a sadboi in Portland

I never heard of this artist but enjoyed listening to this album. He has a smooth easy listening voice on these songs which are engineered nicely. His 5th well produced album and definitely worth exploring his earlier catalog and posthumously released material.

If I had known about Elliott Smith's music in the 9th grade... whewwwww buddy, I would've lost my shit. Unfortunately, I haven't been in the 9th grade for awhile. That being said in terms of sad boy soulful white kid music this is pretty good, and I wouldn't be doing my younger self justice if I didn't acknowledge that.

While this album certainly is well executed in terms of music and production,it never seemed to get past sounding like a guy who made a Beatles record.

Tedious, dreary, boring

I listened to the album multiple times, I can tell you absolutely nothing about it now. Really forgettable

Oh my gosh this is such a college memory. Still makes me have all the feels. So good.

Sad lyrics paired with surprisingly up beat music considering the lyrical content. This is a great Elliot Smith album. Loved to find that he was on the list.

gut gespielt, manchmal etwas eintönig.

Mir etwas zu ruhig.

Hasta ahora solo había escuchado los primeros álbumes de Elliott Smith. Esperaba algo parecido, pero la verdad es que este álbum ha sido una sorpresa: tiene una instrumentación mucho más rica, con cuerdas, acordeón, y sobre todo, un piano muy protagonista. En general, las composiciones son más complejas y animadas, y en ocasiones se puede intuir la influencia de los Beatles, sobre todo hacia la segunda mitad del álbum. Pero, tratándose de un álbum de Elliott Smith, hay que enfocarse en las letras. Y en este aspecto sí que poco ha cambiado. Su trasfondo sigue siendo melancólico, de mucha inseguridad, casi depresivo, lo que choca frontalmente con esa instrumentación tan colorida. Un aspecto que me ha gustado mucho es cómo la composición de muchos temas cambia repentinamente hacia el final de la canción, lo que refuerza la temática de inestabilidad personal. Y a esto hay que sumarle que este fue su último álbum antes de (supuestamente) suicidarse. Poesía desesperada con unos muy buenos acompañamientos musicales que merece buena nota. Sin embargo, me quedo con el sonido más tradicional e íntimo de sus primeros álbumes.

He wears his influences and shows who he would influence very clearly in this record, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Didn't hate it but in no rush for a second listen.

just okay

Decent, but nothing really stuck out as remarkable

An album I'm familiar with, though I haven't listened through since college probably. I forgot how fun and almost upbeat the album is, in contrast to what I normally think of in terms of Elliott Smith. Son of Sam is a perfect power pop song, and one of my favorite songs in general. Junk Bond Trader sounds like an old west showdown. The drums and strings kicking in in Everything Means Nothing to Me made my heart flutter. After listening through again, I think I like every song.

I don’t know why I’ve never heard this before. It’s wonderful.

I believe I've listened to part of this album many years ago after learning about Smith through a friend. This album is not Smiths best work which I believe is XO. Smith is an artist that meets many of my requirements as a great artist: he has a great voice, makes attempts to vary how his music sounds, and is an excellent writer. Maybe I am judging him too harshly but this album doesn't live up to his best work because in my opinion he doesn't do enough to meet my aforesaid requirements. This album does get better towards the middle but it's too late to overcome the overall blandness. Every song to that point sounds the same either in how he sings, subject matter, or musical.style.

Surprisingly liked this more than expected

I love the vibe and the instruments throughout. I totally want it to be a country album. It definitely belongs in the early 2000s indie time capsule.

I've never really listened to Elliot Smith. This is pretty good stuff.

Elliott Smith on paper is an artist I should totally love. But I don’t. Weird

Not my cuppa tea. 2*

Ok, if a bit forgettable.

Bit whiney and average, I dont feel richer for the experience

It was very good musically and songwriting-wise, but just took a lot of effort for me to get through. Felt a bit dreary and whiney. I think this would have resonated with me more at the time of release, but now, it just felt somber and dated. Unfortunate, as the album is good sonically.

The music and the singing in this is simply beautiful from front to back. His voice sounds so vulnerable - perhaps that is because I know his ultimate fate, but it definitely makes everything feel much heavier. The music is very well put together, yet feels so soft and fragile at the same time. This is as good as it gets with indie pop as far as I’m concerned.

Not my jive.

I really, really enjoyed this album. My taste leans towards the more upbeat songs, but this is excellent overall.

I was surprised at how much I liked it.

Listenable, sad story though

**an ok album, but boring, most tracks sound alike. No RAP, or hard rock, but very slow

This is my perfered genre and reminds me of college so it has that nostolga factor that probably makes me like it more than I might otherwise. I do like XO and EIther/Or more than this album though. Favorite Track: Son of Sam 4

I need to spend more time with E. Smith. I enjoy his melancholy sound and have followed him on Spotify to revisit and learn more by him.

Like it, nice mix of melodies and rhythms. Good vibe

Although it's not one of my favorite Elliott Smith albums, it still is a top record for anyone else. He's my favorite singer songwriter ever and this is a very strong showing. 8/10

Deep lyrics and cool songs that linger for some time, but it feels complete.

Unknown artist for me but very listenable. Good album.

i don’t know why it’s taken me so long to listen to a full elliott smith album but i absolutely loved this! it is a bit too long for my personal comfort but i enjoyed this a lot still. there’s a lot of bangers and a lot of wonderful acoustic tunes. such beautiful, effortless sounding melodies and vocal lines. love the way it all sounds too. brilliant. 4.5/5

Not really sure how I feel about it… the album was more rock than the last Elliott Smith album I felt. Lyrics are very depressing and he’s so soft spoken it’s hard to understand them at times. Probably won’t seek out again. The opening track Son of Sam was my favorite.

Overall a nice album but there were not a lot of standout songs. Really nice voice backed by what sounds like a lot of sadness. Worth the listen and will probably give it another go sometime.

I haven't heard wether by Elliott Smith or the album Figure 8 before. I liked the album a lot. I'd like to listen to it again. 4/5

I completely understand why he was beloved in the indie scene and continues to attract new fans, I can't help but feel like I missed the bus on Elliot Smith. His brand of sad and confessional chamber pop falls flat. However, the production on this record is great, especially when the drums and spaciousness of "Everything Means Nothing to Me". Overall, unimpressive, and I do not like his voice.

I can understand that an artist that wrote Either/Or and XO would eventually run out of ideas, on this album he does. It’s the same whispery vocals and wrist cutting lyrics but it seems to be seems sort of bland and repetitive.