Figure 8

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

take it or leave it

This is my first listen of this particular album from start to finish, but I used to listen to Elliott Smith a lot with a friend of mine in college, so I probably heard several of these tracks. I like Elliott Smith a lot, but most of his songs do sound the same to me. I added the following songs to my liked list: Junk Bond Trader, Easy Way Out, Can’t Make a Sound. Those are just the ones I vibed the most with on this listen, but it could be others next time.

My relationship to the discography of one Steven Paul Smith, also known as Elliott Smith, has been long. I was introduced to him at age 11, with his song “Waltz #1,” and I’ve come to know his music as synonymous with the sensitive, depressed indie boy style of many a man I know. Like these men, some of Smith’s albums are pathetic, and some of them are awesome. An example of his more pathetic side is his celebrated self-titled, which has maybe one good song and a bunch more that are known as good but in fact are not. An example of his awesome side is what is oft-touted as his magnum opus, 1997’s Either/Or, which is full of urban, melancholy songs, with some of the most iconic moments in his catelogue. This album… is pretty good. 2000’s Figure 8 is held with equal reverence to the aforementioned albums as one of Smith’s greatest works, some sort of titan of indie. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not too much worse or better than any of his stuff, and if you look closely at any of his albums you’ll find plenty of great songs (on here the most obviously good is “Somebody That I Used To Know,” which has some of the best lyrics of any of his songs), but generally his catelogue is fretfully overrated. “Son of Sam” is pleasant, “Junk Bond Trader” is incredibly unimpressive, as is almost every other song here up until “In The Lost And Found,” which is super pleasant and well-written. The best part of Smith’s work is the comforting depression of urban life, living in a big city and doing big city things and feeling awful. It really works less than you’d think, but “Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud” achieves it easily. So do “Color Bars” and “Easy Way Out,” with the whole subtle accusation thing that Smith is so deeply proficient at. I believe it picks up a bit in the second half, with some actually really interesting songs, but it’s really not enough to save how boring parts of this album are. Pleasant though. I guess. 5.8/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: I guess. REASON: I mean it’s good sometimes. It’s better than XO and self-titled.

Not BAD music, easy listening. Some interesting songwriting elements that stood out. But not something I think I would reach for to listen to again. Perhaps another album of his.

Hadn’t heard of him before. Liked the vibe.

A first for me which took a while to get going, but when it did, an enjoyable collection of songs with a sad lyrical narrative. I'll listen to more Elliott Smith.

Elliott Smith – Figure 8 (2000) On Day 274, this record proved to be the kind of project that requires a very specific mood to truly hit. It is certainly a well-crafted, respectable piece of work with rich melodic layers and intricate arrangements, but it isn't an album you can simply throw on at any time. It has to catch you in the right contemplative headspace for its emotional weight and delicate songwriting to fully gel. Because of that undeniable atmospheric barrier, it lands as a decent listen for now, though one I have saved to revisit when the right mood strikes. A measured 3/5.

Just fine, some songs caught my attention but not enough to give me pause.

I hadn’t listened to Elliott Smith in years. I knew a couple of the tracks, but don’t recall ever hearing this album before. I enjoyed it. I forgot how much I enjoy his voice. A good listen, if not my favorite of his albums. 3.5/5

3.5-/5

This guy was a one man emo band without the screaming and heavy guitars, gotta say its pretty impressive.

Day 405 Liked this more than the last Elliott Smith album I had, definitely went in a little long though. Some good stuff by the dead cunt though Highlight Everything reminds me of her Wouldn’t mama be proud

A few nice songs, but too many anonymous tracks that just float by. The stretch after track 10 until the end is not the best

Nothing bad, but nothing that really stands out either. Very middle of the road, feeling sensitive, singer-songwriter.

A bit soft for me but not bad...

Nice melodies. Quite soft sounding but the arrangements keep it interesting.

i like some elliott smith songs but i prefer the more acoustic ones. overall this album doesn't do too much for me.

I want to like Smith more than I do. His style is very much in my ballpark but ... it just doesn't quite work for me. The breathy vocals make it had to discern the tragedy in the lyrics, and his midway arrangements between folk and rock have neither the beauty of the former nor the energy of the latter.

Easy listening

Never head of Elliott Smith before but damn he is cool. Also, DAMN you can tell he was depressed during this album. Sad vibes throughout but thats a good things sometimes, maybe not when ur going through a break up tho 😬 L.A probs my favourite from the Album

It was OK. Not someone I'd heard before, but quite good. I think I've forgotten all the songs already, but it had me bopping at the time.

The multi-tracked vocals make it sound like 70s folk, and I remember the style from him doing the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. Very melancholic, and a bit like Nick Drake. But gets a bit samey and downbeat if you listen to too much - which, at 16 songs, this unfortunately is.

I think I could get into this with a few more listens but the melancholy tone stops me warming to it immediately.

Bara næs, en ekki eftirminnilegt.

To say this is my least favorite Elliott Smith album released during his lifetime is to say how good all his other albums are.

Listed as folk punk, it sounds more like jangle pop to me. Pleasant enough, but a little bit low energy for my liking

Kind of frustrating how much better this could have been if the cord progressions were as good as Can't Make A Sound

I think Smith is a great singer and the writing is really good, but this melancholy-type stuff usually just doesn't hit for me. Son of Same was definitely the peak right at the start. I'd come back for that and I think I can go with a 3 out of respect but otherwise this is a 1-and-done for me.

Favorite Song: Can’t Make A Sound Least Favorite: Everything Reminds Me Of Her

ok

Meh

💿💉🧢☔️💊

i listened to this in anticipation but i can't say it lived up to the hype. definitely millennial time lapse music Would I listen again: no Deserves to be on this list: nope 2.5

**3/5** – I had listened to *Figure 8* years ago and remembered really liking it. I also remembered revisiting an Elliott Smith album later and finding it boring, but after hearing this again, it definitely wasn't this one. The first half is really strong. There's a lot more going on musically than I remembered, with full-band arrangements, piano, guitars and a melodic pop-rock sound that at times reminded me of Ben Folds. **“Son of Sam”** immediately pulled me in, and **“Junk Bond Trader”** was probably my favorite track. The biggest problem is simply that there's too much of it. **16 songs is a lot for me**, and somewhere in the second half I started feeling the length. There aren't necessarily a bunch of bad songs—I just think this would've been a much stronger album if about five tracks had been cut. **“Everything Reminds Me of Her”** would be one of my first choices to go. Still, I definitely like *Figure 8*. There's probably a great 10–12 song album hiding inside this very good 16-song one. **3 stars.**

Decent

I thought this was going to be sad, but I could not identify any sad.

This was a lot better than I expected. I thought it was going to be super, super sad Elliott and this had some energy. Bigger sounds, more instruments, electricity, and all that. Something about him just sounds like growing up.

It was a good album, I feel slightly bad about giving it a 3. It's just for my own personal taste it goes in the middle. Stylistically reminds me of Eels.

elliott smith is in that small grouping of artists i like, but will never listen to without a reason. it was nice revisiting this, but you have to wonder if this hasn't just aged quite badly.

Elliott Smith’s music is beautiful, especially his guitar work. He was a greatly talented musician and song-writer. His voice isn’t strong enough to complement that IMO, relying on double-tracking for ballast. And it’s hard, after his suicide just three years later, to listen to these morose songs that chronicle his depression and alienation. I wonder how often we turn a blind eye to the pain artists are clearly communicating.

Felt a little emo

Sure

The album was fine? Nothing I hated, nothing I loved. Firmly in the middle, no takeaways or standouts for me. The album, to me, sounded older than it was? I was not expecting a 2000 release given how this sounded.

I liked this decently, but I have a feeling I'd like his other albums more. Now that I know more of his sound, I hear the influence in so much of the music I like.

This didn't go chilled enough to be a great mellow album and wasn't dynamic enough otherwise.

Figure 8 is the most different sounding of Elliott Smith's five complete studio albums. On his first major label effort XO you could hear him benefit from a more expansive (/expensive) production and broader instrumental pallet. On Figure 8 he continues down this path but where the writing on XO was pretty much unchanged, the follow up is a big departure at points sounding far removed from a guy with a steel string guitar muttering into a microphone. In my opinion there is too much going on and while there are some great songs (some of his best!) across the opening tracks, it runs out of steam at about the halfway point. There is not the abundance of indie folk anthems that typified his previous three albums. At 52 minutes it's also easily his longest LP so the material feels stretched extra thin. Of course, this is not quite his last release as we have some archival material, but it’s a shame he didn't quite stick the landing with this final full album. Somebody That I Used To Know; Everything Reminds Me Of Her and Everything Means Nothing To Me are out and out classics though that no Elliott Smith playlist could do without and prove that he was an artist with plenty more fuel in the tank that should have had many more years in him.

2000 Indie pop rock, chamber pop (pop rock orquestal con voz chill/susurrada) No mi rollo de música pero la instrumentación es curiosa y se nota que es un álbum importante del género.

Not really my thing but it was okay.

The second album in this list of Elliott Smith and again I enjoyed listen to his music, not really outstanding but nice nonetheless

This was a tough one - there are a few genuinely beautiful songs on this album and Elliott Smith's influence in the indie genre is undeniable - but much of the content feels draining. Like an energy vampire in musical form.

I really liked this. Super easy listening.

This reminds me of the time when Nora Jones-esque music was popular in cafes. It brought me the same type of vibes. Nice to have in the background, but not my kind of music. I would personally give this a 3.5.

Very gentle album that allows the more powerful second half to punch through

If the Beach Boys were just one depressed nihilist.

pretty nice

I don’t mind Elliot Smith. But I’m not in love with him either. Maybe that’s the thing that bugs me about him: he’s fine, but I don’t really get why some people reeaallly LOVE him. Like, I get that we all like different things, but this is one of those cases where I don’t understand how rabid some folks get over Elliot Smith. He’s written a couple of pretty solid songs, none of which are on this record, but—at least for me—he hasn’t written a record that justifies his cult status. What I think has happened is that people came to Elliot Smith because of his untimely death. His “tortured poet” story is pretty compelling…but it doesn’t retroactively make his body of work brilliant, at least not for me. This record is decent, but not great. 7/10

I would have preferred if it was Josh Pike, as I found this a bit bland.

A very melancholic sound throughout the album. Not to my personal taste, but I can't take away from the fact that Elliott Smith is a very talented singer. I appreciate the album for what it aimed to achieve and express, just not the sound for me.

Não muda tanto assim do Either/Or, que apesar de ser o mais famoso do artista, é bem mais melancólico e consequentemente, pra mim, mais fraco. Figure 8 tem algumas músicas mais animadas, é um disco mais clean eu diria. Ele é um ótimo músico, naquilo que se propõe a fazer, não da pra negar. Mesmo não sendo a minha vibe, eu reconheço seu valor. Um bom play, nada além disso, mas também nada descartável.

It’s a nice album and better than the previous Smith one. Son of Sam and Can’t Make A Sound were highlights of the album for me. But I just can’t quite build myself to really enjoy it, it’s just not the vibe for me but all in all a decent record.

Good, fine, nothing to get excited about.

I've never liked Elliott Smith much, not that I exactly dislike him. He just leaves me cold. His music has a lot in common with other music I like. There's something flat and unexpressive about his airy singing that almost prevents me from hearing him at all. As human beings our brains zero in on human voices so automatically it can be hard to tune them out when we want to concentrate on something else. For me at least Elliott Smith is the opposite: his voice is like the hum of tires on the road, a drone that is hard to pick out unless you really focus your attention on it. When I do, I can tell that he sings specific notes, with some dynamics and inflections, and occasionally variation in timbre but the overall effect is still flat. After hearing a few songs from Songs: Ohia over the last few years, I listened to Axxess & Ace straight through earlier this week. His voice is fairly plain and he doesn't do anything fancy with it, and he doesn't do the common vocal emotes that signal "I'm so sad" or "I'm bitter and angry" but the emotional immediacy is almost overwhelming. Smith has been compared to Nick Drake, but if Nick Drake was making soft noises to a squirrel in the middle of the night six houses down, I would wake up from a dead sleep to go see what the entrancing noise was. The music on this album is varied and well-crafted, but like his singing it lacks any sense of immediacy, presence, urgency, or strong emotion. I wasn't surprised to see that he played almost everything himself. While most albums aren't recorded live in the studio nowadays, there is something about playing off other people, even asynchronously, that gives a spark to a musician's performance. I noticed on Spotify that none of the top 10 most popular songs are from this album. I listened to a few and I noticed that some had simpler arrangements but with more complex fingerpicked guitar and often a bit more immediacy overall. Maybe the Beatles-esque baroque indie pop sound of this album is a critical favorite but not necessarily a fan favorite? I think the reviewer from Trouser Press had a similar reaction, describing it as "a record that feels very different from its predecessors.... brisk and busy, up front and confident, upbeat. While nothing here fails the consistent artistry of his work, neither does any of it make the direct connection to a soul and heart." Obviously some people get something more from this than I do. To some he's like a romantic poet, and I don't think it's simply how he dressed and how he died. I guess it is because they connected to the lyrics first and that prepares them to respond to the music? Anyway.... I've listened to this album three times today. The more I listened, the more I appreciated the music (but not his voice). I'm going to give it 3 stars even though in terms of my personal enjoyment it's probably closer to 2 stars. Also, the little Nutcracker bit at the end softened me up.

Elliot is clearly talented, and he was clearly troubled when making this album. Originally i thought it was going to be an album with more upbeat music and sadder lyrics, but it has morphed into relatively subdued music and sad lyrics. Very emo in that sense.

Perfectly middle of the road album. Musically and lyrically it’s ok, but the vocals are not for me. They seemed to lack any sort of feeling and energy. One time through was enough for me.

I got this album on Friday. On Monday I don't remember anything except like the music in the opening track. One review on Wikipedia stated the lyrics were like a teenagers diary, unfiltered and dramatic. It didn't leave any impression on me

Singer-Songwriter/Indie Pop Favorite Songs: Son of Sam, Junk Bond Trailer, L.A., Stupidity Tries, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud Least Favorite Song: *Didn’t Record* So, this wasn’t the first Elliott Snith album that I’ve listened to, and that’s due to how I’ve first listened to Either/Or. Truth be told, I didn’t get that record. I might have to make a bunch of relistens in order to fully get behind the tracks on the album, but I don’t really see the appeal of it all just yet. So when I got to this album, while this might be more of me feeling like I might not fully understand the artist so far, this album seems a bit more appealing to me, and the worst part is I can’t articulate what it is that makes me draw more onto this album instead of Either/Or. Items something where I have to probably do a bit more research on in order to fully understand the artist in this case. 7/10, but I’m rating it 3 stars instead of the usual 4 that I do.

Like it 3/5

Je n'ai rien à dire sur cet album. Ce n'était pas nul du tout, au contraire, mais ça ne m'a pas non plus parlé.

So, he has some great sound, it's just not my style of music. I feel. Like he would actual be really good in a rock band.

I discovered XO upon its release and thought it was fantastic. Then I went and saw Elliott Smith play live (Trocadero) and he was, I'm sorry to say, simply awful. It put his work in a different light, and while I admire the studio craft and his sad patina of hopelessness, it wears on me and I find I don't enjoy it beyond a song or two. This album is a shadow of XO. It sounds almost identical (if memory serves) and is simply not as strong a set of songs. I was considering a 2-star, though that seems unnecessarily harsh. This is a 3 I don't intend to revisit.

It's possible I was just too busy to really sink my teeth into this one, but although I enjoyed the sounds, I struggled to grab hold of anything. A song would come and go, and there'd be nothing left for me to think about.

Good indie vibes… but didn’t stand out. 3.0

YUHHHH 1st song: OKAY WE'RE STARTING STRONGGGG (soooo 2000s) 2nd: i thought it was a different somebody that I used to know (it was cute tho) 3rd: BETTER SELL IT WHILE U CAAAAAN 4th: i liked the guitar 5th: everything reminds him of her ig 6th: MKAYYYYY Okay I lost count but I definitely would give it a relisten

Dude the first half of this album is actually quite good!

Sad! In all seriousness he’s a good writer but it’s a bit much at times

This is a great album if you're feeling deeply melancholic.

A bit sad

good for slow type as per my view. i liked 3-4 songs

Suena bien, pero no es la gran cosa.

I dig! Songs kinda ran together a little bit, shall have to spend more time. Definitely enjoy the bigger production value over the more spare acoustic strumminess of his songs I've heard before. Oh "Happiness." So fickle and elusive. Better keep seeking.

The album wasn't nearly as depressing as I expected based on Elliott Smith's Wikipedia page and the reviews I'd read beforehand. Son of Sam ended up being one of my favorite tracks—there's something about its opening riff that completely mesmerizes me. It reminded me a little of Oasis, with a touch of Jeff Buckley, and just like Buckley, Smith's death feels like a tremendous loss to the world of music. Figure 8 was a wonderful discovery. The heartfelt lyrics, combined with its beautiful instrumentation, made for a surprisingly warm and memorable listening experience.

Some of it was boppy but some of it was a little too sad. I think the end of the album sort of just fizzled out.

sounds like the shins or the decemberists. not bad at all, a little boring but I could enjoy this on a road trip. also what a sad ending for this guy!

A fine last album for Elliott Smith, it's similar to his other work apart from different lyrical themes and isn't particularly stronger than them. Probably foreshadows the inevitable.

early smon and garfunkel with promise for more, sadly not realised

It was fine

I so very nearly loved this one. There's a lot to like, with the opener 'Son Of Sam' holding a lot of promise for the rest. Sadly it never quite took off and I think the reason is that the melodies and hooks just weren't compelling enough to grab me. I was also going to write that I couldn't highlight individual tracks, but I enjoyed 'Colorbars' and 'Happiness/The Gondola Man' towards the end

That looks like a race track in France

Funny one this. I really like the tunes but I could not get on at all with the guys voice, it is nasal and whiny. Shame really

I kind of wish I had listened to this album later in my Elliott Smith journey, but not a bad album by any means. Starts off really strong, but kind of lost me by the end. It always takes me a second to get reacquainted with his vocals too, and I find myself having to consciously overlook my normal dislike of overly breathy vocals. Favorite tracks: Son Of Sam, Junk Bond Trader

어우 듣기 좋아

Liked this better than the previous of his on the list. Still not an absolute love, but a good listen for sure. Im still waiting on the nirvana and sound garden and Pearl Jam picks. 3.5ish

Never listened to an ES record before, and I was pleasantly surprised. Hints of Nilsson throughout. Better than average! 3.5/5

A not-so-short but sweet album.

This one felt a bit repetitive, but I like the cover of Because

Goldisands hotel

Best Track - "Son Of Sam"

I need to listen to more of Elliott. Great songs. I really only know Needle In The Hay so was good to hear more.

I wanted to like this but I just found it a jarring. I think Elliot’s voice fits some songs but not others. Think this is a good album just not for me really.

This was alright, fairly interesting listening. I wasn't completely blown away but I enjoyed it all the same. Never heard of the guy

I like some of the songs

This is not my genre of music, as I have never been a big fan of singer-songwriter stuff, and it has that modern indie production sound that gets forgettable. However, it really isn't that bad, and I can see why someone would enjoy this sound, as with the right perspective, it can be a bit mystical. From a different perspective, this album could certainly feel boring.

it was ok

2,5 +

Distinctly Elliott Smith, but a bit less successful, for me, than both Either/Or and XO. Unusually, felt like things picked up towards the end of the album - really enjoyed some of those last tracks. 3.5*

I cant remember anything about this

Nothing crazy. But it was good. 3.5/5

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

3/6

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

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

5.5/10

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

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

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

Solid

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

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

Nice

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

very good for what it is

Some interesting songs a mix of live and studio pretty eclectic

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

It was good. A nice find

Ikke hans beste, men noen gems.

Best of Album: - Son Of Sam

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

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

Good Background music but with lots of vocals

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

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

In the Lost and Found - Nice piano motif

Not bad. Bit to maudlin for my tastes at times

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

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

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

Ihan ok.

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

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

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

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

Pretty good

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

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

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

Fascinating but also quite depressing. Unlikely to relisten.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This rocks harder than I thought it would

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

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

Pleasantly surprised, not usually my thing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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