Figure 8

what a tender boy

Surprisingly good listen. Not an artist I am familiar with but good vocals, good use of instrumentation. Liked the piano and guitar mix throughout. Maybe a little repetitive listening to the whole album but on the whole quite pleasant.

If I was 20 in the late 90s, I probably would have loved this album. Now it is ok.

Solid harmonies

At first this was a pretty unremarkable album to me and not much stood out. But in the latter half of the record, I noticed a lot more late-era Beatles sound, which was fun to listen to. There were a few instrumental tracks that could've probably been tossed in my opinion, but overall not a bad album. Notable Tracks: - Stupidity Tries - Wouldn't Mama Be Proud - Happiness 5/10

Mid

Good tunes, respect the works, but his limited range singing kind of gets tiring to me.

Not his best.

It was almost nauseating how color-in-the-lines this album was. Every buildup and swell felt very forced. He used the same formula for building drama in at least 7-8 songs (the strings coming in and him repeating his vocals). Reusing this formula is what made the second to last song lose it's impact. All elements considered he has a good voice and the album wasn't garbage, just a little too "safe" and white-bread to be expected on a list like this. 2.7/5 -> 3/5

It doesn't always work when a lo-fi bedroom artist transitions to deploy the full suite of studio tools, but this album really does, marking a big leap in Elliot Smith's music - the songwriting and vocals remain more or less the same - Nick Drakey influenced sad slow songs sung airly with slightly offbeat chord changes and rhtyhmic patterns - but the arrangements are a whole other level: either lush and orchestral chamber pop or harder rocking full band, it combines huge sounds with intimate vocal performances, replacing the lo-fi static fuzz that used to suffocate the singer with arrangements that either lift him up, or bury him in. Lots of good stuff on this, a creative amalgam of lots of 90s indie/alt rock production, I just can't get past not liking his voice at all.

Overall: 6/10 This is my first Elliott Smith album, and on a forst impression I can see what makes him such a special artist for a lot of people. His lyrics are interesting and the songs have catchy poppy melodies. However, on a personal level nothing really stood out to me as being exceptional. Maybe it's a case of needing to hear it in the right setting but for now I think it's a pretty good album that I wanted to love but didn't get much out of. I also think a couple of track could have been removed to make it a smoother listen, cause this is a looooong album. Fav Song: L.A. Least Fav Song: Everything Means Nothing to Me

Not bad. I liked his voice and the music is very 90's, early 00's.

Fine I guess. Not really for me. Kinda liked "Can't Make A Sound" but everything else just blended together.

I like other Elliott Smith albums more than this one, but this one is fine.

It's alright. Nothing super spectacular, but also not terrible.

3/5

started out stronger for me but got a little bored towards the end. liked it more than I thought I would - had never heard him before.

Never got into Elliott Smith that much despite liking similar artists from this time period like Ben Folds, Sloan, Wilco, Ween, Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, etc. This is a solid album with a White Album era Beatles vibe. Lots of subtly interesting chord changes and good arrangements. Varied sounds and instrumentation with Hammond organ, orchestral horns, Mellotron, accordion, ragtime piano, double tracked vocals, and textured guitars. Everything about this is nice and well produced but there is something missing in the songwriting that doesn’t quite elevate it from good to great. Wanted to give it 3.5 / 5.

This is so hard to rate. Parts of it feel like 5 parts of it feel like 2. If someone loved this as a younger person I’d totally get it. It just doesn’t hit with me

Another one of those albums just based on the cover and description, I expected to not like. Much to my surprise it was actually pretty decent. Solid pop melodies and Elliot Smith’s voice was pretty good. I think the album kind of blended together a bit too much to rate it higher than a 3, but it was still enjoyable overall.

Pleasant. Not life changing

Nice listen

Bit of a quick review since I was busy with a few things and missed the time to really flesh anything out for this one. I really liked it initially and definitely enjoy the overall indie vibe that Smith has. Instrumentals are all great and his style of singing won me over by the end. That being said I feel like there is a lot of filler in the middle section of this album that just dragged on for a while. I'm not usually bothered by long/padded out albums but this one particularly felt long to me. Definitely liked the songs that stood out to me and would probably give this a 4 if they had trimmed out maybe 2 or 3 songs. I can definitely see why this would be a 5 for someone though. Highlights: LA, Junk Bond Trader, Better Be Quiet Now, Can't Make A Sound

It wasn't for me.

I liked this album a fuck ton more than more other Elliot Smith stuff I've heard. Which is to say, it was good. I reckon could give this a 1, cause I did notice this is definitely an album you can't zone out to, it demands your attention especially to notice all of its little details and instrumental depth. 7/10 Fav tracks - Son of Sam, Junk Bond Trader, Everything Means Nothing to Me, L.A., Stupidity Tries, Easy Way Out, Wouldn't Mama Be Proud, The Gondola Man, Can't Make A Sound, Bye, Because Least Fav - None really

Didn't really know much about Elliott Smith before I listened to this album but I really enjoyed it. I will be searching and listening to other material by him. Favourite track Son of Sam

It was pleasant, not great.

Enjoyable

I got half way thru and realized I wasnt really noticing the songs changing because they sounded so similar I have up

I love either/or, XO, and Roman Candle. I always skipped over this one, not knowing much about it. I don’t think it holds a candle to the others. I found myself getting bored a lot, like during Junk Bond Trader, yet disoriented during songs like Everything Means Nothing To Me. In the Lost and Found gave me a headache. However, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud is where it picked up for me. I started enjoying the album a lot more. Happiness/The Gondola Man is great. Better Be Quiet Now is classic Eliott Smith. The second half of the album saved me from giving the album a low rating. Bye and Figure 8 take you on a heady journey that almost sounds circus-like, like a dream. I’ll more than likely stick to his earlier work. I almost gave it a 2, but the second half is a 4, so I’ll have to go with a 3.

A decent album but nothing to get excited about so 3 stars or C- for me.

Not having heard of this artist I read some of the reviews already up about it and it sounded promising. Listened to the first few tracks and I agreed mainly with the reviews. Then for whatever reason it just started to sound a bit samey and dare I say it a bit boring. Nothing to not really like but will probably not go back to it.

I used to listen to Elliot Smith all the time but I somehow lost the thread. His music ticks all the right boxes for me but somehow it doesn’t hit me.

Just had it as background while I read up about Elliot Smith (while on the train), poor guy, he obviously had and has a lot of fans… The music was easy enough to listen to, but, like in the first review on this page, needs the right moment

Muy bueno

Some songs seems fun but the overall energy seemed kinda low. Idk nothing stood out too much but there were some fun tracks.

As someone who grew up on a post-punk diet of The Smiths, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen etc. the miserabilism of this record doesn't piss me off the way it seems to do a lot of reviewers. Each song is well played and arranged, and the overall Beatles vibe judgement is not unfair. Not sure at the heart of it there's anything massively original to hear, though it's a very pleasant listen. 3 stars.

I enjoy Smiths vocal style and can definitely be in the mood for early 2000s emo. Probably my favorite non-rock emo. This album was varied and carried my interest but didn't really stand out from his other work I've listened to, though being his final album was basically the most polished and well put together one of those.

Sweet, but ultimately boring. I like other albums he’s done.

High three

Enjoyable but forgettable

I had Either/Or already, however I actually preferred this. Ironically for being an album made after he attempted on his own life, I found this more hopeful to listen to.

Mayhaps need a relisten. Nothing really stood out to me.

I liked it, although my attention wandered in the second half.

eminently listenable. i liked junk bond trader

This was an enjoyable but very inconsistent listen. The first half of the album is packed with a variety show of indie-sounding piano ballads and country jams – and, for the most part, they're all reasonably catchy. The opening trio of Son Of Sam / Somebody That I Used To Know / Junk Bond Trader is arguably a one-two-three punch of great harmonies, instrumentation, and just an overall groovy feel. Everything Means Nothing To Me is one of those tracks that I love for its several distinct sections, featuring a sudden percussive buildup that makes the second half of the song one of the album's highlights. The dramatic shift in tone (even while the melodic hook from the first half continues to repeat) is a fun part of this song. L.A. continues this lineup of very strong tracks – at least, on side 1. Then we get to side 2, and it immediately becomes apparent that Elliott is padding the runtime with melodies that are difficult to follow, instrumental lineups that imitate those of earlier songs, and less interesting singing. (And I wasn't particularly a fan of this guy's voice to begin with.) The three-song run of Easy Way Out / Wouldn't Mama Be Proud / Colorbars is most suspect here; there just wasn't anything particularly standout in any of these. We see a couple of standouts with the catchy Happiness/The Gondola Man and the haunting piano outro Bye, but otherwise, there's not much going for this half. All in all, the two sides balance each other out, and we end up with a standard 3/5 rating. Some other notes: - As I mentioned, Smith's whispery and unvaried vocal is not good. - The lyrics are pretty darn depressing even in the more upbeat tracks. - This album is recontextualised (to an extent) given that it's the last of Smith's albums released during his lifetime. I almost wonder if the drop in quality throughout the album is meant to be a metaphor. 3/5 Key tracks: Son Of Sam, Somebody That I Used To Know, Everything Means Nothing To Me, L.A.

Solid acoustic emo.

Still surprised how many hits are on this album. I think it falla off a bit at the end but overall quality

A profoundly mediocre album which could do a lot worse, and a lot better. It's a good album to cruise to on the highway. Favorite Song: "Stupidity Tries"

Throughout this list there's often an emphasis on finality. It's rare an artist's final statement gestures towards completion unless you're David Bowie and you're making Blackstar, but while Elliott Smith was not a clairvoyant it's hard to at least consider the weight of the lyrics of "Can't Make a Sound" and the final song being a melancholic piano piece called "Bye". All that being said, I'm going to try and have some objective resolve (lol) and acknowledge my bigger problem with the album: I appreciate it trying to straddle the line between early aughts maximalism and intimate folk singer-songwriter presentation, but I don't always think it sticks the landing. It's a shame. I wish we had gotten more from Elliott. In a way, he certainly deserved more.

i expected this to be sad acoustic guitar the whole time, not sure what to think about the end result

Meh- I had a hard time getting through this one for some reason

This is what all the local bands around here sounded like in the 90s. Not bad, but I'm not impressed.

What were all these guys in the 90s so depressed about? Get a grip dudes. Elliot smith is obviously really talented and writes some beautiful melodies that he ruins by being a whiny little bitch. Even with that criticism there are still some good songs on here. It just could have been so much better

It's ok. Not Elliott's best, imo.

Not as good as his other album, but fine. 3.

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

I liked the instrumentals on this record even though most were simple. As far as singer songwriter goes, I found this to be relatively interesting. Unfortunately none of the songs were very memorable.

3☆/5 07.30.2024

Great chilled out music with excellent flow. Never heard of him or this album but it is pretty good. I'm sure that I will be listening to this one again as it has a really nice vibe to it.

Pretty chill 90s music

Really close to a 4 here, just prefer Either/Or and XO a bit more.

I was not familiar with the artist. I really enjoyed this from the start. Very easy to listen to and would listen again. Just not enough real hits for a classic album, nor something I’d have to listen to again. Surprised by this one! Sad story as I read up on it.

Elliott Smith, made famous by the reference to the sadness of his music in Lego Movie 2, with a relatively more upbeat song, named after a serial killer, opening this album. He was the indie rock darling and you can hear both why some loved him and others found him insufferable. The influence on his peers and successors is obvious, he's like a stripped down version of all the alternative indie rock that came out in the late 90s and 2000s. The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Regina Spektor...a million others, you can hear echoes of this. In 2000, he must have been on top of the world and this album is pretty upbeat which would track. Bye is a nice instrumental to end the album but while everything else on the album has that Elliott Smith sound, it does not.

It's OK, but nothing special.

Some interesting pop stuff. But it didn't really get me.

This was good. Second Elliott Smith record in quite short order and I preferred this one

Everything Reminds Me Of Her // Everything Means Nothing To Me // In The Lost And Found // Can’t Make A Sound // 3.5/5

ok

Good, just a bit... bland.

I liked the style and arrangement of some of the songs but it didn’t mesh with the words like the Everything means nothing to me. It sounded great but the lyrics said otherwise

It was okay. I think that instrumentally it sounded good but his voice started to get on my nerves after about 4 songs and it was a 16 song album so that wasn’t great. Otherwise I don’t really see why this is on the list I mean it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t exactly extraordinary either. Totally mid and something I will forget I ever listened to in about 32 hours.

I enjoyed having this on as background music. but that was about it. several tracks blended together. enjoyed the piano & instruments but his vocals didn't grab me. would I ever listen again-probably not

This is my first time listening to this artist and all I can say is... not bad. I've seen people compare him to Nick Drake, and yeah, I get it, but also any Nick Drake album far surpasses this in terms of both creativity and quality. While I did enjoy listening to this album, I didn't find it particularly unique or exceptionally good as far as rock/folk genre goes. I will definitely check out his other stuff, though. 3.5 stars

Pretty slow listening

Found this In the Lost and Found. Bye.

Good background music.

Super indie. And I like the songs in a sad or poignant moment in the movie I'm watching but listening to an entire album from start to finish puts me on suicide watch.

This is the first time I have heard this album or even heard of Elliott. I enjoyed the album, but the style of music is not really my cup of tea.

3/5 - I don’t think this album needed to be made tbh… it’s bland at best

Never heard of this artist. Not bad and may listen to other albums of his.

Hearing influences of Paul Simon and Pink Floyd. Which is a pretty odd combination, but also introduces some interesting output. Still, didn't move me in any significant way.

Indie singer/songwriter who launched 1,000 imitators. Still holds up well, but not a sound I'd go for. 3.5*

Still processing this but it’s growing on me. Has a Shins feel to it. Need to dive into some more Elliott Smith to truly process. Album starts off slow, and wasn’t sure if I liked it but really picked up in the second 1/3.

A pretty solid album with a lot of welcome 60s homage to the sound. That being said there’s something that screams hipster about this album that I can’t put my finger on but it definitely annoyed me. That’s kinda irrational though. Best song: Pretty Mary Kay

another first. good fun. not sure it would get another spin though

First time listening to an entire Elliott Smith album. Pretty good but feel like I will need to listen a few more times to grasp it. RIP

Beautiful but now I’m depressed

Alright

zzzzzzzzladım biraz everything means nothing to me biliodm ztn ve yedi

I didn't get hooked by this album. I think the vocal delivery was the main issue, really. It just felt so airy.

It’s pleasant, nice to listen to. There’s a classic tragic singer songwriter story. But it hasn’t made a strong impression. It’s on a might give it another go in the future list. A bang on 2.5 that’s rounded up.

More depressing Simon & Garfunkel

Pretty nice.

Needs a relisten or two.

clearly inspired but a bit up his own ass

Man, what a tragedy. Elliot Smith could have killed himself BEFORE he made all this shitty music.

So so

Neat indie record. I do not share the craze the scene was making out of it.

It's an alright album. The lyrics are pretty good, and the music itself is just fine. I do think the melodies and get a bit repetitive and his voice starts to grate on me at times though, as it feels a bit too airy and attempting to be 'ethereal' or something.

a lot better than i expected, really enjoyed most of it

Если есть настроение походить по улочкам, погрустить - идеальный вариант

Similar. Good. Not great. Enjoyable, but not essential.

Bro you sad. 3 stars.

This wasn't too bad. It was mild, mellow, and a bit melancholy. But there wasn't anything present here that really elevated it past a 3.

I vibed with this from the beginning but felt the lyrics and songs get a bit samey. Appreciated the clear influence on Ben Folds one of my favourite artists. Particularly enjoyed Wouldn't Mama Be Proud and loved the way he layers his vocals. Will possibly listen again to gain more insight into what he's singing about.

Bit wet

Very mellow background music

I hadn’t heard of this one but I like it. It was very Indie rock. If I had a complaint his voice is so lilting it disappeared from song to song. Key tracks: “Stupidity Tires” and “L.A.”. I am going to listen to this one a few more times.

That was interesting. Great songs. Intriguing voice. 3 stars

Favorite Songs: Son of Sam, Pretty Mary Kay

It’s very indie in a 90s way and that can give it a dated vibe because that’s a specific sound from a very specific era, but the somber tone of Smith resonates. He is really pouring his heart and soul about topics that people should be able to relate to and if they can’t relate, then the emotion he puts in his voice and instruments at least demands to be felt and can’t be ignored.

Tror jeg hørte gjennom hele, men er ikke sikker, 3.5

6.5/10

Listened Before? N Pretty good, although this is one of the albums on the list that I can't help but think were given some extra credit due to the tragedy of the death of the artist. That being said - it's an unobtrusive listen but kind of boring. Nothing really sticks out here. Feels like background music to an indie movie. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Son Of Sam

Solid indie tunes, good musician & lyricist. I was just reading about Smith, seems he had quite the tragic life. I didn't think it was a particularly memorable album but it's decent.

Surprisingly meh.

Not bad, not great.

Well, it's not bad. Not bad at all. But with this one I cannot figure out why it is one of the 1001 albums I have to listen. I mean, it is like one of the 1001+ singer/songwriters you could listen to. Listen to any song of the album, than move on to somethin else.

Gentle almost folk-like with that acoustic foundation. Would be nice for a leisurely walk.

fínt pop ... held ég

Album was fine but gets a bit old after a while

This album grew on me for sure. It was definitely peaceful and nice to do work alongside. I thought I would dislike this but it was nice. I don’t think I would go out of my way to listen to it again but no complaints. A little too simple to stand out to me, but all in all pretty nice.

that was okay

Meh

Fine

Very good sound.

I had a pleasant time with this, a lot of solid tracks in a row but nothing that really wowed me. Just one step above typical radio quality songs.

Better than I expected. I figured he’d be more all acoustic singer songwriter and wasn’t. Really enjoyed it and I’d listen to it again.

Never heard Elliot Smith before. Pretty good. Decent guitar. Nice piano. Fairly good voice. Variety of styles. Ok songs. Yeah….I can listen to this.

It's not really cup of tea, but I'm ok with it. It is also in Mark Suciu's part, so I like that. Will I listen to again: 15%

This is really good. Another reason for continuing doing this 1001 albums thing. I had heard of him, but that was about as far as it went. I may have to delve into his discography. Nice soft vocals and heavy guitar, what more do you need? Melodies and there is plenty of those too. A low high 3

The vocals sound like he recorded this himself when he was trying out GarageBand for the first time. The music is a tad bit more upbeat than his first album. There still isn’t much to Elliott Smith for me. I can make it through this album. That’s at least a passing grade for me. Choice Cut: Easy Way Out

Melancholy mixed with relaxation. The lyrics through all of this album are sad, occasionally stepping through to the depressing and self-harm areas of Elliott Smith's brain. I found most of the songs to be fairly catchy and melodic, reminding me of the quieter selections from The Beatles's catalogue.

A good album, I liked Son of Sam and In The Lost and Found the best.

Skilled musician. Didn’t connect with me.

Well, I enjoyed it, but it didn't stick to me like some of Smith's other work. It felt very polished and a little too Beatles-indebted. Highlights: Somebody That I Used To Know, Everything Reminds Me Of Her, L.A., Easy Way Out

now this this how you do a sad emo boy wanna be indie album. pretty good, some fillers but I can see how it would have hit back in the day.

Second time getting Elliott Smith. This album was a pleasant listening experience, but nothing terribly memorable came from it. I get Garden State soundtrack vibes from his music. Makes me want to cuddle with an emo Zach Braff.

I appreciate the style and it is nice to listen to but not without other artists in between his own songs because of his voice which isn't my favourite style.

I like about half of this album, but find the other half too whiny for my taste. That has been my experience with Elliott Smith's music in general, sadly. I want to like him, but I just don't get the hype.

Less depressing than I thought it would be. Sounds like a more modern one-man Beatles

Yea it's alright I guess...

Never heard of this guy. I think his girlfriend stabbed him, just saying.

I can appreciate his music, but never really get into it.

Listening so far, inoffensive enough but quite samey, except for the instrumental part of one track which made me sit up and listen more intently. Didn’t get to the end of the album so 3* is fair.

Sad and sleepy. 3=5

On paper, this would be an album I would love and give a 5/5 - I’m a sucker for sad indie singers. But while there were some great tracks (“Son of Sam,” “Everything Means Nothing to Me,” “In the Lost and Found,” “Can’t Make a Sound”) the album is kinda boring overall. Not bad, not great, just kinda is.

It was an enjoyable listen but didn’t really have any standout tracks that would bring me back.

Was pleasant enough, but didn't feel like it had any moxie. 2.5/5

Yea, nice enough

Fairly basic. Not bad, not great. I probably should have listened to the lyrics

It's still Elliott Smith under all of the unnecessary sheen, so it's still worth a listen. But not nearly as strong as XO or his earlier albums. Less is more...

Really enjoyed this. Kinda a less complicated bright eyes

I was not familiar with this artist. A slow start for my ears but the second half got my attention. Worth a revisit and a deeper dive at some point. A solid 3

Elliot Smith reminds me of Art Garfunkle; very talented, but not quite enough to be great without an equally talented partner. Still good. Not great.

This was good! It felt like the bridge between rock from the 1960s and indie rock from the 2010s

Cool vibes. Felt like I’d heard it before but I haven’t

I hadn’t heard of Elliott Smith before this but I really enjoyed the album, it makes sense how he’s influenced other artists I do listen to regularly.

I really liked this album. I felt Elliott's influence for current music that I enjoy and it feels like a time of tv and movie soundtracking

Never heard of this guy before but I liked it. As some said, vaguely OC / death cab sounding. The wiki said he was in inspo for boygenius members and I hear that

Ok. A little boring

Fuck yeah I’m down with wuss-rock…and if you don’t like it I’ll kick your ass!! Actually I’ve always known OF Elliott Smith, but I’ve never been cool enough to actually know his music. This album was decent. Maybe I’d even call it pleasant. Not something I’d cue up on my favorites list…I tend to like just a little more lead in my pencil, a little more starch in my collar…if you know what I mean.

It was nice revisiting this one again. I’ve been an Elliott fan ever since his song placements in Good Will Hunting. I like his earlier stuff like Either/Or better but this one still holds up. An added bonus is having one of my favourite drummers (Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello & The Attractions) featured on three songs. It’s so interesting to see how such a troubled soul could produce such lovely tunes.

A good listen but something I’d need to be in the mood for. I thought this description put it best: “A complex and nuanced work, reflective of Smith’s troubled genius. It’s an album that will resonate deeply with dedicated fans and those who appreciate the intricacies of his song writing. However, its dense arrangements and pervasive melancholy might not appeal to everyone, making it a solid but not universally accessible.” Knowing this was released posthumously makes this album quite haunting for me as well.

This is a good album but not his best. I’m guessing we’ll see another one or two ES albums that I’ll enjoy more. I think this one may get better with additional listens, but ain’t nobody got time for that. I’ll for sure check it out again at a later date. 3/5

Elliott Smith's talent is undeniable and it's a masterful album with a bunch of beautiful songs. that being said, this depressive melancholic sound is not really my thing and I just never find listening to Elliott that enjoyable, even though I was still pleasantly surprised by Figure 8

This is new for me. Some great songs in this album. Very easy listening.

This is a high 2 star rating, really.

Possibly the wimpiest album I've ever heard.

Very musical, easy listening - nice voice - the album has some variety and nuance, changes of pace and mood, so from that point of view, it's good work.

Felt kind of depressing to me

Liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would. Maybe bc I started out listening to a poorly compiled YouTube including a bunch of low-fi live tracks and a techno remix (????) that when I found the real thing, it was coherent, well balanced, and pretty listenable. Elliott Smith's voice has never been my thing so I'm giving it a 3.5 rounded down since I'll likely not revisit it.

I am 100% confident if you gave Elliot smith the drummer from That Thing You Do! and he made him play everything faster his music would be really really great instead of just good, mood depending

Really good production. Stellar songwriting. I can see the appeal. His voice is just a little annoying to me.

Interesting, did not know this artist. I enjoyed a few songs, and didn’t realize he wrote “somebody that I used to know.” I just knew the Gotye version

An enjoyable listen, but the more upbeat music is a bit odd coming from Elliott. I think I prefer his more brooding style from the earlier albums.

Way better than his other album we had to listen to

Overall quite good. My only complaint is that by the end of the album it was feeling very show-tuney and whiney. A couple gems throughout tho!

It’s ok - not a big fan unfortunately

Ikke hørt den her før. Bed sig ikke lige så meget fast som jeg havde håbet men det lød lækkert

Not nearly as depressing as I thought it would be. The music was pleasant enough, but I didn't really check out the lyrics....kinda just had it on in the background. I doubt I will listen to it again...but you never know.

Sad boy

Partial listen, he’s alright

Prettier than I suspected. Still a whole lot of esoteric sounding … kinda. I dunno what.

I hadn't come across Elliott Smith before being presented with this album by the 1001 albums website. On first play, it came across as a pleasant enough record. On second play, it still came across as a pleasant enough record. After three plays I concluded this was a reasonable output for a 'singer/songwriter', and that I'd leave it at that. 3/5

A unique voice and sound. The music was pleasing to listen to, but the vocals kind of blended in with the instruments. There wasn’t much contrast

Not a big Elliott Smity guy personally but I see the appeal

Just ok

Better than the last one, nice melodies but much samey. Bland voice Between 3 and 4

Mopey music for people who like moping. Emo with even less edge. The smooth SpongeBob of depressing music. 6/10

Pleasant rainy Monday sounds 3.5/5

Nice

Have not listened to this in years. Oddly, it reminded me a lot of the McCartney album from the other day. Scruffy production and his way with a melody lifts it above the usual 90s complaint rock. Son of Sam, Junk Bond Trader, Easy Way Out and Better Be Quiet Now all work for me, others meander a bit. I thought Waltz #2 was on here, if it was it might get a four - as it is, a very solid three.

Figure 8 Listening to this I’m not sure why I didn’t get into him when his stuff was coming out - I think at that time I would have really got into it. However now I find it just kind of passes me by - some nice moments and the odd good song, but in the main a bit forgettable. Some of the melodies seem a bit forced and there is a rather distracting nasal tone to his voice. It often feels like a song is about to take flight and go somewhere really good, but then kind of never gets anywhere and just levels out, which is a bit frustrating. Felt this particularly on LA, Stupidity Tries and Wouldn’t Mama be Proud. Enjoyed the White Album/Abbey Roadvibes of Son of Sam and Junk Bond Trader is very good. I liked Colorbars and Better Be Quiet Now too, and Can’t Make a Sound builds to an impressive conclusion. Kind of falls right in the middle for me. Didn’t dislike it and enjoyed some of the songs, but I didn’t find much to excite me or hold my interest. A pretty average ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Found the music more interesting than the lyrics. Very Beatlesque

Still not sure of the validity of this list of 1001 albums, but at least this one didn’t annoy me. The vocals were good, and the singer can carry a tune. The melodies are mostly pleasant and the songs were lyrically good. I don’t know that I could listen to this over and over, but it was better than a lot of others I’ve gotten.

It was ok

I like Elliott Smith in small doses. Definitely not his best album, but there’s some good stuff here.

3,5

Interesting listen. Unique and varied sound that was pretty good in some stretches.

Half the songs rock harder than I’d have thought. The rest is as expected, and though good, becomes tiresome after a while.

Not my usual choice but still good

Meh

There's some really good writing in this album. It's pretty slow and kind of boring... Actually, I don't know if boring is the right word. Because I was very interested in what was going on. Always curious to what was coming next. Not everything resonated with me. I was always told Elliot Smith wrote music for sad people. So perhaps this was just not the right day, or the right emotion to listen to this sort of music. It's not bad, and it's worth a revisit on a rainy day. I tend to cling to acoustic music, after all. I have a feeling my opinion would change on a second listen. But I'm content with giving this a 3/5

Очень не дурно!

Second time my review vanished. This guy has talent, a distinct sound and he can write a good tune. I can see that it works.

Mellow ok.

7/10, decent

Not a fan.

Should have paid closer attention to the lyrics, a few bits I liked. You can definitely feel the melancholy, but just never grabbed me in a way that makes it great.

It was nice enough background music. Very indie rock, and I quite enjoyed this. I would consider listening to other albums by this band. I give this album 3 out of 5 stars.

Didn’t love this one as much as the earlier ES records, but it was still excellent

Too soft and breathy for my taste

I think I would listen to this again, I like their voice and the slight folk twinge.

Approx 52 mins. Soft, ethereal, layered vocals from 2000's singer/songwriter. Lyrically interesting. (6/10)

I liked this, but it didn’t leave a huge impression on me! Very pleasant and listenable, but not something that stuck with me as Special

Pleasant listen, but not much variety and nothing outstandingly good

Whatever

Smooth, thoughtful indie rock.

Only listened once, seemed ok without being great.

Pleasant indie rock but it didn’t catch my ear like his other stuff has in the past

Not sure why this is so important that it needs to be on this list

3.2 Just not my thing somehow faves: son of Sam, somebody that I used to know

I liked the vibe. Nice song writer 3

This was pretty good but I don't think it needed 16 tracks to tell me who they were.

some pretty sweet tracks, but overall gets boring while listening the whole album

Not bad at all. Pretty good throughout, a few standouts but it was mostly just a good album. Not too much to say, really. 7/10 Top 5: 1. Son Of Sam 2. Stupidity Tries 3. Everything Means Nothing To Me 4. Can’t Make A Sound 5. Easy Way Out

2.9 pretty good, but not exactly my style. listened 2x

Not his best album. Might be rating it harshly, but loved the acoustic vibes on Either/Or, and this isn't the same. Reminds me of the Beatles at times, which shouldn't be a bad thing, but it's less to my taste. Will listen to his other albums. I'm sure I'll listen to this one again, but will more likely stick to Either/Or.

Not my style of music, but not bad. I wouldn't have listened to it without this project though.

Good, but not something I desire to listen to again

Was alright. 5/10

Good

The guy who wrote this book and the algorithm are definitely depressed. idk I'm just not that into this kind of music.

Sounded like a one-man Beatles. The songs I liked I really liked, but a lot sounded repetitive (just the same chords or melodies or verses over and over to the point where I didn't understand why they needed to repeat so much).

It’s ok…

Endlich mal was Moderneres. Gefiel mir bisher mit am besten, allerdings nicht so gut, dass ich das Album genauso gut wie Oracular Spectacular von MGMT bewerteten möchte, dem ich mit vier Sternen meine bisher höchste Bewertung gegeben habe. Figure 8 war dafür für meinen Geschmack ein wenig zu langsam und ich habe die Melodien direkt nach dem Hören auch gleich wieder vergessen. Aber ich erinnere mich immerhin, dass sie ganz nett klangen und nicht genervt haben. Mit Ausnahme von „Everything Means Nothing To Me“. Eben diese Zeile wurde minutenlang monoton wiederholt, wofür ich am liebsten etwas nach dem Sänger geworfen hätte. Zum Glück war der Rest gefälliger, schöner Pop, aber halt für mich nicht herausragend. Wenn ich könnte, würde ich gerne 3,5 Sterne vergeben.

12/7/23. With all the indie rock I’ve listened to, this album felt like a template for a lot of bands to draw on. Very solid listen and would recommend.

Fart smelly and sad but I thought it was pretty decent. Not sure where the obsessions with him comes from

None

Korektno

Okay.

This is my favourite Elliot Smith. I think he shows off quite a lot in it, but comes off as bashful anyway. Usually haven’t been drawing attention to individual songs while writing these, but Junk Bond Trader must be the softest song to ever rock real hard.

Catchy and fine. 3.2

Hoy tocó un artista que directamente no conocía. Muy Beatle (John Lennon vibes), folk, con un dejo melancólico en su forma de cantar. Adelantado hasta a bandas como Tame Impala. Un bonito trabajo de un tipo problemático: las contradicciones que suelen suceder en la vida, básicamente. Lo sumo a mi lista de discos matinales de éste sitio

Wife likes this guy. Elliot Smith obviously can write songs, but he is so maudlin and self-pitying. All of his albums are in the key of woe is me. Not eager for a re-listen.

Too dull for me, lyrics feel lifeless

Mieriņš. Tāds neitrāls mieriņš.

I totally get why other people would love this album but I just didn’t connect to it. Every song kind of melded into the last and it just felt like one long kinda boring song.

It was ok

Well well well

Sad indie pop, not treading any new ground sonically or lyrically here.

Didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped. It's a nice album but nothing about it really grabbed me. Strong 5 to a light 6/10

Decent

Solid sadboy music. Maybe a 4? I'd have to relisten a few times.

I've never gotten into Elliott Smith too much and what I do know is Either/Or. This is a pretty good album and my only complaint would be I prefer Either/Or and I am not sure this is totally different from that album, but Smith is an important artist so it's hard to complain too much.

not his best work

It's a dad rock/classic rock turn for Smith on this one (I believe one of his last albums) which works well enough. It's not as good as his self titled, either/or and the like but his songwriting is too good that the songs still shine through the slightly more extravagant instrumentation.

Decent music. A little slow at times but I enjoyed it a bit. 6/10

Not familiar with this artist. Thoughtful indie rock. Surprisingly good. Too bad he is no longer with us.

seems way ahead of his/its time.never heard of this guy but this was a pleasant listen.

ESs last album before his early death. Less acoustic but still delicate and gentle.

Some very good songs, some other not as upbeat or on the same kind of vibe. Enjoyed half of it.

Don't like all the songs. Some of them are relaxing and nice to listen to, but others are not my kind of music... It's okay to listen once, but I won't relisten.

Interesting juxtaposition of the darker, moodier lyrics with the seemingly pleasant acoustic arrangement. I could see myself giving this a 4 star 20 years ago, but as it sits now, it's a 3. Im not a big fan of his voice and I like the more electric tracks over the acoustic guitar/piano tracks. Best Song(s): Son of Sam, LA, Lost and Found Listen Again: Yes

Elliot slayed, but unfortunately, some songs sounded like the diary of a wimpy kid sountrack.

While I recognize the quality and craftsmanship of this album, I did not particularly enjoy it. This is not a vibe I seek out.

Quiet and contemplative, amateurish sound. Pretty, but requires close attention to profound lyrics to truly enjoy. Not my favorite Elliot Smith album. Wish it had a standout track to truly disrupt like Needle in the Hay.

A melancholic indie feel. Seems a bit basic by todays standards but I can see how this was ahead of it's time. Especially reading that Smith came from Portland in the 90s where the grunge scene was happening.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one… I don’t hate it? Not sure I like it either. Was listening to this on the bus and I felt next level creeped out and outright scared for some reason

Eh not my thing

Son of Sam: Lyrics about the aforementioned serial killer son of sam, jaunty piano for the subject matter. Somebody That I Used to Know: Acoustic guitar track about a breakup??? singer-songwriter vibes haha Junk Bond Trader: I feel like I'm not connecting very much with this music so far - very disillusioned song about commodification. Everything Reminds me of Her: I don't think this music is for me haha Everything Means Nothing to Me: This dude is obviously going through it, damn, I don't mind this one. L.A.: The first song I actually kinda dig, it's more structured so maybe that's why? Almost committing suicide is pretty dark subject matter but this song is pretty groovy. In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)/The Roost: I think this is about loving someone who is gone or was only there briefly?? So much jaunty piano with sad lyrics and then an instrumental at the end. Stupidity Tries: I dunno, back again to not 'getting it' I think aha the songs aren't bad, they're done quite well in fact - I do think the extended outro is good for this song though. Easy Way Out: This dude was wrecked by love wasn't he? Another fine song. Wouldn't Mama Be Proud: This guy hated corporate bullshit a LOT haha very bitter about it - I mean it is fucking bullshit XD Colorbars: He really didn't wanna be that archetype of a 'rockstar' huh Happiness/The Gondola Man: Lying to yourself and trying to be happy I guess? haha Pretty Mary Kay: Drugs to heal the pain of life then losing them. Better Be Quiet Now: Break-up song of sorts, feeling empty when there used to be something there. Can't Make a Sound: If ever there were a song about struggling to find a way to express yourself outside of your own insular world, this is it. Bye: Instrumental track, piano - weirdly haunting.

Figure 8 is the final record released by Elliott Smith before his untimely death, and it’s clearly the most well produced of his records. All of the tracks are compelling to listen to on a base level because of it, but the songwriting on this record is a bit more inconsistent than on his most essential album, Either/Or. And at 16 tracks, all of which are certainly not essential, it’s a bit of a bloated record too. Despite the poppier songwriting and professional band sound, what does remain is his devastating lyricism. They hit particularly hard considering his tragic fate just a few years later. And when Figure 8 hits, it really can hit. Songs like “LA,” “Stupidity Tries” and “Better Be Quiet Now” are particular highlights here.

It’s not as good as Smith’s previous work, and to be honest I’m not sure why this album is here at all. But I’ll take it. The songwriting is still some of the best to get sad with. I also like the work the instrumentation does on this record compared to some of Smith’s other material. You can hear the influence in later bands with the diy, “indie” sound on display here.

Very coffee shop indie music. Not super interesting, but nothing that is grating to the ear either.

I feel bad giving what is I think the only Elliot Smith record on this list a 3 because I love his other records so much. But TBH I found this one kind of boring. It does sound like Elliot Smith but just little in the way of anything fun/singalong-able. This record seems like it was chosen because it was the last thing he fully produced himself...?

Again it's really nice songwriting and an enjoyable listen, but nothing that elavates it for me. Fav track: Better be quiet now Light 3.5/5

First listen of this I really got into, and the second listen found myself wishing there was more of what we heard on the previous album. The poppier stylings began to grow tired on me ever so slightly. Still enjoyed this album, and may potentially get some future spins, but didn’t quite cut the mustard as much for me this time. Three and a half. Fave track: Colorbars

3.8/5

Nice album, pleasant to listen to but the only piece that really struck me was "Everything means nothing to me".

There is a day and a mood where this album will hit perfectly. Today was not that day for me even after I spun the album twice. I liked the second spin a lot better than the first as the album started to open up and reveal more of itself. Definitely something to go back to, but not in heavy rotation.

1. Son of Sam 2. Wouldn't mama be proud 3. In the lost and found

Another artist I had never heard of and I really enjoyed his sound.

A really solid listen. While nothing extraordinary, it was a good listen throughout for some pretty ahead-of-the-curve indie, for it's time. Will definitely return to some tracks on here

Interesting chord changes throughout.

Heard before. Not bad. Bye hits kinda hard. + Son of Sam + Everything Means Nothing To Me + In The Lost and Found + Bye

Ihan jees singer&songwriter-platta! 3/5

Hyvähän tämäkin on, vaikka Smithin kolme edellistä levyä on imo parempia. Tässä tuo 'major label' -vaikutus tuntuu jotenkin näkyvän ja intiimiys on vähentynyt. Toivottavasti noita vanhempiakin on.

Riktigt bra skiva. En modern hiphopklassiker med både hits men som också passar som ett helt koncept.

Meh.

Really dig the orchestration in general. Not sure I ever would have sought this out but I'm glad I'm listening! In general I think I'm a bigger fan of the backing tracks than the vocals, this is a little bit whiny (lyrically and aesthetically) for my taste. 3.5/5 stars

This album was fine, but ultimately forgettable. Not really sure why it is on this list.

The trouble is, I heard Badly Drawn Boy before I heard Elliott Smith. It's charming and whimsical with a delicate, understated vocal. Indie pop. I feel like if I gave it a few listens, there would be some real tearjerkers on there. The musicality of it is impressive, the guitars are great, the keys, the atmosphere of each song. It's a good album. A bit samey after a while. In fact, his voice is starting to annoy me. Ben Folds is another soundalike. Oh, I don't know. Maybe three stars, maybe four. Three and a half. Won't be life-changing for me!

Get's a bit whiny after a while.

Decent sound. Liked it more than I thought I would. Not sure if I would listen to it again, but it was a good listen nonetheless.

I feel like I should like Elliott Smith more than I do. I think if I was 10 years older he’d be super formative for me. However for me, the style reads as a little whiny and derivative. It’s a tough one, but I can’t earnestly rate it highly.

Not my genre

Pretty decent, just didn’t click with me. I liked a lot of the songs, but nothing blew me away.

With this album Elliot Smith makes a sweet, gentle, bittersweet point which he goes on to reiterate with monotonous abandon. It resembles the thrill of a needle prick which subsequently drains you of all your blood.