Figure 8

Easy rock music, well put together and produced. I liked this more than his other album. Stand-out: Everything Means Nothing To Me

# Playlist track - Stupidity Tries # Notes - Was hearing to this in a very very busy week and ended up re-playing the album a bunch of time instead of moving over to the next one. - I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's sad, of course. Knowing it was Elliot's final album just makes it a bit sadder. Still, it feel heartfelt and sincere and it definitely is worth a listen.

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.

Raw lyrics that I could dive more into, but I just don't enjoy his singing. Unpopular opinion, probably. Wish I was into it, maybe I'll try and revisit again in the future.

Very beautiful album, definitely makes me want to dive into his other music.

It has some amazing playing and instrumentals, but I can only take so many whispery vocals. Elliot Smith continues to be pretty good. 8

incredibly versatile and emotional record, loved this one

Fine but boring indie songs

pre: I know nothing about Elliot Smith except recognizing the name as a musician I actually liked this album, for some value of liked. Seemed like Ben Folds on Xanax. That said, I will never listen to this album again

Eh, I got bored and turned it off. It’s fine.

If you enjoyed it, great. I won’t be going back to this one.

I should have just not listened to this album. I don't think I liked any part of this album -- well it was so blandly inoffensive, I mean almost aggressively bland, I completely lost interest so I probably really only listened to the first two or three songs so at least isn't was keeping my attention throughout.

Ah the “upbeat” Elliot Smith album. The “Bye” at the end of the album is bittersweet.

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.

Brilliant.

Elliott Smith is goated

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.

Holy smokes, I've been feeling miserable lately so this hits real hard. Not my favorite by him, but that doesn't mean it isn't still fantastic. I've been real sad and gloomy, and this is the best and worst soundtrack one could ask for when it comes to living in a melancholic void.

Pleasant. Not life changing

A bit boring

Not very good

Nice listen

Love it so much! Beautiful and sorrowful just like Elliott Smith with some heavier tones here and there. Really great album. My Top 3: 3. Junk Bond Trader 2. Happiness/The Gondola Man 1. L.A.

Good songs of my era!

really good

Acaso el mejor disco de los Beatles? Elliott Smith es la voz de los desalmados

Gran disco. De vuelta padezco la falta de media estrella.

Generational talent

Superb tunes

Not really my cup of tea. Some good songs but just interesting as a 50 minute experience for me

Very nice album! I like it!

its ok but i love elliott smith

One of the few albums that cracks the 70 minute mark that doesn't feel like it drags. I enjoyed this one. It's not for everyone, but I can really feel Elliot Smith's influences in other indie artists. It's a really mellow and easy listening album. I really enjoyed L.A. and Can't Make a Sound. The album really utilises volume to drive home points. There's parts of the album where the instrumentals take centre stage and really overpower Elliot's quiet voice, and those are parts of the album I really enjoy. Overall, probably a light 4.

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

In another instalment of why is this on the list? Seriously underwhelming just soft boy whining shit. Some of the instrumentals were okay, but I couldn't nail down a theme other than this guy being whiny. That's all I got, my favourite song was Bye because it was the end. 1/5

Like the Smiths but not embarrassing to say you enjoy it. The album is very consistent in tone and quality, I don’t care that much for the vocals but the instrumentation is simple and works very well. My only exposure to Elliott Smith before this was Good Will Hunting. Was going to give this a 3 but decided that since I listened to it multiple times and it didn’t have any skips at all that it deserves a 4. Highlights for me are Son of Sam, LA, Colorbars, Happiness, Pretty Mary Kay.

Glad eg aldri trenge å hørra på da igjen

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

The last album in his lifetime, here Smith struggles to recapture his apex of Either/Or, and it's clearly an evolution over a revolution. It feels different, it's almost upbeat, in it as intimate as before but the soul is still shining through.

Really lovely piece of work. Hadn't heard of him or his tragic story before.

More diverse than Either/Or, classic rock-sounding tracks, I feel like I heard some jazzy chords/progressions in a couple of tracks too which is nice (might be tripping).

It was pleasant, not great.

Love the vibe. Stupidity Tries might be my favorite, great song to just melt into your seat to. Some of it kind of blends together, but i'll assume that's a result of not being more intimately familiar with the album. 7.5/10ish

This is what Portland (OR) sounds like to me as a person who has never been there. It has a skater-y vibe to it, a passing-beneath-dark-bridges-and-glimpsing-rosé-clouds-right-behind-them feeling. Could not describe this album otherwise. May the earth be light to you, Elliott.

Enjoyable

Softer Elliott Smith

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

With Figure 8, Elliott Smith departs from his traditional, acoustic, singer-songwriter persona. Right away, you can tell that this album is a departure from his previous work. Songs like Son of Sam have an obvious producer's touch that refine his work more than some of his previous projects. While I don't think this is a masterpiece, I do respect it and liked most of the songs. Best Songs: Son of Sam, Somebody That I Used to Know, In The Lost And Found Worst Songs: Everything Means Nothing to Me

Boring is being kind. No passion or emotion even with terribly serious subject matter. Not sure why it made this list

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.

Near perfect album for me. I like the front half 2x as much as the back-half, where the sound started to blend a little bit. The chords feel honest. This album evokes a real honesty and vulnerability. Lots of Beatle elements and even dark-side of the moon in some later tracks. Favorite tracks: In the Lost and Found, Junk Bond Trader, Everything Means Nothing to Me, Can't Make A Sound

Cool

I just cant seem to get into Elliot Smith

An album I've heard several times. I adore Smith's voice and a great deal of his writing. For me he is at his best in faster paced songs such as the opening track "Son of Sam". The album drags in a few spots and feels like background music for a film with something more substantial to say in the moment. The arrangement of the album feels a bit hinky compared to either/or (for example). Pacing is a bit off. Figure 8 is an album that'll always be worth listening to...unless there is a livelier Smith album or compendium on hand.

I mean come on !!!

Pretty music, good lyrics Favorites: "Son Of Sam", "Junk Bond Trader", "Everything Means Nothing To Me", "L.A."

Ha, I was thinking about dismissing some boring 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 these days, and instead cheekily write a few more words about Smith's "Either/Or" that I had just three days ago and how much it has grown on me. Like I had anticipated it would. But now this. Okay! Let's see how it goes. [a few hours later] It went so-so :( There's something really gorgeous about Smith's writing; the way the songs do all these little or greater twists and turns in their harmonic progressions and embellishments and how a saccharine tune might suddenly get paired with the most sleazy drums to become something else and how, most importantly, none of that feels laboured or forced. This is all here, again (see "Everything Means Nothing To Me"). But as I understand, this was a release on a larger label and it, well, feels like, sounds like, more money was thrown at it this time. And not for the better. As if that had created an urge to show for it and make a larger, louder, more expansive, extrovert album. ... is how I'd explain why Figure 8 comes across a bit random with too much of everything and too little to grab me. And sometimes a bit laboured after all. It's fine, but unlike Either/Or, this one won't stay with me.

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.

This is #day45 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... that's some great music for a sunny September afternoon. I don't know what else to say, except that everything was beautiful and nothing hurt. Or, maybe I'm just being too lackadaisical to pick words. The music says everything, and I don't want to interfere. This is another solid 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day46, but also not very much because yesterday was so good that I don't want today ever to end.

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.

Figure 8 - Elliott Smith (2000) A despedida de Elliott Smith. Figure 8 é um disco que mescla o indie rock, o pop, e algumas coisas de folk e psicodélico, que em muito é mantido pela qualidade vocal acima do comum, e também foi o último registro fonográfico do cantor Elliott Smith antes de sua morte em 2003. Algumas músicas são mais agitadas e outras mais introspectivas, assim o disco tem uma dinâmica que quebra a monotonia, fazendo com que a audição seja prazerosa, e vale destacar novamente os vocais agradabilíssimos do cantor Elliott Smith, que sem dúvida são o ponto alto do disco. P.S. as canções lembram bastante Beatles. Melhores músicas: Son of Sam, Junk Bond Trader, Everything Means Nothing To Me, L.A., Wouldn't Mama Be Proud, Better Be Quiet Now, Can't Make A Sound Piores músicas: N/A 4/5

Just didn't grab me

no longer my fav of his, but still the first half is perfect and the rest is amazing

Last year in English class, the kids had to do a presentation on their tragic hero. I never got the opportunity to do this, so I will treat this review as if it were my presentation. While other kids chose Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse, my tragic hero is Elliott Smith. Doomed since birth, his anguished childhood carried on through his adulthood until his untimely death. Although he is gone, this humble man will never be forgotten for his contributions to the indie-rock music community. Many people find comfort in his melancholy tunes and deep lyrics. One of those people is me. I found Elliott Smith a couple of years back. Although I can't say his music has saved my life or anything along those lines, I can say that his music has impacted me. His songs and albums have been with me through the best of times and the worst of times. It was easy to tell from the start that Elliott was a very talented individual. He was a musical genius and Figure 8 only proves this point further. If you are not familiar with his previous albums, then it is important to note that Figure 8 was a significant point in his career. It is his most Beatles-esque and rock album to date. It has a mix of many instruments, including piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and so on. From the solid start with Son Of Sam and through the rest of the album, you go on an adventure through a range of emotions until you end with the bittersweet Bye. Considering that the last track of the last album Elliott got to see the release of was called Bye, it can't help but make you wonder if that was Elliott's way of saying goodbye to all of his wonderful fans. I hope he's resting in peace now in his reverse New York, a heaven he could only dream of, where everything smells good and everyone is nice. The world will never be the same without his poor soul and he will never be forgotten as long as his devoted fans are around. And to my tragic hero, see you later if I see you at all. Favorite songs: Somebody That I Used To Know, Happiness/The Gondola Man, Son Of Sam, and L.A.

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

A guy with a guitar. Inoffensive. It's the musical equivalent of beige carpeting - I can barely make myself pay attention to it. Good for working background music. This makes 9 albums with men's voices and one with a woman's.

I like his sound, it's like a late 90s Paul Simon or something, I can't quite pin it. Soft but not whiney. Read up on him, so sad to lose him early. What a way to go

Muy bueno

Kinda boring. I dislike his nasally, breathy voice. Everything means nothing to me is pretty good. Starts to hit it's after that. LA and lost and found are good. Wouldn't mama be proud slaps. The weakest point here is his voice. Don't know if I'd listen again.

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.

I knew this would be at least 4 stars, but this listen moved me more than before. The beginning is awesome, but the ending with Can’t Make A Sound, The Gondola Man really got to me this time. Some of the acoustic songs aren’t my favorite later on, but those electric ones really hit!!

Perfect album 10/10

One fat lady.

softboi asmr piffle

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

boring

first song is my favorite, overall good

Finally an Elliott Smith album, I was really looking forward to this one. Really liked the album and every instrument feels like it has a purpose here.

This is not my favorite album of his, but it's still a beautiful piece of work. Somebody That I Used To Know, Junk Bond Trader, Everything Means Nothing To Me, Easy Way Out, and Pretty Mary Kay are the highlights for me.

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.

Was sad to learn, Figure 8 was the last studio album Elliot Smith released when he was alive. All his solo albums are worth a listen, as he's a fabulous songwriter and performer and with each release he got better. So it figures that, Figure 8 is Smith's most celebrated album and easily his most accessible. Though, this didn't top any Billboard charts or sell millions of copies, but it was his highest charting record, so at least it had an audience he rightfully deserved. Highly recommended!

Forgettable.

Liked this a lot sounded very beatley

I think Elliot is really REALLY talented, but I don't seem to find a way to wrap my head around it. I just prefer to like him from a distance.

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.

my personal controversial favourite album of his

3.5

3.5

Soothing album, didn’t dislike any tracks but none of them jumped out at me for being so amazing I want to listen all the time.. so for that gotta go 4/5. I will probably explore more of Elliot Smith’s catalog

Died young, 😔

Easy Way Out, Wouldn’t Mama Ve Proud, Color Bars are too slow

Solid acoustic emo.

Kuulostaa siltä, että hän ihan hitusen pahoittelee itseään. Samalla on kuitenkin itsetietoinen. Vähän ärsyynnyin - älä hyssyttele, lisää volaa vaan!! Kaipaan enemmän menoa, hänellä olis kyllä taitoa panna isompi vaihde silmään. Mut joo, indiesoundi. Ehkä rahkeet ei riitä suoraan poppiin.

Taidolla, ei tuurilla - ja siinä ongelma. Levyä varten nähty vaiva ei välity muistettavuuteen, sillä artistilla ei ole ollut kärsivällisyyttä odottaa massasta erottuvien ideoiden ilmaantumista. Sääli, sillä LP:n melodisessa lennonismissa on potentiaalia. 2,5

That was not bad at all

This and Elliot's following posthumous albums were the only two I hadn't yet heard. I'm a huge fan of his self titled album and have heard it countless times. Something about how stripped back and simple the sound is fits Elliot's voice so well. As such, my familiarity with his work following the self titled record is not nearly as strong. On it's introduction to me, Figure 8 falls in a similar place as Either/Or and XO. All three are excellent albums with the vivid lyricism that Elliot is known for. F8 contains more of that stripped back sound I prefer than the previous two, which is a pleasant surprise. The closing track being titled "Bye" and being a simple instrumental piece is a sad, but fitting sendoff to one of the greatest singer/songwriters of our time. RIP Elliot Smith.

Albumi #37, 03.09.2024 Elliott Smith ei jostain syystä ollut kovin tuttu artisti. Ihmettelen miksi? Figure 8 oli Smithin viides studioalbumi, joka ilmestyi vuonna 2000. Hyvä levy. Erityismaininta avausraidalle "Son Of Sam".

too soft

Elliot Smith is good, just wish I was listening to this in High School.

Even though I didn't listen to Elliot Smith when he was alive this album immediately made me nostalgic for the 90s (although I know it came out in 2000). A genius that I look forward to hearing more form.

Elliot Smith es probablemente una de las figuras más trágicas de la escena alternativa estadounidense. Una genialidad sorprendente para la construcción de melodías y la escritura de letras sentimentales que relataban sus complicados estados de humor caracterizan la carrera de este "neotrovador" norteamericano. "Figure 8" es su disco más profesional, en el cual se nota que experimento con la libertad que entrega un estudio completo y todas las técnicas de grabación facilitada por un grupo de expertos. Al igual que sus trabajos lo-fi anteriores, este LP es perfecto y funciona como uno de los últimos bastiones del indie-folk de los '90s estadounidenses.

This guy is dogshit

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 Track: "Stupidity Tries"

I feel confident that Elliott Smith's longest and worst album would not be on this list if it weren't also his last. Pete Thomas, though! That's something.

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.

Really don't know why I never got more into Elliot Smith. I think I was a little too young to really connect when he was 'big' and then with his death he fell off my radar except for the theater kids in HS. This is less americana than Ryan Adams, but hits that same tortured poet feel with a touch of emo. Incredible pop hooks here and a wonderful collection of songs, albeit rather a downer.

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

Remember this from back in the day. It was ok

It was ok

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

Still one of the best singer-songwriters and such a tragic tale

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Contemporain, surprenant, une voix qui me touche, j’ai beaucoup aimé

Not for me

Much less depressing than I expecred from Elliot Smith. Hints of acoustic Beatles.

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

Good little sad boy music

Terrible album. Terrible music. Really sad. I like stuff in that genre but this was horrifically depressing.

Im sure he’s a genius etc but it’s not my bag baby

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

I had some extra time this last week to dig back in the catalog of albums that I missed. Im sure this album hit incredibly well in the year of 2000. I gave it two chances (saying a lot for me as its 70 mins) and didn't find much that I was really attached to. It sounds dated for alt rock. I also don't love when artists sing their own backing vocals which was everywhere on this album I enjoyed Somebody That I Used To Know -- Very Deathcab-y. I also liked Junk Bond Trader. 2.5 stars and rounding it down because it was too long

Some nice songs but so, so whiny. Can’t imagine a time I’d like to listen to this

Sad stuff but always love his songwriting, and influenced so much of what I like today. Goes beyond singer songwriter stuff, interesting chord progressions and layered instrumentation. The early part of the album starts off so strong and feels like it stretches a bit at times in the middle, but overall really like the pacing.

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

Good album overall - had only listened to a few songs off it before this project - fit the vibe quite well for the day and discovered a few new gems

Heartbreaking, yet grandiose. A powerful finish for one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. His second best album probably? Hard to beat Either/Or, but this comes very close.

Elliott Smith rocks harder than I expected.

Twinkling piano, funky, distorted guitar, and earnest vocals (Especially on "Everything Means Nothing To Me.") Sounds like a windy day in November. "Figure 8" is neither as good nor consistent "Either/Or." Imo, the songs were a little same-y, but the album was enjoyable overall. I think "Pretty Mary K" might be my new favourite Elliott Smith song. I would've preferred the inclusion of "XO" too. It's a top-tier album. Elliott is an artsy man. I think I like him! (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)

For me, on the lower end of the Elliot Smith totem pole

Somewhere between early Paul Simon and Jewel just not nearly as good as either

If you like melody in your music then this album is for you. I don't know idmf it was the production the singer, the music or all of the above, but it was all just beautiful and well rounded. I heard hints of the Beatles, but it really reminded me of was 70's singer songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. I loved it all.

His swan song into the unknown.

i'm a big elliott smith fan, and this album is no exception. he shares a lot of influences with music that i adore, and also i love his songwriting. often i find even though his music is laced with sadness, i find it quite comforting. i don't think there's a bad tune in the bunch here, but my favorites are 'son of sam,' 'somebody that i used to know,' 'stupidity tries,' and, 'easy way out.' just a great album from a great songwriter.

Yeah this is some pretty good shit. His voice wears on me after awhile. It’s best with the big rock instrumentation rather than just the quiet acoustic tracks.

Dreamy

I find the melodies and lyrics enjoyable, but his voice is so grating and whiny to me.

This one was better than the other one

Okaish chamber Pop.

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.

A great album with great songwriting

Liked it

Beautiful album by an artist with a tragic ending. Makes me feel a sense of longing to go back to the late 2000s/early 2010s when I was young and the world still felt new and anything was possible.

3☆/5 07.30.2024

Absolutely gone too soon, but the demons that would take him are ever present on this album.

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.

I enjoyed this one a lot more that 'Either Or'. Better sounds, better vibes.

Pretty chill 90s music

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

fave track: stupidity tries

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.

Dreamy melodies, simple, American. Music to help you get to sleep.

Not a fan of these types of albums. Lacking energy, whiney, watery vocals, uninspiring lyrics. Too many depressed song writers already. Don't feel any desire to ever listen to this again.

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.

I’ve heard individual songs from Elliott Smith that I really enjoyed, but never listened to an entire record. Ngl, I was pretty disappointed. This album, as the kids would say, is mid. Far from the worst thing on this list, but not great. “Son Of Sam” and “Easy Way Out” are my favorite songs from it, but nothing really stood out. I’d give this a 2.5 if I could, but I’m rounding up to 3 because a 2 seems a little too harsh, but it was close.

Loved this.

It's OK, but nothing special.

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

Not my cup,of tea. Can’t imagine anyone thinks this is really good.

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

This is one a I have in regular rotation. I love the flow and mood of this record. Kinda chill but not at all boring.

Really like it

This is just an amazing album, and Elliott Smith was such a talented artist

Just like his other album I’ve gotten, it really is great music. Still not my style but I did get attached to Lost and Found so it’s a good day.

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

Probably the Elliott Smith album I least engaged with back in the day. With 20 years in the rearview mirror I really enjoyed it in retrospect and think it might be one of his best works. Great production and solid variety throughout, even a rocker or two.

Great record. The middle of the album is so incredibly strong it nearly overshadows the rest of the record. Smith has a really unique voice, and he was underrated as a guitar player. Great riffs and melodies all throughout

ok

This tickles my brain in the right way. It's a good example of how to do indie.

Good, just a bit... bland.

I enjoyed this album. I thought there was variety and the various instruments were great. He has a great voice.

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

i enjoyed the listen. the album has 16 songs at 52 minutes, but i really felt that it passed by pretty quick. the bulk of the songs were easy to digest and i can find myself listening to majority of the songs again. i thought it was going to have a different kind of sound at first becuase of the indie pop tag, but this leaned more towards kinda folk songwriting. i dont mind that and i think elliotts songwritings really good. 4 personal favs: la, stupidity tries, happiness

Wow okay I liked Either/Or but I think this is quite a bit better. I think that there's a bit more variety here so it doesn't get stale as quickly. The songs that have more instrumentals are actually my favs really. I do think it's a bit bloated though, but still very much enjoyed it. Fav songs: - Son of Sam - Somebody That I Used to Know - Everything Means Nothing to Me - L.A. - Stupidity Tries - Better Be Quiet Now

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

Five stars, and I’m not just saying that because as a 38 year old white person I am legally obligated to believe this is one of the greatest albums of all time.

,,, I don't know.. missing something here... sounds like every other indie guy moping about something....

Sweet gentle and tragic.

Like: Junk Band Trader & Pretty Mary Bay Dislike: LA

Some melodies are almost too teen, then quickly shift to dreamy riffs.

Best een lekker album om een keer te luisteren. Een zondagochtendalbum. Elliott en de muzikanten doen hun best, het Dire Straits orgeltje wordt zelfs van zolder gehaald dus ik ben tevreden. Ik twijfel heel erg of ik dit 3 of 4 sterren waard vind, zeker omdat ik ons Elliott al een keer met 4 sterren heb beloond. Anders dan de volgorde in m'n history doet vermoeden kom ik net van Scritti Politti af, wat ongetwijfeld in het voordeel van dit album werkt. Uiteindelijk is het net als Emma Wortelboer: een beetje vreemd maar wel lekker. Dus ik ga gewoon voor 4 sterren.

I find his songs heard in isolation are pretty good but a whole album of them devolves into a bit of a mush. Either a strong 2 or a weak 3.

I enjoyed this one a bit more than his “Either Or” album that came up for me recently. It has a really nice indie rock sound that somewhat resembles the work of Simon and Garfunkel.

Pretty slow listening

A beautiful album

This album and XO caught a lot of shit when they came out for being too upbeat and overproduced. Looking back, 20-odd years later, it seems hard to justify such a complaint. Both albums are great. Of course at the time we didn't know that there wouldn't be any more records released in his lifetime, which makes each album so much more precious.

Found this In the Lost and Found. Bye.

STANDOUTS: n/a OVERALL: 2/5

He's the kind of songwriter that lures you in with gentle melodies and smooth voice, then gets under your skin with the intensity of his emotions. You're singing along and realize you're singing "Everything means nothing to me"! Plus, as a Schoolhouse Rock generation kid, the rendition of "Figure 8" is amazing and perfectly haunting as the original tune is.

Good background music.

This album is full of really nice rock songs with many songs having piano. I have enjoyed every song on this album, although Everything Means Nothing To Me has repetitive lyrics.

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.

Sad music for sad people. You know what though, I actually enjoyed listening to this, it's certainly a mood killer but it's quite powerful and his voice suits the tone and subjects well. Original a 4 bur ended up listening to twice in a day so now a 5

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.

Very dull. Totally uninspired.

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

Boring

No conocía este lp. No es el mejor de Elliott pero sí mantiene un gran nivel.

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

Favorite track: Junk Bond Trader other picks: Son of Sam, Happiness, Everything means nothing to me

Wasn’t my kind of music, though I did enjoy Somebody That I Used To Know, which I presume inspired Gotye?

This album has some groove to it, but the vocals are kinda drab. I guess that’s what to expect with Elliott Smith though. The first 3-4 tracks were solid, then started to drop off a bit. Stupid Ties was a high point, but the remaining few songs dragged til the end.

His voice is pretty unique, and I could see how that could be a problem for some people, but he's a magician with his lyrics and instrumentation. Each song is fairly unique, but all of them have this underlying haunting-ness to them.

The music is great but this guy is probably one of the worst singers I’ve ever heard. Eww. So hard to get through it.

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.

Love the bonus tracks!

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

Peak "making a sad mistake for your high school crush" music

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

Elliott Smush is a great songwriter. He delivers meaningful lyrics with a voice that sounds just right, and often manages to convey sadness, pain, or lost through poppy hooks. The msuic fits the lyrics well, and though not showy he’s a very competent guitarist - particularly with his thoughtful and fluent fills on an acoustic between chords. While I’m enjoying this album, I don’t find it as moving or emotionally resonant as earlier efforts like his self-titled.

Not my music

5/5 Reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel

Honestly, 4.5. I really loved it

Beautiful but now I’m depressed

😭

Alright

Good sad?

Very unremarkable.

A very 2000s album. Good but dated

musical. interesting. good vibes

I had previously heard of Elliott Smith but was not sure if I knew any of his music. I enjoyed listening to this. I also feel like I need to listen to it again to appreciate it properly so will be planning to do so.

i like this so so so much more than either/or

everythingmeansnothingtomeeverythingmeansnothingtomeeverythingmeansnothingtome

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.

Un cinco bajo.

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.

Supremely nostalgic feeling, and exactly what I know and love. In some ways, it's a tough listen, knowing that this would be ES's final album before he took his own life. The sadder songs (i.e. most of them) get an additional resonance, and something like Everything Means Nothing To Me is extremely tough going in that sense, despite being beautiful. Incidentally, how much does that sound like All Of Me Wants All of You by Sufjan? Those two artists are totally of a kind I guess. Anyway, great stuff, and only missing out on the five by a hair's breadth.

More depressing Simon & Garfunkel

Multiple listens and it keeps getting better.

Another case of a lot of people liking an artist because of the circumstances of his death. Just a bunch of whining over some very uninspired instrumentals

his best in my opinion

i don’t think this is the elliot smith album for me

I love elliott smith

Son of Sam Everything Reminds Me of Her Happiness

♥️8️⃣🖤

Pretty nice.

Good album. Standout songs: Everything means nothing to me LA Wouldn't Mama be proud

Wow that was a miserable listen.

Needs a relisten or two.

Id never heard of this artist of album before. I kinda get the appeal but I found it really boring, personally.

meh

clearly inspired but a bit up his own ass

“Figure 8” von Elliott Smith zeigt seine typischen introspektiven und melancholischen Themen, bleibt jedoch oft düster und schwer zugänglich. Trotz der reichen Instrumentierung und poetischen Texte fehlt es an eingängigen Melodien und einem positiven Gefühl. Für Fans von introspektiver Musik ist es vielleicht interessant, aber insgesamt ist das Album schwer verdaulich und etwas enttäuschend.

Not sure if I want to listen to him. Not really fond of his allegations.

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

Ok, not heard of this album before

je trouve qu'il a fait des musiques plus marquantes, il a cherché à se diversifier, mais j'ai l'impression qu'il manque quelque chose. il faut regarder la qualité de la voix, et c'est malheureusement pas sa meilleure performance je trouve. L'évolution des accords reste super intéressante comme d'habitude c'est Elliott Smith. Peut être que je suis pas juste parce que je connais ses autres projets mais je me suis retrouvé plus ému sur d'autres de ses albums La dernière musique de son dernier album s'appelle Bye ?? Mais il reste un ovni pour son époque et c'est définitivement un grand album musique préférée : Everythings means to me / Wouldn't Mama Be Proud musique que j'apprecies le moins : Stupidity Tries / Colorbars

Pure torture

One of my favorite albums. Pretty stoked and a little surprised to see it on this list. Will gladly give this a listen today.

Elliott Smith returns with Figure 8 and it just proves that he really was a musical genius during his career. This album kinda gave a bit of a Simon And Garfunkel vibe with the vocals and the music sounding somewhat similar to the stuff they would make. I also really like how it and Either Or feel pretty different from each other with this one being more pop oriented and Either Or being more acoustic in nature. I still do like Either Or's style a bit more but this style also works really well. This is a great album from a great musician that we unfortunately lost way too soon. Best Song: Somebody That I Used To Know Worst Song: Junk Bond Trader

👍

So so

Not the best Elliott Smith album, but still good.

You can definitely hear the Beatles influence. I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I somehow missed it when it came out.

Thoughts before listening: I like Elliott Smith quite a bit. I believe this is his more indie rock album whereas the older stuff was more folky with light instrumentation. I don't believe I ever owned this album, but I'm glad to hear it today. Review: This is pretty good. I am enjoying the full rock band arrangements not always found in Elliott Smith's songs. Elliott's voice always seems so fragile like its about to break at any moment but he always pulls off very nice melodies. Very good songwriter and it's a shame he died so young. Troubled soul who wrote some absolutely beautiful music while he was here. The more I listen to this the more I really like it. 4 stars.

It's very weird to write something about this album, not only because I had already listened to it, but because I don't have my mind made up about this album. On one hand, three negative points: - it's certainly not the best Elliot Smith album - I don't remember any standout songs - I don't listen so hard that I understand the lyrics. This album deserves a deeper dive than a one-time listen. On the other hand, it's just good. It flows. It soothes you like a warm bath. The voice of Elliott is just amazing and this is a perfect winter album.

Really enjoyed this. Need more listens.

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

i've watched liveleak videos that were less depressing than this album 👍

Classic album. This is one of his most refined albums. Elliott dreamed to produce songs in the same fashion as Beatles one day, and it’s quite clear he was going for it here. I can’t think of many other artists that portray melancholy so beautifully as Elliott. He played all the instruments, wrote all the lyrics… His story is tragic, beautifully immortalized in his music

Если есть настроение походить по улочкам, погрустить - идеальный вариант

The effort is clearly there but production made for an overly uniform sound.

This is an almost perfect record. I remember this making such a mark on me when I first heard it in high school. It'd been a really long time since I've listened to it and it's just phenomenal.

Solid album. I’ll have to give it another listen.

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

Wow can’t believe I haven’t heard of him before, really cool alternative music that didn’t sound repetitive or messy. 3.5

It is as if someone set out to record an album of Beatles sounding music - did nothing for me

7/1001

Bro you sad. 3 stars.

I guess I was born in a barn. I didn't know how this guy. But I love his work. I will probably go listen to all of it.

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.

Man this is the blandest 90's rock i've heard. This album is so quiet and demure... as if it's trying to ride a harley and all it could muster was a 3 year old's my little pony bicycle complete with training wheels. If you look up the word "Meh" in the dictionary there's a picture of this album cover.

Entirely unremarkable. The sort of thing you'd find on repeat in a chain coffee house.

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.

I could tell right away I was going to love this album. Smith's style reminds me quite a bit of Ben Folds' music, but a bit more mellow and with production that almost feels like the Beatles. I think every song uses vocal doubling, and it works really well. I do wish the vocals were in general a lot more assertive; they tend to be drowned out by the instruments. It's tragic and horrifying what happened to him, but I'm glad to have been introduced to his music.

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.