Vintage Elliott Smith
Emerging from the shadow of Kurt Cobain in the late 90's, Elliott Smith was perhaps the greatest singer songwriter of his generation. Smith's genius was his unabashedly honest, naked, poetic lyricism that was so beautifully complemented by his unpretentiousness acoustic guitar. Like none that came before him, Smith delivers note after note of haunted, sparkling melancholy. Far from gloomy, his songs radiate with incredible emotional intensity. Combining an unbridled punk rage within the guise of an acoustic folk song, his songs speak for themselves. Reflective and introspective, each song unfolds like a delicately wrapped package, revealing itself slowly. Smith's songs present themselves like late night thoughts that just won't go away. Concerning themselves with drug abuse, depression, and troubled relationships, Smith exorcises his inner demons and releases them in a beautiful, blinding, luminosity, albeit born from dark, painful emotional despair.

Elliott Smith returned with twelve brand new songs on his second self titled album a year after his debut on the Kill Rock Stars label. Sonically, ES is virtually indistinguishable from his debut Roman Candle, although the songwriting was becoming increasingly sophisticated and developed. There is also slightly more raw aggression in both his playing and vocal delivery. Smith has said himself that ES was recorded on his girlfriend's borrowed guitar, and that it was tuned down and he didn't realize it. Fortunately, it works to his favor. What works so well for Smith's sound is the intimacy that comes across, lyrically and instrumentally. Listening to this in a quiet, dark room, you can literally feel Smith breathing down your neck. Complementing his introspective lyrics, the delivery is no less than perfect. Sounding more and more haunting with each verse, Smith brings us deeper and deeper into his dark world of despair and desolation. Confronting drug abuse, depression, and alcoholism, Smith exorcises his demons in a beautiful, emotionally confessional arc of songwriting. The first half of the album leaves the listener breathless, Smith bares his soul, not looking back. Lyrically, there is not a "weak" song on the entire album. There is incredible cohesiveness and an intimacy bordering on uncomfortable. Slowly, it becomes apparent ES is a step forward from Roman Candle, each songs begins to immortalize itself into your consciousness with each repeated listen. His subtle melodic arrangements are so brilliantly crafted that they only begin to reveal themselves upon repeated listen. It is at this time that you realize his lyrics follow the exact same pattern. Again, so perfectly is his songwriting complemented by his paper thin deliver, that you can't imagine it being played by anyone else. On "Coming Up Roses" Smith begins to embellish his songs with drums and harmonica(used in RC). The effect positively gives his songs a more three dimensional feel. Stylistically, ES is perhaps the climax of his first three releases- catching him in his prime, between Roman Candle and Either/Or before he moved on to greater production and a richer more full bodied sound. Track 1 "Needle In The Hay" was featured in Wes Anderson's film The Royal Tenenbaums. Elliott Smith is perhaps the definitive work of arguably the greatest singer/ songwriter of his generation.

Lo-fi Wonder
I love Elliott Smith's work(Mostly his lo-fi stuff). I got this on vinyl, and it's amazing. Hearing his fingers shift on the guitar is such an amazing sound that you just don't get anymore. Powerful lyrics such as Needle In The Hay and Coming Up Roses really give yo something to awe over.

ES FanBoy
If dead men can have fan boys, I would be one. The album is amazing like everything hes written. This one does have a more distinct grungy? feel. It feels rougher to me than the others, don't know the words to describe that.

The proceeds just go to his abusive father and his label, so do what you will with that info.

Help. Why is this guy so highly regarded.
Despite what many folks might say, its a wonderful time to be a music fan. Given the informative power of the internet combined with the fact that a majority of worthy music finally has (and still is) making its way onto Compact Discs. We have the power to sample, pick and choose music from around the globe. Bliss. I am still discovering stuff from the 70s, that I missed when I was a kid. So why am I jibbering on about this when this is supposed to be an Elliott Smith review? I think I wanted to point out that if you think this is good. And given the reviews, many people love this guy - You have reached some sort of bottleneck in your quest for music. The material, as on all of his records, is mediocre at best. Some say its dark, contemplative, beautiful and deep. It try's to be, but like a weakling trying to do a pull-up, it just can't get its chin over the bar. And on top of that, it is sorely deprived of any thing musically redeemable. You want thought provoking lyrics? No not hear. You want cool alt-pop that sticks in your head? Sorry, try again. And these are actaully the types of things Elliott Smith gets credit for. I am completely convinced that this guy is both melodically and harmonically challenged. If anything, I will say that he is consistant. Creating one forgettable tune after the other without even stopping is maybe something to be proud of. You would think just by chance be might stumble onto something good, I mean they do keep letting him make records. There is so much better out there in the genre of 'whimsical, quasi-dark, singer soungwriters'. You can say that I don't get it. I don't.

new fan
i originally heard the first track on this album while watching the Royal Tenenbaums. I liked the song so much i bought this album. I am a new fan of elliot smith's music.