From its very first track, Elliott Smith's 1995 self-titled is striking. The record begins with the song; Needle in the Hay, while still a beautiful song, its probably the weakest on the album for its monotonous nature. However Needle in the Hay still sets an expectation for greatness on the rest of the record, expectations that are exceeded with each following track.
Christian Brothers begins with a beautifully melodic chord progression strummed on acoustic guitar while intense but quiet drums creep into the mix. Elliot's guitar playing shifts to a bluesy, intense riff and his signature quiet angry vocals take the spotlight. With lyrics like:
„And you think I ought to shake your motherfucking hand
[...]
Nightmares becoming so fucking clear“,
you can almost experience whatever it is that he is singing about. The anger and emotion in his music is very obvious, although it seems Elliot tries to put on a mask of apathy. Its more like a thin veil, delicate and easy to see through. Very akin to the youth culture and other musical movements of the early and mid 1990s.
Clementine, the best known track on his self-titled is a complete 180 from Christian Brothers. It doesn't hide its sincerity and it doesn't seem the least bit angry. It's a mastery in songwriting and paints a picture in ones mind like a movie.
„They're waking you up to close the bar, streets wet you can tell by the sound of the cars.“
Arguably the most beautiful opening lines of any song to have ever been written. Elliot's minimal production really shines through, his simplicity is key, with only his guitar, vocal overdubs, and a tambourine going steady in the background throughout the tracks entire 2:46 runtime, he manages to create an incredibly full sound. The melodic and lyrical work on Clementine, both vocally and instrumentally, is a masterclass in songwriting. Closing with a beautiful, bluesy drop D riff. Without a doubt, I can say, Clementine is one of the greatest songs ever written.
Standout moments in this album can be found in nearly every song so I'll just make a list here:
- Swelling, loud, angry, vocal harmonies at the end of the song Southern Belle
- Unique electric guitar melody and tone, combined with beautifully blunt lyrics of Single File
- Picturesque lyricism, profound melodies and guitar solo of Coming Up Roses, and its accompanying accordion
- The dreamy delicate guitar work of Satellite
- The harmonica and dreadfully haunting melody of Alphabet Town
- St. Ides Heaven apathetic lyrics and soft percussion
- Good to Go's almost western melody and guitar work, serving as a beautiful cautionary tale, while seemingly being coated in the DNA of a self-hating Marty Robbins
- What seems to be a haunting cello appearing in the background of The White Lady Loves You More
The Biggest Lie is a great track to close this album with. Everything in this song takes a backseat to the melody, and it feels like a beautiful moment of honesty and transparency.
Standout moments in this album can be found in nearly every song so I'll just make a list here:
- Swelling, loud, angry, vocal harmonies at the end of the song Southern Belle
- Unique electric guitar melody and tone, combined with beautifully blunt lyrics of Single File
- Picturesque lyricism, profound melodies and guitar solo of Coming Up Roses, and its accompanying accordion
- The dreamy delicate guitar work of Satellite
- The harmonica and dreadfully haunting melody of Alphabet Town
- St. Ides Heaven apathetic lyrics and soft percussion
- Good to Go's almost western melody and guitar work, serving as a beautiful cautionary tale, while seemingly being coated in the DNA of a self-hating Marty Robbins
- What seems to be a haunting cello appearing in the background of The White Lady Loves You More
The Biggest Lie is a great track to close this album with. Everything in this song takes a backseat to the melody, and it feels like a beautiful moment of honesty and transparency.
„Oh we're so very precious you and I, oh I just told the biggest lie“,
a line that seems to describe a deeply unhappy, one-sided relationship, can be interpreted in a number of ways. In a way I think this is Elliot's nervous way of telling people,
„if you didn't like this just now, it was all a lie, nothing serious“.
Much like the lyrics of Nirvana's On a Plain "It is now time to make it unclear, to write off lines that dont make sense, its safe to say don't quote me on that". The purpose of The Biggest Lie feels like a safety net for a singer-songwriter who just exposed their most vulnerable inner-workings through thinly-vailed apathy. The short guitar solo is also beautiful.
Elliott Smith's self-titled leaves nothing to be desired besides more Elliott Smith. It's quite beautiful. I could go into every song in immense detail, but I'm far too lazy, let the music speak for itself, listen to the masterpiece.
Elliott Smith's self-titled leaves nothing to be desired besides more Elliott Smith. It's quite beautiful. I could go into every song in immense detail, but I'm far too lazy, let the music speak for itself, listen to the masterpiece.
10/10
See also: Neutral Milk Hotel, Nick Drake, Palace Brothers, Beck
- AwesomeGuy
stillbeaches' rating: 7.5
YonDivi's rating: 7
lovely lovely record
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