xkittenxsocksx
08-22-2007, 7:05 PM
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FZN9XCQ9L._AA240_.jpg
Label: Kill Rock Stars
Release Date: February 25th, 1997
Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Indie-Folk
Tracklist:
1. Speed Trials
2. Alameda
3. Ballad of Big Nothing
4. Between the Bars
5. Pictures of Me
6. No Name # 5
7. Rose Parade
8. Punch and Judy
9. Angeles
10. Cupid's Trick
11. 2:45 AM
12. Say Yes
I can't sleep, It's 1 am so please excuse any bad grammar.
For whatever reason, singer/songwriters grow on trees. Being a dabbler myself I understand why. Its simply a matter of its simplicity and accessibility. To be a singer/songwriter you neither have to be the greatest singer or greatest instrumentalist in the world or within your own household even (just ask Martha Wainwright.) What you do need though is a story to tell or some thoughts to share, thoughts on life, love, death whatever. A short period of time spent getting fluid at basic chord changes and you're pretty much ready to go. Sounds simple doesn't it. It should be but for every Chan Marshall or Bob Dylan there are thousands of James Blunts, KT Tunstalls or Joan Baez's. Between these two extremes of good and bad you will find people like Elliott Smith.
Either/Or came out in 1997 on Kill Rock Stars records. The fact that a quiet, lo-fi album by yet another shy and sensitive guy with a guitar came out on that label is surprising in itself because Kill Rock Star was basically the home for the Riot Girl movement in the early '90s. Surprising because of the obvious stylistic differences and also surprising in that a label with a history of releasing low quality music by low quality bands in the name of supporting a never moving 'movement', that was already dead and essentially misdirected to begin with would eventually get around to actually releasing something good.
This album marks a key transition for his sound, branching out on styles that were only slighted hinted at with 95 release Elliott Smith you see a wider array of instruments (all played by Elliott) and more polished sound as well as better quality and better production. This album shows Elliott's talent as an arranger better than most I think, he shows he has an ear for melody and knows how to construct a song better than most singer/songwriters of recent times.
While this album is one of my favourites the main weak point is in a few of the songs, the lyrics. The words do flow with music perfectly making it much more about the delivery then the words themselves. Though sometimes some of the lines are hard to ignore. But this album still holds some of his finest lyrical pieces, most particularly Between the Bars which is a completely lyrically driven song and with verses like "Drink up baby, look at the stars / I'll kiss you again between the bars / Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air / Waiting to be finally caught" its hard not to be captivated. The majority of the songs sit in the right place though, with great lyrics and music such as No Name #5, Angeles, Rose Parade and Say Yes.
Either/Or is a very important album being the bridge between his early lo-fi folk sound to his later baroque pop and more layered sound and without a doubt the best album of his to start with as its the easiest to get into and one of his best, if not his best.
5/5 :king:
Label: Kill Rock Stars
Release Date: February 25th, 1997
Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Indie-Folk
Tracklist:
1. Speed Trials
2. Alameda
3. Ballad of Big Nothing
4. Between the Bars
5. Pictures of Me
6. No Name # 5
7. Rose Parade
8. Punch and Judy
9. Angeles
10. Cupid's Trick
11. 2:45 AM
12. Say Yes
I can't sleep, It's 1 am so please excuse any bad grammar.
For whatever reason, singer/songwriters grow on trees. Being a dabbler myself I understand why. Its simply a matter of its simplicity and accessibility. To be a singer/songwriter you neither have to be the greatest singer or greatest instrumentalist in the world or within your own household even (just ask Martha Wainwright.) What you do need though is a story to tell or some thoughts to share, thoughts on life, love, death whatever. A short period of time spent getting fluid at basic chord changes and you're pretty much ready to go. Sounds simple doesn't it. It should be but for every Chan Marshall or Bob Dylan there are thousands of James Blunts, KT Tunstalls or Joan Baez's. Between these two extremes of good and bad you will find people like Elliott Smith.
Either/Or came out in 1997 on Kill Rock Stars records. The fact that a quiet, lo-fi album by yet another shy and sensitive guy with a guitar came out on that label is surprising in itself because Kill Rock Star was basically the home for the Riot Girl movement in the early '90s. Surprising because of the obvious stylistic differences and also surprising in that a label with a history of releasing low quality music by low quality bands in the name of supporting a never moving 'movement', that was already dead and essentially misdirected to begin with would eventually get around to actually releasing something good.
This album marks a key transition for his sound, branching out on styles that were only slighted hinted at with 95 release Elliott Smith you see a wider array of instruments (all played by Elliott) and more polished sound as well as better quality and better production. This album shows Elliott's talent as an arranger better than most I think, he shows he has an ear for melody and knows how to construct a song better than most singer/songwriters of recent times.
While this album is one of my favourites the main weak point is in a few of the songs, the lyrics. The words do flow with music perfectly making it much more about the delivery then the words themselves. Though sometimes some of the lines are hard to ignore. But this album still holds some of his finest lyrical pieces, most particularly Between the Bars which is a completely lyrically driven song and with verses like "Drink up baby, look at the stars / I'll kiss you again between the bars / Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air / Waiting to be finally caught" its hard not to be captivated. The majority of the songs sit in the right place though, with great lyrics and music such as No Name #5, Angeles, Rose Parade and Say Yes.
Either/Or is a very important album being the bridge between his early lo-fi folk sound to his later baroque pop and more layered sound and without a doubt the best album of his to start with as its the easiest to get into and one of his best, if not his best.
5/5 :king: